I was reading a book given to me by a good friend. The book was nothing more than a series of pictures and quotations of President Kennedy. I came across one that hit me right between the eyes not only because it was said over forty years ago but also because its truth is something we would all be wise to take notice of today.
Terror is not a new weapon. Throughtout history it has been used by those who could not prevail either by persuasion or example. But inevitably they fail, either because men are not afraid to die for a life worth living, or beacuse the terrorists themselves come to realize that free men cannot be frightened by threats and that agression would meet its own repsonse.
I wish I could send that off to President Bush for him to mull over for a while. Like President Kennedy suggests, we are wise to have met the initial aggression with aggression of our own. There is no doubt in my mind, nor anyone else's, that the war in Afghanistan was proportional and appropriate. However, I think the other suggestion I think we need to mull is that while force begets force, pure terror will not win. To combat such terror and hatred we must show we are not frightened. I think we show "them" that we are not frightened by recommitting ourselves to the cause the freedom. However, this cause is not served by roaming the globe to seek out and destroy tyranny. Freedom's cause is not served by undermining the intelligence and debate of free citizens to mislead them into war. Freedom's cause is served by securing equal access to education. Freedom's cause is served by an open and honest government, free of vendetta and vice. Freedom's cause is secured when we can deliver an honest salary for an honest day's work; when our children do not have to fear the common cold or the standard cuts and scraps of childhood because their parents cannot afford to see a doctor.
We secure freedom and "win" the war on terror when we serve not only as a beacon freedom at home but actively work to spread the message through good will and not guns in the countries of the world where the people have not yet felt the warm bask of freedom. We secure freedom when the people in every country, in every corner, of OUR globe have been allowed a referendum on freedom and have had the opportunity to make a choice on the degree and destiny of their freedom and have done so without a conquering army, without the demand to do so by foreign countries. Freedom cannot be delivered, it can only be demanded.