America will not bow down to terrorism

9/15/2001

A recent TV news broadcast showed a filmed interview with a high-ranking lieutenant of Osama bin Laden stating that any terrorists could easily defeat the Americans because unlike them we are afraid to die.

Unfortunately, not only do the terrorists not understand us, but they also greatly underestimate us. No! We do not believe in suicide bombings to kill innocent people, such as those in New York. Those people had very little say in government policies, and in no way posed a threat to Islam.

Germany and Japan made the same mistake 60 years ago. A German U-boat sank a passenger liner loaded with Americans and Japan made a sneak attack on Pearl Harbor.

Both of these countries were much larger and richer than the terrorists that think they can beat us. Both of these counties learned too late that Americans are willing to die to defend their freedom.

We have proved that during two world wars and numerous smaller conflicts.

We may be a sleeping giant, but let him who awakens us take notice that it will take more than David with his slingshot to bring us down.

CARL DESKO

Rossford

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The world watches as unfathomable evil explodes. America, the most powerful country in the world, is assaulted in broad daylight by a wicked bully who strikes and, true to form, runs away.

The sudden recognition of our vulnerability strikes fear in our hearts while denial and disbelief repeat the words “not here ... not us.” The pain seems too much to bear. Gossip rules the airwaves with news commentators speculating on who is for us and who is against us. Simmering rage begets vows of vengeance. Arab-Americans report harassment by fellow U.S. citizens.

The continual replay of Tuesday's horror confuses and confounds us, but the unreasonable acts of a small group of people must not be allowed to pervert our view of the world at large. How can we define a whole culture by its lunatic fringe? If all Muslims are terrorists then, by the same token, all Americans must be Ku Klux Klansmen.

There is no doubt Tuesday's terrorists will pay dearly for their horrific crimes. In the interim, we must maintain our sanity by stepping back from the madness to regain perspective. Let us resume our lives by counting our blessings, praying for the victims and our leaders, while remembering God watches us ... from a distance.

BARBARA NELSON

Wauseon

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I have one thing to say to the perpetrators of this ghastly crime against humanity. Beware of the Universal Law of Three: “Whatever evil you shall do to another shall return upon you threefold.” It applies to Christians, Jews, Muslims, pagans. It is universal.

You may run, you may even hide, but you cannot escape. Don't bother looking under the bed because you are the monster under the bed but do keep looking over your shoulder because justice in the name of karma is right behind you and gaining fast.

JANICE E. TAYLOR

Temperance

Frogs, stadium a downtown delight

Give credit to everyone who had anything to do with bringing the frogs to downtown Toledo. They are a delight and a pleasure to see and enjoy.

Downtown is even a delight. Lots of great improvements and changes. Also saw the Fifth Third Field. Wow!

JEANNETTE WOGGERMAN

Temperance