On the anniversary of 9-11, I would like to stress the following ideal.
No matter who you are, you cannot and should not attempt to make anyone else adopt your personal set of beliefs. This includes your religious beliefs, ideological beliefs and so on.
Whether you are the President of the USA, a cowardly terrorist, or an immigrant who is trying to force your future in-laws to follow your one-thousand-year-old traditions, you have no right to expect others to live their lives the way your think they should.
Here in America, we are free to choose, though some would argue that “we are doing it all wrong.” I will not become a Muslim, simply because al Qaeda says that I should. I will not change my mind, and decide that the war in Iraq is a good thing because George W. Bush thinks that I should. I will not alter my core values because someone is threatening me.
I am an American. I am proud of the fact that I am an individual. I am proud of my personal convictions. I am a good person, even if there are others who cannot recognize it behind their closed minds.
On this anniversary of 9-11, I am happy to announce that the American spirit is not crushed. The American way of life is still intact. We may have wobbled a bit, but we didn’t fall. In so many ways, the experience has made us stronger, smarter and more determined. Finally, I am not swayed and I don’t respond well to threats.
No matter who you are, you cannot and should not attempt to make anyone else adopt your personal set of beliefs. This includes your religious beliefs, ideological beliefs and so on.
Whether you are the President of the USA, a cowardly terrorist, or an immigrant who is trying to force your future in-laws to follow your one-thousand-year-old traditions, you have no right to expect others to live their lives the way your think they should.
Here in America, we are free to choose, though some would argue that “we are doing it all wrong.” I will not become a Muslim, simply because al Qaeda says that I should. I will not change my mind, and decide that the war in Iraq is a good thing because George W. Bush thinks that I should. I will not alter my core values because someone is threatening me.
I am an American. I am proud of the fact that I am an individual. I am proud of my personal convictions. I am a good person, even if there are others who cannot recognize it behind their closed minds.
On this anniversary of 9-11, I am happy to announce that the American spirit is not crushed. The American way of life is still intact. We may have wobbled a bit, but we didn’t fall. In so many ways, the experience has made us stronger, smarter and more determined. Finally, I am not swayed and I don’t respond well to threats.
Comments