After 9/11 Americans were in a state of shock as to what had happened. We watched live on television the mass destruction, the people jumping from windows, the New Yorkers running for safety and we saw it all happen in places we knew. We had been to the World Trade Center towers. We had walked the streets of Manhattan. Our family members, our friends and colleagues worked in those buildings. They worked in the buildings next door and down the street, and we didn’t know if they were safe or had been pulled in by the days events. It was one of the worst days of my life, and I can only imagine the incredible pain, terror, and suffering inflicted on the victims themselves and their families.

It was also an enlightening moment in American history when we were struck at home by the very same type of terror that Israelis must deal with on a day-to-day basis. September 11th happened on a horribly grand scale, and threw the United States from a state of peaceful existence into the already festering war being waged against our freedom and values around the world. This same battle rages and continues today with the attack in Jerusalem.

This madman has no justification for his actions. There is no rationalization that can place ANY of the blame for terrorism at the feet of Israel. This free democracy wants peace in the region, and they have endured decades of violence and conceded nearly everything asked of them in an attempt to achieve a peaceful existence. But the terrorists continue to wreak havoc; they continue to play political games of life-and-death with the innocent lives of civilians on both sides of the security divide.

The actions of today made a major impact on our group. It rapidly brought all of the abstract information we’ve received into focus as we observed the reaction of those around us. The Israelis in our vicinity were angry, disappointed, shocked, and saddened, but they have also been hardened by the relentless violence waged on them and they know that they must live on. In the face of terror, they stare back at this existential threat and say,

“Our hope will not be lost,
The hope of two thousand years,
To be a free nation in our land,
The land of Zion and Jerusalem.”

Four days ago group walked down Jaffa Road in Jerusalem spending some time in the Ben-Yahuda Mall (a large pedestrian section of town with many shops, bars, and restaurants). This is the street where today’s psychopath drove his stolen bulldozer and used it as a weapon to crush innocent Israelis.

After we heard the news in the morning many people called home to make sure our parents knew we were all fine. As we got more details, discussions ensued in which attendees expressed their disbelief that the attack had occurred where we had just recently been walking and enjoying our freedom for a few hours. Never once, not one time, did I hear a single person doubt the right of our Israeli allies to defend themselves. Not once did I hear a justification for this terrorist’s actions.

Our trip has truly impressed upon us the dire importance of the United State’s relationship with Israel, and the truly horrible threats Israelis face. It has shown us the tremendous efforts they have gone to in an attempt to secure peace both through extensive security measures, but also through deep-reaching concessions to their enemies. This region is so very compact, the territory so heavily disputed, and the prices paid by innocent people so high - and we have seen it all first-hand.

Soon, we will all return home with these experiences and with some level of comfort that we are safer in America than we were in 2001, but also with the knowledge that we have a long ways to go in defeating this enemy motivated by a sick but powerful ideology of hate and destruction who harbor some very specific geopolitical agendas.

We will continue to learn more about Israel on this trip as we tour more sites, witness more remnants of the destructive work of evil extremists, and hear from experts on the nature of this threat and how to stop it. The terrorists will continue their attacks, whether coordinated or as lone wolfs, until we defeat them and their ideology. And this small nation Israel will continue to live on their land, developing this arid desert into an oasis while enduring carnage carried out in their school buildings, markets, clubs, and backyards…in spite of the pathetic, unnecessary, and cowardly actions of today.

According to a CNN/Opinion Research Corp. survey released Wednesday, 35 percent of Americans believe a terrorist attack somewhere in the United States is likely over the next several weeks.

The figure is the lowest in a CNN poll since the September 11, 2001, al Qaeda attacks, which killed nearly 3,000 people…

…According to the survey, 30 percent of Americans approve of how Bush is handling his job, while 68 percent disapprove of Bush’s job performance.

Americans feel safer from terrorism now than they have since before 9/11/01.  The credit for this, and for a lack of subsequent attacks on American soil, can be given to the War on Terrorism, and the Bush administration’s aggressive pursuit of Al-Qaeda and other terrorist organizations.  Despite everything President Bush is doing to keep Americans safe, many still do not approve of his job performance.  Does anyone else see the contradiction in that?

With the 2008 election only a few months away, we want to get as many young activists ready for the fall as we can. It is important that College Republicans stay active and continue to recruit over the summer. Invite new friends to STORM and update contact information for existing STORM members, so that when the semester starts we are ready to hit the ground running.

To help you get moving, we are offering a great incentive to the top 40 STORM activists. The “STORM Top 40” will each win free housing in Minneapolis-St. Paul during the week of the Republican National Convention! The winners will have the exciting opportunity to participate in the Convention without the hassle and cost of finding and paying for a hotel room.

The winners will be determined by the number of points earned over the contest period. The contest will run from Thursday, July 3rd, from 9:00 AM EDT through Thursday, July 31st at Midnight EDT.

Log in now and get started!