A Letter to the Nation

            On this date September 11, 2009, 8 years after the worst terrorist attack in US history I wish to stop and honor the memories of the people whose lives were lost and to keep in my heart and mind the family and friends who are the true victims of this great tragedy. I remember standing in front of a big screen tv watching the second plane crash into the second tower and watching the buildings collapse. I remember seeing the whole in the side of the Pentagon and praying for the victims and for our Nation. I had great fear in my heart that many more lives were going to be lost that day and not just in New York and Washington DC but all over our Nation. I remembered asking, why God why was this happening to us? What did we do to deserve such a horrific attack?

            And I remember a promise that the nation made to the victims and to the terrorist that attacked us. We will never forget!

            Well its 8 years later and people are forgetting and going about their lives as if nothing special really happened that day. And this saddens me to my core because out of the attacks on September 11^th came a new spirit. The Nation had stood together and watched in horror, fear, anger, confusion and sadness as we were brutally attacked by an enemy we didn’t really know and could never really understand their motives. But out of these emotions new emotions began to rise up; a sense of pride, love, hope and patriotism arose in this great Nation. People were proud to be an American and we stood hand in hand not as Democrats or Republicans, not as Liberals or Conservatives but as Americans, as New Yorkers and citizens of Washington DC.

            I watched the tragedy unfold day after day and I watched as people from all over this great Nation poured into New York not to go shopping or to site see but to aid in the rescue and recovery. If they weren’t rescue workers they were ordinary Americans who were there to share their strength, love and hope with the rescue workers to encourage them on in their impossible task. This Nation opened up its hearts to the victims and gave without hesitation food, clothes and money to try and give them whatever aid and comfort we could to help them out. We became what we should always be; one Nation under God and Indivisible. We became America.

            And so I ask what happened to us in the past 8 years? Have our political disagreements become so bad that we cannot remember that spirit of unity even for one day?

So I ask can’t we take one day out of each year and unite not just to remember those who were lost to us but to celebrate their memories. Their loss caused our Nation to become as one and this is something to celebrate. So here is my challenge to the Nation. Every September 11 should be more then just a day of remembrance but also a day where we set our petty arguments and disagreements aside for 24 hours and we once again become a Nation Unified in the memories of that day not to relive the horror but to rejoice in the love that came out of it. We are all Americans and September 11 should be the day that reminds us of that fact.

            So in closing I must ask God with all my heart to be with the family and friends of those whose lives were taken or given willingly to save others and to be with our soldiers and their families who are fighting for our Nation give them strength to carry on and to help them with all that they do. And one more thing God please never let this Nation forget!

May God Bless the United States!!!