Osama Tee

To: All Concerned Employees and Customers of The Sports Zone
From: Steve Sinnott, CEO

I am writing this memo to address the mixed feelings and reactions we are getting from the Osama Bin Laden tee shirt that we have made available for sale in our stores. I have received some phone calls from managers and customers on this item. Here is my position on the subject and what led to the decision to sell this item.
 
As you all know, 9‐11‐2001 was one of the darkest days in our history when al Qaeda operatives hijacked four planes and crashed two into the Twin Towers in Manhattan, one into the Pentagon and one, intended for anther target in Washington, DC into an open field in Pennsylvania because it was retaken by brave Americans who said “no” to the terrorists. I personally was in NYC that day and experienced the horror and terror that we felt up close and personal. My experience pales in comparison to the loss, pain and anger that those who lost close friends and family members that day. Many brave people including the NYPD, FDNY, Port Authority and other emergency responders gave their lives that day in an effort to save those trapped and wounded in the Towers and Pentagon.
 
This cowardly attempt to bring the United States of America to its knees failed. On top of that, the actions of these terrorists were veiled as a religiously motivated act in the name of Islam and scarred the Islamic religion and Muslims around the world as they were unfairly branded as terrorist supporters and sympathizers. In reality, the vast majority of people around the world of all races and religions condemn these actions and those unfairly stereotyped continue to receive the support of the United States of America and her friends and allies.
 
Osama Bin Laden had used a perverted version of Islam for his own gain. He masterminded this and many other attacks against civil society including the attack on the USS Cole in 2000 and the Embassy bombings in Africa in 1998. He and his followers are responsible for thousands and thousands of deaths of innocent people of all races and creeds. His actions cannot and will not ever be minimized by right thinking peoples around the world. We as Americans do not normally revel in the destruction of another human life but in this case, I feel things are different.
 
Osama Bin Laden damaged every Muslim on the face of the earth, affected the way every American thinks about the world. While I respect people of all faiths and their right to express their religious beliefs, I cannot for a second believe that Osama Bin Laden was in any way, shape or form a truly religious man. Instead he was an animal, a murderer, a thug and a common criminal. He stood for nothing that the vast majority of Muslims stand for and in the end we see justice served.
 
Our selling a tee shirt for those who want to express their happiness with the death of one of history’s most
notorious killers is the least we can do to show contempt for this despicable human being. I am sure that this note will elicit some emotional reaction but ask yourself this question: “Is there anything about Osama Bin Laden, his followers or his actions that deserves my respect?” I think the answer will be universally “NO!!!!”.
 
We as Americans do not normally revel in the destruction of another human life but in this case, I feel things are different. In this case, we do stand with the many people who want to celebrate the measure of closure that this event brings to the horror of 9/11.