Leftists at the Democratic Convention this week are saying that they were united with the country on September 12, 2001.  (And then the big bad Republicans waged war and divided everybody).  I was in a hot spot of leftism on September 11, 2001, on campus, and I can say:  like hell they were.

On September 13, 2001, after Penn State did not call classes off, I walked into an English class, and the first question we were asked was, “What did we do to deserve this?” What followed was a lecture on how only the irrational would want to retaliate to what happened. 

After students started hanging up American flags in patriotic fever around campus and talked about joining the military, the left screeched at us that we were nothing but mindless patriotic dolts with blood lust.  (So much for “unity.”)

I went to a “pro peace” rally hosted by leftists (to protest it) before any action was taken by the United States – before the war in Iraq and Afghanistan. 

The only thing the left screamed at us in the days and weeks that followed September 11, 2001 was, “WHY DO THEY HATE US?” They had nothing but sympathy for terrorists and disdain for America.  They were so loud that we gave them a name:  Blame America First-ers. 

Planting seeds of moral guilt and promoting an anti-war agenda came from the left since September 11, 2001.  For them to stomp their feet and announce they were united then, and the Republicans are evil for waging war against terrorist regimes in the Middle East is the height of absurdity.

Apparently what they wanted us to do was nothing, and be the suffering victim forever, gaining the sympathy of the rest of the world (in order to “stay united”).  I think the biggest, most grotesque and ugliest hypocrisy is that they shout at GW Bush for making pre-emptive strikes; then they turn right around and scream at him for doing nothing before 9-11.  What do you want you dolts:  either the President can prevent attacks or he can’t. 

It doesn’t even matter if any terrorist regime gets a hold of weapons of mass destruction.  They only needed flight training and box cutters for 9-11.  As Condoleeza Rice once explained:  we needed to stop swatting flies.  We need to take out regimes.  Terrorists who hate America will use anything at their disposal, even their own lives, to kill us. 

Pre-emptive attacks may not be the traditional American way, but it is now.  It has to be.  I don’t know why that is so hard for people to understand – for anyone who watched 3000 fall to their early death at the hands of a bunch of wimpy terrorists promised 72 virgins.  These people want us dead and it is either we get them first or they get us.

What is “divisive” about taking out someone like Saddam Hussein?  Let me explain the war in simple terms, understandable to the left:  Saddam Hussein was a bad man, we are at war with an entire culture that wants us destroyed, and taking him out can do nothing but good.  There is nothing about this that is too terrible. 

I’m going to state the obvious:  the only reason why we are divided is because of the left.  In fact, they are proud of their divisiveness.  They boasted that they were a minority voice, and that those who were patriotic were mindless followers.  Exactly who was the left united with?  Europe?  The United Nations?  Terrorist organizations? 

You have free speech in this country, even to cripple your own countrymen and soldiers during war time.  But when you do it, don’t expect the rest of the country to forget it.  Leftists, we remember your treason.

Amber Pawlik