Our Country Will Make it Through
This...
All
too often, there are complaints about America and Americans.� You�ve heard them...� Too lazy.�
Too concerned with material possessions.� Too worried about social status.�
Too into the party scene.� Too
enamoured with MTV, fashion models, SUVs, Nintendo, and Hollywood.�
All too often, we hear about what�s wrong with this
country.�� If we�ve seen anything from
this past week�s events, it�s high time we take a moment and acknowledge what�s
right with this great nation of ours.��
It�s time we stand and acknowledge the multitude of great things that we
Americans share, which swells our hearts with pride, resolve, and patriotism.� Let's be mindful of what we all know -- that
America and Americans should be proud of this great country that we live in.
No other country in the world could react
on-the-scene of those devastating tragedies so quickly, so orderly, so
efficiently.�
No other country could get hit with this kind of
attack without tens of thousands rebelling in the street afterwards against
their government.
No other country could muster this kind of ad hoc,
grass roots volunteer support so quickly and so effectively. �No other country in the world could get to
the point where some donations had to be turned away, such as perishable goods,
because there simply was too much flowing in to the disaster scenes. �No other country could have lines going out
the doors with people trying to give blood in order to help alleviate blood
shortages.�
No other country could so rapidly mobilize its armed
forces, and no other populace has more confidence in its armed forces, than
that of America.
All
across America, we see the incredible outpouring of sympathy, prayer, and
volunteer work.� The outpouring of
donations, in every workplace, every town, and every civic & private
organization, has been tremendous.�� For
example, in a small, rural, 1-light town in Indiana, a couple firemen sat near
the main intersection last weekend collecting donations.� Collecting $500, or even $1,000, would have
seemed pretty impressive.�� Not to the
people of that region.� When the firemen
were done, they counted the collection -- over $30,000.� Not $3,000, but $30,000.� And scenes like that have been played out
all across our great nation.� Sales of
American flags have been so numerous that a shortage exists all around the
country.�
There
is no question that the shape and very fabric of our nation has changed
forever.�� The scars will run deep and
will remain forever.� The freedom that
we once took for granted has now been altered forever.� A mainland that lived its first 225 years
without ever being attacked has now lost its �innocence�.� Amidst all of this tragedy, let us take a
moment and honor those fallen citizens, as well as the fallen firemen,
policemen, & military soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines.�
Let
there be no doubt -- we will, as a nation and as an American people, overcome
this.� We will prevail.� But the road will not be an easy one.� It never is.� Where do we go from here?�
Who has the answers?�� Perhaps
Bob Dylan said it best:
�Yes,
'n' how many times must the cannon balls fly
Before they're forever banned?
The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind,
The answer is blowin' in the wind.
How many times must a man look up
Before he can see the sky?
Yes, 'n' how many ears must one man have
Before he can hear people cry?
Yes, 'n' how many deaths will it take till he knows
That too many people have died?
The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind,
The answer is blowin' in the wind.
How many years can a mountain exist
Before it's washed to the sea?
Yes, 'n' how many years can some people exist
Before they're allowed to be free?
Yes, 'n' how many times can a man turn his head,
Pretending he just doesn't see?
The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind,
The answer is blowin' in the wind.�