Letter From the President
November 1, 2007
My fellow Americans:
It is undoubtedly a joy of my life to be a part of an emerging organization that seems limitless in its potential. I believe that we live in the best time in history, a time when reliable information can be accessed in less than a second.
And, I believe we're privileged to live in a country founded on freedom, a place where people have unchallenged access to each other and to the government which they've created. There’s no doubt about it, the spirit of America has survived despite past existential threats from enemies all over the globe. This inspires me to reflect on American history...
On July 4, 1776, this nation declared independence from Great Britain, and with the help of its allies, defeated an existential threat, emerging victorious as a nation called “the United States of America”, a nation dedicated to principles of liberty and rights; a nation that focuses on civic duty; a nation opposed to corruption; and a nation that asserts that all people have inalienable rights that cannot be taken away.
In the middle of the 19th century, America faced a new threat, a civil war that arose out of irreconcilable fundamental differences in the concept of government, the economy, society and slavery. But, in 1864, this destructive civil war ended, the nation was reunited, and African Americans were soon freed.
In 1917 and the years following, America faced other threats in World War I and the Great Depression, but the nation recovered. In 1940, America faced a grave threat in World War II and later in the Vietnam and Gulf wars, but once again the nation was restored.
During the 1960s and 1970s, after having been divided by years of racism, prejudice and segregation, America took social reform head on, and progress continued towards civil rights for all Americans no matter their race, sex, class or religion.
Up to this point in history, America had not been targeted by terrorists. But, in 1993, Islamic terrorist, Ramzi Yousef, bombed One World Trade Center, killing six people and injuring thousands. This attack marked the beginning of an age of American Terrorism.
In the years following, attacks against the United States continued with the bombing of a Federal building in Oklahoma City in 1995 and the hijacking of four transcontinental airliners, which terrorists intentionally crashed into the twin towers of the World Trade Center and the Pentagon on the morning of September 11, 2001.
I remember that day vividly… I, like many others, was traveling. I remember seeing the news reports of the attacks, and I was heartbroken as I watched, helplessly.
Today, I still remember the fear I heard in my family members’ voices when I was finally able to reach them. It didn't take long for me to grow angry with the criminals behind this senseless attack on innocent Americans. The devastation was unbelievable, and nearly three thousand people were killed.
I will never forget how difficult a day this was for America; however, I also remember the days following, and the weeks, and the months and years. When I think back to that day, and I remember these horrific attacks, what comes to mind is how America responded; how the American people continue to recover and strive against all odds; and most importantly, how America is still free. We are free because we choose to be. Democracy is of our way of life, and our constitution is a solid foundation for this ever-evolving country.
When I look at the history of this great nation and the existential threats it has
faced, I see a shining track record of rapid recovery and growth. When I look at the state of the Union today, I recognize that America does NOT face “many” as it did in the past. Today America does NOT face an existential threat like the Nazis. Today America faces a few criminals, criminals who seek to take away our civil liberties; a few individuals, who may have grown to fear the awesome power of our military forces, but clearly underestimate the strength and resolve of the American people.
When I think of the horror, pain and loss of life America has experienced as a result of the actions of a few terrorists, I must also give equal consideration to the fact that we are what these criminals hate most… We are still free, and freedom will continue to ring across this great nation. These cowardly acts of terror did not force us to change our way of life; they merely underscored the need for us to preserve what makes America American – our civil liberties.
Patrick Henry said, “Give me liberty or give me death.” As we continue to respond to crime and acts of terrorism, we cannot afford to sacrifice liberty for security. The “Price of Security” is one of the greatest challenges we face today; however, we can no longer attempt to strike balance between security and Americans’ civil liberties… Each time we chip away a little more at liberty, we inherently become a little less American. We must do away with this modern-day concept of “securing America at all costs” and return to the idea this great nation was founded and defended on throughout history – LIBERTY AT ALL
COSTS! It is imperative that we trust in the collective strength, innovation and passion of the American people. We must leverage technology and rely on our extraordinary capacity to recognize, respond to and recover from challenges of varying degree.
“Every American has the right to be a patriot.” Effective immediately, we will embark upon a journey to shift appropriate focus and energies away from these few criminals and commit all our considerable resources to securing the future safety, peace, and prosperity of every single American. We will help safeguard this great nation; we will remind Americans of their civic duties; and we will help the Government reassure the American people that upholding their civil liberties has equal and perhaps a higher priority than advancing Homeland Security.
Through our nonprofit organization, the Homeland Security Foundation of America (HSFA), we will establish community learning centers in every city to help increase homeland security awareness; we will help America secure its assets and resources through our Special Operations Program; and we will give America new hope by advancing our homeland security through scientific research conducted with focus, determination, and proper respect for preserving Americans’ civil liberties.
People across America need our help every single day. There’s much to do, and our job is never done, but the support we receive from individuals all over the country makes our job just a little easier. At HSFA, we’re proud to be Americans, and we will continue to serve our country, working for you to help secure a safer, free tomorrow for all.
Respectfully yours,
Eric V. Brown
President, CEO, and Chairman of the Board
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