Our foundation is strong

Published 9:00 pm Tuesday, September 11, 2001

America and democracy are under attack. And we — and the people of the world who believe in justice, human rights and decency — will not be defeated.

As at Pearl Harbor, the nation has suffered grievous losses. But America will remain strong and overcome whatever challenges may lie ahead, wherever those challenges may originate.

And America will strike back. The retaliation must be strong, but it must be carried out with the justice and restraint that Americans and the world expect of our nation.

In our grief, we must know that America is not alone. There are forces of hate in the world, in all countries, but our allies around the world will be numerous. The world has seen the awful evil that the perpetrators of this terrorism are willing — madly, gleefully willing — to inflict upon countless innocent people.

America most certainly will be able to establish who committed these cowardly acts. And then, whether acting alone or with allies, America must use its power to devastate those responsible. If, as seems possible, the attack was directed from abroad, our diplomats must find ways to isolate and defeat those nations who would support such cowardly murders.

The extent of the nation’s grief and losses can hardly be comprehended at this moment. The murders that were so wantonly committed will touch lives in every corner of the nation.

Even as we mourn, the government and the nation must turn toward protecting against more losses. Legislation may have to restrict some of the realm of privacy that we are accustomed to enjoying, but we will not allow terrorists to change the core of American life. There are security lessons that can be learned from our friends in Israel and Britain that will be helpful. As investigators unravel the attacks, there will be new insights into how to provide more security.

At Naval Station Everett and the Whidbey Island Naval Air Station, the attacks will mean much tighter security. Whatever inconveniences this may cause any of us in the public, the bases’ neighbors will be happy to adjust and help our service personnel be safe.

As most people understood before Tuesday, there is no such thing as absolute security for anyone. Americans will be calm in the face of the awful hatred that has loosed itself on America. Terror cannot be allowed to spawn fear. As a nation, we must keep our eyes on the long-term goal of a just, humane world, not one in which fanatics rule. As local Congressman Jay Inslee said Tuesday, "We cannot disengage from the rest of the world. We have a stake in peace everywhere in the world."

It may be useful to recall that the planners of the Pearl Harbor attack were confident of ultimate victory. They believed that America was weak spiritually and morally. Their assessment proved to be mistaken, rather disastrously so. Americans united then, as we will now. Congressman Rick Larsen said, "Right now, we need to make sure that we get behind the president on how he is going to address this."

As Larsen observed, the country is in for a terrible couple of weeks as it assesses the carnage. We will suffer terribly as we unearth the wreckage and learn of our losses. And even as the culprits are identified and punished, we must make sure that the families of the victims of this attack are well taken care of, Larsen said.

President Bush rightly reminded us, "Terrorist attacks can shake the foundations of our biggest buildings, but they cannot touch the foundation of America." Or, as Secretary of State Colin Powell said, "The spirit that is America will not be defeated." Despite those who live in a mad realm of hatred, it’s a spirit that will live and continue to thrive and inspire, not just here but around the world.