‘A Country Like Never Before’

Bruce Sievers

It’s the right of every American . . . to make his feelings known . .

. to publicly criticize or disagree . . . to sympathize or condone. It’s

our right to openly gather together . . . it’s our right to dissent or

applaud . . . it’s our right to come and go as we please . . . it’s our

right to worship God. But as I listen to the comments . . . reminiscent

of once before . . .second guessing with so many negatives . . . the

President’s decision to war . . . I wonder how many of them realize . . .

or simply demonstrate . . . that a war was fought to give them . . . the

right to speculate. The right to choose not to war improves our animal

past . . . but we have to keep the animal in check for any peace to last.

No one wants war . . . it’s not our choice . . . no one wants to die . .

. our children’s future is always . . . more important than you and I. I

don’t want to live in a world where my kids can never be free . . . we

have to try to make things better . . . than they are for you and me. And

sometimes that requires . . . that we might have to fight . . . no one

ever really wants it . . . it will never . . . ever be right. But it

seems to be the lesser of two evils we have to face . . . go to war to

make things better . . . or submit . . . and live in disgrace. The world

is just a neighborhood . . . and one of our neighbors is wrong . . . they

can’t just hide Bin Laden any more . . . the way they have for so long.

Because if he goes unchecked . . . he’ll kill and kill again and sometime

. . . somewhere . . . without a doubt . . . we’ll have to fight him them.

This was more than a tragedy . . . this was more than disgrace . . . this

was an abomination . . . to the civilized human race. How can someone so

twisted . . . actually rationalize . . . that Allah could find any speck

of good . . . in those flames and ash filled skies? And as those pictures

flashed around the world . . . and the whole world started to cry . . .

and we watched with horror and disbelief . . . and tried to understand

why . . . thousands of people . . . from all over the world . . .

innocents who never even knew . . . this man who hated America so much .

. . that he totally misconstrued . . . the teachings of a wonderful

religion . . . that never would ever condone . . . these barbaric murders

in the name of God . . . then hide . . . like a coward . . . alone . . .

awaiting the wrath of the sleeping giant . . . who solemnly vows to

avenge . . . with the awesome power of her armies . . . and the help of

America’s friends. For the honor of those policemen . . . who only wanted

to help . . . for the valor of those firemen . . . who put duty above

themselves . . . for the memory of all those victims . . . and the loved

ones they left behind . . . it’s time to let the cowards know . . . that

we are still going to find you. Two hundred years ago . . . some people

fought a war . . . and gave to all their children . . . a country like

never before . . . a country based on the freedom of every single man . .

. a country based on rights . . . the right to take a stand. And it’s

right to stop this aggression . . . to prevent another horrible war . . .

we have to stop this mad man right now . . . before he can kill anymore.

So I’m proud to be an American . . . a people who still have the right .

. . to disagree . . . and then go on . . . even though we have to fight.

And we promise each other and every soldier . . . this time . . . you

will never be alone . . . America will be right there beside you . . .

till each and every one of you comes home.

-Bruce Sievers

*Printed with permission by Bruce Sievers.

“A Country Like Never Before”