“But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all men generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.”
On 11 September 2001, 19 Muslim terrorists hijacked four US commercial airliners shortly after takeoff. They flew two into the twin towers of the World Trade Center and one into the Pentagon. The fourth, probably destined for the White House or US Capitol, crashed into a field in Pennsylvania when the passengers attacked the hijackers. Almost 3,000 Americans died in the attacks, including firefighters, police officers, and others trying to limit the carnage.[1]
That night, President George W. Bush addressed the nation. He described the attacks as “evil, despicable acts of terror.” He concluded,
“Tonight, I ask for your prayers for all those who grieve, for the children whose worlds have been shattered, for all whose sense of safety and security has been threatened. And I pray they will be comforted by a Power greater than any of us, spoken through the ages in Psalm 23:
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil for you are with me.
This is a day when all Americans from every walk of life unite in our resolve for justice and peace. America has stood down enemies before, and we will do so this time. None of us will ever forget this day, yet we go forward to defend freedom and all that is good and just in our world.
Thank you. Good night. And God bless America.”[2]
Americans of many stripes joined together in unity and celebration, although voices on the left began condemning America before the smoke cleared from the Twin Towers.
Meanwhile, seething crowds worldwide celebrated the terrorist attack.[3] Among them were even a few Americans.[4] American intelligence discovered that al Qaeda, the Islamic terrorist organization behind the 911 attacks, were being supported by the Taliban government of Afghanistan. Within weeks, US Special Forces were fighting the Taliban forces. Within the year, the Taliban fell. America’s longest war had begun. Twenty years later, Afghanistan is again under Taliban rule. Judging from their actions, the new Taliban is no different from the old Taliban, butchering people and denying basic human rights. The land has cost us $2 trillion and over 4,000 American lives and is again a haven for terrorists.
On 30 April 1975, I watched footage of personnel being evacuated by helicopter from the US embassy in Saigon, moments before the North Vietnamese Army took over. On 15 August 2021, I watched footage of personnel being evacuated by helicopter from the US embassy in Kabul, moments before the Afghani Taliban took over. Under Presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford, US combat troops had withdrawn and the South Vietnamese government lasted more than a year. Under President Joe Biden, US combat forces had not even completely withdrawn before the Taliban chased us out.
While Afghanistan has largely returned to its status from 2001, America has changed. We are divided more than at any time since 1860. Our President threatened his own people, the 80 million who have refused the coronavirus vaccine, even those have had the disease and are therefore immune, saying “We’ve been patient, but our patience is wearing thin. And your refusal has cost all of us.”[5] The man who ran in fear of the Taliban tries to run roughshod over his own countrymen.
Agitators foment race war, defund the police, riot in our cities, and spend more money than we can possibly afford. Our military prioritizes hunting for those it considers dissidents over fighting and winning our nation’s wars. We are told that men are women and women are men, and if we disagree, we will be abused, fired, or worse.
If there was ever a time when Americans lack wisdom, it is now. If there was ever a time when we needed to call on God, it is now. Though our opponents consider themselves our enemies, we cannot consider them such. They are made in the image of God, as are we. They are sinners, as are we. Progressives are desperately misguided, preferring to kill the unborn rather than let them be adopted, and pushing same-sex marriage over marriage between one man and one woman. However, they are still brothers in the human race. Unopposed, their priorities would destroy our nation and our world. We must oppose them, but not hate them. We must resist them, but not kill them.
Conservatives promote values that have guided every successful society throughout 6000 years of recorded human history. We must pray, speak, work, marry, have children, sing, dance, play, and bless our nation and our world. If we think, talk, and walk true to the Truth, we cannot lose. Conservatives cannot permit our misguided countrymen to destroy the work of those who have, over 250 years, built our nation. It will take blood, toil, tears, and sweat, and we will suffer as a nation and as individuals, but we will not grow weary. In due season we shall reap.
Thank you for remembering with me the terrible events of 11 September 2001. Let our nation again be great. May God bless America.
References
[1] https://www.history.com/topics/21st-century/9-11-attacks.
[2] https://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/gwbush911addresstothenation.htm.
[3] https://www.usnews.com/news/religion/articles/2008/04/07/why-did-so-many-muslims-seem-to-celebrate-911.
[4] https://www.nj.com/news/2015/12/exclusive_jersey_city_cop_residents_say_some_musli.html.
[5] https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9976207/Read-Bidens-speech-ordering-new-COVID-19-vaccine-mandates.html.
