Did They Learn Their Lesson?
September 11th, 2001: a day I both want to forget and remember.
A year later, some of us are listless, some of us are full of sorrow,
some of us are angry, and some of us are all of the above.
Browsing the internet turns up its share of
tributes and
careful reminders, stirring up the raw emotions of that fateful day.
I’ll never forget it; I won’t forget the anguish and fear.
I’ll never forget how far away my wife felt; 40 miles seemed like forever.
I won’t forget our eager embrace later that afternoon.
I’ll never forget that many Americans never had the chance to hold their
loved ones again.
I’ll also never forget the rage I felt. This was an act of war.
Our response needed to be, and certainly was, quick and
efficient. The guilty must be punished. America would not stand silently
by and watch these events unfold on
CNN.
A year later, what I really want to know is did the terrorists of the world
learn a lesson?
Do they understand that they did not divide but unite us?
Do they understand that we are the sleeping giant, ready and
willing to use our might? America is not to trifled with.
I can’t pretend to understand the thought process of a terrorist.
I can’t pretend to understand how anyone could use one innocent
life to harm another or take their own life in the process.
It is totally and utterly beyond me. But I hope
they can understand a simple lesson.
Any attack against our nation requires a swift and violent response.
You cannot get the best of us.
Did we make our point? Was Iraq taking notes?
Despite the fact that he’d probably tell you different, I bet Osama Bin Laden is
not nearly as comfortable within the hole he cowers as he was
roaming around Afghanistan, spewing his lies to eager ears.
His network of bastards are injured and on the run. His base of power
is destroyed. But can evil learn; can evil regret?
I originally wrote this to record my feelings on this day – one year removed.
You know what? I’m still angry; angry as hell.
