A couple of days ago, I wrote about the need for us, Americans, on this 10th anniversary of 9/11, to recommit ourselves to strengthening and bonding our nation from within…
An Army chaplain, Major James Key, conducted his final funeral at Arlington National Cemetery a few weeks ago for an active duty soldier who died in combat while serving in Afghanistan.
As his eyes “scanned the hallowed stones and granite walls of this sacred place,[he] thought about the day that ultimately put this soldier in harm’s way: Sept. 11, 2001.”
In a column in USA TODAY, the chaplain expresses those thoughts, recalling—as so many of us have done— how on “that day” our nation came together, how “a resilient public rallied behind our leaders,” how “Americans of every race, creed and color looked beyond their differences” and “exhibited profound acts of kindness. How, “unlike today’s staged and narcissistic reality shows, the images of 9/11 brought us not just the tragedy of the hour but also acts of goodwill that reflected the true character of our nation.”
As many of us are pondering, the chaplain also wonders if, ten years later, we have lost our way and he laments our sluggish economy; the loss of jobs, homes, dignity and hope; the hemorrhaging of our public school system and the continuing poverty that makes life unbearable for so many—all while “our troops have been standing in harm’s way.”
Perhaps even more poignant:
While more than 6,000 troops have made the ultimate sacrifice, the survivors of 9/11 and returning war veterans continue to suffer from broken bodies and wounded psyches.
Nevertheless, he writes, our troops continue to “pull from the same side of the rope as one cohesive body.”
So what does all this have to do with 9/11, with the need for Americans to reunite, to strengthen and bond our nation from within?
James Key shows us the relevance, the connection:
As the U.S. works her way out of today’s economic turmoil, our nation’s leaders and the public should follow the lead of our men and women in uniform: Attack this challenge head-on, but as one. The unified spirit in the aftermath of 9/11 could guide us through the troubled waters we’re navigating today.
Amen to that.
Read more here.
James Key is an Army chaplain (Major) and author of Touch and Go: From the Streets of South Central Los Angeles to the War in Iraq.
The author is a retired U.S. Air Force officer and a writer.