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I received this in a email this morning (thought it was great!!)

AN OPEN LETTER TO MOTHERS AND GRANDMOTHERS ABOUT THE CHILDREN YOU LOVE

You got us this far.

You lovingly urged your children to be wise, to make good choices, to do the right thing.

You gave America its strong character. You built it into your children and grandchildren.

DID YOU KNOW THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION NEXT WEEK IS A REFERENDUM ON YOUR LIFE'S WORK?

It's a challenge to America's moral backbone -- a test of the moral fiber you so diligently nurtured in the next generation.

America needs YOUR help, Mom -- to keep from squandering the investment you have so faithfully and painstakingly made.

- WE ARE A FREE PEOPLE ... not because we are somehow "better" -- but because your mothers taught us and showed us, day by day as we were growing up, the value of telling the truth even when it was tough. (Even today, it's the moms who best understand and appreciate what's at stake when our President speaks bluntly and sticks to his story.)

- WE ARE A COMPASSIONATE PEOPLE ... because of how our mothers hurt for us when we fell down on the playground, and taught us to be helpful when someone was in trouble. (Even today, it's the moms who pay the dearest price, whose hearts ache most deeply, when their children get hurt in Iraq or Afghanistan. But it's also the moms who sense the value and the necessity of standing strong for moral values in an immoral world.)

- WE ARE A HARD-WORKING PEOPLE ... because of how we saw you living your life, giving yourself so fully to bringing us up well.

Do you realize it's because of mothers that our nation can defend itself with an all-volunteer army? There is no draft (and in spite of sick untruths to the contrary, there will be no draft) because you taught America's young people to be willing to serve.

Do you realize it's because of mothers that our nation was able to reform welfare and move millions of families back into the working mainstream of this country? These families are providing for themselves today, they're productive citizens -- because you set the example of industry and self-sufficiency for an entire generation.

I know that raising your kids hasn't been easy. I know it's been a sacrifice.

But today, to be honest, YOUR INVESTMENT IS AT RISK.

This election has gone beyond the question of "Bush?" or "Kerry?"

This election will send an overwhelming message to the next generation, and to the world.

It will either be a message affirming the values that you instilled into your children and grandchildren --
Integrity -- Commitment -- Compassion -- Hard work ...

Or it will be a very different message:
"Our nation's values are adjustable."
"It's okay to change your story to fit the situation."
"Threaten us, and we'll back down."

The message of this election will be heard and absorbed our children and grandchildren. It will make a resounding impact on the children of the world. It will be taken to heart by the mothers and grandmothers of Iraq, and Afghanistan.

Personally, I believe they need to see your example ... they need to be inspired by your commitment. They need to connect with you spiritually. They need to hear from you, heart to heart.

They need to see and understand that we are bringing their children the gift of peace, of freedom -- of equal rights for themselves and their daughters -- of health care, of education.

They need to hear clearly from America that they don't have to sacrifice their children by turning them into living bombs in order to receive the blessing of heaven.

- If America dismisses the administration that has honored the sacrifice and investment of our nation's mothers and grandmothers, I grieve to think about the despair of the women of Iraq and Afghanistan ... the women of the nations of the world who are looking to America for hope and strength.

Can they really look to John Kerry for greater strength, greater integrity, greater protection, more solid security, deeper commitment and higher values than George W. Bush? I can't imagine how such a thing could happen.

This President may have made some mistakes, but there is no questioning his rock-solid strength and spiritual integrity -- and his dogged commitment to keep us safe in the face of history's most vicious terrorist threat.

- NOT A SINGLE TERRORIST ATTACK OF ANY KIND, ON ANY SCALE, LARGE OR SMALL, HAS BEEN ALLOWED ON U.S. SOIL SINCE THE SHOCK OF 9/11.

- PRESIDENT BUSH HAS WISELY AND EFFECTIVELY SHIELDED AND SEALED OUR BORDERS FROM HARM.

Now I don't know if you consider yourself a "soccer mom" or a "security mom" or a "Grandma" -- or simply as a caring, concerned woman of America. But I can tell you this:

Our nation and our President need your help. As someone who has been a mother, you hold a special place in this pivotal election.

- What will become of the investment you've made in your children and grandchildren?
- This election is as much about YOUR HOUSE as it is about the White House.

So I ask you to take THREE vitally important steps in the next few days -- to send a message to the children of our nation and the mothers of the world on November 2 --

PLEASE spend as much time as you can on these 3 ideas, beginning TODAY and continuing up to Election Day:

1. PRAY.

This election is on November 2nd (11-02), so say a prayer for President Bush each day, between now and the election, at exactly 11:02 AM and 11:02 PM. But honestly, whenever you can pray will be helpful!

2. FORWARD.

Forward part or all of this email message to EVERY MOTHER AND GRANDMOTHER IN YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS BOOK, PLEASE. Ask them to please forward it to the moms and grandmas in their email directories too!

3. TALK.

Seek out and find those mothers and grandmothers within your personal "sphere of influence" who have not made up their minds about which candidate to vote for. Please explain to these friends that a vote to change Presidents will hurt our children and grandchildren for years to come.

As university professor Mathew Manweller has said:
"The election of John Kerry will serve notice to every terrorist in every cave that the soft underbelly of American power is the timidity of American voters.... Bin Laden will recognize that he can topple any American administration without setting foot on the homeland."

Mom, this is my nightmare. I think it's the nightmare of every American child. God help us not to let it happen. You got us this far. God bless you. And may God, in His infinite mercy, bless America.

--Michael K. Clifford, a concerned husband and father.