To those silly little cowardly creatures who so shamefully attacked my country yesterday, where ever you are skulking and hiding in fear, too small and gutless to even take responsibility for your act - I have only one thing to say to you:
Thank you.
I think you should listen to the words to my anthem. Then maybe you'll understand.

"Oh say you can see,
by the dawn's early light,
what so proudly we hailed,
at the twilight's last gleaming.

Whose broad stripes and bright stars,
through the perilous fight,
o'er the ramparts we watched,
were so gallantly streaming.

And the rockets red glare,
the bombs bursting in air,
gave proof through the night,
that our flag was still there.

Oh, say does that star spangled banner yet wave,
o'er the land of the free,
and the home of the brave."

Those words were written by Francis Scott Key almost 2 centuries ago, as he sat and watched a long ago enemy attack the shores of my country. He watched our proud flag fly through the night, lit only by the lights from the muskets and cannon, torn and ripped by bullets, stained with the blood of our patriots.

In the morning when he arose, the flag still flew. Over the land of the free, and the home of the brave.

I should let you know - in that war, our capital was attacked, too. And our famous buildings and monuments. But do you know what? We WON that war. Against an enemy far braver and far smarter than you. We WON that war. And the next. And the next. And the next. And the next.

And we will win this one, too.

Not that I ever expect you to come out of your caves and holes and actually face us. You are too small for that. No one will ever write a song about battles with you, because you are too afraid and too full of cowardice to actually face us in a battle.

No, you prefer women and innocent children. At work, at home, going about their lives .... I am quite sure you would never think to actually FIGHT like men. Your people must be OH so proud of you!

Nevertheless - I must thank you.

By your actions, you have PROVED once again that which we Americans sometimes have a little trouble proving on our own. You have shown the world what we truly are ... and the world can now only sit back in awe and wonder at our pride, they can only marvel at our unity, and they can only worship our righteous strength.

You made a very big mistake, which you could have avoided if only you have read a few history books. You see - as so many have learned before you - although American is a big country with many kinds of people, although we often fight and bicker amongst ourselves, although we have problems galore here at home and abroad - you failed to note that when faced with a threat from outside, the United States of America has time and time again become one unified force the like of which has never been seen elsewhere in the history of all humanity.

When threatened, my countrymen come together always in one voice. With one spirit. With one soul. 300 million proud voices, full of righteous anger, come together to say one thing. We are AMERICA, We are FREEDOM, and LIBERTY and HONOR and COURAGE and before such virtues and such strength and such unity of purpose, NO evil can stand.

It has admittedly been awhile since my people have come together in that legendary unit which is our hallmark as a nation. The last time, over 60 years ago, our people did nothing less than save the world itself. And those enemies of peace and freedom felt our might wrath in a way they have never forgotten!

You really should have at least listened to our anthem! Are these the goals you sought to accomplish? Did you intend to bring us together, to unite us regardless of color or race or religion? Did you intend to awaken that fabled "sleeping giant"?

I really don't think so. You see, again the bombs may be bursting and the rockets may be flying .... but this morning, I saw my flag flying again. That banner still flies over my home, over the land of the free and the home of the brave.

Yes - you hurt me. In these last days, I have cried many tears.

But unfortunately for you, they were not just tears of pain. They were tears of pride and joy. I have NEVER been so proud to be an American. An American .... there's another word you failed to understand. Do you even know what an American is?

An American is not only the people of this country, who live within our borders. As matter of fact, sometimes those within my borders don't even act as "American" as they should .... although they are TODAY, thanks to you!

No, you failed to see that an American is ANYONE, ANYWHERE, of any race or religion or color or creed, who believes in FREEDOM, who respects his fellow man and worships both his God and the sanctity of all life. ANYONE anywhere who stands up for FREEDOM and HONOR and LIBERTY and DEMOCRACY is an American ... but you seem to have missed that idea! That man who stood before the tank in Tianammen Square in 1989? He was an American, regardless of what his passport might say. Those who defeated Apartheid in South Africa ... every one of the them is an American, regardless of their color or language.

We are everywhere. We are in Britain fighting for peace in Ireland, we are in the Middle East fighting for peace between the Arabs and Jews, we are everywhere that people are fighting for what is RIGHT, where people are opposing oppression and persecution. Those are ALL AMERICANS.

Did you really mean to attack ALL of those people? I really don't think so, and I pity you for the righteous anger soon to rain down upon you. You have proven to the world that not only are we MIGHTY, not only are we POWERFUL, not only are we UNIFIED .... but most dangerous of all to you .... you have proven that we are RIGHT.

One last thank you. When I woke up this morning, those broad stripes and bright stars were flying over a BETTER country than the one you attacked. We are now stronger, we are more unified, we are a closer family of those who love freedom .... and we are more RIGHT than ever in our history.

Where I live, I had to wait hours to donate money to relief agencies, because too many other people wanted to as well. Think about that ... my people are so unified right now that I had to wait HOURS to GIVE money away. I had to wait even longer to give blood. Do you know that because of you, in one day all of the United States flags have sold out of local stores? That national chains report over 100% increases in flag sales? Was THIS your goal?

Although I might have trouble buying a flag - because the pride in my nation is so very high thanks to YOU - I do know that there is now and forever an eternal answer to the question at the end of that anthem you should have listened to:

God Bless America

STANDING TOGETHER

Just like the Twin Tower's
that stood proud and tall,
We are standing together
but we shall not fall,

We are red and yellow
we are black and white,
And we are standing together
in spirit and in might,

We are firemen and policemen
we are doctor's and teacher's,
We are blue-collar worker's
truckdriver's and preacher's,

We are lawyer's and banker's
we are American's so true,
We are housewive's and student's
united by the red, white and blue,

We are brave soldier's and veteran's
we are airline pilot's too,
And we are standing together
we're American's through and through,

So, we'll stand tall and proud
just like the Twin Tower's,
And as we remember the victim's
we'll gain strength and power,

We are standing together
cause we're united by love,
And American's don't mess around
when push come's to shove,

Yes, we're American's united
we are the "land of the free",
And we will fight to the death
to protect our liberty,

America ..America the beautiful
may your flag forever wave,
And may God always bless America
to keep us free, strong and brave.

� written by Barbara Henson
6-25-2001