This was in my inbox last night when we got home. Sooooooo worth taking the time to read.
You probably missed it in the rush of news last week, but there was actually a report that someone in Pakistan had published in a newspaper an offer of a reward to anyone who killed an American, any American.
So an Australian dentist wrote an editorial the following day to let everyone know what an American is . So they would know when they found one.
"An American is English, or French, or Italian, Irish, German, Spanish, Polish, Russian or Greek. An American may also be Canadian, Mexican, African, Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Australian, Iranian, Asian, or Arab, or Pakistani or Afghan.
An American may also be a Comanche, Cherokee, Osage, Blackfoot, Navaho, Apache, Seminole or one of the many other tribes known as native Americans. An American is Christian, or he could be Jewish, or Buddhist, or Muslim. In fact, there are more Muslims in America than in Afghanistan. The only difference is that in America they are free to worship as each of them chooses. An American is also free to believe in no religion. For that he will answer only to God, not to the government, or to armed thugs claiming to speak for the government and for God.
An American lives in the most prosperous land in the history of the world. The root of that prosperity can be found in the Declaration of Independence , which recognizes the God given right of each person to the pursuit of happiness. An American is generous. Americans have helped out just about every other nation in the world in their time of need, never asking a thing in return.
When Afghanistan was over-run by the Soviet army 20 years ago, Americans came with arms and supplies to enable the people to win back their country! As of the morning of September 11, Americans had given more than any other nation to the poor in Afghanistan .
Americans welcome the best of everything...the best products, the best books, the best music, the best food, the best services. But they also welcome the least. The national symbol of America, The Statue of Liberty , welcomes your tired and your poor, the wretched refuse of your teeming shores, the homeless, tempest tossed.
These in fact are the people who built America Some of them were working in the Twin Towers the morning of September 11, 2001 earning a better life for their families. It's been told that the World Trade Center victims were from at least 30 different countries, cultures, and first languages, including those that aided and abetted the terrorists.
So you can try to kill an American if you must. Hitler did. So did General Tojo, and Stalin, and Mao Ts e-Tung, and other blood-thirsty tyrants in the world. But, in doing so you would just be killing yourself. Because Americans are not a particular people from a particular place. They are the embodiment of the human spirit of freedom. Everyone who holds to that spirit, everywhere, is an American.
ETA: When I originally posted this, the thought crossed my mind that the info. contained in the email I recieved could be inaccurate (seems like so much of what we get via email has the potential to be inaccurate info.) I decided to post it anyway just because I think the message is a good one, regardless of who wrote it or when.
Thanks Sara for the link to the original letter - I sure appreciate it.
Thanks Karen, that was very worth reading. Off to share with some of my friends. Have a great day.
Posted by: Cathy K. | August 07, 2006 at 07:15 AM
Wonderful. Too bad that person in Afganistan will not see it.
Posted by: PamMc | August 07, 2006 at 07:16 AM
So incredibly true.
How sad I think it is that someone found it necessary to put a price on the life of someone they know nothing about. That the nationality of a person so overrides the undeniable fact that we are ALL human beings. Aside from our ethnicity, religion, and geographical location we all bleed red.
When DJ was serving in Baghdad, Iraq he encountered so much good. I am not denying the bad. I am not defending the war. I am not defending the killing of anyone. But all we ever seen on TV was the death and resistance movement. We never heard about the children who clung to the soldiers who said they were no longer afraid of growing up, the mothers who thanked the soldiers for giving them the opportunity to once again live in a country of prosperity and free will or the men who praised them for giving them the courage to stand up for something that betters the people as a whole instead of the rich dictator who conciously slaughtered his own people.
I hated the war. I still hate the war. I hate hearing of all the young people who selflessly give their lives for our country. We were lucky. DJ came home safe after 14 months in what can only be described as a small hell on earth. I am thankful and my family is thankful for that. But everyday we still pray for all the American soldiers stationed throughout the world and their families who live in limbo and suffer the constant worry about their safety.
And now we will pray for the lives of the Americans who are living in the hot zones where their lives mean little more than money to people who don't stop to think about the children, parents, and loved ones that will suffer the unbearable loss of them over such stupidity.
I'm proud to be an American, proud that I come from a military family, proud to call the most wonderful country on earth my home.
And scared to think what this world will be like when my children grow up and become adults if we ALL don't take a step back and think about humanity.
Thanks K for this post. You're right I had missed this in the hustle and bustle of my everyday life and it was a much needed reminder to think beyond my little bubble and pray for peace, life and a better tomorrow.
Hope you had a fab time in Portland, girl :)
Tam
Posted by: Tammy Hicks | August 07, 2006 at 07:18 AM
This is awesome! Thanks for posting it, totally hit me. I am so thankful for our boys and girls serving this country and I so wish this war was over. I need to pray harder and more often. Thanks again!
Posted by: Brooke | August 07, 2006 at 07:53 AM
WOW...just simply....WOW!!! Thank you SOOO much for sharing!! :) T
Posted by: Tanya Webster | August 07, 2006 at 08:21 AM
This was wonderful. Thanks for sharing.
Karen
Posted by: Karen | August 07, 2006 at 08:47 AM
Wow- thanks so much for sharing!
Posted by: Melissa | August 07, 2006 at 08:49 AM
Thanks so much for posting that. It really resonated with me. It reminded me of Hitler trying to identify a Jewish person in WWII. He used facial characteristics amongst other things but in reality you can't identify a Jew or an American as we are a melting pot of countries and people.
Anyway, thanks for posting that, it makes me step back and stop worrying about the little things and concentrate on what's really important.
Posted by: jenniferharbal | August 07, 2006 at 09:32 AM
The piece is nice, but it was actually written by an American and published originally in the National Review in September 2001. http://www.snopes.com/rumors/america2.htm
Posted by: Sarah | August 07, 2006 at 09:55 AM
That is really excellent and so true. Thanks,
Valerie
Posted by: Valerie White | August 07, 2006 at 10:36 AM
amazing!
~Falyn~
Posted by: Falyn Cahall | August 07, 2006 at 04:30 PM
amen that.
Posted by: Valerie | August 07, 2006 at 05:47 PM
So very well said. Thank you for posting this.
Posted by: Michelle | August 08, 2006 at 04:47 AM
Great post today Karen!
Posted by: Deneen | August 08, 2006 at 05:35 PM
thanks so much for sharing this piece,
it made me smile and cry inside at the same time
everything he wrote totally represents the American ideals that i cherish
just beautiful
Posted by: angib | August 11, 2006 at 11:26 PM