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"DO NOT FORGET"

        ED Evans,MGySgt.,USMC (Ret.)

I sat in a movie theater watching "Schindler's List,"

asked myself, "Why didn't the Jews fight back?"

Now I know why.

I sat in a movie theater, watching "Pearl Harbor" and

asked myself, "Why weren't we prepared?"

Now I know why.

Civilized people cannot fathom, much less predict, the

actions of evil people.

On September 11, dozens of capable airplane passengers

allowed themselves to be overpowered by a handful of

poorly armed terrorists because they did not

comprehend the depth of hatred that motivated their

captors.

On September 11, thousands of innocent people were

murdered because too many Americans naively reject the

reality that some nations are dedicated to the

dominance of others. Many political pundits, pacifists

and media personnel want us to forget the carnage.

They say we must focus on the bravery of the rescuers

and ignore the cowardice of the killers. They implore

us to understand the motivation of the perpetrators.

Major television stations have announced they will

assist the healing process by not replaying

devastating footage of the planes crashing into the

Twin Towers.

I will not be manipulated.

I will not pretend to understand.

I will not forget.

I will not forget the liberal media who abused freedom

of the press to kick our country when it was

vulnerable and hurting.

I will not forget that CBS anchor Dan Rather preceded

President Bush's address to the nation with the snide

remark, "No matter how you feel about him, he is still

our president."

I will not forget that ABC TV anchor Peter Jennings

questioned President Bush's motives for not returning

immediately to Washington, DC and commented, "We're

all pretty skeptical and cynical about Washington."

And I will not forget that ABC's Mark Halperin warned

if reporters weren't informed of every little detail

of this war, they aren't "likely -- nor should they be

expected -- to show deference."

I will not isolate myself from my fellow Americans by

pretending an attack on the USS Cole in Yemen was not

an attack on the United States of America.

I will not forget the Clinton administration equipped

Islamic terrorists and their supporters with the

world's most sophisticated telecommunications

equipment and encryption technology, thereby

compromising America's ability to trace terrorist

radio, cell phone, land lines, faxes and modem

communications.

I will not be appeased with pointless, quick

retaliatory strikes like those perfected by the

previous administration.

I will not be comforted by "feel-good, do nothing"

regulations like the silly "Have your bags been under

your control?" question at the airport.

I will not be influenced by so called,"antiwar

demonstrators" who exploit the right of _expression to

chant anti-American obscenities.

I will not forget the moral victory handed the North

Vietnamese by American war protesters who reviled and

spat upon the returning Soldiers, Airmen, Sailors and

Marines.

I will not be softened by the wishful thinking of

pacifists who chose reassurance over reality.

I will embrace the wise words of Prime Minister Tony

Blair who told Labor Party conference, "They have no

moral inhibition on the slaughter of the innocent. If

they could have murdered not 7,000 but 70,000, does

anyone doubt they would have done so and rejoiced in

it?

There is no compromise possible with such people, no

meeting of minds, no point of understanding with such

terror. Just a choice: defeat it or be defeated by it.

And defeat it we must!"

I will force myself to:

-hear the weeping

-feel the helplessness

-imagine the terror

-sense the panic

-smell the burning flesh

- experience the loss

- remember the hatred.

I sat in a movie theater, watching "Private Ryan" and

asked myself, "Where did they find the courage?"

Now I know.

We have no choice. Living without liberty is not

living.

-- Ed Evans, MGySgt., USMC (Ret.)

Not as lean, Not as mean, But still a Marine.