My active political career began at a 1991 town meeting in Bloomington, Indiana, held by the then-congressman for the district, Frank McCloskey. He presided over a chorus of CIA haters who had assembled to wish the United States the worst possible outcome during the Gulf crisis.

This past Tuesday afternoon, as America was searching for its dead, Tom Clancy was talking to Judy Woodruff on CNN. Intelligence gathering was the topic, and the noted author spoke about too much reliance on technology, and not enough human effort. In his civilized way, he pointed out the lack of enthusiasm by the media for the intelligence community over a long time now.

"What do you think they should do?" the interviewer wondered. "They have to get down into the dirt, infiltrate organizations and situations, and find out what is being planned," replied Mr. Clancy. "But that's spying!" shrieked Judy Woodruff.

It then hit me: Peter Arnett and Bernie Shaw in 1991 placing themselves above "petty jingoism" and assuming the role of international journalists with no particular stake in America; Judy Woodruff's face at all times distorted with disgust whenever she interviews a person committed to the America of the Founding Fathers; Hollywood's millionaire communists never missing an opportunity to beat up on the country to which they owe everything.

Our enemies are not very bright people. Yes, they are cunning, street smart, and vicious beyond belief. But bright they are not. They believe that people such as mentioned in the foregoing passages hate America's current president far more than they hate America's enemies.

And, after Jane Fonda, should we blame them?

The hapless adolescents who seized control of America in the late 1960s believed and argued that the CIA was a considerably greater threat to America than the Soviet Union. Betraying field operatives, causing the deaths of loyal servicemen became something of a sport.

During a tour of the underground complex in West Virginia that had been built with huge sums of money and great ingenuity to accommodate the entire government, we were told that visits are now permitted because the facility is no longer relevant. "Because the cold war is over?" we asked. "No, because two journalists from the Washington Post decided to have a scoop and rendered the entire effort useless."

Our enemies would not dare to launch an attack of this magnitude if they did not firmly believe that many prominent of Americans are devoid of loyalty.

The time has come to inform them otherwise. It would behoove the 60s people to make an effort and reorient themselves, spend a few days in their innermost chamber on their knees, and ask for America's forgiveness. It may be too late for some, perhaps many. But if the wake up call of September 11, 2001 did not suffice, they ought not to be in public life.

The practical steps are obvious. We have to dismantle the entire madness called multiculturalism. No, people are not the same everywhere, and what they do, believe and advocate is not of equal value.

No, except for folk dancing and food, we don't want people to bring their habits to America. If they like them so much, why leave home? If they prefer it over here, they should, without delay, set about learning the ways of America, beginning with the English language.

No, all religions are not the same. Everyone who is welcome in America is obviously also welcome to bring the family religion and practice it freely. But we are under no obligation to think of them as being all the same. Indeed, we are under obligation to teach our children that some religions respect human life, others do not. Some religions actually idolize the killing of what they consider the infidel. And if our awareness of that makes some newcomers uncomfortable, this may not be the right place for them.

Of course, we can bury our dead and decide to continue living in a make-believe world. But the price to pay will be more and more horrific. And it will always be the innocent who pay.

So let us go after the perpetrators. But let also every film maker, television producer, news editor and news anchor take stock. Let every teacher in every school take stock. Let trustees of universities take stock. Let all of us ask ourselves: are the discontents among us simply trying to improve our America from within, or are they, whether unwittingly or not, offering aid and comfort to the enemy.