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A huge thumbs-up http://www.ironworksforum.com/ubb/no.../xyxthumbs.gif to Daniel Noll and John DeFalco for this terrific, inspiring piece on how Americans can "fight back" against terrorism.

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<h2>Fighting back: Ten things you can do right now</h2>
<h3>Show your confidence in the nation and our way of life</h3>

By Daniel Noll and John DeFalco

As we watch our leaders on television, vowing to hunt down and punish these terrorists, many average Americans wish we could join them. We’ve given blood and donated money, but it’s possible to do something that will have a greater impact. This is our opportunity to fight back.

THE TERRORISTS WANT us to be afraid; they want us to stay home, hoarding fuel and food. They want to crush our free and open society by paralyzing us with fear. We can stop them. Our collective actions have a tremendous effect and will repel this terrorist threat and send a clear message to the world.

1. Keep your money in the stock market; leave your investments where they are.
Show your faith in our economy by making a new investment when the market opens. Don’t think for a moment that the terrorists didn’t have a keen sense of the timing of their actions. As consumers and agents of our economy, we hold its future in our hands.

2. Fill your car’s gas tank as you normally would.
Don’t run to the gas station to fill up your car. Stay with your normal pattern of fueling. If you’re a gas station owner, don’t give in to price-gouging. If you find yourself and your community victims of price-gouging (at gas stations or grocery stores), bring it to the public’s attention. Report gas-gouging to the local chapter of the American Automobile Association (AAA). You can also contact your state’s Attorney General or the U.S. Energy Department Hotline at 1-800-244-3301. These organizations are aware of this kind of activity. Bring it to the attention of your local newspaper or broadcast outlet. Provide accurate information and shine a bright light on this lack of civic virtue.

3. Buy things — anything, no matter how small.
Consider buying a new car, something fuel-efficient to reduce our dependence on foreign oil. If you’ve had a project or purchase on your mind, now is the time to follow through. Don’t put off purchases that you have planned because of this incident and fear for the economy. These delayed purchases can be self-fulfilling prophecies of a failing economy. Our collective purchases will have a phenomenal impact and help us fight fear-induced volatility of the price of everyday goods and services.

4. Fly the American flag.
Fly it from your house. Fly it from your car. Fly it in a position of respect anywhere you can. Stand tall and be American. Our country has been politically divided, especially since the last election. But let us not forget that it is precisely the mechanism of democracy that allows us to be politically divided in a productive fashion. Terrorism attempts to take that productive division and turn it on itself.

5. Withdraw cash from the bank as you usually would.
Don’t help cause a run on the banks by withdrawing all your money. Our financial systems are strong and resilient. Withdraw cash as you normally do. Terrorists fully intend to scare us into thinking that our systems are vulnerable well beyond the point of impact.

6. Use transportation systems.
Make business and travel arrangements as you normally would. Book a flight as quickly as you are able in order to show your confidence in our airlines, the new airport security guidelines, and our public safety system.

7. Conserve energy.
This will help to stabilize prices and supplies. Take public transportation, walk, bike, carpool, do whatever you can to avoid driving. Taking public transportation to work once a week will be a tremendous help. Turn off unused lights and appliances at home.

8. Write your members of Congress to demand more funding for alternative fuel research.
Our dependence on foreign oil is a huge vulnerability. If the United States decides to take military action, our oil supplies may be affected. By reducing our dependence on foreign oil, we enable our government to do what is deemed necessary.

9. Help unify this country by engaging your neighbors and community.
We need to have one voice to fight terrorism. Everyone must come together in order for our collective actions to defeat this evil. Acts of violence against our own people, regardless of their faith or background, can only be destructive.

10. Get back into your normal pattern of work and living.
Do what you can to continue your normal routines. Embrace the new security guidelines in airports and other public places and don’t complain. Support the airport security personnel and let them know you’re proud of what they are doing.

<h3IT’S UP TO YOU</h3>

There are many great lessons to be learned from these events: among them is the understanding that we each have the ability to defend our nation. We are each empowered to make decisions that will collectively allow us not only to survive this time of crisis, but to emerge ever-stronger in our response to this unspeakable act of evil.

Invoking Winston Churchill, this could, indeed, be our finest hour.

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