September 20, 2001.
In memory of our precious departed and those who have availed themselves to serve in our nation’s most trying hours.
This evening, the President of the United States of America has once again confirmed that the state of our nation is strong. He has also asked many things of his people: patience, cooperation, and above all, unity. Throughout his address, President Bush made it undoubtedly clear that what we are about to encounter will not be like his predecessors’ battles, nor will it resemble any engagement that our nation has ever had to encounter. Once our chief executive concluded his speech, many wheels were set in motion – the new Department for Homeland Defense and its first cabinet-level head were announced, a statement of understanding had been made where those who practice Islam may rest easy knowing that their faith is not a target of our foreign policy and that those individuals, organizations, and nations who do aid any terrorist in assaulting this nation and its allies will surely be served with the mettle of American-borne justice. A few minutes later, Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle and Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott issued brief, yet powerful statements acknowledging and resolving to be united in their endeavors in working throughout our newfound crusade. Both men eloquently stated that amidst the occasional disagreement, Congress is committed to support the dictum that our President has decided to assume throughout the duration of our response to those who tonight have been placed under our nation’s scope. Yet, despite all this, there is one thing that no one has had the courage to call for, and that is where the intent of this commentary comes in.
America’s citizenry is veritably the world’s melting pot. Without a doubt, our nation is rich with the bounties that each of us bring with our heritage and great effort to live in this vast land of freedoms. And yes, although the nation as a whole has stumbled a few times in recognizing factions of our populous, our contemporary does indeed offer us living conditions that are emulated by our allied nations and envied by those who proceed to attack us with their misguided wrath. This last week and in the times ahead, we Americans have not only rebounded to the blow dealt to us by those who could easily be placed beside the likes of Hitler and Stalin, we will indeed prove to the entire world that the United States will not cower to their malicious clout. We have once again truly wrapped ourselves in the mission of fostering our common heritage: simply being identified as Americans.
As we slowly attempt to return to a state similar to the one we left behind on September 11th, we now have become aware that in our own eyes we are no longer separated by the heritages of our bloodlines, nor are we to be classed by our pigmentation, political ideology, religious creed or economic condition. For the first time in 225 years of sovereign existence, the mass of humans that compose the United States all over the world are united. It is the end of considering ourselves “hyphenated-Americans.” We as individuals will always be proud of our unique heritages; we will each celebrate the lives that have allowed us to be who we are. Indeed, we will also have our differences, whether it is about something trivial like a sports team, or something fundamental such as the promotion of a component of our individual identities, or the interpretation of the laws of this land. Nevertheless, from this point on, we will walk on the same plain, bearing in our hearts and minds that an experience as this one will never occur again. To paraphrase Mother Theresa of Calcutta, we are not to view ourselves as hyphenated-Americans; we are to be known simply as Americans.
God bless the United States of America