Page One

The Daily Planet received a copy of the following letter addressed to the mayor and City Council: 

I write to offer my gratitude and support for your stance against the killing of innocent people as a response to Sept. 11. On National Public Radio about a week after the attacks, I heard a man (a former FBI agent, I think) say, we don’t really know who did this, but we have to respond. “I’m sure the world will forgive us if we kill the wrong people” because everyone understands how terrible this tragedy is. I was horrified by this man’s calm, confident assurance that murdering innocent people was totally acceptable because of the degree of our injury.  

What kind of insanity is that? For this and other reasons, I’m grateful that you have taken a fair and reasonable stance in your resolution. I take comfort from the pocket of sanity you represent in a country which seems to have gone completely mad. I’m shocked that you have been bombarded with hate calls. I’m sure history will be on your side, however. When we are able to stand back from these events and recognize how distorted, cruel, pointless, and out of date the U.S. military response has been, your resolution will prove you to have been among the few not caught up the fear and hate-frenzy misnamed “patriotism.” How can the most powerful country in the world see the killing of innocent people in a poverty stricken country as an action full of valor? The world is much too small for the kind of vicious, blind, national “patriotism” we are currently suffering. We need a real patriotic sense to be directed toward the whole planet and the peace and safety of all its citizens.  

Rose NajiaSan 

San Rafael