National pride

Dear editor:

In 1941, the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor and killed 2,403 Americans. On 9/11/01, the World Trade Centers were destroyed and more than 3,000 Americans died — about 600 more than at Pearl Harbor. In 1941, just about every American boy over the age of 14 enlisted to “go kill a Jap.” We were enraged. After New York was attacked and more Americans were killed than at Pearl Harbor, Americans seemed to have no real animosity toward the culprits and many thought that “we brought it upon ourselves.” The culture of the United States had changed.

The enemy in 1941 was a country (Japan) that harbored an enthusiasm for physical expansion at the expense of others.

The enemy today, 61 years after Pearl Harbor, is a movement in several countries that harbors an enthusiasm for religious expansion at the expense of Westerners and Christians.

In the process of defeating Japan, the United States lost fewer than 200,000 people (in the Asian theater) while nearly 3,000,000 Japanese (soldiers and civilians) died in a war they started. To defeat Japan, the United States dropped not one but two atomic bombs on Japan to achieve victory and to establish that the United States should not be/ would not be messed with. We were ruthless in our efforts to quash a rogue nation.

While we had compassion for civilians, we understood that they allowed the aggressive culture to develop. From 1945 until 1952, the United States occupied Japan to ensure that they would be unable to be aggressive toward others. We taught Japan freedom and capitalism. Then we got out. We are friends now.

In the past 21 years, since the destruction of the World Trade Centers on American

soil, the United States has done very little to destroy the culture that attacked us. As a nation, we have not become so “affronted” that we have demanded the destruction of those who have harmed us or want to harm us. We know that several countries have allowed militants or mercenaries to thrive and train to attack the United States. We are unwilling to attack and destroy those who seek to attack and destroy us. We are unwilling to attack and destroy those countries which have allowed that culture to flourish. We are not insulted.

We are afraid of the “collateral damage” of bringing death and destruction to civilians who have allowed the culture to grow and prosper. Harry Truman would not have been afraid. Harry Truman would have turned several of those areas of the world into gravel parking lots. They would be warned to leave us alone. I suspect that Ronald Reagan might have done the same thing.

Our culture has changed. Today, we just want to discuss Friday Night Lights, senior proms, and where we went on our last cruise. We have softened. There is no doubt that someday our children and grandchildren will pay dearly for the lack of national pride we have today.

John Grillo Hot Springs