Sunday, May 14, 2006

Why I Walk


I walk today for the ones who can not, I feel the wind on my face but they can not. I am not walking for myself, nor in my own name but the memory of those who died on October 23rd 1983 in Beirut Lebanon.
I walk because they died defending those who could not defend themselves. With each step I hope to remind each and everyone that they died at the hand of those who stand against all of the free world today. Terrorist, not Muslims but people who feel superior to others by killing innocent men, women and children everyday. They say it is for their God but he would never ask them to kill anyone much less a child.
I walk for the Americans who died that day but I remember the French Soldiers who died just 2 minutes after my Brothers. I am just one man and I need the support of all who despise the destruction this small number of Zealots have caused worldwide. Together we can defeat an enemy who would kill children at play, mothers at work or any of us while we carry out routine daily chores. We can not hide inside of our homes and allow more of our young men and women to carry this burden alone. We can send a message around the world that we will not tolerate these acts any longer and we will support those who hunt down and stop these murderers before they can commit anymore acts.
We have fought these types of zealots in the past and until we stand united we will fight them over and over. When they have received the message that no one supports their murderous ways then and only then will they have no where to hide.
I do not wish my name to be known only because it is not about me, it is about all of us and our way to honor those who died fighting these murders.
I am not afraid for myself but I do fear for our country and all peaceful countries around the world. I fear for the safety of those these terrorists claim to be fighting for because they will kill anyone to strike back at us, they have proven this time and time again in Iraq.

In Beirut a small group of these cowards planned the attack that changed the world forever, instead of meeting our troops on a field of battle they chose to drive a truck into a building where over 400 of our Servicemen slept, ate and read letters from home. This truck carried a bomb unlike any ever used by terrorists before, over 12,000 pounds of explosives ripped the building apart while my Brothers slept dreaming of returning home very soon. At 06:22 AM on the Morning of October 23rd 1983 the lives of all Americans were changed forever. 241 men died in their sleep, they went to Beirut as peacekeepers and came home as victims.
This is why I walk, won’t you stand with me?

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