Continuing to Stand for Freedom

It is hard to believe that almost 20 years have passed since the horrific events of September 11, 2001, came beaming into our living rooms. We watched the early morning news and sat, stunned, as we witnessed firsthand the barbaric and cowardly attacks upon our way of life, and those of all free-thinking men and woman of the world community.

For some, this became a wakeup call as to how the world had changed from the days our parents went to war against another evil which sought world domination at any cost. 

Like many of you, I grew up during a time when at least once a week we would have to crouch under our desks, with our hands clasped behind our heads, to practice protecting ourselves in the event of attacks by Soviet atomic bombs. It actually never really served a purpose, other than giving us a feeling that we were doing something for the cause during the cold war.

Today, we live in an era where there are no frontlines, no soldiers in uniforms and no nations that have chosen officially to declare war. Instead, we live in a time where skewed ideology and hatred of a free people drive those who wish to martyr themselves to seek to be responsible for horrendous and unspeakable acts of terror - perpetrated on even the most innocent in our society - as they attempt to drive us into submission or have us cower in fear in the darkness.

As an American, the only darkness we should fear is that which we will bring upon ourselves should we fail to stand up for what we believe in and fail to defend the foundation of freedom which this nation was built upon - a foundation which guarantees basic human rights for all, regardless of race, color or creed.

America did not fall with those buildings on that fateful day in September nearly 20 years ago as our enemies had hoped. Instead, America stood up together as a people, taking the time to grieve for those innocent victims and those heroes who valiantly tried to save those they could, before giving their own lives in the best traditions of their professions. 

Through bold leadership and the courage of our young men and women in uniform, we went on the march to bring those to justice that had sought to bring our nation to its knees and failed. Although we have accomplished much in the war on terror, our work in that regard is not done. 

Even though 20 years will have passed, the call for vigilance still should ring loudly in the ears of all Americans and free people of the world. We must never lose sight of the reality of the world we live in today and its threats. 

The pride in our national heritage, our men and women in uniform, our first responders and the ordinary citizens of this great country should not be something brought about solely due to a tragic incident such as 9/11. The pride we hold for our flag and its heritage after that event should be displayed every day, not just after a tragedy or on a few select holidays. 

Have we made mistakes in our 245 years as a nation? Certainly, we have. However, we have sought to atone for those errors, for none of us can go back in time, but we certainly can move forward as individuals to make the world a better place for our citizens and those of our fellow man. I do not wish to be shackled by the past, but instead, to live in the present and look forward to a future that is full of possibilities for all who are willing to work together to grasp those opportunities and all they offer to us.

We are Americans, a nation and people acting as a beacon of freedom, hope and justice to all the world. People are not pushing off our shores in old rowboats or rafts in search of freedom or opportunity. Instead, they come here because they know these are the fields from which dreams are grown. Hopefully, they come here, like my grandparents from Greece, Ireland and Belgium, because they believe in the dream and will work hard to make theirs’ come true.

The challenges that lie in the future are formidable and will require sacrifice, but they are not insurmountable by those that share this vision for a better tomorrow.

On September 11, 2021, we will commemorate the 20th anniversary of a sad day in our nation’s history - a day when some sought to mark the beginning of our demise. However, they miscalculated the great spirit of our people and what we stand for.

God Bless the United States of America and all those that have made the ultimate sacrifice to protect our freedoms throughout our history. Let’s also keep in mind those families who continue to suffer losses due to the ongoing effects of that day, both here and abroad, and say a prayer for their families, our men and women in uniform, as well as first-responders across this great nation.