9/11: Four Years Later

Four years ago this Sunday, a band of the lowliest scum known to mankind departed their various hideouts with one solitary goal: the destruction of the infrastructure their kind has come to hate. The freedoms that we take for granted so often in this country came under attack when nineteen terrorists hijacked four jetliners and set a course for the heart of a great nation. However, they failed to realize that the heart of a great nation lies not within the marble halls of any corporation, not even within the fortified walls of the Pentagon. The heart of America lies within every single household across the nation. Its citizens are the lifeblood that keeps this nation greater than any other civilization in history.

In no other period has there been a nation with citizens so free that they could choose their destiny instead of being coerced to serve a purpose delegated by a central authority. The freedom to pursue any goal a person wishes to fulfill is what drives this nation to further greatness. With every success story, America reaches a new echelon of greatness. However, this greatness is not an arrogant status like the civilizations of ancient Egypt and the Roman Empire. Through exploitation of its peoples, both civilizations contributed mightily to their own subsequent downfalls. America, on the other hand, through the encouragement of personal responsibility and self-sufficiency, has sewn the seeds that will blossom into the greatest civilization in the history of the world. Relative to the aforementioned civilizations, and more like it, America is still in its infancy. What separates us from those great nations of the past is the tighly woven fabric that holds this nation together. Everyone in America has a stake in its success, and therefore is driven to succeed not only for themselves, but for their country.

On this sober anniversary, in a time when personal struggle can be found in every corner of the world, including our own, we must not forget the sacrifices of great American heroes like "Senior Court Officer Thomas Jurgens, one of about 25 New York State Court officers who responded after the plane hit the first tower. Thomas' last radio transmission came from inside the burning tower, after he'd been warned to get out because the danger was too great. He refused to leave his post. His last words before signing off were, 'There are people here who need our help.'" Stories like this have become commonplace during our fight against the evil forces seeking to destroy our way of life. It shows with crystal clarity how highly these heroes regarded their fellow countrymen.

I urge everyone who reads this to take time out of their day this Sunday to visit a memorial near them and just reflect on the heroic efforts of a few determined men and women. If for some reason this isn't possible, please say a prayer for the families of the victims. Every American's fate is intertwined; we share the heartache of every tragedy, but we also share the honor of our nation's heroes. Please don't forget these immortal words spoken by the greatest American to ever live:

"We will always remember. We will always be proud. We will always be prepared, so we may always be free." - Ronald Reagan