Slightly Off Center                       

Open Letter to the President

Dear Mr. President: 

    I watched and witnessed a horror so unthinkable, so unimaginable, I was humbled and shaken to my marrow by the devastation and destruction. I was humbled by the enormity of loss of life: 6,453 innocent civilian individuals in New York City and still counting, 153 innocent individuals in Pennsylvania, and 253 innocent individuals, servicemen and women and civilians in our nation's capital. I was humbled and figuratively brought to my knees in tears for the family, friends, business associates and for anyone who even had a brief passing knowledge of these victim's life force. 

    As I try to console my wife, as I try to reassure my mother, and as I try to convince myself, family, and friends that there exists some semblance of light in this darkness that engulfs us all. And in the silence of my personal contemplation, soul-searching if you will, I whispered to my father, Philip, and my brother, Mark, and my father's five brothers, my uncles, Jack, Tony, Robert, Nick and Rick, veterans all; all passed on now. Trying to remember their words of wisdom as to World War 2, Korea, and Vietnam, what was to each of them, "a new kind of war", as you have now scripted this. None of them had any war stories worth retelling my brother and I while we were growing up. All of them quietly, reassuredly, and humbly said, "War is hell".

     In the overwhelming numbness of this tragedy, with a total sense of incapacity to assist in the rescue, to find life, to help save life, I did what many other Americans did without being asked.  In our desperation, laden with grief, we reached out for a symbol of our hope and humanity.  That same afternoon, I took from my closet, to my porch, unfurled and hung my nation’s flag. 

     Mr. President, I did not do this in defiance of this heinous act.  To me the solemn act was to honor those who died, to honor the men and women, firefighters, EMT, and police officers who sacrificed their lives to save others. It was in honor of the humanity shown in the hours and days after the tragedy shown throughout the nation and the world and lastly, in honor of the spirit of life and liberty that unites all of mankind.

     In my youth, I was constantly reminded by my parents, family, teachers and mentors to put my mind in gear before I let my mouth go into motion.  So today, I must express my concerns and reservations to you, Mr. President.  Knowing in my heart and mind, suggesting other solutions other than rushing pell-mell into the fray may cause me personally the condemnation from fellow citizens in my community and throughout the nation.  This may cause me, and my loved ones, the recriminations of an angry mob and may even cause me personal harm by expressing my right to think by thugs who refuse to, cannot, or will not think. 

     Mr. President, may I respectfully remind you that we the people are the ultimate authority in this democracy.  You, sir, respectfully, are the elected leader of the free world, by that I mean, America.  Although any educated adult who has been in harms’ way and/or has a son or daughter in military service, understands and appreciates the need for secrecy.  None of us must ever forget that not only should we be kept informed but also it is our solemn duty and right to be so informed.

     Walter Cronkite, the most trusted man in America, suggested a few nights ago on the David Letterman Show, that a system similar to that of World War II be implemented.  A system of censorship, which should only be allowed in times of war.  It would permit and allow correspondents and cameramen with our troops.  Yet, all of their dispatches must go through a clearinghouse of a military censorship system with the caveat that there must also be civilian monitors of their actions.  This mechanism would be to assure the safety of all those in uniform, as well as all of us at home, who will ultimately be responsible for any actions taken in our name.

     Mr. President, may I take a leap on faith, when I say I do not believe most Americans, Ask not” that the twenty-first century bring forth World War III or Armageddon, but all still believe in might for right and justice for all. 

     May I suggest a second front, here at home, be a War on Accountability?  From this day forth, will you please dissolve the bureaucracy between the alphabet soup of agencies designed to protect us: FBI, CIA, DIA, NSA, Spy satellite systems and Echelon and finally make them interactive and demand that they be within the laws that govern us all?

     Will you finally commit to the world that we will no longer be the largest exporter of weapons of mass destruction, nor will you allow the sales of handguns and rifles to the world at large?  Will you finally take to task corporations whose business sense and bottom lines have little to do with democratic principles?  Will all those who are elected to office on a magic carpet ride from the enormous amounts of payola from these same corporations be accountable to the now silenced majority known as their constituents?

     Will you please give an Executive Order to corporate America to rebuild our manufacturing base here in America?  If their argument is they are having such difficulty in finding qualified help, suggest to them that they spend some of their profits to revamp our educational system to satisfy the needs of the twenty-first century. 

     Will you please mandate through an Executive Order that the oil and gas companies and their delivery systems take some of their enormous profits made over the last fifty years to update their systems so the American public will not be manipulated every time there is a world crisis?

     Finally, Mr. President, in honor of those individuals buried beneath that huge mountain of twisted metal and ash in the center of New York City, in our nation's capital and scattered across acres of Pennsylvania.  In honor of all those who have died, and for our sake, and for the sake of humanity, and the world, I pray, hope and wish, that each decision made on your watch you will remember that we are a nation of principles. That you will remember our principles are who and what we are individually, as well as collectively; that we must live or die with our principles intact.  That we are willing to defend and perish for the inherit qualities of our Constitution and the Bill of Rights.

   When you speak of our nation's self-interest, to me that represents principle over profit.  Know, sir, that what you do tomorrow will be judged by this nation and the world; know that history will only record your name to these actions and God will judge you by your words, actions and conscience.  The question is what will you teach our youth by your actions?  Will your actions make our lives safer and better in the future?

   When we speak to the youth of Russian, China, and the Middle East of peace and freedom, remember justice has its price...and here, in America, it is the rule of law. September 11th was also a reminder to us all of the finality of death and dying; that no one is guaranteed tomorrow, or for that matter, the remains of this day. So, please, Mr. President, in our stead, in our honor, make us proud to be Americans. 

©  Philip J. Rappa 2001

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