You probably missed it in the rush of news last week, but there was actually a
report that someone in Pakistan had published in a newspaper there an offer of
a reward to anyone who killed an American, any American.
So I just thought I would write to let them know what an American is, so they
would know when they found one.
An American is English…or French, or Italian, Irish, German, Spanish, Polish,
Russian or Greek. An American may also be African, Indian, Chinese, Japanese,
Australian, Iranian, Asian, or Arab, or Pakistani, or Afghan.
An American is Christian, or he could be Jewish, or Buddhist, or Muslim.
An American is Christian, or he could be Jewish, or Buddhist, or Muslim. In
fact, there are more Muslims in America than in Afghanistan. The only
difference is that in America they are free to worship as each of them choose.
An American is also free to believe in no religion. For that he will answer
only to God, not to the government, or to armed thugs claiming to speak for the
government and for God.
An American is from the most prosperous land in the history of the world. The
root of that prosperity can be found in the Declaration of Independence, which
recognizes the God-given right of each man and woman to the pursuit of
happiness.
An American is generous. Americans have helped out just about every other
nation in the world in their time of need. When Afghanistan was overrun by the
Soviet army 20 years ago, Americans came with arms and supplies to enable the
people to win back their country. As of the morning of September 11, Americans
had given more than any other nation to the poor in Afghanistan.
An American does not have to obey the mad ravings of ignorant, ungodly cruel,
old men. American men will not be fooled into giving up their lives to kill
innocent people, so that these foolish old men may hold on to power. American
women are free to show their beautiful faces to the world, as each of them
choose.
An American is free to criticize his government's officials when they are
wrong, in his or her own opinion. Then he is free to replace them, by majority
vote.
Americans welcome people from all lands, all cultures, all religions, because
they are not afraid. They are not afraid that their history, their religion,
their beliefs, will be overrun, or forgotten. That is because they know they
are free to hold to their religion, their beliefs, their history, as each of
them choose.
And just as Americans welcome all, they enjoy the best that everyone has to
bring, from all over the world. The best science, the best technology, the best
products, the best books, the best music, the best food, the best athletes.
Americans welcome the best, but they also welcome the least. The national
symbol of America welcomes your tired and your poor, the wretched refuse of
your teeming shores, the homeless, tempest tossed.
These in fact are the people who built America. Many of them were working in
the twin towers on the morning of September 11, earning a better life for their
families.
So you can try to kill an American if you must. Hitler did. So did General Tojo
and Stalin and Mao Tse-Tung, and every bloodthirsty tyrant in the history of
the world.
But in doing so you would just be killing yourself. Because Americans are not a
particular people from a particular place. They are the embodiment of the human
spirit of freedom. Everyone who holds to that spirit, everywhere, is an
American.
So look around you. You may find more Americans in your land than you thought
were there. One day they will rise up and overthrow the old, ignorant, tired
tyrants that trouble too many lands. Then those lands too will join the
community of free and prosperous nations.
And America will welcome them.
By Peter Ferrara, an associate professor of law at the George Mason University
School of Law. September 25, 2001
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