BACK
President George Bush
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500
11
September 2001
RE: World Trade Center/Pentagon Terrorist Attack ~
Dear President Bush:
At this point, the situation with these horrible attacks on the American
nation remains fluid. From the national response to help deal with the
monumental disaster relief on the ground, to the initial investigations into
who was truly behind this mass murder of American citizens, we are only just
beginning to dig ourselves out of the rubble. The rubble of the WTC complex and
Pentagon, as well as the rubble of our own national complacency and
indifference.
We would like to voice a few concerns, Mr. President, and at this early hour,
we believe we speak for many, many other fellow Americans, especially those
without the strength and spiritual resources, in the face of this horror, to
voice their shock, sorrow, and indeed, furious anger.
I have communications and maintain friendships with active duty law enforcement
and Fire/Rescue professionals nationwide. Personally, I benefit greatly from
their strength, caliber of spirit, courage, and valor. Did you notice the
immediate distinction in the media between the myriad civilian casualties and
that of LE/Fire/EMS? American society instinctively responds so. While
everybody else is running away from the terror and alarm, these men and women
of valor are running the other way. While the civilian population was
evacuating the WTC complex, these people were on the ground and inside, doing
their duty of protecting lives; saving lives, in the face of immediate peril to
themselves. Then the other plane hit; then the buildings collapsed.... The
sight of those dust covered Firemen wandering back and forth dazed....
This was certainly the NYPD’s and NY Fire/Rescue community’s finest
hour.
On another level, you stated in your national address the Federal government
will hunt down and “punish” those responsible for this. We have heard
at this point there will be a vote to “condemn” this in the Congress.
The voices of denunciation from our “allies” has been typical; not to
be criticized, but typical.
This is all real inspiring and cheerful, but they are all just empty speeches
and blustery declamations. The original WTC bombing; the attack on the USS
Cole; the bombings of the U.S. Embassies in Africa; now this; our response as a
nation to these crimes has been tepid, lukewarm, almost barely evident in the
apprehension of a few minor foot soldiers involved, and has belied a lack of
caliber and fortitude in our national character.
The political pundits and talking heads in the national media commented that
“America can never be the same,” and that, “Americans will have
to give up essential personal freedoms and liberties,” to effectively deal
with these terrorist threats. Most of the high-profile commentators, and those
they interviewed, were borderline hysterical and irrational, as they alluded to
more draconian measures being needed to assure American society’s
“peace and safety,” and sought to saddle the American people with
their “victim” mentality.
Baloney! We adamantly and purposefully disagree, as we believe they do not
speak for the majority. We refuse to kowtow and submit to the fear and terror
of these international criminals, cowering and trembling in dread of their next
aggression. All due respects, Mr. President, but to hell with them. America
does not run. We refuse to accept further ineffective and useless
“security” measures and encroachments on the American way of life by
the Federal framework, as who is a “terrorist” can quickly become
blurred and ambiguous depending on who is in power, as with the previous
administration. This is nothing but a defeatist and defensive posture,
regardless, and no way for an American to live. To hell with international
opinion; to hell with the fascillating support and waffling of our
“allies” who would abandon us because of political expediency and
their own personal welfare.
Mr. President, these people who are attacking American interests only
understand one concept. Force. President Ronald Reagan had a low tolerance
level for terrorists, and flew the U.S. Air Force into Mohammar Khadafy’s
backyard, and we had peace. Sir, your own father had an even lower tolerance
level for thugs and thieves (like these thieves who would steal American’s
hard won freedoms), and marched the U.S. military right up to Saddam
Hussein’s front door, and we had peace. Is it not surprising that the
residual influence of the previous administration’s lack of moral weight
has brought us to today? Because there is no deterrence. Bellicose words, and
certainly, “laws,” have no meaning to criminals. Any street cop
understands the most basic philosophy of this. They only comprehend decisive
action and force. Until the price these people have to pay -- the immediate
endangerment of their own personal interests and holdings -- is so offensive,
is so unimaginable, wherever they are found in the world, that even the
thought of “eternal reward” is not an option, these attacks will
continue. The precedent has been set. But this has been our own fault.
Therefore, we call on you, Mr. President, as the senior Federal representative,
to finally set that much needed new precedent and policy. A sustained and
tangible precedent, immediately and today, with AMERICA stamped exclusively on
it. The young warriors of the U.S. military stand-by ready to answer that call,
anytime and anywhere -- with or without the support of our allies. We call on
the Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation to, with
audacity, cunning, and skill, identify those responsible for this, and to
avenge their LE peers who did, and have, fallen in the line of duty. We ask
you, Mr. President, to legally free them to pursue this call for justice, by
formally declaring war with those larger overseas groups who, when finally
and unequivocally identified, executed this mass murder. And we ask that it
would be just as furious, wherever it may be, worldwide.
We call, as American citizens, for justice and judgment. Certainly the innocent
thousands who fell beneath the WTC catastrophe call for the same. Certainly the
dusty badges of those NYPD and NY Fire/Rescue warriors who fell beneath the
cataclysm call for the same. The American public, and most certainly the sworn
enemies of this great country, will be watching closely in the weeks ahead,
ready to test your administration’s caliber and resolve in the face of
this challenge to our freedom and, yes, our national sovereignty. With this
act, they have called America out into the street. We hope you will be able
to make the right decisions, the ones few others have the stomach to make,
in answering that threat.
Mr. Bush, we cannot, we will not, live in a prison of fear. We are not
victims. We are America.
In closing, our heartfelt sympathies, sorrowful thoughts, and faithful prayers,
are with the citizens of New York, the New York City Police Department, New
York Fire/Rescue, the Pentagon staff, and their families and friends. May they
continue to stand tall, may they never surrender.
Our Deepest Respects and Regards,
Michael A. Baker
Michael A. Baker
PO Box 6508
Corona, California 92878-6508
Info@SalemTheSoldier.us
CC:
Vice-President Dick Cheney
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500
U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft
U.S. Department of Justice
950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20530-0001
Republican National Committee
310 First Street, SE
Washington, DC 20003
Congressional Representative Ken Calvert
U.S. House of Representatives
2201 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington DC, 20515-0001
Senator Barbara Boxer
United States Senate
112 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510-0001
Senator Dianne Feinstein
United States Senate
331 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510-0001
New York City Police Department
One Police Plaza
New York, NY 10038