StPaulPioneerPress

Love and hugs won't change terrorists who hate us

JOE SOUCHERAY Pioneer Press Columnist

If I see one more letter to the editor that advocates some sort of hug-and-love therapy for our enemies I am going to ... I don't know what I am going to do. It wouldn't do me much good to cancel my subscription. The Enemy Paper carries just as many of those pathetic sentiments as we do.

This is not a complicated issue. There are people who hate us. Their hatred of us is ancient. Now, what I would like to know from all the hug-and-love people is just what they anticipate might come as a result of proceeding tentatively, trying to understand, exercising caution. This enemy doesn't want our love. They don't want you to throw your arm around their shoulders and invite them to the next backyard barbecue.

The brand of hatred practiced by Muslim terrorists is based on the belief that we are inconsequential and do not deserve to be on the same earth. Now, let me ask the hug-therapy-and-forgiveness crowd something else: You are the same people who worship at the new American altar of diversity. We are to be understanding of the differences among us, you say. I agree. We are all human souls under different kinds of skin. I buy that.

Why then, don't you expect the same from the terrorists? These people obviously don't practice any acknowledgement of diversity. You want to forgive and hug and proceed slowly and not rock the boat. Well, why don't you demand of the enemy that they, too, welcome diversity, meaning that they should welcome us? Their idea of diversity is to kill as many different kinds of Americans as they can.

For example, I do not intend to hijack any airliners and dive-bomb them into Mecca. Right off the bat that makes me more enlightened than the thugs who killed us in New York and Washington.

Yes, of course, in America we are all entitled to our opinions no matter how ridiculous they might appear in print. And more and more letters to the editor will appear that call for us to hold hands and light a candle and sing songs about butterflies and maybe this will all go away. Do you know what you sound like with such gibberish? You sound like spoiled, selfish people who want to click your heels three times and maybe you will end up back in Kansas. The hug-therapy-and-forgiveness crowd needs to read more. They need to think beyond their own feelings.

This enemy hates us. Let's even go the extra mile and try to see it from a love-and-hug-therapy perspective. Let's say we do what the love crowd wants us to do. Let's say we turn the other cheek and hope that our actions do not cause further terrorist attacks on our country. OK, I am trying to imagine that, and I am coming up with a blank. These people do not wish to own a little fuel-efficient car and go antiquing on weekends.

The only thing we should do with caution is plan the military strategy. I will be the first to agree that bombing Afghanistan is not the answer. Maybe isolated pockets here and there when we find out where the rats are hiding, but the country is already a devastated mess.

And caution is needed to understand that this enemy has nothing of material value to bomb and does not covet our material bounty. They don't want our land. And for all you hug therapists who worry that our driving SUVs brought about this attack, don't worry yourself needlessly. They don't even want the oil that you feel guilty about using.

They want us dead. If you want something to pray about, pray that it won't take a million Americans dead the next time before we all realize the truth.

And if you need to hug somebody, hug the soldiers getting ready to mobilize or those firefighters in New York who are bloodied and shell-shocked from digging in the rubble.

-- Anonymous, September 24, 2001

Answers

Thanks for posting this, OG. I've already forwarded it to several on the fence. It might make a difference.

-- Anonymous, September 24, 2001

You might want to send this one too, Meems.

NYDailyNews

http://www.nydailynews.com/2001-09-24/News_and_Views/Beyond_the_City/a -126270.asp

Palestinian Exhibit Applauds Terror

NABLUS, West Bank alestinians opened a museum to commemorate their year-old bloody uprising with a tribute to suicide terrorists.

Visitors crowded through the door to see a re-creation of the Aug. 9 suicide attack at the Sbarro pizza restaurant, complete with fake body parts and pizza slices strewn all over. In the actual attack in downtown Jerusalem, the terrorist and 15 other people died.

In other rooms, visitors looked through dark windows to see figures dressed as suicide terrorists, each with one hand on Islam's holy Koran and the other on an automatic rifle.

"Our message from this exhibition to our people is that the occupiers will suffer as long as we are under occupation," said organizer Ala Hamedan.

Twenty-one Palestinians have blown themselves up in the past year, killing more than 50 people and wounding hundreds. Palestinians say their uprising is a struggle for statehood.

-- Anonymous, September 24, 2001