| My original, angry response to the attack: Sixty years ago, a United States President had to announce to the nation that we had been victims of a surprise attack on the U.S. Naval base at Pearl Harbour in Hawaii. In his famous "a date which will live in infamy" speech, Franklin Roosevelt echoed the resolve of the American people to rise up and join together to face the challenge placed before them. Sixty years later, another United States President has had to speak to a nation shocked by the most despicable and cowardly attacks ever perpetrated against a nation in peacetime. It was an attack not against a military target, but against innocent and defenseless civilians. It was an attempt to daunt the spirit of the American People, an attempt to throw the American Nation into chaos and an attempt to coerce American policy. It is an attempt that will fail, and fail utterly. We may debate and disagree amongst ourselves, sometimes bitterly, but when America is attacked those differences are instantly set aside and the American People rise together as one. Sixty years ago, the Japanese Admiral Yamamoto, amidst the celebration after the spectacular victory of his forces at Pearl Harbour, uttered the prophetic statement "I fear we have awakened a sleeping giant, and filled him with a great resolve". Once again the giant has been awakened. We will put aside our grief and use our rage to hone our resolve to a greater edge than ever. We will find and punish those responsible. |
| I would like to collect and display on this page as many newspaper headlines from this "Day of Infamy" as possible. I would be thrilled if any readers that have saved newspapers from this day could scan them and e-mail them to me. Of course, any comments and suggestions would also be welcome. Just CONTACT ME. |
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| Asbury Park Press |
| All newspaper headlines are, to the best of my knowledge, from Wednesday, September 12, 2001. The day after... |
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| A lot has been learned, and a lot remains to be learned, since the events of this fateful day. The event brought out some of the very best of what America is about. It has also brought out some of the worst. What history will ultimately determine from the events set in motion by this attack will ultimately be determined by whether freedom survives in America. Our freedom, the very things fought for by our soldiers in wars since the American Revolution and sacrificed for by many Americans, are under attack as never before. Under attack, not by terrorists, but by those in charge of protecting our freedom. If we lose our freedoms, no matter what reasons are given, we have lost to the terrorists and to those to whom a free people stand in the way of their personal gain. As never before, the vigilance of the American people is needed. Don't blindly accept anything that requires you to surrender rights! Question authority! We, the people, should determine the future of America. Our current leadership is using this tragedy as a cover for the looting of America for their own personal gain. George Bush and his cronies are doing more to harm America than Saddam Hussein or Osama bin Laden could ever have done. Those who surrender liberty for a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety - Ben Franklin |