COMMEMORATION OF 9-11, AMERICA UNDER ATTACK
Today, September 11, 2012, the eleventh anniversary of the terrorist attacks that shocked our nation and the world. We saw many lose their lives that day; and we saw many police and firefighters sacrifice their lives trying to save others. Today we join many people across the US to commemorate that fateful day. Yes we remember those who lost their lives and the bravery of the First Responders. We also remember the families of the victims and the First Responders praying that may have strength and grace in their struggle to move forward from this event and the lost they have encountered. As a nation we console each other for the lost and the hurt we have experienced.
That day was supposed to be an ordinary day of going to work, school, and travel and no one imagined the possibility of what happened. Nevertheless the unthinkable happened and life from that day has never been the same. For us who have survived this deadly attack on American soil there is not only the element of pain but there is the emotion of anger to contend with. Part of our reaction is to want to retaliate. Yes we have engaged in a war against the leadership responsible for the atrocity. Yes we have brought down Osama bin Laden. And yes a number of our fellow Americans have taken out the anger on the peace loving innocent peoples of the Islamic world living in the US through prejudice and violence.
One day each year may be set aside to remember, to console, to salute. However, this one day is not sufficient enough to remember and salute them for their great sacrifice. The violence perpetrated against the victims that day was an attack on American liberty and a threat meant to intimidate the rest of the world. I propose that the way we can salute the memory of the victims and the bravery of the First Responders is to assure the protection of our American experiment in Liberty. As a nation we face many issues now, the economy, human rights, health care, dignity of the human person from womb to natural death, and religious liberty. The voices of all who have proposals for solutions need to be heard and respected. Obviously every proposal cannot be implemented but the dignity of those proposing needs to recognized and respected. The old adage, “I may not agree with you but I will defend your right to say it” needs to be more than a nice saying, it needs to be enacted in all levels of civil society, in family life, in the boardroom of the corporation and city hall, in the halls of congress, in the world of the news media, in our churches, and yes in our forums of discussions as we prepare for Presidential Elections.
Freedom is the cornerstone of our American Democracy. Our founding fathers fled from lands in which their voices were shut out and set sail for a new country and a new way of life, a life in which they could worship freely and express the fruits of that worship in the lives they forged for themselves. No matter what their religious persuasion was they could freely allow its fruits to impact the way in which they lived and govern themselves. No particular Church or Religious entity would become the government church as was the case in the England from which many fled but this did not mean that the spiritual and religious motivations that nurtured one’s life would not impact their lives and the way they would live with others in a civil society.
The attack of 9/11 was an attack on the American experiment in Freedom and a warning to the rest of the world not to align itself with this expression of freedom. However a bigger threat looms not so much from beyond our borders but within. If we fail to live out this experiment in freedom faithfully then the greater damage to the American experiment comes not from others but from our apathy, indifference and failures to respect each other. Thus to me remembering this day and saluting the First Responders is about reverencing them for their sacrifice for American Liberty. They would not have wanted the attack to destroy that liberty therefore the greatest tribute we could give them is to do everything we can do to make sure that this American Liberty is preserved from that which threatens it from abroad and from within. As we begin let us pray for Peace.
