September 11, 2001…Today is a day eerily reminiscent of that day eleven years ago. A Tuesday. A bright, crisp fall morning with a cerulean sky. A day that was significant because of its insignificance. An ordinary day, if there is such a thing. Each of us has a memory of that day. We know where we were when we heard the news. Though it’s been said so many times before, it is a day America will never forget. And for a brief time, we were unified as Americans, and as a nation, waving flags, linking arms, and supporting one another.
That day is often called a tragedy – but more aptly, a terrorist attack – and a warning to America. We were transfixed, stunned, and shocked by the images of horror on our TV and computer screens. The picture of that beautiful September morning belied the horror and destruction we witnessed.
Eleven years after the attack on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, have Americans had a change of heart and direction? Have we changed for the better, or have we gone back to life as “usual”? Do we realize that the threats to America still exist? Or have many of our fellow citizens gone back to “sleep”, confident that it could never happen to US again?
September 11, 2001 is still commemorated each year, but how has America changed course? We have lost many of our precious freedoms – new heightened and intrusive airport security screening, “unmanned spy planes” flying over U.S. cities, and a brand new federal bureaucracy, The Department of Homeland Security, was created. Was that the significance of September 11, or was there something more?
God has all but been removed from our country. Just last week, Democrats at the DNC convention booed when DNC party leadership made a motion to mention God in the party platform and recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. (Read here) . History is a narrative of lessons, chronicled for future generations. And “those who don’t know history are destined to repeat it”.
This morning, a radio talk show host mentioned The Harbinger, which I happened to have in hand. The Harbinger by Jonathan Cahn draws uncanny parallels between the end of ancient Israel and America based on omens and warning signs in the Book of Isaiah. Reading it today, in particular, brought a heightened sense of disquiet. Written like a novel, it is a compelling read, and the author asserts the information in the book is “real”. The analogies drawn between the warnings to America today and the destruction of ancient Israel are difficult to overlook
For those who witnessed that day, we will never forget. The images are seared into our memory forever. For those who experienced that day firsthand, their lives are changed forever. We honor and remember the victims who lost their lives that day on board the aircraft, at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and the emergency responders who rushed up the stairwells and in to burning buildings to help those in need.
Today is poignant, a bittersweet day. It is a day to be grateful. It is a day to remember American heroes. A day to remember and honor all those who sacrifice, serve, and protect us each and every day. And it’s a day to remember what we have –the grace of God, the blessings of this great country, and our American heritage. Maybe today we should stop for a moment to savor the little things and appreciate them– especially the blessing of loved ones. We are reminded of how capricious life can be. One moment or turn of events can change the course of history, our lifetime.
America is forever changed. The way we see ourselves is forever changed. We believed ourselves invincible. That illusion has been stripped from us.
America must change direction. Our country is strong and resilient and our
best days still lie ahead of us. Let us remember and honor those who died on September 11, 2001, and all those who have defended our freedom. Let’s restore America to her founding principles. Let us have faith and be hope for the future.
Ohio Pundit 