Forgiveness

Folks,

I had the pleasure of beginning my career just after the last series of
heinous terrorist acts in the early '70's, and was fortunate to travel widely
in mid-to-late 70's as a buyer. More specifically, I was able to travel to
"Red China" twice a year and circumstances were such that I was rubbing
shoulders with "enemies of the USA" in the course of my work.

Now there is no doubt some very evil people did this work today, and equally
no doubt that the USA will respond in a way that certainly settles matters
for a while. There is much speculation as to who did this (and keep in mind
we had 2 whole days of "arab terrorist" alarms before Timothy McVeigh was
arrested for the OKC blast), and we'll certainly find out. Of course no
government will ever be behind such an attack, so it is likely a
non-governmental group. Bottom line is we'll find out, and we will retaliate
effectively.

What no one above grade schoolers seems to be asking is "why?" Why would so
many people conspire to do so much damage? It seems a given that this is
what Arab terrorists do... bomb Americans.

I got an answer in the late '70's from the kinds of people you saw dancing in
jubilation over our disaster. Their explanations were rational and
understandable, although I never agreed. And fortunately, the vast majority
of those Arabs I met were genuinely distressed at what havoc the terrorists
cause the Arab world as well as our world.

We are the most powerful country in the world and will remain so this century
no matter how many attacks we suffer. But there are many people within our
power structures who are unworthy of our country, just as these terrorists
are unworthy of Arab culture. The worst elements in Araby give power to the
worst voices in our culture, and they feed on each other.

We have in our arsenal, within our culture, a weapon that is irresistible.
That weapon is forgiveness. Yes some of Araby rejoices at our wound, but
most of cultured Araby is disgusted. We are the superior power, and as such
we can forgive, and then listen to the answer to the question why. There is
no shame in that.

We voters may not be pleased with what we hear, and we may have to take care
to pick more worthy representatives. We are overwhelmingly powerful, and it
is up to us what happens next. Inshallah, the violence will stop.

John Spiers

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