American Spirit - Freedom !

[Hemast]

Excerpt from `Atlas Shrugged' by Ayn Rand :

"We had business to transact, didn't we?" said Rearden. Mr.Ward could not define the emotion that contorted Rearden's mouth as he spoke.

"Mr.Ward, what is it that the foulest bastards on earth denounce us for, among other things? Oh yes, for our motto of 'Business as usual.' Well - business as usual, Mr. Ward!"

He picked up the telephone receiver and asked for his superintendent. "Say, Pete ... What? ... Yes, I've heard ... Can it ... We'll talk about that later ... What I want to know is: could you let me have five hundred tons of steel, extra, above schedule, in the next few weeks? ... Yes, I know ... I know it's tough ... Give me the dates and the figures." He listened, rapidly jotting notes down on a sheet of paper. Then he said, "Right. Thank you," and hung up.

He studied the figures for a few moments, making some brief calculations on the margin of the sheet. Then he raised his head. "All right, Mr. Ward," he said "You will have your steel in ten days."
_________________________

POSTSCRIPT:

Americans are at war. They have a job to do. Clearly, the destruction of the World Trade Center was designed as an attack on the very ideals of Capitalism.

It was no less than a `deliberate' strike upon: Life, Liberty, Property, and the Pursuit of Happiness. These are the Founding Principles of the United States of America - and they are universal.

It was not America which created these principles. It was these principles which created America; and any culture which embraces them will, like America, also transform itself into a Titan - a powerhouse of freedom and prosperity.

Americans embrace these principles with all their heart, uphold and celebrate them. They refuse to despair.

Americans - the kindred souls - have been butchered, sacrificed by an inhuman enemy who revels in sacrifice while attempting to paralyse sensibilities and to crush mens' spirit of freedom, celebration of achievements. One begins to feel like a `soldier' now.

This morning Ted again smiled, walked, talked to a pretty girl or two, listened to some new music, told a joke, bought himself a gift (a cheap plastic salad bowl!); and probably Ted'll write a poem tomorrow and go out with some friends and start his Street Show with an Al Jolson song!

There is so much to do and it is wonderful doing it. One looks forward to continuing `our' work defending, promoting, and - now more than ever before - `celebrating' the uplifting glory that is Capitalism.

Yes, my friend - it's Business As Usual.

Inspirations for an American :
1. Aristotle
2. John Locke
3. Adam Smith
4. Thomas Jefferson
5. Frederic Bastiat
6. Ludwig Von Mises
and most importantly,
7. Ayn Rand