The American Melting Pot Comes to a Boil

The Board of Directors of the National Conference for Community and Justice in Orange County joins with all Americans, and virtually all of the world’s people, in condemning Tuesday’s terrorist acts and praying for the families involved.

In addition, we urge people to avoid the destructive and vicious ethnic stereotyping and scapegoating that often emerges from such tragedies.

We must work cooperatively, here in Orange County and indeed throughout the world, to seek an end to such criminal acts and to create nations and communities of justice and freedom for all.

William A. Shane

Executive Director

National Conference for

Community and Justice

Newport Beach

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If anyone doubts now the ability of terrorists to attack and slaughter innocent Americans at will, they are living in a dream world. Unless the strictest security measures are implemented and accurate reprisals are forcefully delivered, we can expect more of the same in the near future. The time to strike back is now, while the twisted and burning metals of our once great edifices are still hot. We are at war. And it is a war we must win for the survival of our nation and all it stands for. Nothing less than absolute justice for the perpetrators of this atrocity will do.

Charles Reilly

Fullerton

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Can those of our neighbors who refuse to dress and speak as members of their new country possibly object to being scrutinized a bit more carefully in light of the tragedy brought on by their former countrymen? Should I not view my neighbor with a jaundiced eye if he will not learn our tongue and speak it in my presence?

Does his native culture supersede my desire for safety and comfort for me and my children? Where does his comfort in these acts begin and mine end? Does the few words of English learned by rote to satisfy citizenship requirements absolve him of the need to be able to address me in my native tongue? Am I to live in fear of him because I cannot understand him?

In a local pancake restaurant, a group of foreign-born employees of one of our government agencies, speaking in their own language, celebrated with much laughter and glad-handing, their day off provided when the building they worked in was evacuated. Should I not feel anger and outrage at this? With blood running in the streets of my country, for just this one time, may I be politically incorrect?

Frank Braneff

Rancho Santa Margarita

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As a naturalized citizen, I at times do not strongly feel “American.”

But when the country is attacked, I too am filled with indignation.

I now (re-)affirm that I will pay any tax, do anything asked of me to defend, protect and preserve the United States and our way of life.

Let us unite behind our leaders to defeat all terrorists.

Vincent H. Nguyen

Costa Mesa