Friday, April 28, 2006

Beaming Out The Truth

The father of Todd Beamer (*), a passenger on the ill-fated United 93 flight - the third plane on September 11, 2001 - the one that was forced down by the passengers published an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal.

It has some relevance for one of Israel's problems: the weakness of the spirit.

Here:-

We need to be mindful that this enemy, who made those holes in our landscape and caused the deaths of some 3,000 of our fellow free people, has a vision to personally kill or convert each and every one of us. This film reminds us that this war is personal. This enemy is on a fanatical mission to take away our lives and liberty--the liberty that has been secured for us by those whose names are on those walls in Battery Park and so many other walls and stones throughout this nation. This enemy seeks to take away the free will that our Creator has endowed in us. Patrick Henry got it right some 231 years ago. Living without liberty is not living at all.

The passengers and crew of United 93 had the blessed opportunity to understand the nature of the attack and to launch a counterattack against the enemy. This was our first successful counterattack in our homeland in this new global war--World War III.

This film further reminds us of the nature of the enemy we face. An enemy who will stop at nothing to achieve world domination and force a life devoid of freedom upon all. Their methods are inhumane and their targets are the innocent and unsuspecting. We call this conflict the "War on Terror." This film is a wake-up call. And although we abhor terrorism as a tactic, we are at war with a real enemy and it is personal.

There are those who would hope to escape the pain of war. Can't we just live and let live and pretend every thing is OK? Let's discuss, negotiate, reason together. The film accurately shows an enemy who will stop at nothing in a quest for control. This enemy does not seek our resources, our land or our materials, but rather to alter our very way of life.

I encourage my fellow Americans and free people everywhere to see "United 93."

Be reminded of our very real enemy. Be inspired by a true story of heroic actions taken by ordinary people with victorious consequences. Be thankful for each precious day of life with a loved one and make the most of it. Resolve to take the right action in the situations of life, whatever they may be. Resolve to give thanks and support to those men, women, leaders and commanders who to this day (1,687 days since Sept. 11, 2001) continue the counterattacks on our enemy and in so doing keep us safe and our freedoms intact.


Don't you agree that many people in Israel could benefit from the words of Todd's father, David Beamer?


(*)

Remember Todd?

At first Mr Beamer thought it was going down. But then the aircraft evened out and seemed to veer north.

"As a result of that and maybe some information he was getting from other passengers who were on cell phones, he started to get an understanding of the gravity of the situation as far as what the end result was going to be and he told the operator that," Lisa Beamer said.

Her husband asked the operator to call his family to tell his wife and children that he loved them.

Then the two of them said the Lord's Prayer together.

"Soon after that he told her that he and some other passengers had plans to jump on the hijacker with the bomb and take him down," Mrs Beamer said.

The last words the operator heard him say were directed at someone else in the background: "Are you ready? Let's roll".

Mrs Beamer said news of her husband's final words almost brought a smile to her face.

"That was a phrase that was very Todd," she said.

It was something he normally said to his sons as the family prepared to leave the house.

The telephone connection remained open after that, allowing the operator to eavesdrop on the general commotion.

She was still on the line when the plane crashed.

Mrs Beamer said the news of her husband's remarkable courage was "a blessing" that would help her family through the years ahead.

"People live their lives and don't leave a legacy of faith and hope and love that Todd has left," said Mrs Beamer


(Kippah Tip: CK)

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