Rule: Re: expanded wiretap powers

[http://dummy.us.eu.org/robert (Robert)]

--- Forwarded mail from http://www.kerry.senate.gov/~John_Kerry (John Kerry)

Date: Tue, 09 Oct 2001 16:34:22 -0400
From: http://www.kerry.senate.gov/~John_Kerry (John Kerry)

     
     Dear friend,
     
     Thank you for contacting me about the horrible attack against the 
     American people on September 11.  My thoughts and prayers are with the 
     family and friends of all those affected by this tragedy, particularly 
     those members of our Ma family who have suffered a 
     devastating personal loss.  
     
     Below you will find a copy of the statement I delivered on Wednesday, 
     September 12 on the Senate floor.  I apologize for not responding 
     individually to your letter, and I ask you to bear with me as the 
     Senate attempts to respond to and address the very difficult issues 
     this crisis has raised.  In the weeks and months ahead, I will support 
     the President and work to ensure that there is strong federal support 
     for the recovery and rebuilding efforts and that the United States 
     response to these attacks is forceful and consistent with the spirit 
     of freedom and justice that is at the heart of our great nation.
     
     ________________________
     
     Floor Speech
     Senator John F. Kerry
     September 12, 2001
     
     Mr. President: Never in the time I've been here have we come to the 
     floor with such a weight - with our hearts literally aching and heavy 
     with grief and outrage.
     
     The loss of every innocent citizen - every person who went to work 
     expecting a normal day - every police officer whose sense of duty took 
     them in harm's way - every firefighter who tried to save a life and 
     lost their own, and in the astonishing number of their loss 
     experienced a breech in their special brotherhood and sisterhood that 
     can never be healed - the loss of emergency personnel - these losses 
     are felt by all of us in this country in a personal, searing way.
     
     It is also fair to say we are heavy with a deep feeling of outrage and 
     resentment - resentment for the killing of our innocent citizens - for 
     the attack on our nation - and for the fear and panic we saw in the 
     faces and voices of our people - children crying, parents, wives, 
     brothers - sons and daughters waiting for word.
     
     Yesterday I was on the phone with the husband and daughter of a woman 
     - a friend - lost in the 2nd flight to penetrate the World Trade 
     Center. The pain and depth of loss in their voices was excruciating - 
     and the helplessness to do anything but share the pain and offer 
     comfort brought an even deeper anger and resolve for the acts that 
     have brought us here.   
     
     Yesterday we know those terrorists attacked more than New York and 
     Washington - more than the World Trade Center and Pentagon - 
     
     They attacked - assaulted our freedom - our trust - and they proved 
     again they are the enemy of civilization itself.
     
     Until yesterday, even in these troubled times, there was still some 
     measure of care and innocence in how we conducted our lives. How else 
     could yesterday have happened? But now, we have been robbed even of 
     that. 
     
     So now we must respond in a way that makes clear our resolve to free 
     ourselves from the shackles of terror.
     
     The world must understand: From this moment forward, there is no 
     equivocating. There is no partial cooperation. There is no slipping by 
     on cooperation in the effort to deny terrorists sanctuary. There is no 
     half-way measure that will satisfy us in a war against terrorists. 
     
     And even as we speak those words, it is also critical that our 
     rhetoric be matched by our actions.
     
     If indeed there is a war against terrorism, I remind my colleagues 
     that in war, the first shots are never the last - and the first strike 
     is never the worst.  What happened yesterday was terrible - horrendous 
     - but we must prepare ourselves and steel ourselves for the 
     possibility of worse until we achieve our goal.
     
     And to do that - we must be more prepared than we are today to take 
     the fight wherever we need to and in ways we have yet to train for.
     
     We cannot ever guarantee that some fanatic will not find a way to 
     upset the civilized order.  But we can guarantee that anyone 
     facilitating or associated with such an act will pay the highest 
     price.
     
     There are few organizations that could achieve what happened 
     yesterday. We  know who they are.  We know who supports them.  We 
     should demand they be turned over.
     
     Finally - it is important for the world to see us getting back 
     immediately to the business of a great democracy.  We must -- all of 
     us -- be back at the work of our nation; we must show that our effort 
     to build a better country goes on - the mission of educating our 
     children for citizenship goes on -- the job of making our country 
     stronger goes on - 
     
     And I believe one of the first things we should commit to - with 
     federal help that underscores our nation's purpose - is to rebuild the 
     towers of the World Trade Center and show the world we are not afraid 
     - we are defiant.
     
     To those who might say why create another target, the answer is 
     simple: There is no shortage of targets in the United States: There is 
     a White House - There is a Capital and countless other tall buildings. 
     This is not a question of targets. It is a question of strength and 
     our national resolve to stand up and show our strength. That is the 
     best monument we could build to those who died yesterday.
     
     Thank you.


--- End of forwarded message from http://www.kerry.senate.gov/~John_Kerry (John Kerry)