America will be stronger

Delroy Chuck

THE UNTHINKABLE sometimes happens. The searing image of aeroplanes plunging into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Centre, carrying mainly innocent human cargo, engulfing the huge buildings in flames and debris, forcing the spectacle of frightened human beings leaping to their death, imploding the two 110-storey towers into useless rubble and the death of over 5,000 innocent souls were hitherto unimaginable. The attack on America's financial centre, its military headquarters and on innocent lives shows the handiwork of evil minds and human beasts.

The world will not be the same again after Tuesday, September 11, 2001. It was a day of infamy and grief. America bore the brunt of the tragedy, the mayhem, the destruction, the loss and the pain, but decency, humanity and civilisation suffered. The world woke up to new terrors and increasing danger, of civilian aeroplanes being used as weapons of destruction, of evil and fanatical terrorists who have declared war on innocent human beings and of well-trained, skilled but wicked men intent on causing massive and inexplicable devastation.

The world may never really know why America was singled out for this well-planned, precise and co-ordinated assault, as no one is claiming responsibility and the truth is still unknown. The likelihood is that Osama bin Laden who had attacked American interests and planned the previous bombing of the World Trade Centre is responsible. It may be the worthless and brutish elements in the Moslem world that blame America for virtually everything and sees it as the Great Satan. Whatever the motive, whatever the inspiration or even the rationale, the assault can never be warranted in the name of reason, humanity and justice. Decent, civilised and rational human beings feel and know that what happened was inspired by evil, hatred, bigotry and brutishness.

While decent folks mourn for the innocent lives and stand resolutely with the American people in their moment of grief, it is tragic that there are perverse, warped and demented minds who believe and even argue that America deserves what happened. To be sure, whoever planned and masterminded this assault intended to hurt and destroy America's economy, confidence and openness. They wanted to weaken and harm America, to impair freedom and to dismantle America's financial centre. They were mistaken. These evil minds and human beasts couldn't be more wrong, as America will not bow.

The destruction of buildings and the loss of lives will cause pain and suffering to America and its people for only a short time. But, before long, America will recover and become stronger, better and more powerful. I feel quite sure that this tragedy, painful as it may be, will benefit and strengthen America immensely. The America people cannot be cowed. They are creative, industrious and competitive and will turn this tragedy into a rallying cry for progress, peace and prosperity.

Already, the appalling tragedy has united the people, inspired togetherness and patriotism, encouraged strangers to become acquaintances, increased respect for the American flag and other symbols of unity, caused political leaders to suspend their differences and back bipartisan programmes in the national interests, forced Congress fully behind the President and the American spirit is truly alive and well. The land of the free and the home of the brave will be stronger and easily overcome the evil minds and human beasts that try to hurt and humiliate its interests.

America's response is not to surrender and negotiate with evil and wicked terrorists but to find and eliminate them and, in this pursuit, America should be supported. Terrorists are motivated by fanatical ideas, doctrines and causes. They do not reason, they simply believe they are right and what they want must be obtained at all costs. America, the beacon of freedom, justice and hope, is a thorn and the very opposite of states and people who believe human beings are merely numbers and insignificant parts of some enlightened and divine purpose. The freedom and openness that the American people enjoy are despised by religious states and fanatical brutes that believe individuals are not capable of managing their own affairs and should be coerced and socially engineered by laws and doctrinal teachings. It is this fanaticism that is inspiring terrorism around the world and why the war on terrorism will not be an easy one.

Here, in Jamaica, we watch and mourn with the many thousands who await news of their loved ones. The technology age allows us to keep in touch and in tune, and we are able to see the spectacle as it unfolds. Many Jamaicans are glued to the news, as they feel a part of the American experience. In fact, globalisation and the closeness of Americans and Jamaicans have made our island almost a part of America. I feel fairly sure that the vast majority of Jamaicans feel the same pain of the American people, share their concerns and their grief. Yet, a small minority, mainly political fanatics, feel America gets what it deserves and find justification for what has occurred. They should be ignored, as they are the sick and perverted minds that do not mean Jamaica and anyone any good. Many are misguided socialists, rebels without a worthwhile cause, who would like to see the citadel of capitalism fall to revive the lost cause of socialism. Still, even while Jamaicans support America in fighting back and in its declared war on terrorism, we urge America to fight carefully and not to do exactly what the terrorists did ­ to cause hurt and pain to innocent lives.

America has the ability, the strike force and the weapons to destroy villages, towns and cities, but it will lose much of the sympathy and support it now enjoys if it acts recklessly and injudiciously.

America must strike back, in its own defence, and that of the free world, but it must do so surgically and precisely ­ finding the terrorists, their training camps, accomplices and supporters, and then purge them.

If, and when, America and its allies win this war against terrorism, then the free and brave people of the world will be safer, freer and more secure. We hope and pray that they will succeed, as the world will be better when freedom, justice and peace triumph against the purveyors of tyranny, evil and hate. It is therefore right and well that we should stand firmly behind America in this noble mission.

Delroy Chuck is an attorney-at-law and Opposition Member of Parliament. He can be contacted at delchuck@hotmail.com.

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