Never Forget: The American Spirit Is More Than A Match For The Evil Of Today
I like to comment on the news of the day and provide commentary, but the current moment demands deep reflection about where we are as a country.
On this, the 24th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, our country is yet again facing evil with the political assassination of Charlie Kirk and other acts of violence.
While these are dark times, it's critical to Never Forget that the American Spirit is more than a match for the evil we see today.
On September 11th, 2001, I was in Fourth Grade at Stone Street Elementary School on Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. Throughout the day, my classmates kept getting checked out of school; when I got home, I turned on the TV and found out our country had been attacked, and my friends’ dads were heading to war.
A couple of days after the attacks, I remembered the memorial service on the high school football field on base. As hundreds of Americans sang,
“And I'm proud to be an American
Where at least I know I'm free
And I won't forget the men who died
Who gave that right to me
And I'd gladly stand up next to you
And defend Her still today
'Cause there ain't no doubt
I love this land
God Bless the U.S.A.”
We knew a fight was on. The American Spirit rose to meet the evil of their time.
The country rallied together and fought back. Millions of Americans worked to eliminate al-Qaeda and prevent additional attacks on the homeland. That’s simply a chapter in the story of America.
America was founded by pilgrims in Plymouth seeking freedom to worship God, and entrepreneurs in Jamestown seeking to create a new life for themselves. When England became oppressive, the American Spirit rose and broke away to form a self-governing people. When the evil of slavery threatened to end this experiment in self-governance, the American Spirit arose to put an end to that evil institution. When Axis powers threatened the world, the American Spirit rose up and defeated evil. When the evil empire of the Soviet Union menaced the globe, the American Spirit rose to bring a new, peaceful world.
Americans are the heirs to the greatest country on earth because of the foundation enshrined in the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution. That’s why I am confident that the American Spirit will overcome the evil we face today.
These have undoubtedly been dark times, filled with evil actions. On August 27th, the nation was rocked by a shocking shooting at a Catholic School, where the perpetrator targeted innocent children praying. Then the headlines were filled with news about the murder of Iryna Zarutska on Charlotte’s light rail system. Yesterday, we all witnessed a terrible act of political violence with the assassination of Charlie Kirk.
The way to meet the evil of our day is to practice the American Spirit in our daily lives. Here is how I will do that. First, focus on time with family and church. These are the institutions that allow American society to flourish, and I will do my part to reinforce mine. Second, win the battle of ideas at the ballot box. Political violence has no place in America. Here, we settle disputes through debates and elections. I will continue to work to persuade people to my point of view, and hopefully it will prevail at the ballot box. Finally, find someone to mentor. We live in a broken society full of broken families. One way we can uplift our society is to find someone who needs perspective and encouragement to improve their life.
I’d encourage you to join me on this mission.
