It began on a beautiful crisp day in September and ten years hence, our mettle as a nation was put to a test and a call to action. America, armed with her heritage seeking truth and justice, sounded the battle cry.
The moral standard passed on from the historical founding of America, enduring two hundred and thirty five years, required us to stand firm through a river of tears to further divide good from evil.
Two buildings standing in symbol of America’s constant quest for promise and prosperity, fittingly named World Trade, dropped from the grace of the noble skyline in New York, at the command of a hostile foe. Resistant to a retreat, global commerce and economic vibrancy carried on.
More darkness was sustain through fire and smoke, moments later when this same enemy stuck a blow to America’s military leadership, collapsing only one side of a fortified structure, as four sides stayed steady and strong. The flanks of steel and concrete held its foundation, thus a tribute to the might, the power and the courage of our armed force.
The decisive calamity on that Tuesday, took place in a remote field in Pennsylvania, where embers smoldered, giving rise to a spirit of what burns in the belly of the American citizen, an unyielding will, complete with the courage to be triumphant at the other end.
2976 friends were taken from us that day, but angels armed with bravery and the purpose of brotherhood were in our midst. An immediate force emerged to rescue all those with shattered emotions, the broken souls, the injured and the grieving. The angelic force is defined as fire-fighters, police officers, medical personnel, co-workers, tourists, shoppers, government employees, soldiers, pilots, mothers, fathers, friends, strangers and clergy.
It is now a decade since that defining tragedy, a crossroads was realized in short order, and America resolved to guard and defend our open streets and our global pathways to fight against any decay of our freedoms in America.
Our enemy has many names, many loyalties, such that it requires more than five hundred pages for identification, designation and classification. While the enemy of freedom seems limitless in numbers, a caliphate, which is in complete opposition to natural rights and human rights so cherished and protected in our country, will be extinguished from our shores.
This enemy has judged America by the geo-political actions of our government yet, America belongs to the generous, sensitive and courageous citizens that desire the same for all humanity.
The first attack on America by The Japanese Admiral, Isoroku Yamamoto, who devised the sneak attack on December 7, 1941 leading to a protracted war, was quoted by saying “I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant and fill him with a terrible resolve.” The following day, Admiral Yamamoto was noted to be depressed for his ill-fated decision. America did awake and did engage in a superior military response so our flag would continue to fly majestically in all corners of our homeland. Realizing success, we then went back to work, still inspired with the promise and imagination and destiny as called upon us to achieve by a Higher Power. The United States, once again was faced with a new known and unknown enemy on September 11, 2001. We went to war, to answer for the USS Cole, the Khobar Towers and the U.S. Embassy in Beirut, to list only a few. Many bombings have occurred worldwide before September 11 and since that wretched Tuesday.
America was soon to inculcate the methods of war by this enemy. We have pursued the intelligence, the technology, and the weapons to vanish the threats of this enemy and their doctrine from our way of life including that of our friends worldwide.
The way of life has changed inside America sure, but we are better for it. Citizens are more diligent, dedicated and completely faithful to our Sovereignty. We have a beauty in this land. Our towns, our farms, our shores, our mountains, our architecture, our churches, our factories, our offices and our history all demonstrate our culture and aspirations to be greater tomorrow than we were yesterday. We recognize strife and grief, we understand setbacks and threats. Our spirit in this land runs deep, so that we never stop pushing forward with creativity, imagination, energy and focus. America has the resources, skills and military to meet this enemy abroad and at home. We are up to the challenge with an unbending will to defeat a cunning and hostile borderless nation. Our armed forces are sustained by a grateful allegiance of Americans that are by the Grace of God and privilege, resolute to eliminate all threats to our homeland. The United States will conquer the evildoers, as failure is forbidden.
Two hundred and ten years ago, our Marines fought pirates on the Shores of Tripoli and we are there again today. We are in more than ninety countries defending America and her freedoms and those of our friends. We don’t quit, we don’t rest, and we don’t retreat.
Not a day passes over the earth but men and women of no note do great deeds, speak great words, and suffer noble sorrows. Such was the day on September 11, 2001 and on the same day with each passing year. We remember, we reflect, we love more and we fight on. Ashes were left behind and from ashes America rises and Freedom Endures.