Recent talk about terrorists

[Janet Harrington]

I listen to talk radio on my way home from work every afternoon and everyone is talking about terrorists.  Should we stay in the war?  Should we get out of the war?  I got this on e-mail today and wanted to share it with you.  You don't get the pretty letters and the handsome picture of the fighter pilot, but the words are the most important anyway.  It is my belief that all of our soldiers (the word soldiers includes all branches in my opinion), are able and willing to stay the fight to keep us free and alive. 

I'm Coming For You!

Dear Terrorists,
I am a Fighter Pilot. I was born and raised in a small town in New England . I come from a family of five. I was raised in a middle class home and taught my values by my mother and father.

My dad worked a series of jobs in finance and my mom took care of us kids. We were not an overly religious family but attended church most Sundays. It was a nice small Episcopal Church.  I have a brother and
Sister and I am the youngest in my family.  I was the first in many generations to attend college.

I have flown fighter aircraft for 16 years.  For me the flying was never a lifelong  dream or a "calling," it just happened.    I needed a job and I liked the challenge.  I continue to do it today because I feel it is important to give back to a nation which has given so much to me. I do it because, although I will never be rich, my family will be comfortable.

I do it because many of my friends have left for the airlines and someone has to do it.

My government has spent millions to train me to fly these
Multi-million dollar aircraft. I make about 70,000 dollars a year and after 20 years will be offered a pension.

I like baseball but think the players make too much money. I am in awe of firemen and policemen and what they do each day for my community, and like teachers, they just don't get paid enough.

I respect my elders and always use sir or ma'am when addressing a stranger. I'm not sure about kids these days but I think that's normal for every generation.

I tell you all this because when I come for you, I want you to know me. I won't be hiding behind a woman or a child.  I won't be disguised or pretending to be something I am not.  I will be in a U.S. Issue flight suit. I will be wearing standard US issue flight gear, and I will be flying a fighter aircraft clearly marked as a US warplane.  I want you to know also that I am very good at what I do.  I can put a 2,000 lb weapon through a window from 10,000 feet up ( that is 2 miles ).  I generally only fly at night, so you may want to start sleeping during the day. I am not eager to die for my country but I am willing to sacrifice my life to protect it from animals like you.

I will do everything in my power to ensure no civilians are hurt as I take aim at you.

My countrymen are a forgiving bunch.  Many are already forgetting what you did on Sept 11th.  But I will not forget!

I am coming.   I hope you know me a little bit better------see you soon...sleep tight.


Signed
A  Warrior


Our Soldiers are one of our greatest assets!

God Bless

[MarineMom]

It is my belief that all of our soldiers (the word soldiers includes all branches in my opinion), are able and willing to stay the fight to keep us free and alive. 

I know my son and his buddy's feel that way, and freinds with children in the services tell me the same thing.  They just got home on Valentine's day and he called last week to tell me they are going back next year.

[Janet Harrington]

I had a nephew by marriage that was over there driving a Humvee with a big gun.  The kind of vehicle that runs over those IEDs, anyway, he would go back in a heartbeat.  He says we are doing good over there and the citizens do appreciate the Americans.  Don't let the main stream media tell you any different.  Just talk to someone who has been over there fighting and they will tell you the straight story.

[emptynest]

And the word is out that if we don't stay the course, and if we would pull away from everything "over there", that within 2  years those "terrorists" that are over there, not to mention the ones that are already here (and I do think there are) will be over here and the fighting will be on our turf. The next time you watch a report from over in Iraq, just imagine that to be the streets and buildings in your town, your county, and your family. 

And has anything been found out about the missing foreign exchange students who were due at Montana State University, but never showed up? I heard about it on the news this morning and never heard anything more......

[Mom70x7]

Several of them have been found. The story they're giving is they decided to look at other schools.l I think there were 11 missing; 3 found so far. That's pretty quick work, I think.

[Carl Harrod]

I can't remember where I got this, but after reading these comments, it was the first thing that came to my mind.  It is long, but worth reading:

Don't close your blinds.     I found this to be quite touching and definitely worth passing along.

The other day, my nine year old son wanted to know why we were at war...My husband looked at our son and then looked at me. My husband and I were in the Army during the Gulf War and we would be honored to serve and defend our Country again today. I knew that my husband would give him a good explanation. My husband thought for a few minutes and then told my son to go stand in our front living room window.

He said "Son, stand there and tell me what you see?"

"I see trees and cars and our neighbor's houses." he replied.

"OK, now I want you to pretend that our house and our yard is the United States of America and you are President Bush."

Our son giggled and said "OK."

"Now son, I want you to look out the window and pretend that every house and yard on this block is a different country" my husband said.

"OK Dad, I'm pretending."

"Now I want you to stand there and look out the window and pretend you see Saddam come out of his house with his wife, he has her by the hair and is hitting her. You see her bleeding and crying. He hits her in the face, he throws her on the ground, then he starts to kick her to death. Their children run out and are afraid to stop him, they are screaming and crying, they are watching this but do nothing because they are kids and they are afraid of their father. You see all of this, son....what do you do?"

"Dad?"

"What do you do son?"

"I'd call the police, Dad."

"OK. Pretend that the police are the United Nations. They take your call. They listen to what you know and saw but they refuse to help. What do you do then son?"

"Dad.......... but the police are supposed to help!" My son starts to whine.

"They don't want to son, because they say that it is not their place or your place to get involved and that you should stay out of it," my husband says.

"But Dad...he killed her!!" my son exclaims.

"I know he did...but the police tell you to stay out of it. Now I want you to look out that window and pretend you see our neighbor who you're pretending is Saddam turn around and do the same thing to his children."

"Daddy...he kills them?"

"Yes son, he does. What do you do?"

"Well, if the police don't want to help, I will go and ask my next door neighbor to help me stop him." our son says.

"Son, our next door neighbor sees what is happening and refuses to get involved as well. He refuses to open the door and help you stop him," my husband says.

"But Dad, I NEED help!!! I can't stop him by myself!!"

"WHAT DO YOU DO SON?"

Our son starts to cry.

"OK, no one wants to help you, the man across the street saw you ask for help and saw that no one would help you stop him. He stands taller and puffs out his chest. Guess what he does next son?"

"What Daddy?"

"He walks across the street to the old ladies house and breaks down her door and drags her out, steals all her stuff and sets her house on fire and then...he kills her. He turns around and sees you standing in the window and laughs at you. WHAT DO YOU DO?"

"Daddy..."

"WHAT DO YOU DO?"

Our son is crying and he looks down and he whispers, "I'd close the blinds, Daddy."

My husband looks at our son with tears in his eyes and asks him. "Why?"

"Because Daddy.....the police are supposed to help people who needs them...and they won't help.... You always say that neighbors are supposed to HELP neighbors, but they won't help either...they won't help me stop him...I'm afraid....I can't do it by myself Daddy.....I can't look out my window and just watch him do all these terrible things and...and.....do nothing...so....I'm just going to close the blinds.... so I can't see what he's doing........and I'm going to pretend that it is not happening."

I start to cry. My husband looks at our nine year old son standing in the window, looking pitiful and ashamed at his answers to my husband's questions and he says... "Son"

"Yes, Daddy."

"Open the blinds because that man.... he's at your front door... "WHAT DO YOU DO?"

My son looks at his father, anger and defiance in his eyes. He balls up his tiny fists and looks his father square in the eyes, without hesitation he says: "I DEFEND MY FAMILY DAD!! I'M NOT GONNA LET HIM HURT MOMMY OR MY SISTER, DAD!!! I'M GONNA FIGHT HIM, DAD, I'M GONNA FIGHT HIM!!!!!"

I see a tear roll down my husband's cheek and he grabs our son to his chest and hugs him tight, and says... "It's too late to fight him, he's too strong and he's already at YOUR front door son.....you should have stopped him BEFORE he killed his wife, and his children and the old lady across the way. You have to do what's right, even if you have to do it alone, before its too late." my husband whispers. THAT scenario I just gave you is WHY we are at war with Iraq. When good men stand by and let evil happen son, THAT is the greatest atrocities in the world won't affect him. "YOU MUST NEVER BE AFRAID TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT! EVEN IF YOU HAVE TO DO IT ALONE!" BE PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN! BE PROUD OF OUR TROOPS!! SUPPORT THEM!!! SUPPORT AMERICA SO THAT IN THE FUTURE OUR CHILDREN WILL NEVER HAVE TO CLOSE THEIR BLINDS..."

This should be printed in every newspaper and posted in every school in America. Of course that won't happen so we'll use the internet. If your blinds are closed do nothing with this email. If they are open I do not need to tell you what to do. GOD BLESS!!!!!!!!!!

[Teresa]

I am not ashamed to tell you that as I was reading this, I had goosebumps on my arms and neck.. and then I cried.