Lest we forget...

Eleven years ago today I was working on a construction job on an island down in the Caribbean.  Life was easy; the sun was shining, the sand warm, and the fruity cocktails flowing. I was heading home in a week for good, and looking forward to getting back to my normal life.  Little did I know, I would never get back to life as I had previously known it. 

This day, eleven years ago, our lives were changed permanently.  We have learned alot since that day about the resilience of a people, about how as Americans we are able to pick ourselves up by our bootstraps and move on with our lives.  We did not let what happened that day weaken our resolution to be a better society.

Our President George W. Bush soon after the attacks on NYC visited Ground Zero and spoke to hundreds of rescue workers there in his famous bullhorn speech.

 

President Bush: "Thank you all. I want you all to know -- it [bullhorn] can't go any louder -- I want you all to know that America today, America today is on bended knee, in prayer for the people whose lives were lost here, for the workers who work here, for the families who mourn. The nation stands with the good people of New York City and New Jersey and Connecticut as we mourn the loss of thousands of our citizens."

Rescue Worker: "I can't hear you!"

President Bush: "I can hear you! I can hear you! The rest of the world hears you! And the people -- and the people who knocked these buildings down will hear all of us soon!"

Rescue Workers: [Chanting] "U.S.A.! U.S.A.! U.S.A.! U.S.A.! U.S.A.! U.S.A.! U.S.A.! U.S.A.!"

President Bush: "The nation -- The nation sends its love and compassion --"

Rescue Worker: "God bless America!"

President Bush: "-- to everybody who is here. Thank you for your hard work. Thank you for makin' the nation proud, and may God bless America."

Rescue Workers: [Chanting] "U.S.A.! U.S.A.! U.S.A.! U.S.A.!"

 

This speech and many more to follow inspired us as a people, provided some words of condolence for those who had lost friends and family, and also told the world that we as Americans would not stand for such insolence, radicalism, and hatred.

 

This brings me to my thoughts I had today while driving into work, recalling that sinking feeling of watching the twin towers crater into rubble and people jumping from the top floors to avoid being burned to death or crushed to death. 

 

Today I let the memory of what insolence, radicalism, and hatred can do to a nation remind me that even if I feel so strongly about my way of life, about my beliefs, my religion, my political stance, that I should never let radicalism and hatred drive me to act on that hate. 

 

Don't misinterpret what I'm saying.  We should fight for what we believe in.  And just as importantly, fight to defend our right to believe in it.  But always fight fairly and in a way that your God would be proud of.  I don't believe for one second that the God of the 9/11 attackers was proud of what they did, nor encouraged it. 

 

What this means for us today as a nation, as we face elections coming up, and as we watch with disgust the twisting of a political debate into debauchery by the media, we should take the time to evaluate ourselves fully and what we truly believe in, without the influence of the media slant, and then stand firm by our beliefs.  And then voice that belief with your vote... and not with insolence, radicalism, and hatred towards others.  This is how we take the first step to becoming the better nation that we told ourselves we would be after this day eleven years ago.