Claim YOUR First Amendment Rights

October 14, 2001
By Kathy Gillogly

Isn't it ironic that those who blame American foreign policy for the atrocities of September 11 and who condemn our nation's military response to this act of war are among those who also champion hate crime legislation? 

With their demonstrations and self-righteous opinion pieces they proclaim themselves more offended by the actions of the United States government than by the horrific hate crime that has been perpetrated against all freedom-loving people everywhere. 

These pseudo-intellectuals say they worry about upsetting sensitive children of diverse cultures by having them recite the Pledge of Allegiance, sing the National Anthem or read a sign that says "God Bless America". Yet they seem blind to the racist, intolerant, xenophobic, supremacist, discriminatory, anti-democratic totalitarian ideology that spawned this bloody attack on innocent civilians. 

This radical faction of twentieth century extremists has perverted the religion of Islam in its attempt to achieve its aims. Their interpretation of Jihad, or Holy War, is a religiously sanctioned call for individual and collective violence against "infidels" worldwide. 

These fanatics reject political pluralism, democracy, and fundamental human freedoms in their home countries and abroad. Wherever possible, they use existing freedoms to reach power and then physically eliminate or subdue their opposition. 

In areas throughout the Islamic world, these monsters use repression and violence against infidel minorities. Where their regimes rule the population, human rights abuses abound. The horrors of female genitalia mutilation and "honor killings" have been documented. The Arab enslavement of Africans over centuries remains active today in Sudan. 

A show of hands, please, among you who cry "Peace at any Price", who would choose to live under such tyranny. 

Yet, instead of denouncing these genocidal terrorists for the human rights violators they are, the "peace activists" would have us believe it is the government of the United States who is guilty of terrorism against innocent victims in Middle Eastern countries. They call for "military restraint", "diplomatic options" and "justice in a court of law, not on the battlefield". 

It was not aggressive retaliation but lack of sustained, effective response to the bombing of two of our embassies and our warship that led directly to the first successful assault on our mainland. This is about more than justice; it's about our survival as a free nation. Only our military strength prevents our conquest. 

Osama Bin Laden has declared his ultimate goal. The destruction of the United States. He said so in a 1998 interview: "…We anticipate a black future for America. Instead of remaining United States, it shall end up separated states and shall have to carry the bodies of its sons back to America." 

Agents of Al-Qaeda have mocked the American spirit; telling us they embrace death as we embrace life. They believe we are weak and so horrified by their threats of "Death to All Americans", so reluctant to accept the grim facts of bloodshed that we will not carry on a sustained fight against their evil intent. 

The First Amendment ensures the right of dissenters to dissent. The pacifists and antiwar demonstrators no doubt provide smug satisfaction to our enemies - validating their belief in America's lack of resolve. The pacifists will surely become more vocal, and the demonstrators will become emboldened as this battle for our very survival drags on; forgetting perhaps, the blood shed by past generations that helped to secure this very right they enjoy. 

The First Amendment also secures our right to refute the pacifists' rhetoric and confront and expose the antiwar sentiment as blatantly anti-American. I will continue to claim that right as my civic duty, as all true Americans should.