This was sent to me by a longtime

friends Linda and Don O'Conner. Don is the Computer Doctor in Rex who

keeps my computer computing. Linda and Don spent full careers in defense

of our freedoms, Don as a warrant officer and Linda as a Department of

Defense employee. Here is what they sent me. It is worth reading and I

thank them for sending it.

"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 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 Mexican, African, Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Australian,

Iranian, Asian, or Arab, or Pakistani, or Afghan. An American may also

be a Cherokee, Osage, Blackfoot, Navaho, Apache, or one of the many other

tribes known as native Americans.

"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 chooses. 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 Sept. 11, Americans had

given more than any other nation to the poor in Afghanistan 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. Some of them were working in the twin towers on the morning

of Sept. 11, earning a better life for their families. I've been told

that the people in the towers were from at least 30, and maybe many more,

other countries, cultures, and first languages, including those that aided

and abetted the terrorists.

"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!"

The Rev. Dr. Knox Herndon

is pastor of His House Community Church (SBC). The Rev. Greg Mausz is

senior associate pastor. The Rev. Dr. Lydia Herndon is the Sunday School

superintendent, Bible study coordinator and teacher. The church is just

below Fayetteville, on Ga. Highway 85, a mile south of Ga. Highway 16,

just below the fire station. Visitors welcome. Church office and prayer

line 770-719-2365; e-mail [email protected] .

Back

to News Home Page |