Friday, September 11, 2020

9-11-2020


American Spirit
“If we learn nothing from this tragedy, we learn that life is short and there is not time for hate.”
Sandy Dahl (wife of Flight 93 pilot, Jason Dahl)
          Nine/eleven will live in infamy for Americans in the same way as the bombing of Pearl Harbor. This day, this month will never be the same, no matter how far away from it we move, because this is the day that people who hated us used our own air planes and our own citizens to kill almost 3,000 unsuspecting human beings. That was nineteen years ago, and we are still recovering from it. Like Pearl Harbor, 9/11 is a legacy of hate that will outlive every person who was there to witness those heinous events. And yet, Sandy Dahl, whose husband perished that day, encourages us not to commemorate his loss and the loss of so many other innocents by repaying hate with hate. That is a powerful message—one we sorely need today.
          Of nine-eleven, Colin Powell said, “You can be sure that the American spirit will prevail over this tragedy.” And, for almost two decades it did. The question for this moment is will we ourselves be the ones who destroy that spirit? We have pulled ourselves apart without the help of terrorists. Osama Bin Laden has nothing to do with the climate in America right now, and neither does Saddam Hussain. This is on us.
          Actually, this has always been on us. When the events of September 11th happened in 2001, we watched in shock and disbelief, and then we pulled ourselves up and dove into the business of recovery. Our citizens and our leadership pulled together—in the same direction. Our grief, our sense of loss on that day motivated us to do everything we could—individually and collectively—to show how much we loved one another and America. And most of the world stood with us, grieved with us. Many of them suffered losses that day, too. We were brothers and sisters, world citizens, who helped one another and comforted one another. Remember that feeling?
          We can have that feeling again. We don’t have to wait for a disaster to make it possible. All it takes is a change of heart. Remember that the American spirit belongs to us; it comes from us. We have always risen to the occasion, and if we can remember who we are, we will do so again. Grab a hand. Pull together. In the same direction.
                                                  In the Spirit,
                                                  Jane
         

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