With the 10th Anniversary of the September 11th attacks approaching, we all remember where we were and what we were doing. The attacks were the first time in my life time that America was being tested physically. The reports of what was going on across the country filled our senses; TVs and radios were on all day as we watched and listened to the news of unfolding events. We learned of unspeakable tragedy as thousands of people lost their lives in attacks at the World Trade Center and the Pentagon and we learned of the heroic sacrifice that everyday citizens made aboard Flight 93. In the days following the attacks, America showed her strength as a nation. The unwavering patriotism of the American people came to the forefront of our society. Flags hung in windows and outside of houses as symbols that we would not surrender and America would not be brought down. It was this patriotism that united a country and a society. Congress convened together, not as members of different parties, but as Americans and sang “God Bless America” on the steps of the Capitol. We were proud and we stood firm in solidarity. America would not be broken and we will never give up. This atmosphere of hyper-patriotism was reflective of our core strength as a people.
We have come quite a distance in the 10 years after 9-11. The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are winding down, but new economic disasters threaten our way of life. We need to revisit the patriotism, the strength, the unity that we exhibited a decade ago. We need to channel these values and work together to fix our current situation. We need to put aside partisan differences and do what is best for the American people. Our neighbors are hurting for work, losing their homes, and struggling to feed their starving families. Let’s work together to restore the strength of the American economy and to make this country the strongest and most powerful in the world. We need to make smart decisions that perpetuate our strength and resilience. We need to teach our students with the best education available to keep us competitive in the world. We need to lead by example and show our citizens that the country can live within its means just as each individual and family does. We can grow this economy, we can make America strong once again, and we can show that the American Spirit that lives inside each and every one of us will not fade. We can do these things, we must do these things, but we can and must do them…together.
