The following was forwarded to me by someone to whom it was forwarded, etc. I have no way of knowing who wrote it. It feels genuine and offers much food for thought. It appears to be from an observer in the Czech republic.

This is the way I received this letter from a friend.

Eddi

The person who sent this told me delete the name of the author.

Anna Lee

Dear American friends! We are watching CCN daily with horror and as we watch I noticed that all the "international reactions" to the disaster that happened seem too much of a cliche. Our president was among the first to send his condolences but, we are a small country and this fact didn't even make it to the news report.
It's only right, there are more important things to say, but it made me realize, that you people might not be able to imagine, what this situation means to people outside of United States. It made me realize, that this time, I have a chance to give you support. You have it, you have it all over the planet and I want you to know that the whole planet is watching and wants to help.

This was not "just another terrorist attack" for people here. Within hours after the attack I received phone calls, SMS messages and e-mails from all my family members and friends, who know we don't have a TV. Nobody was surprised, but everyone is stunned and deeply horrified.
We went to our next door neighbors to watch CNN and they wanted me to translate everything that was said. So did my parents last night. The Czech TV runs one report after another too, although not the same quality.

All soccer games and other events were canceled or postponed. People gathered on Wencesllas Square, in front of the American embassy and on other places to demonstrate their concern and honor the victims by lighting candles and bringing flowers, despite the minister's request for people not to gather in public places for security reasons. The ministries received floods of e-mails and faxes from people all over the country, who are willing to help by sending specialists or money or both.

Our rescue teams with specially trained dogs are ready to depart within few hours, should America ask for help. These people are were very successful in recent years, especially in rescuing people after the earthquakes in Turkey. They found people alive even 7 days after the earthquake, so I guess there is still hope, although I understand that trying to do the same in the debris from two 110 story buildings is not the same at all. But they are ready to go and I would like to ask anyone who knows rescue people in the US, to please forward this e-mail to them.

The one thing I did not hear, although I thought I might, was "well, what did they expect" attitude. Everyone only expressed fear of suitcase nuclear bomb, biological weapon or a garbage truck full of fertilizer, which could have been brought into Manhattan just as easily. It also makes the antimissile shield plans look like a joke, considering the fact, that a well trained fanatic doesn't even need a knife or cardboard cutter to kill or threaten people. This attack stunned everyone by it's simplicity and effectiveness.

This attack is going to have many unexpected effects on everyone's life. Some of them are already appearing. For the first time in history, people feel the true capability of terrorism and feel that they could be the next target -- why not Paris, why not Prague? For the first time, most governments are willing to truly cooperate against the terrorist activities. I hope such cooperation will bring results and will give us all a chance to punish the attacker. For the first time I also hear people say, that they will not accept punishing a whole country full of innocent people for the acts of few extremists. In other words, people are rethinking the mechanisms of war.

It is also my hope that the American diplomacy will be a little more careful now. For the most think-tank country in the world, you guys have the worst possible diplomatic service. There are cases when women representatives were sent to negotiate with fanatic leaders of countries, where woman is not even considered a human. US diplomats are also the only ones in the world, who get shifted from country to country, so that they wouldn't become "too local," As a result, the Czech Republic for example, so far did not have a US ambassador, who could speak Czech or know anything worthwhile about our history or traditions. The first one after the revolution was Shirley Temple-Black, who is a cute movie star, but was happy to shake hands with all the crooks who looted our banks and stole all they could in the past ten years. Then she turned around and recommended this country with no legal system and bad law enforcement to US investors. Our ambassador to the US, Mr. Zantovky, in return, was a man with doctorates in politics, philosophy and languages and a hobby of translating Woody Allen's works into Czech. In other words, with profound knowledge of US and it's history and culture.


I don't write you this to complain. I write you this to make you look at what America is, what it's doing and what it could do to prevent such disasters from happening. There is a lot. I am fascinated by the potential America represents. Always was fascinated and this became even more apparent when I met my American friends and then I saw it with my own eyes.


I've spent 3 months traveling across the US, saw most big cities, 16 national parks, and traveled from not only coast to coast, but virtually from corner to corner. It was huge and amazing and it changed me forever. It also made me think that most of you don't realize what you have. You have freedom, money, possibilities, access, chances. Even the poorest and most disadvantaged of Americans have all these things to a degree most other people in the world only dream about.


Perhaps the most surprising was the level of friendliness and helpfulness from people who completely honestly just wanted to help a stranger. You can find it in Europe, but it's rare. I kept being shocked by the informal approach from waitresses, clerks, professionals. All these people in my country are colder then dog's nose. But I was stunned, when the guards, national park guides or policemen made us feel that they are there for us and we should feel free to ask any question -- including where to go for a good meal. These are the people here who still terrorize the public with random checks on cars or writing down your ID what you walk into a public office. These are people who's way of speaking to you is so "official" and formal, that it send chills down my spine and makes me avoid eye contact.

Then we watch CNN and I hear the same types of people (Red Cross leaders, medical officials, police officers, firemen, politicians) interviewed and called only by first name by the reporters. I hear these guys, who all of a sudden are Dave and Maggie and Nick, refer to their employees solely as "my people" or "WE are ready to...." It would never happen here. I just know, there are no barriers between them when they get out there into the pile of rubble to save lives. They are sure they can make it, the feel easy and comfortable reassuring the public that they have the potential and strength to solve the situation. On the other hand, it allows them to feel free to ask for help or blood or volunteers when needed.

America works! It was the most impressive of my feelings when I was there. It was the most agonizing part of coming back. It is the biggest driving force behind our attempts to change the system here and introduce assistance dogs. We have excellent people at the bottom, good workers, great volunteers. We don't have any great leaders. You guys have them. You have army where everyone is trained to become leader should his immediate boss be shot and then the next one and the next one. In Europe we have the tradition of ending the battle should the King get killed.

America is most powerful when it takes its eyes off the "sole purpose of making money" as Jefferson called it and focuses on something "real." Americans are not going to sit home and wait for someone to come and tell them what to do. They will figure out what to do and then do it. They are going to stand in lines to give blood and sign up as volunteers to clean up the damage. They will also support the families of the victims, arrange water, food, clothes and shelter for those who cannot return home due to the damage of airline disruptions. Americans will not do this when people start panicking, Americans will do it before the people in trouble even realize they are in trouble.

You should be very very proud of your people.

There is nothing we can do for the victims and very little we can do for those who lost their loved ones. But for all the rest of you, who are watching all this on the news and feel the enormous sadness - I want you all to know, that you are not alone in this. It's raining here for several days and it feels like darkness descended on this little village in the mountains of Czech Republic. People are quiet. I wouldn't be surprised it someone saw tears in the eyes of the Statue of Liberty, she's watching all this "live".

God bless you,
(Author deleted)