Dear G-d,
I do not pray often. The series of events in 2001 and 2002 — my leukemia, the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, my father's fatal leukemia — shook my faith. Even now, I make excuses to duck out of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur services, and seldom light the Sabbath candles or attend synagogue.
But, as you know, I have a beautiful four-year-old son and a newborn daughter. And I want them to live full lives.
After hearing this morning about the terrorist attack in London, I found myself turning to you.
I pray that the loss of life in London is minimal, and that those who are injured recover.
But I also pray that our leaders learn from today's bombings. They didn't learn after the Madrid train attack, or the attacks in Bali, Riyadh, Jakarta and Istanbul. They have misled a nation by implying that Iraq was behind 9/11, and perpetuated a falsehood that defeating the Iraqi insurgency is akin to defeating terrorists who have struck worldwide. They have stubbornly concentrated their resources in Iraq, decreasing their focus on Osama Bin Laden and the effort to dismantle Al Qaeda and its allies. They have told us we're safer, but failed to protect airports, train stations, ports, chemical plants and nuclear plants, or to sufficiently guard our borders.
Please give our leaders the wisdom to realize that today's attack on London could have just as easily come on our shores. Please don't let us suffer through another 9/11 for our leaders to understand that defeating the Iraqi insurgency does little to end the "war on terror."
I pray that our leaders do not use today's bombings as a rallying cry for staying the course in Iraq. Please understand, I hope you look out for our troops. I want them to succeed in bringing peace to Iraq.
But I don't want our leaders to wrongly suggest that by fighting in Iraq, we are ending terrorist attacks such as today's London bombings. Instead of using today's horror for a political agenda, I pray they reach out to other world leaders to build a true coalition to stop terrorism, even if it means rooting out patrons of Al Qaeda in Saudi Arabia, Iran and elsewhere, and those who shield Al Qaeda in Pakistan, Afghanistan and elsewhere.
That is my prayer.
***
This article first appeared on Journalists Against Bush's B.S. (JABBS)
Article comments
1 - gracefulboomer
Agree. Very heartfelt sentiments that I would imagine are universal to both political parties, whether to G-d directly or a general plea for civilization.
Would only add to your post a wish that our leaders would start the difficult and painful process of education- and honest assessment- of
recognizing the ideology behind the attacks.
Once again on television today a young girl in London was interviewed who witnessed the attacks and she was quoted as 'wondering why'?
It is irresponsible of our leaders to continue this vague, ill-defined, offend no one, politically correct bullsh*t generalization.
2 - KC
"I pray they reach out to other world leaders to build a true coalition to stop terrorism, even if it means rooting out patrons of Al Qaeda in Saudi Arabia, Iran and elsewhere, and those who shield Al Qaeda in Pakistan, Afghanistan and elsewhere."
That's been my prayer for a long time. We've gone in the wrong direction so long we've emboldened them.
3 - Dave Nalle
Nice sentiments, but perhaps it's time for folks like you to learn from these attacks that there is no compromise, no middle course, no other solution but absolute war against those who would use terror to further an agenda of hate and oppression.
I think the leaders have already learned this - at least the ones who count - maybe this will be one more step toward teaching that lesson to those who deny and deny and offer all of our throats to the knife.
Dave
4 - gonzo marx
perhaps it's time for our "Leaders" to learn that the War is against terrorists that do things like this
like al Qaeda, bin Laden, and the Mullah's that incite and follow them
none of which are in Iraq, which we are told was supposed to keep the terrorists form doing exactly what they did today
now, perhaps , resources and efforts will go to rooting out the miserable swine that lead and plan these attacks
now perhaps we can have bin Laden's head on a pole, next to Cromwell's, outside of the Tower of London
one can only Hope
Excelsior!
5 - Natalie Davis
Even a prayer elicits a call for war and absolute war at that. I do not disrespect Mr. Nalle; he is speaking his sincere wishes and beliefs, as is his right and which he may see as his duty. But I can't help but be saddened beyond measure by it. What a horrible world and a horrible time...
6 - David R. Mark
As I've been saying for two-plus years, the battle to bring peace and democracy may be noble (the way we got there wasn't) -- but it does nothing to stop Al Qaeda, or to prevent attacks like the one today.
The longer Bush stubbornly refuses to accept that fact, the longer Al Qaeda has to plan its next attack.
7 - Natalie Davis
So just nuke the bastards and convert 'em, right? You ought to meet up with Ann Coulter.
Seriously, your side has chosen the violent route and followed it passionately for years. How is that working? Not at all well, from this vantage point. Has Dubya tried peaceful means without injecting at least the threat of violence? No. Not his style. Has any Gandhian approach been employed? No, your side refuses even to consider that. I lovingly and respectfully recommend that people study Gandhi seriously and completely before they dismiss it out of hand.
8 - RJ
If we leave Iraq now, the terrorists will have just gained a huge chunk of real estate to launch further attacks against the West.
Bitch all you want. That's a fact.
9 - Nick Jones
RJ, there's going to be civil war in Iraq whenever we leave, unless we can somehow manage to get the Shiites, the Sunnis, and the Kurds to come together and work together for the higher purpose of a sovereign, democratic state.
10 - Tan The Man
We are safer today than we were in 2001. The fact that more people are aware of our international neighbors and that news beyond the US are getting more coverage here (although not as much as I'd like) makes everyone safer.
"They didn't learn after the Madrid train attack, or the attacks in Bali, Riyadh, Jakarta and Istanbul." Hopefully you are talking about Spain not learning from the train attack because Spain left the coalition and didn't stay on course. You can't reason or appease terrorists.
11 - RJ
"RJ, there's going to be civil war in Iraq whenever we leave, unless we can somehow manage to get the Shiites, the Sunnis, and the Kurds to come together and work together for the higher purpose of a sovereign, democratic state."
Uh...isn't that part of the reason why we are still there?
12 - Dave Nalle
>>Even a prayer elicits a call for war and absolute war at that. I do not disrespect Mr. Nalle; he is speaking his sincere wishes and beliefs, as is his right and which he may see as his duty. But I can't help but be saddened beyond measure by it. What a horrible world and a horrible time...<<
If you think you can make peace with madmen and fanatics you're just setting yourself up to be one of their victims. I'm against war on principle, but war is the only answer in some situations and when dealing with some people. You don't negotiate with a hive of africanized bees, you smoke it out. Sometimes war is the only viable solution.
Dave
13 - Natalie Davis
That is your opinion and I respectfully accept it as such. But no matter what happens, I am no one's victim. One of my worst allergies is to bee stings, but my respect for life is paramount. Though one sting likely would kill me, I would never take bees' lives. My particular quirk.
14 - David R. Mark
Tan the Man -- I meant that Bush and Blair didn't learn that Al Qaeda is continuing to attack our allies, and that fighting in Iraq doesn't change that.
To be clear, now that we're in Iraq, I don't want us to bail. I want us to finish the reconstruction and full transfer of power, bring peace to the land and defeat the insurgency.
But, as I said, I want Bush and Blair to realize that fighting the insurgency doesn't make Al Qaeda weaker, let alone go away. What happened today is a giant red flag -- and hopefully there won't be another on our shores.
15 - Dave Nalle
>>That is your opinion and I respectfully accept it as such. But no matter what happens, I am no one's victim. One of my worst allergies is to bee stings, but my respect for life is paramount. Though one sting likely would kill me, I would never take bees' lives. My particular quirk.
<<
And what if it was your child who was allergic and might die?
Dave
16 - Natalie Davis
Good question. I don't know. More than likely, my feeling on the matter would not come into play, because Spousal Unit would set about smoking the bees. But I imagine that if SU was not around (or I could distract him from becoming a killer), I would offer myself up to the bees and instruct the kids to run for cover. But I can't say for sure. Just being honest: As said before, I am striving to live up to my ideals -- not perfect. But I am trying, and Gandhi says that is all we can do.
Gandhi's grandson once told me a story from his childhood. He was hanging out with his grandfather and doing his schoolwork. Little Arun was working with an old pencil that had been worn down nearly to the nub -- there was only the eraser and about a half-inch of pencil left. He went to toss away the old pencil and find a new one, and Grandpa Gandhi stopped him, saying that to discard the old one was to do violence to that pencil.
The old guy was plenty strict in his adherence to his nonviolent philosophy of satyagraha. That is what I am attempting to do as well, with some times being more successful than others. A couple of years back, I killed a squirrel in the road. Did everything I could to avoid hitting the little guy, but failed. I pulled over and sat with him until he breathed his last (almost getting myself run over in the process). The depression over that poor squirrel and my part in his demise still weighs heavily on my soul; it probably always will. You can't even imagine the amount of self-loathing living inside me over failures of that nature. IMO, all forms of violence must end -- killing, fighting, poverty, injustice, etc. Nothing less is acceptable. I realize it is impossible, but it is most clear to me that my only choice is to try, try, and try again. And to spread the word about it, no matter how much people hurt or ridicule me, no matter how much violence they visit upon me. Satyagraha is about suffering for the sake of justice and peace. It isn't happy, but it is necessary.
17 - Dave Nalle
>>I would offer myself up to the bees and instruct the kids to run for cover.<<
Bees don't work that way. You can't make a deal with them to take you instead of the kid. Once they've picked a target they pursue it, though you might get stung too in the process. You see, they aren't rational, they operate on instinct, and nothing but either killing them or paying an expert to remove them will work. You can, of course, avoid them, but the bees will still be there and the next person to come along will be at risk because you did nothing.
Dave
18 - Natalie Davis
You're right. I know nothing about bees, having had to avoid them my entire life. But don't bees die after they sting?
But what the hell do I know? I'm a miserable squirrel killer.
19 - Dave Nalle
Your true honey bee does die after it stings, but the thing about them is that they come in such large numbers that there are plenty of stingers to go around.
And now to wildly get off the main track...
IMO wasps are much more dangerous than honey bees, even Africanized ones, because although africanized bees will swarm and attack, they're not likely to do it unless antagonized in at least some way. Wasps on the other hand, are much more autonomous. They don't swarm, but they can sting more than once and they are kind of senselessly aggressive.
And to drag it all back on track...
So the africanized honey bees are rather like the suicide bombers sent out by the terrorist mastermind queen back in the hive - they're numerous, more or less brainless and indiscriminate, and die when they attack.
The wasps on the other hand, are aggressive and durable and operate in small bands, much more like bandits or the terrorist insurgents in Iraq.
Personally I don't want to be stung by either.
Dave
20 - Natalie Davis
Neither do I, but if they do, I die.
I can live with that. ;-)
21 - Dave Nalle
I guess I just have a more highly developed sense of self-preservation. Selfish, perhaps. But when it comes down to the bee or me, or the bee or my daughter, the bee has to go.
Dave
22 - RJ
"One of my worst allergies is to bee stings, but my respect for life is paramount. Though one sting likely would kill me, I would never take bees' lives. My particular quirk."
Nut...
23 - RJ
"because Spousal Unit would set about smoking the bees. But I imagine that if SU was not around (or I could distract him from becoming a killer), I would offer myself up to the bees and instruct the kids to run for cover. But I can't say for sure. Just being honest: As said before, I am striving to live up to my ideals -- not perfect. But I am trying, and Gandhi says that is all we can do."
Potential suicide bomber?
Someone who clearly is more focused on her bizarre world-view than reason, and who is willing to give her own life to fight for that loony cause...
24 - Dan
I have a friend who just came back from Iraq. He said that common people in Iraq don't call the attackers insurgents. They call them terrorists, and they call them al Qaeda. His feeling is that the people don't live in fear. For the most part they are enjoying their new freedom. They're not particularly bothered by the attacks and they have hope for a prosperous future. After all, they're used to Saddam.
The brilliance of the Bush strategery is that Iraqi Arab Muslims are buying into the hopefulness and fighting the Arab radical Muslims. This is the radicals worst nightmare. That is why they are being drawn in like a moth to a bug light. It's hard to know how many bombings like the one in London have been prevented because of the radicals resources being used to fight freedom in Iraq, but the number is surely considerable.
It would be nice if Democrat politicians and liberal media organs would climb aboard in a united front with the US military and Iraqi freedom fighters against the Islamic radicals, but the progress will continue anyway.
As the situation in Iraq improves so as to be undeniable, those same politicians and media elite will still bitch and moan about how it could have been done better, or it cost too much, or Bush "lied", or that our world is still not perfect. And their irrelevancy will continue to grow.