by Shauna Kirk

Created on: January 26, 2007   Last Updated: April 19, 2007

The first thing that comes to mind is "Have You Forgotten?" America absolutely, positively has not gone too far with anti-terrorism. It is a shame that our lives have been "inconvenienced" with some of the new policies designed to protect our great country and the very freedom for which it represents.

Let's begin with Pearl Harbor. 1941, by all accounts, in my non-professional, non-political review of the event, was in fact a terrorist attack. This was a terrorist attack that occurred 66 years ago, a terrorist attack that killed 2,403 people and injured an additional 1,178 people.

Between Pearl Harbor and 9/11, the United States had 66 years to perfect an Anti-Terrorism program. To no avail, as on September 11, 2001, our country was again attacked, and over three thousand people lost their lives. Keep in mind that these are not the only terrorist attacks that our nation has succumbed to. There was Oklahoma City, the World Trade Center, the bombing in Beirut, and many other attacks on our citizens abroad.

Okay, so we're a little slow. But I would have gladly invited the officials in my country to tap my phones, if I'd have known that it would save the lives of the people who have died in or from my country at the hands of terrorists.

I hereby volunteer to stand in any airport, in any place on this planet, for days if necessary, if it means that not another innocent life will be taken at the hands of a terrorist. I welcome anyone to invade my "privacy" or to harass me at anytime if it means that my inconvenience will be at the expense of saving someone else's life, or protecting this great country for which it stands.

I will not even mention Iraq and the atrocities being committed there. Not by our country or its allies. Those bombings you hear about yeah, they are terrorist attacks. We expected and appreciated the world to sympathize and support our country when we were under attack. Don't we have a moral obligation to protect and promote not only the best interest of our country, but of those who can not do so for themselves?

The world sat by and watched Hitler become the infamous person that he is and now ask themselves "Why didn't anyone do anything?" Should we have continued to sit by and watch Hussein continue to grow in his evil or was it "someone else's" responsibility?

I know without a doubt that many of the young (and old) people in our military are in the military because they want to make a difference in our world. They want to protect the freedoms and liberties that many men and women have already died for. I know that my only son would more than jump up and down to have his hand noticed if anyone posed the question, "Who here is ready to die for their country?"

So policy me away, inconvenience me, do whatever it is to make me and my fellow citizens safe from terrorists. I want to hear my president, whoever it may be, look me in the eyes and tell me it is safe to be an American, I guarantee it!

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