I WILL NOT FORGET......


I sat in a movie theater watching "Schindler's List,"
asked myself, "Why didn't the Jews fight back?"
Now I know why.
I sat in a movie theater, watching "Pearl Harbor
and asked myself, "Why weren't we prepared?"
Now I know why.
Civilized people cannot fathom, much less predict,
the actions of evil people.
On September 11, dozens of capable airplane pas-
sengers allowed themselves to be overpowered by
a handful of poorly armed terrorists because they
did not comprehend the depth of hatred that moti-
vated their captors.
On September 11, thousands of innocent people were
murdered because too many Americans naively reject
the reality that some nations are dedicated to the
dominance of others. Many political pundits, pacifists
and media personnel want us to forget the carnage.
They say we must focus on the bravery of the rescuers
and ignore the cowardice of the killers. They implore us
to understand the motivation of the perpetrators. Major
television stations have announced they will assist the
healing process by not replaying devastating footage
of the planes crashing into the Twin Towers.
I will not be manipulated.
I will not pretend to understand.
I will not forget.
I will not forget the liberal media who abused freedom
of the press to kick our country when it was vulnerable
and hurting.
I will not forget that CBS anchor Dan Rather preceded
President Bush's address to the nation with the snide
remark, "No matter how you feel about him, he is still
our president."
I will not forget that ABC TV anchor Peter Jennings
questioned President Bush's motives for not returning
immediately to Washington, DC and commented,
"We're all pretty skeptical and cynical about Washington."
And I will not forget that ABC's Mark Halperin warned
if reporters weren't informed of every little detail of this
war, they aren't "likely -- nor should they be expected
-- to show deference."
I will not isolate myself from my fellow Americans by
pretending an attack on the USS Cole in Yemen was
not an attack on the United States of America.
I will not forget the Clinton administration equipped
Islamic terrorists and their supporters with the world's
most sophisticated telecommunications equipment
and encryption technology, thereby compromising
America's ability to trace terrorist radio, cell phone,
land lines, faxes and modem communications.
I will not be appeased with pointless, quick retaliatory
strikes like those perfected by the previous administration.
I will not be comforted by "feel-good, do nothing"
regulations like the silly "Have your bags been under
your control?" question at the airport.
I will not be influenced by so called,"antiwar demonstrators"
who exploit the right of statement to chant anti-American
obscenities.
I will not forget the moral victory handed the North
Vietnamese by American war protesters who reviled
and spat upon the returning soldiers, airmen, sailors
and Marines.
I will not be softened by the wishful thinking of pacifists
who chose reassurance over reality.
I will embrace the wise words of Prime Minister Tony Blair
who told Labor Party conference, "They have no moral
inhibition on the slaughter of the innocent. If they could
have murdered not 7,000 but 70,000, does anyone doubt
they would have done so and rejoiced in it?
There is no compromise possible with such people,
no meeting of minds, no point of understanding with
such terror. Just a choice: defeat it or be defeated
by it. And defeat it we must!"
I will force myself to:
   -hear the weeping
   -feel the helplessness
   -imagine the terror
   -sense the panic
   -smell the burning flesh
   -experience the loss
   -remember the hatred.
I sat in a movie theater, watching "Private Ryan"
and asked myself, "Where did they find the courage?"
Now I know.
We have no choice. Living without liberty is not living.

Please forward to every American who still believes in 
freedom and that we are NOT helpless in the fight against 
terrorism. This is a very powerful passage and should not 
be ignored. Either you are with us or you are
against us! 
Truer words have not been spoken!

Sergeant Darrell Tygart
Westminster Police Department
Westminster, Colorado