Postal workers can face this fear

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By Anthony G. Carroll

FARMINGTON, Mo. -- On Sept. 11, a day that will forever be engraved in our memories, the American people witnessed the unbelievable horror in New York and Washington. Our nation, our people and our freedom were attacked by terrorists. as President Bush said, an act of war was committed on our country and on the American people.

Now this attack continues in the form of biological warfare. Anthrax is in the mail being worked and delivered by the U.S. Postal Service.

However, make no mistake, it is not anthrax that is the terrorist tool that could defeat us. It is fear.

Yes, anthrax is a threat, but look how many places and people have been affected by it. Anthrax is medically treatable, and the Postal Service is putting in place security and precautions to deal with this problem.

Look at what fear has done nationwide in the Postal Service and to postal customers.

To quote Franklin D. Roosevelt: All we have to fear is fear itself.

Americans and representatives of the Postal Service have the opportunity and obligation to help lead and show the nation how to overcome this fear put upon us by terrorists. The Postal Service has traditions and a long history. We are part of the fabric that made this country.

The Continental Congress was organized at Philadelphia in May 1775 to establish an independent government. One of the first questions before the delegates was how to deliver the mail. On July 26, 1775, Benjamin Franklin was appointed postmaster general. This established the organization that became the Postal Service nearly two centuries later.

To quote Franklin: They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.

We need to show the enemy they have awakened the spirit of Americans and have united us against the evil war of terrorism. In this war, the enemy will see that employees of the Postal Service will not go quietly into the night when confronted by fear. To do so would be morally wrong and would invite more attacks from the enemy.

We should take the lead from our president. We should keep working and delivering the U.S. mail to the American people even as we are under attack. This will show our resolve to triumph over the enemy.

Would we expect anything less from our young men and women in the Armed Forces we have sent to defend us and who are facing life and death?

Make no mistake about what is happening to our country and the American people. We are facing an enemy that wants us destroyed. We must unite to overcome this evil. Failure is not an option.

God bless America.

Anthony G. Carroll of Farmington, Mo., is a distribution clerk for the U.S. Postal Service.