The World of Grandpa Don

9/15/2001
Open Letter to Terrorists:

 Well, you hit the World Trade Center, but you missed America. You hit the  Pentagon, but you missed America. You used helpless American bodies, to take  out other American bodies, but like a poor marksman, you STILL missed America.

 Why? Because of something you guys will never understand. America isn't  about a building or two, not about financial centers, not about military  centers, America isn't about a place, America isn't even about a bunch of  bodies.

 America is about an IDEA. An idea, that you can go someplace where you can  earn as much as you can figure out how to; live, for the most part, like you  envisioned living; and pursue Happiness. (No guarantees that you'll reach  it, but you can sure try!) 

 Go ahead and whine your terrorist whine, and chant your terrorist litany. "If you cannot see my point, then feel my pain." This concept is alien to Americans. We live in a country where we don't have to see your point. But  you're free to have one. We don't have to listen to your speech. But you're  free to say one. Don't know where you got the strange idea that everyone has to agree with you. We don't agree with each other in this country, almost as
 a matter of pride.

 We're a collection of guys that don't agree, called States. We united our individual states to protect ourselves from tyranny in the  world. Another idea, we made up on the spot. You CAN make it up as you go,  when it's your country. If you're free enough. 

Yeah, we're fat, sloppy, easygoing goofs most of the time. That's an  unfortunate image to project to the world, but it comes of feeling free and  easy about the world you live in.  It's unfortunate too, because people start to forget that when you attack  Americans, they tend to fight like a cornered badger.

 So who just declared War on us? It would be nice to point to some real  estate, like the good old days. Unfortunately, we're probably at war with  random camps, in far-flung places. Who think they're safe. Just like the  Barbary Pirates did. Better start sleeping with one eye open.  There's a spirit that tends to take over people who come to this country,
 looking for opportunity, looking for liberty, looking for freedom. 

You guys seem to be incapable of understanding that we don't live in America,  America lives in US! American Spirit is what it's called. And killing a few  thousand of us, or a few million of us, won't change it.  Most of the time, it's a pretty happy-go-lucky kind of Spirit. Until we're crossed in a cowardly manner, then it becomes an entirely different kind
of Spirit. Wait until you see what we do with that Spirit, this time.

 Sleep tight, if you can. We're coming. 

 Unknown

 Thanks to Ron Hartman for sharing.