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Widow appels to bush { September 11 2001 } Original Source Link: (May no longer be active)
http://www.pbs.org/now/indepth/012502_widow.htmlhttp://www.pbs.org/now/indepth/012502_widow.html
Amber Amundson became a single mother on September 11, 2001. Her husband, Craig, was killed when a plane smashed into his workplace — the Pentagon. Soon after, Amber wrote an open letter to President Bush asking that they not take military action in her husband's name. She immediately became the focus of controversy over the place of dissent during times of war. The debate has come into her own home. Amber's father loves his daughter and loved his son-in-law. That is why he cannot agree with Amber's stance. He feels that it is his and every American's patriotic duty to defend this country which is under threat of terrorism and he only wishes he could be the one to kill Osama bin Laden.
http://www.pbs.org/now/transcript/transcript_amberletters.html
Dear President Bush,
My name is Amber Amundson. I am a 28-year-old single mother of two small children. The reason I am a single mother is because my husband was murdered on September 11, while working under your direction. My husband, Craig Scott Amundson, was an active duty multimedia illustrator for your Deputy Chief of Staff of Personnel Command, who was also killed. I am not doing well. I am hurt that the U.S. is moving forward in such a violent manner. I do not hold you responsible for my husband's death, but I do believe you have a responsibility to listen to me and please hear my pain.
I do not like unnecessary death. I do not want anyone to use my husband's death to perpetuate violence. So, Mr. President, when you say that vengeance is needed so that the victims of 9/11 do not die in vain, could you please exclude Craig Scott Amundson from your list of victims used to justify further attacks? I do not want my children to grow up thinking that the reason so many people died following the Sept. 11 attack was because of their father's death. I want to show them a world where we love and not hate, where we forgive and not seek out vengeance. Please Mr. Bush, help me honor my husband. He drove to the Pentagon with a Visualize World Peace bumper sticker on his car every morning. He raised our children to understand humanity and not fight to get what you want. When we buried my husband, an American flag was laid over his casket. My children believe the American flag represents their dad. Please let that representation be one of love, peace and forgiveness. I am begging you, for the sake of humanity and my children, to stop killing. Please find a nonviolent way to bring justice to the world.
Sincerely,
Amber Amundson
Amber Amdunson's letter was written on November 24, 2001.
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