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 ou
probably missed it in the rush of news last week, but there was
actually a report that someone in Pakistan had published in a newspaper
there an offer of a reward to anyone who killed an American, any
American.
So I just thought
I would write to let them know what an American is, so they would
know when they found one.
An American
is English…or French, or Italian, Irish, German, Spanish, Polish,
Russian or Greek. An American may also be African, Indian, Chinese,
Japanese, Australian, Iranian, Asian, or Arab, or Pakistani, or
Afghan.
An American
is Christian, or he could be Jewish, or Buddhist, or Muslim. In
fact, there are more Muslims in America than in Afghanistan. The
only difference is that in America they are free to worship as each
of them choose.
An American
is also free to believe in no religion. For that he will answer
only to God, not to the government, or to armed thugs claiming to
speak for the government and for God.
An American
is from the most prosperous land in the history of the world. The
root of that prosperity can be found in the Declaration of Independence,
which recognizes the God-given right of each man and woman to the
pursuit of happiness.
An American
is generous. Americans have helped out just about every other nation
in the world in their time of need. When Afghanistan was overrun
by the Soviet army 20 years ago, Americans came with arms and supplies
to enable the people to win back their country. As of the morning
of September 11, Americans had given more than any other nation
to the poor in Afghanistan.
An American
does not have to obey the mad ravings of ignorant, ungodly cruel,
old men. American men will not be fooled into giving up their lives
to kill innocent people, so that these foolish old men may hold
on to power. American women are free to show their beautiful faces
to the world, as each of them choose.
An American
is free to criticize his government's officials when they are wrong,
in his or her own opinion. Then he is free to replace them, by majority
vote.
Americans welcome
people from all lands, all cultures, all religions, because they
are not afraid. They are not afraid that their history, their religion,
their beliefs, will be overrun, or forgotten. That is because they
know they are free to hold to their religion, their beliefs, their
history, as each of them choose.
And just as
Americans welcome all, they enjoy the best that everyone has to
bring, from all over the world. The best science, the best technology,
the best products, the best books, the best music, the best food,
the best athletes.
Americans welcome
the best, but they also welcome the least. The nation symbol of
America welcomes your tired and your poor, the wretched refuse of
your teeming shores, the homeless, tempest tossed.
These in fact
are the people who built America. Many of them were working in the
twin towers on the morning of September 11, earning a better life
for their families.
So you can
try to kill an American if you must. Hitler did. So did General
Tojo and Stalin and Mao Tse-Tung, and every bloodthirsty tyrant
in the history of the world.
But in doing
so you would just be killing yourself. Because Americans are not
a particular people from a particular place. They are the embodiment
of the human spirit of freedom. Everyone who holds to that spirit,
everywhere, is an American.
So look around
you. You may find more Americans in your land than you thought were
there. One day they will rise up and overthrow the old, ignorant,
tired tyrants that trouble too many lands. Then those lands too
will join the community of free and prosperous nations.
And America
will welcome them.
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