Letter: Freedom comes with a price

Friday, Sept. 21, 2001 | 5:18 a.m.

The terrorist attacks have left us all with a feeling of powerlessness and vulnerability.

We kept thinking Bruce Willis would jump out somewhere and save the day, but he didn't.

It was the ultimate reality TV -- better than Condit's sex life, but a bummer. We're powerless. We want to do something about it, if only giving blood or just flying our flag.

We also want our leaders in Washington to do something about it. We are angry and saddened.

I believe our national goals should be to maintain our constitutional rights while reducing the possibility of terrorist attacks. This will be a difficult undertaking. Freedom comes with a price. As Patrick Henry asked the Virginia House: Is life so sweet and peace so dear as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery?

We'd like to have sky marshals on our flights, but electronic strip searches? Do we give the FBI power to monitor our speech? How long may we detain suspects who may be a threat to our safety? Should we torture those suspects to get information?

It well may be that a military response, including the slaughter of the innocent, is just what is needed to control terrorism, but propaganda may be the ultimate weapon.

It is not enough that the United States be a feared adversary as well as the major force for freedom and justice in the world. We must also project those perceptions if we want to achieve our goals.

The other option is to let the government do as it wishes, while we watch daytime TV.

JERRY BITTS