In two days, we will remember the 10th anniversary of the coordinated terrorist attacks on America on September 11, 2001. Like most of you, I can still remember exactly where I was, who I was with and what I was doing when I first heard the news. I will always remember.
What followed in the days afterward was a chaotic, confusing and emotional time. Relatives and friends of those killed mourned their loved ones. The rest of us grieved for them too, never mind that they were strangers. The emergency responders, the firemen, the police became our heroes. We promised we would never forget.
One thing in particular that I will always remember is how we as a people put aside our differences for the sake of our nation. For once, our country was truly united. For all the devastation the attacks caused, the event brought out the best in America. We should not forget that either.
This September 11th, we will once again unite as a nation and remember that awful day. Once again we will remember those we lost and those that gave their lives in an attempt to save those in peril.
We should also pause for thought about how this national tragedy brought us all together. Particularly as the media focuses more intensely each day on the 2012 Presidential Election, mutual mudslinging commences between top candidates and friends and neighbors divide themselves over party lines. Remember that we are all American.
Regardless of which policies you support, regardless of which politician you eventually vote for, I think it's important that we all realize that whether or not we agree with what somebody is saying, it is always said in the honest belief that it is in the best interest of our country.
The United States of America is a model democracy looked up to around the world. What is so great about our country is that we have a wealth of different people across every spectrum imaginable. There is no need to fight among ourselves. We might not always agree, but we should still stand united regardless.
