These are the thoughts that came to me during our moment of reflection honoring those who died in the terrorist attacks, which I would want to share with President Bush:
– I have been relieved to hear so many government officials cautioning against vigilantes striking back blindly against Islamic residents of our county.
– I was frightened to think of how many terrorists have already been in the U.S. for years, waiting and preparing for the moment to strike.
– I wished our airplanes and boarding checkpoints were watched over by armed military personnel who would be court-martialed for making such obvious mistakes.
– I became convinced that a military strike would build anger against the U.S. more than it would persuade other governments against harboring and abetting terrorists.
– I worried that it will be impossible to find and kill only potential future terrorists while they are mixed in with peaceful citizens.
– I wondered at how much the poor in the Islamic world seem to hate the U.S. I wondered how to make them love us.
– I was revolted by how the name of God is used while counseling violence by both sides.
