THOUGHTS ON SEPT. 11
I can still remember where I was on that day two years ago. I was in my first year of full-time teaching. It was second block, and I had a crew of Govt. Seniors who had just gotten back from their summer trip. Their trip was to New York and the Twin Towers.
At first, I thought it was a joke when a student came running into the trailer where I was teaching and said to turn on the TV. I thought it was a setup from the office assistants to help their senior friends. However, I turned on the TV, and my world and the world of my students was laid waste before our eyes. It was after both planes had hit the Towers, but before the Pentagon attack.
We watched in horror as they replayed the two impacts over and over. I could feel the anger of my students and my own rising. However, being conditioned to be 'fair minded' I told students to reserve judgement. However, when the Pentagon was hit, and the more we studied the video from the Towers together, it was clear: America was in a war. We quickly found out about Osama bin Laden. These seniors who I were teaching cried openly, and I did my best to comfort them.
Over the next few weeks, they resumed their routines. But all of them, and myself included, would never forget. We had seen the most dastardly attack in history and were waiting to do something about it.
Since then, I have lost my job for being, among other things; too patriotic, too pro-Bush, and for being too concerned for my students (some crime, eh?). That senior class is now in its second year of post high school life. America has had the two greatest victories in warfare in its history, outflanking even the Gulf War of 1991. We have gone farther, faster, than any military in history, with fewer casualties in history. We have liberated two countries under the heel of brutal rulers. We have eliminated many terrorist threats and thwarted hundreds. However, more and more, I feel America is forgetting today's significance.
How are we forgetting? For one, I see fewer and fewere symbols of patriotism, and more efforts at silencing voices of patriotism. I see America falling back into isolation, falling back into self-interest, and falling back into apathy. Today, several people did not even mark the significance, and I actually had to remind them what today was. What a shame!
Sept. 11, 2001 is a date that should be marked. It should be emblazoned on the heart of every American. Are we so stunned we would rather forget than remember and let the battle cry of "Let's Roll!" from Flight 93 go unheeded? I fear that is what is happening, as more people of influence come out against efforts at fighting the war on terror.
Why did we go to Afghanistan? We went because Osama was there, but also to free the Afghans, many of whom fought against Soviet oppression, from the Fundamentalist oppression of the Taliban. We fought to remove that threat from hurting us. And we succeeded. The Taliban was toppled and Osama is on the run. If we had more assistance from France and Germany and the world, perhaps bin Laden would be dead by now. However, we have had to pretty much go it alone in the search, with help from some of our allies.
Why did we go to Iraq? We went to Iraq because with 9/11, the time for idle threats was over. We could no longer simply tell the evil ones that if they did not comply we would threaten to use force. We needed to show the world our resolve in the fight for freedom and democracy. We needed to root out another great ally of terror, the Hussein family. And you know what? Despite the doomsayers who said it would be Vietnam (they said the same about Afghanistan), we have lost so few soldiers, and we have destroyed Iraq's ability to hurt us as a nation. Today, Iraqis have the same freedom of speech that we do, as evidence by over 100 free newspapers being started in Iraq. We have set free millions from the brutal rule of tyrants.
Why mention these things on 9/11? The reason is that we fought these battles in the War on Terrorism to avenge and honor those lost to the attacks. This war on terrorism is the vindication of those deaths, and I can think of few better memorials than a free Iraq and Afghanistan. However, it is more than that. 9/11 changed the rules of the world. It is no longer a battle of nation vs. nation or capitalism vs. communism, or even liberalism vs. conservatism; it is now a battle of civilization vs. evil and chaos. It is no less than a battle for our way of life and the cause of freedom around the world we are talking about. If we turn tail and run now, we are practically spitting on the graves of the victims of 9/11 and also the men and women who have died already in helping to secure the blessings of liberty not only to ourselves and our posterity, but also to the peoples of Iraq and Afghanistan. We cannot turn tail and run from terror.
We have been attacked. The sleeping giant has been awakened. We cannot allow ourselves to fall asleep again. Civilization hangs in the balance. Hearing the children of the victims reading their names brought this home: if we want them to grow up more secure and free, then we have to keep on fighting. We have to keep on flying our flags and showing the evil ones that we do not run away under adversity. We do not cower. We strike back, and for those people oppressed we bring food, mercy, and freedom.
Our nation was tested on Sept. 11, 2001. We passed that test. We passed with flying colors as people who had no reason to work together did so. We flew our flags and we said our prayers and we pledged allegiance. Now, two years later, we face a test no less great. We face the test of remembering our duty and pledges to honor the victims and bring justice to the evildoers. We face a test of falling back into taking America for granted, of flaunting our freedoms rather than protecting them, of rolling back instead of "Let's Roll." We must pass this test. Civilization and our duty and honor hang in the balance. We owe no less to the victims and the brave men and women who fought to rescue them. We owe no less to the brave souls killed in fighting for freedom already. We must make sure the final chapter is written with vindication, freedom, and glory; we do not want it written with more terrorism and backing down.
God bless each and everyone out there, God bless our soldiers, defending us here and abroad. God bless the firefighters and police officers and their families, both living and sacrificed. God bless our leaders, and may God always bless the United States of America.
Mark
