{"id":5442,"date":"2013-09-13T21:22:54","date_gmt":"2013-09-13T21:22:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/altmuslim\/?p=5442"},"modified":"2013-09-13T21:28:44","modified_gmt":"2013-09-13T21:28:44","slug":"an-open-letter-response-to-secretary-of-state-john-kerrys-911-letter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/altmuslim\/2013\/09\/an-open-letter-response-to-secretary-of-state-john-kerrys-911-letter\/","title":{"rendered":"An Open Letter Response to Secretary of State John Kerry\u2019s 9\/11 Letter"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

\"\"<\/a>By Misha Fazal<\/strong><\/p>\n

Dear Mr. Secretary,<\/p>\n

Thank you for\u00a0your\u00a0kind words. September 11 is among the saddest days in recent\u00a0U.S. history, with regards to the senseless loss of good,\u00a0hard working people;\u00a0a\u00a0day I hope sincerely never repeats itself. But while the\u00a0half-staff\u00a0flags remind you of the enduring work of the U.S.\u00a0government, it reminds me of the 12 years of indiscriminate killings around\u00a0the\u00a0world, which we have justified using the tragedy of 9\/11.<\/p>\n

Sir, the blood we have shed in the name of the September\u00a011\u00a0victims has created many more days of remembrances around the world than one could have ever imagined 12 years ago. Every week and every month there is a commemoration of death around our globe. In our time of grief and sorrow, we have ensured that anyone living in a territory\u00a0viewed suspiciously by the\u00a0U.S.\u00a0feels our pain repeatedly and consistently. What bothers me about your statement is\u00a0that you unabashedly equivocate the 12-year campaign of our armed forces, authorized by your colleagues in the legislature and\u00a0supported\u00a0by your diplomatic corps, into something as obscure as our \u201cnation\u2019s resolve to make peace and bring light to the darkness.\u201d<\/p>\n

In your years of service to our armed forces and to our government, I would like\u00a0to\u00a0ask \u2014 when did a period in which we authorized military force equal peace? The 9\/11 attacks resulted in 2,996 casualties, which included 343 firefighters and 59 police officers who were trying to save victims inside the World Trade Center.\u00a0The War on Terror\u00a0has\u00a0caused the death of\u00a0at least 227,000 people (more than 300,000 according to other estimates).\u00a0One-quarter million have been killed\u00a0to avenge our citizens, and we are still not done. Blood money\u00a0has been\u00a0paid to those fortunate enough, while the rest lay seething in their anger at night\u00a0imagining\u00a0a day when they too can avenge the loss of one dear life with scores of indiscriminate targets.<\/p>\n

I am sure a fresh face from Capitol Hill can come up\u00a0with\u00a0a quick retort regarding the difference we have made in our national security. In hushed tones, they will assure me that plots have been uncovered\u00a0of which\u00a0a civilian like me will never know. But I am asking you, Sir \u2014 not the underpaid\u00a020-somethings\u00a0trained to use these\u00a0well-established\u00a0justifications in\u00a0their\u00a0reports and papers. You have served active duty in Vietnam and now have the opportunity to sit back in the armchair making recommendations as to if we deploy our military\u00a0in\u00a0other places.<\/wbr><\/wbr><\/p>\n

So, I am asking you to tell me, without disrespecting the memory of our lost fellow Americans, what is it that we have accomplished? In the last 12 years, have we reached a new level of global security and stability? If not, then isn\u2019t it time for us to re-examine our foreign policy, which stresses\u00a0heavy-handed\u00a0military might, over that of diplomatic relations and regional cooperation. As you attend meetings and press ops, we stare into possible military engagement with Syria.<\/p>\n

Despite the proposed Russian plan, scores of pundits and analysts jumping on the airwaves to establish a case for why Syria will never accept\u00a0diplomacy, forcing us to\u00a0intervene regardless.\u00a0This time, however, national security is no longer the principle upon which we act, but rather the moral imperative for America to police the world. And I just wonder, at what point is our country going to stop trying to create\u00a0a\u00a0world in which the opinions and security concerns of 330 million people outweigh that of the six billion global citizens over which we impose our military and economic superiority?<\/p>\n

The beauty of this country used to be in\u00a0the balance in the legal rights of government and the judicial system, which ensured certain rights guaranteed to individuals and their property. In the moments of our terrible loss, we chose to shred the very document which gave the average American their strength; we chose to devalue the proposition of democracy that we so proudly hailed as perfection \u2014 a system that our legislature and executive branch destroyed in the moments following our tragedy, all in the name of the 9\/11 victims.<\/p>\n

In order to protect us, the government asked for cart blanche to interpret the constitution and the legal restrictions under which any agency was to operate. We torture captives, whom we never tried for any crimes. We use drone warfare without clarifying the target or their locations. We spy on private thoughts and communications of people we never had reason to suspect. We hold Assad responsible for chemical weapons use while giving the generals and commanders ordering similar strikes in Iraq a free pass in the name of justice.<\/p>\n

The FBI, whose domestic programs should have focused on financial fraud in our nation and other crimes, was diverted to \u2014 under the leadership of the likes of Steve Emerson \u2014 surveying Muslim communities. All the while average Americans lose their jobs, housing, dignity and the right to ask their country to help them. Our fear, anger and hunger for dominance have\u00a0led\u00a0us down a dark and narrow path from which there is no turning back.<\/p>\n

When asked to cease any or all activities, the government itself cites a variety of issues that would be created upon reversal its positions and policies. The thing is, Sir, we have hurt so many people that short of burying it all,\u00a0we have no choice but to continue to tell our citizens that we do this for them. Perhaps the sale of weapons and the contracts we establish to rebuild what we destroyed will once again spur economic activity\u00a0\u2014 motivate America to get back on its feet, even if it means climbing on the corpses on the victims we claim along the way.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, we silenced ourselves at\u00a09 a.m.\u00a0on September 11 and read\u00a0aloud\u00a0the\u00a0names\u00a0of our dead, without any mention of the thousands of\u00a0others\u00a0buried around the world\u00a0in the name of our revenge. Our media runs specials on the events of the day using every opportunity to instill a quiet obedience to the strategy under which we have undertaken our engagements around the world. And businesses use the emotions of those being vividly reminded of the national tragedy, as a sales strategy for products ranging from 9\/11 wine to an AT&T iPhone that we will \u201cnever forget.\u201d<\/p>\n

The good people of New York that gathered and responded on September 11, 2001 did not do so to see their memory mocked and insulted for gain, financial or political. And yet here we stand, campaigning on the dead and buried to justify the killing and burying of many, many more. Mr. Secretary, this \u201cextra day\u201d\u00a0might have been extra to you. But for the rest of us,\u00a0this \u201cextra day\u201d\u00a0has lasted 12 years, in which America has completely abandoned its founding principles and morals.<\/p>\n

The country I once loved is taking its last breaths \u2014 just one more victim in this unlawful, vengeful war against humanity.<\/p>\n

Respectfully,<\/p>\n

Misha Fazal<\/p>\n

Concerned Citizen<\/p>\n

Misha Fazal is a writer and business professional based in Washington, D.C., where she specializes in South Asian trade development. A version of this letter orginally appeared<\/a> in The Islamic Monthly.<\/em><\/p>\n

Below is the letter from Secretary of State John Kerry issued on September 11, 2013<\/p>\n

THE SECRETARY OF STATE<\/strong><\/p>\n

WASHINGTON<\/strong><\/p>\n

Colleagues:<\/em><\/p>\n

For all of us, September 11 is much more than another day on a calendar or another anniversary. \u00a0It\u2019s a day like none other. \u00a0Seeing American flags flying at half-staff brings back powerful and haunting memories of loved ones, friends and colleagues lost on two awful days \u2013 last year and twelve years ago \u2013 that remind us in searing ways just how complicated and dangerous a world we live in.\u00a0 While the flags fly low, they still fly proudly \u2013 an equally important reminder of the enduring work of this enterprise and our nation\u2019s resolve to make peace and bring light to the darkness.<\/em><\/p>\n

I lost friends \u2013 people I\u2019d known a long time \u2013 who were on those flights that left from Boston on the first 9\/11.\u00a0 I knew Chris Stevens from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and heard his passion for what America stood for in Libya.\u00a0 I mourned him, Sean Smith, Glen Doherty and Tyrone Woods last year at Joint Base Andrews along with many of you.\u00a0 From the other end of the Washington Mall, I and my colleagues in Congress shared your loss even as we admired your service. \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

On this September 11, I know friends and families are still grieving, and the Department still grieves with them. \u00a0We pause to remember those we\u2019ve lost and their families, and when we see their friends in the hall, we ask how they\u2019re doing.\u00a0 We send an email to a colleague who was there that night, just to let them know that we are thinking of them. \u00a0I hope that as you read this, wherever you are in the world, you\u2019ll join me for a quiet moment of remembrance and reflection. \u00a0It may be a thought, a hope, a prayer or a wish. \u00a0\u00a0My hope is that as we remember our fallen colleagues from both September 11s and all the other sad days, we never forget the reason we do what we do. \u00a0And though we can\u2019t inscribe all their names on a memorial, we also cannot forget the families and loved ones of those who serve and sacrifice in faraway places.<\/em><\/p>\n

Friends of mine who lost friends in a different context long ago have a simple saying: \u201cEvery day is extra.\u201d \u00a0I\u2019ve always thought it was a beautiful expression and I try to hold onto it on bright September mornings like today.\u00a0 It\u2019s a way of saying that we honor those we\u2019ve lost by continuing their work, serving our country and helping others. \u00a0That\u2019s what it\u2019s all about.\u00a0 We remember that with every extra day, we readily give a little something extra of ourselves.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0John Kerry<\/em><\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Misha Fazal Dear Mr. Secretary, Thank you for\u00a0your\u00a0kind words. September 11 is among the saddest days in recent\u00a0U.S. history, with regards to the senseless loss of good,\u00a0hard working people;\u00a0a\u00a0day I hope sincerely never repeats itself. But while the\u00a0half-staff\u00a0flags remind you of the enduring work of the U.S.\u00a0government, it reminds me of the 12 years […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":590,"featured_media":5443,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[15],"tags":[252,149,26,657,52,656,382,658],"class_list":["post-5442","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-commentary","tag-252","tag-foreign-policy","tag-islam","tag-john-kerry","tag-muslims","tag-secretary-of-state-john-kerry","tag-syria","tag-war-on-terror"],"yoast_head":"\nAn Open Letter Response to Secretary of State John Kerry\u2019s 9\/11 Letter<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"By Misha Fazal Dear Mr. Secretary, Thank you for\u00a0your\u00a0kind words. September 11 is among the saddest days in recent\u00a0U.S. history, with regards to the\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/altmuslim\/2013\/09\/an-open-letter-response-to-secretary-of-state-john-kerrys-911-letter\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"An Open Letter Response to Secretary of State John Kerry\u2019s 9\/11 Letter\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"By Misha Fazal Dear Mr. Secretary, Thank you for\u00a0your\u00a0kind words. September 11 is among the saddest days in recent\u00a0U.S. history, with regards to the\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/altmuslim\/2013\/09\/an-open-letter-response-to-secretary-of-state-john-kerrys-911-letter\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"altmuslim\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2013-09-13T21:22:54+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2013-09-13T21:28:44+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/wp-media.patheos.com\/blogs\/sites\/27\/2013\/09\/john-kerry.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"768\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"575\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Guest Contributor\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Guest Contributor\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"8 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/altmuslim\/2013\/09\/an-open-letter-response-to-secretary-of-state-john-kerrys-911-letter\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/altmuslim\/2013\/09\/an-open-letter-response-to-secretary-of-state-john-kerrys-911-letter\/\",\"name\":\"An Open Letter Response to Secretary of State John Kerry\u2019s 9\/11 Letter\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/altmuslim\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2013-09-13T21:22:54+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2013-09-13T21:28:44+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/altmuslim\/#\/schema\/person\/2d865aff786b53f8ec13c56a6f5518ec\"},\"description\":\"By Misha Fazal Dear Mr. Secretary, Thank you for\u00a0your\u00a0kind words. September 11 is among the saddest days in recent\u00a0U.S. history, with regards to the\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/altmuslim\/2013\/09\/an-open-letter-response-to-secretary-of-state-john-kerrys-911-letter\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/altmuslim\/2013\/09\/an-open-letter-response-to-secretary-of-state-john-kerrys-911-letter\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/altmuslim\/2013\/09\/an-open-letter-response-to-secretary-of-state-john-kerrys-911-letter\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/altmuslim\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"An Open Letter Response to Secretary of State John Kerry\u2019s 9\/11 Letter\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/altmuslim\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/altmuslim\/\",\"name\":\"altmuslim\",\"description\":\"Global perspectives on Muslim life, politics & culture\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/altmuslim\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/altmuslim\/#\/schema\/person\/2d865aff786b53f8ec13c56a6f5518ec\",\"name\":\"Guest Contributor\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/altmuslim\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/7378f6254ac5bdf4936a66cb60d0dd4a?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/7378f6254ac5bdf4936a66cb60d0dd4a?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Guest Contributor\"},\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/altmuslim\/author\/altmuslimguest\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"An Open Letter Response to Secretary of State John Kerry\u2019s 9\/11 Letter","description":"By Misha Fazal Dear Mr. Secretary, Thank you for\u00a0your\u00a0kind words. September 11 is among the saddest days in recent\u00a0U.S. history, with regards to the","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/altmuslim\/2013\/09\/an-open-letter-response-to-secretary-of-state-john-kerrys-911-letter\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"An Open Letter Response to Secretary of State John Kerry\u2019s 9\/11 Letter","og_description":"By Misha Fazal Dear Mr. Secretary, Thank you for\u00a0your\u00a0kind words. September 11 is among the saddest days in recent\u00a0U.S. history, with regards to the","og_url":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/altmuslim\/2013\/09\/an-open-letter-response-to-secretary-of-state-john-kerrys-911-letter\/","og_site_name":"altmuslim","article_published_time":"2013-09-13T21:22:54+00:00","article_modified_time":"2013-09-13T21:28:44+00:00","og_image":[{"width":768,"height":575,"url":"https:\/\/wp-media.patheos.com\/blogs\/sites\/27\/2013\/09\/john-kerry.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Guest Contributor","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Guest Contributor","Est. reading time":"8 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/altmuslim\/2013\/09\/an-open-letter-response-to-secretary-of-state-john-kerrys-911-letter\/","url":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/altmuslim\/2013\/09\/an-open-letter-response-to-secretary-of-state-john-kerrys-911-letter\/","name":"An Open Letter Response to Secretary of State John Kerry\u2019s 9\/11 Letter","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/altmuslim\/#website"},"datePublished":"2013-09-13T21:22:54+00:00","dateModified":"2013-09-13T21:28:44+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/altmuslim\/#\/schema\/person\/2d865aff786b53f8ec13c56a6f5518ec"},"description":"By Misha Fazal Dear Mr. Secretary, Thank you for\u00a0your\u00a0kind words. September 11 is among the saddest days in recent\u00a0U.S. history, with regards to the","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/altmuslim\/2013\/09\/an-open-letter-response-to-secretary-of-state-john-kerrys-911-letter\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/altmuslim\/2013\/09\/an-open-letter-response-to-secretary-of-state-john-kerrys-911-letter\/"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/altmuslim\/2013\/09\/an-open-letter-response-to-secretary-of-state-john-kerrys-911-letter\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/altmuslim\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"An Open Letter Response to Secretary of State John Kerry\u2019s 9\/11 Letter"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/altmuslim\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/altmuslim\/","name":"altmuslim","description":"Global perspectives on Muslim life, politics & culture","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/altmuslim\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/altmuslim\/#\/schema\/person\/2d865aff786b53f8ec13c56a6f5518ec","name":"Guest Contributor","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/altmuslim\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/7378f6254ac5bdf4936a66cb60d0dd4a?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/7378f6254ac5bdf4936a66cb60d0dd4a?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Guest Contributor"},"url":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/altmuslim\/author\/altmuslimguest\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/altmuslim\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5442","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/altmuslim\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/altmuslim\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/altmuslim\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/590"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/altmuslim\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5442"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/altmuslim\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5442\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/altmuslim\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5443"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/altmuslim\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5442"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/altmuslim\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5442"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/altmuslim\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5442"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}