Love, Peace and Unity to All

From: Cathie Sent: Saturday, September 13, 2001 3:04 AM Subject: My Thoughts

September 11, 2001 is a day that will live in our minds and hearts forever. A very sad day for all Americans as we watched in horror the senseless loss of so many lives. But as Americans we did not falter.... Everyone of us united together in whatever way we could showing our compassion, prayers, love and support for those souls and their families just as many of our forefathers have done before us....

From the beginning of our claim to freedom Americans have stood together with strong belief in the right to freedom of choice, freedom of speech, freedom of press, freedom of religion, freedom from oppression. Our history proves our beliefs to be truth. We acknowledge this freedom comes with a price. Americans have fought many battles at the home front and on foreign soil so that we and our children and grandchildren may continue to live with freedom.

As an American I do not condone any terrorist activities and/or attacks on our great nation. I especially do not condone the cowardly attacks on our innocent citizens. I cannot change what has happened but I can stand up and show these cowards I am not afraid. They cannot make me cower to their acts for I will continue to hold my head high and proudly go on living as a true American.

I will not allow even one of those people to die in vain. They are now like the multitude of soldiers we have lost through wars to live forever in our minds and hearts. I cannot fathom what they endured in the aircrafts, but they knew their fate was imminent. Therefore they then became casualties of an act of war. They became American heroes in my mind.

As for the lives lost at the World Trade Center and the Pentagon I consider each of them to be victims of this act of war. They like all of us left for work that day like they do all the time - free of any fear of oppressive attacks. Then to add to this devastating tragedy all the men and women emergency workers, firefighters, police, etc who gave their lives trying to save these people. Again I say these people are American heroes in my mind.

My father-in-law, husband, and son had all proudly served with the United States Marine Corps. They have one symbol that covers my feelings of our great nation and that is "Semper Fideles" which translated means "Forever Faithful". Let anyone try to change that and they will be defeated.

Love, Peace and Unity to All

Cathie