Like everyone else in the United States, we at Intelligence Press are struggling to make sense of this gigantic catastrophe which has struck at the very foundation of this nation. Our sympathy and condolences go out to those who have suffered and lost loved ones in New York, Washington and Southwest Pennsylvania. As are many others, we are making a financial contribution to the recovery process. We also offer this, our first editorial in 21 years of publishing, as support for the bruised and battered spirits of all Americans.

We are trusting in our political and military leaders now to do what they must to defend us. They bear the heavy burden of deciding and carrying out our military response. In addition we realize there are many things that will have to be done over the ensuing weeks and months to make our nation more secure. We will join in these actions when and however we can.

We have hung out our American flags, put flag stickers on our cars and made donations to the relief efforts. But we have been frustrated that there seems to be little of real substance that we, ourselves, can do to fight this faceless, nameless agent of hate and malevolence that is directed at us.

We believe, however, there is one extremely powerful action that any American can participate in right now to support our country, stem the losses and get us back on track. We can do what we do best. We can BUY!

At first glance it doesn’t seem very powerful, but think about it.

One of the strongest economic forces on earth is the American consumer. The underlying target of this attack was the U.S. economy and our way of life. This is a new kind of war. It is directed against the American everyman. We have to fight with different weapons. If this terrorist action brings on a real recession which spreads throughout the world, the terrorists will have succeeded.

They are saying the American consumer is going to turn wimpy, crawl in a hole and pull it in after him. We can send a strong message of our confidence and support for the American way of life. We can prove them wrong, not with a gun, but with our wallets.

Whenever the circuits go up, I am going to place a market opening order to buy stock — I’m not sure which one — maybe Marsh & McLennan Cos. Inc., which has 700 employees from the World Trade Center missing. Today, I am going to buy a new television — a purchase, I had previously deferred. Tomorrow maybe I’ll start my Christmas shopping early.

If everyone buys a little something extra, we can and will stabilize the world economy and foil the aims of the terrorists.

Now that’s power! That’s making a difference!

The world is watching.

Think about it. Pass it on.

Ellen Beswick, Editor/Publisher

Intelligence Press Inc. ellen@intelligencepress.com

(Note: the above editorial may be copied and re-published)

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