Congressman Ted Poe

TEN YEARS LATER...

By Congressman Ted Poe

Dear Neighbors,

We remember the exact moment, ten years ago today, that we learned about a plane crashing into the World Trade Center in New York City. We remember the details of what we were doing and the confusion we felt about what was happening. At the time, I was a criminal judge in Harris County. I was driving my jeep to the courthouse in downtown Houston listening to KILT when news anchor Robert B. Mcentire reported that a plane had crashed into a tower at the World Trade Center. As the day continued, we learned more details about the other planes that crashed into the second tower, the Pentagon and in Pennsylvania. Our initial confusion turned into anger and sadness.

For the rest of the day, we were glued to the TV as the news showed both towers crashing to the ground and the subsequent panic that ensued as people ran away to escape the cloud of debris that quickly spread throughout the city. But as people were frantically running away from the World Trade Center, another group of people were running toward the disaster. They were the first responders – firefighters, police officers, paramedics, doctors, volunteers – who selflessly risked and gave their lives to help their fellow Americans during a time of tragedy. As the rescue efforts continued, first responders and volunteers went to New York City from all over the country to help in any way that they could.

As a result of the first responders and volunteers’ heroism, many got to live another day. There are countless stories of the selfless bravery that occurred on 9/11, how Americans reacted extraordinarily in order to rescue a complete stranger, a fellow American. In the face of attack, we pulled through with a remarkable spirit of unity and compassion that swept through our country.

A Response to Representative Ted Poe's July 6, 2011 email ...

Based on what both Joe and Lee have distributed, I think my current efforts to influence Mr. Poe might be of interest. I hand delivered the attached to his Kingwood Office and personally gave it to several of his staff. This week I sent it to the Kingwood Observer Editors with my request to publish it as an Open Letter to Ted Poe.

Assuming both Ted’s staff and the editors of the paper filed it into File 13, here is a copy. Admittedly it is too long for Ted’s attention span or the Observer’s Letters to the Editor standards. However it is not a letter to the editor. It is an Open Response to Ted’s overly simplistic bumper sticker beliefs. That is where the devil resides. A bumper Sticker response does no justice to the issues involved.

Feel free to use my thoughts in any way you think can promote returning to political sanity in Kingwood, as if we ever had any.

Bruce Olson

A Response to Representative Ted Poe’s July 6, 2011 email statement of what he believes.

While I respect you as my Congressman I believe your recently declared beliefs deserve objective and critical comment.

I am an American, the same as you, no more, no less. You are my elected Representative and I thank you for your dedication and hard work. I expect you to carry out your Constitutional responsibilities with integrity and honor and I believe you do so.

Your primary responsibility is to represent the people of Texas Congressional District 2 in their best interests in accordance with our Constitution. The Preamble, by its single sentence, establishes the entire reason for the United States of America to exist. Everything else the Constitution says and what our government does is intended to support that reason to be.

As an American I too have responsibilities. I should support and defend the Constitution and my country. That includes advising you of my beliefs and recommendations. I should never assume you have no interest or cannot be influenced by them.