Selfishness vs. Selflessness

[The Finman]

<h2><font color=#003399>Selfishness vs. Selflessness</font></h2>
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- This past week marked the second commemoration of the worst terrorist attacks in American history, and was characterized by both painful and poignant moments.

At Ground Zero, children solemnly read the 2,792 names of those who were murdered.

In Washington, President George W. Bush presided over a silent memorial service on the South Lawn, while Defense Secretary Don Rumsfeld went to Arlington National Cemetery to pay tribute to the 184 military and civilian employees killed at the Pentagon.

In Pennsylvania, 44 crew and passengers of Flight 93 were remembered as heroes for bringing down their plane and saving the lives of potentially thousands of other Americans.

As memorials were observed at home, overseas U.S. troops continued to "carry the fight to the enemy," as President Bush said in his address to the nation.

The president reiterated what he told Congress and the country just nine days after those horrific attacks -- that the war against terrorism will be fought over a long period of time on many fronts.

Winning it will require many resources so Americans don't return to a "false comfort in a dangerous world."

But some members of Congress seem to have different ideas.

Byrd, the ranking member on the Senate Appropriations Committee and the King of Pork, has never met a tax dollar he didn't want to spend -- especially if it was for a road or building bearing his name in West Virginia.

Yet Byrd, who has used public money to put his name on more buildings than Ronald McDonald, says that when it comes to protecting our national security, he refuses to "simply rubber stamp" the president's request.

John Breaux, a moderate Democrat, was even more blunt about his desire to spend money on what will help him get re-elected.

Teddy Kennedy suggested that instead of spending the money to root out terrorists who want to kill Americans, it should be used to train teachers who can't teach and for a universal health care system that's already been rejected by the American people.

Rep. Rahm Emanuel is demanding that for every dollar spent on efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan, an equal amount be spent on domestic projects.

Kennedy is reportedly ready to cut off all funding for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan if he doesn't get what he wants from the administration.

Calls to bring home the troops, cut off funds and hand things over to the United Nations are selfish demands of historic proportions.

Nor will we forget the sacrifices of hundreds of rescue workers, like 34-year old firefighter Stephen Siller who, on the morning of Sept. 11, had just completed an overnight shift and was driving to his home on Staten Island when he learned of the attack.

Ignoring danger in an attempt to save lives, Siller perished on Sept. 11, 2001 in the first battle of the war on terrorism, but his family refuses to let his memory die.

While thousands of New Yorkers are running to commemorate the memory of Siller, some members of Congress will still be threatening to cut funding or reduce our commitment to defeating the terrorists in Iraq and Afghanistan.


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