We were staggered and we were stunned.
But we stood back up and defied those who would destroy us.
Here's what Pres. George W. Bush had to say to a weary and anxious nation 3 days after the attacks.
I had concerns about George W. Bush as President from the start. I perceived a lack of intellectual curiosity that I found troubling and it was that deficiency that doomed us to the quagmire of Iraq.
But I digress.
On that day, on September 14th, Bush stepped up and demonstrated he could reach beyond himself and be a leader. He said what needed to be said, to acknowledge the tragedy, the loss, the need to mourn. To also speak to the need to respond to this assault on our soil. Notice he does not speak of himself. He spoke for the nation that "sends its love and compassion". He only references himself to say "I can hear you!" The importance in that statement is not what he has to say but that he was listening. I don't think the current occupant of the White House would understand that. Thankfully, in that moment, George W. Bush had the humility to understand his best role as President, to heed the voice of the people.
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I think the immortal words of Abraham Lincoln at Gettysburg seem appropriate to reflect upon on this occasion.
I think out of the tragedy of September 11th itself, another great tragedy spun out of our inability to deliver on Lincoln's vision put forth back in 1863.
"It is for us the living to be dedicated to the unfinished work..."
On September 11th, 2001, the world was virtually united in support of America. Yes, our enemies rejoiced in being struck so terrible a blow but for everyone else, there was an outpouring of support. America has represented the possibility of the actual obtainment of living life free from fear and want and oppression. No, we did not always live up to that ideal but the ideal was always there. And in the aftermath of our great tragedy, we had an extraordinary opportunity to show our capability to living up those ideals.
17 years later and America is not so well regarded. Our entanglements in Iraq showed American power at it's worse. Our partisan divisions have fractured the dreams of democracy.
In the aftermath of September 11th, we have retreated from being a leading light to the world of the strength and the power of our ideals. Instead too many of the living are dedicated to retreating into fear and hatred and leaving the ideals of American freedom as unfinished work.
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On September 11, 2016 I wrote this:
It doesn't take much to destroy. Cowards and demagogues will always find a way to knock something down.
It takes greatness of strength and spirit to build something up.
In 2002, Martin Scorsese released a film called The Gangs of New York. Set in the mid 19th century, New York is a city of amazing growth and opportunities but its also awash in blood and violence, products of political corruption and gang warfare. From the soundtrack of that film was a song by U2 called The Hands That Built America. It's a song I listened to quite a lot and with the memories of September 11th still fresh in my mind, it was a song that resonated with me. We can build things, we can do great things. But we will struggle to do so. There will be obstacles to be overcome and the journey will not be easy. Even if we win, we may lose again. And if we lose again, we'll get back up and fight to win again.
Yes, these are hands that can grasp guns and knives to hurt our fellow man. These are hands that can clutch greedily for power and wealth. But Americans have been and can continue to be better than that.
These are hands that reach out to our neighbors. These are hands that can shape our country and our world into a better place for each other. Faced with those cowards who would tear down our buildings and our ideals, we stood up and put our hands to work building.
These are the hands that built America.
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