Letter To The Innocent Man:


Oh innocent man.  Do you feel the cruel wind this morning?  What steps did you take in life that led you to this point?  What questions are you asking right now, as you fall towards the ground?  

The fire that raged in the top of the World Trade Center drove you to jump.  How much courage...how much fear raced through you as the burning flames neared your skin, and of your own free will, you leapt from the window, a thousand feet up? 

I am sorry that such horror could befall you in the name of anti-capitalism and anti-American hatred.  How could you know that when you woke up that morning, said goodbye to your family, and left for work, that your very life would simply be an example of anti-Americanism?  When you came to work this morning, you were dressed professionally, as is everyone who worked in the world's financial capital.  But now you fall without a shirt, a sign of the panic and desperation that must have occurred in those minutes before you leapt.  Why must your life simply be someone else's politic?  Someone else's religious hatred?

In this moment, as you are falling, could you have believed that millions would look at you and casually shrug their shoulders, thinking that "you get what you deserved?" simply because you lived in America?  Could you have believed that there are millions out there who see your death has "America had it coming?"

How could you have ever known that there would be those out there who would consider your death that morning merely "blind justice?"  

I am sorry that your family had to live through this pain.  I am sorry that your life was considered so worthless by millions all over the world- almost as if your death was deserved. On account of those who hate America, your death is a mere shrug of the shoulders...or even worse...perhaps a source of satisfaction, as so many had smiles on their faces this morning when your life was taken from you.  In Pakistan, they celebrated.  Smiles and laughter erupting from many in other countries.  Your death releases endorphins in them, triggering the pleasure centers in their brains. 

People who say that what is happening to you is somehow "justice" don't feel even a single shred of compassion that your death was undeserved.  Instead, some look at you with a strange, yet twisted feeling of relief, or even satisfaction.  "Yes, America deserved this," they quietly think to themselves.   From their mouths they condemn it, but in their hearts they welcomed it.

As you fall to your death, does your life flash before your eyes?  Do you look up at the sky and wonder where God is?  Do you wonder why this has happened?  Can you see the callous, heartless people around the world who consider your death a mere "trade off" for the deaths of others?  Your eyes for someone else's eyes.  Your teeth for someone else's teeth.  They don't care about you.  They being not the people who crashed into that building, but those living in Europe, people in South America, in Russia, in China, the Middle East, and even America...people all over the world who hate the U.S. so much.....they ultimately hate you...they feel that your death today is somehow a measure of "blind justice."  Your life a worthy sacrifice to appease their contempt.  These people would never kill you themselves, yet in their darkened hearts they feel a sense of satisfaction that Bin Laden was able to do what they could not do:  Al-Queda acted on the hatred they already felt.  Yes, they feel the same hatred against America, against you, but they simply do not act on it.  With their mouth, they condemn the terrorists who struck you, but in their hearts, they sympathize.

I promise you, Innocent Man, God is there, and he sees you.  And He has nothing to do with those who killed you, or those who consider your death to be just.  He has nothing in common with those who feel private gratification for the blind hatred that has overcome you on this cruel morning.  We will not forget you, nor the justice that is now required upon those who did this.  And I pray for those who took satisfaction in thinking "America deserved it", for theirs are darkened hearts and they are people to be pitied above all else.
-Arthur