Whatever you think of George W. Bush, whether you voted for him last year and no matter what you think about the policies he’s established in the wake of the Sept. 11 murders, give the man credit for showing some leadership.
His speech last night to a joint session of Congress was strong. Now comes the hard part, and he and his advisors surely know it.
I was especially glad to hear the remarks about not blaming Muslims. The people who committed those killings did blaspheme their Allah, and Bush was right to say so.
Today, the market is way down, once again. People are in a fundamental state of fear and paralysis. That’s exactly what the terrorists want.
But life does go on, and it has to start going on again soon. If the U.S. lets itself sink into an emotional depression, it could sink into an economic one as well.
No one can or should put the outrages of last week out of their minds. It will be a long, long time before we return to anything resembling normal — maybe never, if the terrorism inside America continues, as I fear it will.
My refuge, after the tears and the anger, is in my family, friends and work. It’s in my national pride, because for all of our faults I do believe in America. I will not give into the murderers.
Are the American people up to what’s coming? We have to be.