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Will the Americans please stand?
bfair
Member Posts: 250 ✭✭✭
If the September 11th, 2001 attack on the United States has had but one salutary effect, it is an outpouring of patriotism and unity unlike anything this writer has seen in his now, too rapidly advancing years. Not even the * of WWII brought on such a sustained fortissimo exhibition of Red, White and Blue. Yes, there were fantastic ticker tape parades, welcome home rallies, and victory celebrations, but those were peaks of celebration. The country did not have the technical quality, quantity nor variety of media outlets to sustain the patriotic flood that we now observe.Besides, this is different, it is the beginning, not the end of a long and difficult campaign, a campaign to eradicate a scourge of terror, fear and evil. The task is complex, the challenges immense, and the danger unprecedented. Will the outpouring last? Wouldn't it be wonderful? It is refreshing at the moment and we should revel in.And, what a wonderful tribute to America that people worldwide spontaneously express their sometime grudging admiration, if not love, for this country in this crisis hour. And to, as is too often the case, it is sad that tragedy must first strike before appreciation is expressed. But, now it's expressed in a sustained chorus and Americans stand together as rarely before. It is united against a shadowy enemy, one that strikes wantonly, viciously and without regard to gender, age, race, color or creed (with the possible exception of their own religion). This enemy is one that hates with a diabolic hatred and seeks to turn America into a place of desolation and hardship like its own habitation and abode. They will not prevail! Those enemies of life and light will never break the American spirit; America is a beacon in the darkness, a land of hope, promise, and opportunity; the bulwark, the citadel, the champion of freedom for people everywhere. It's not its geography or topography that makes America great, although those adorn it with majesty and beauty, its greatness is embodied in the people who populate it, "...from sea to shining sea."The world's "...tired, poor and those yearning to breathe free...," come beating down its doors. (In fact, so many come illegally that the government does not have control, and given present events, is obliged to gain and establish control, no matter how daunting the task.) And they still pour in, certainly not because it is undesirable, rather, because it is here that they find the blessings of liberty so eloquently set forth in the Constitution. "We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union,...and secure the blessings of liberty for ourselves and our posterity..." God--it's wonderful! Thank you!For the past two hundred twenty five years, the United States has been and continues to be a powerful magnet for freedom loving people everywhere: the land where freedom rings from every hilltop and every steeple; a land where people can have and pursue a dream; a land truly flowing with milk and honey; and, a land bought and paid for by ordinary citizens doing an extraordinary job of securing the blessings of liberty for all Americans, for all time. Yet, despite its great goodness, for too many years there have been divisions and moral excesses in the name of diversity and freedom. The time has come to adopt a more reflective demeanor and attitude, to sober up, to be constructively critical and patient; it is time to think of consequences brought on by individual and collective actions. It is time to get the chip off our gender, ethnic and racial shoulders, to cast aside the differences that divide us; now is the time to unite as Americans, for all time. But, if perchance we Americans allow differences and divisions to prevail, it will give new meaning to the "...divided, we fall" part of the slogan.This writer has often been told, "...with a name like Pappas, you must be Greek." My answer is, "Thank you. I appreciate and am proud of my Greek heritage, but I am American." The words of a song express it best, "What difference if they come from North or South, Or from the East of West, My heart is filled with love for all of these, I only know, I fill with pride, and deep within my breast, I thrill to see Old Glory paint the breeze.""This is my country, land of my birth, This is my country, grandest on earth, I pledge thee my allegiance, America the bold, For this is my country, to have and to hold." The time has come that we must transcend our differences and stand together, united for America's good and the good of all humanity. As the world teeters on the edge of a great abyss, it will only be through enduring strength of unity that America will be forever remembered--or forever lost.It shouldn't be a surprise that "9/11/2001" has spurred America to sing "My Country 'Tis of Thee,""America the Beautiful," and "God bless America" because these songs have words that both reflect and animate its spirit. And as we sing, the whole world looks on in awe at America's brilliance in this dark hour; and as they stand they also see an awesome sight of the power that is beginning to emanate from unified diversity. America--yes, it's "the land of the free and the home of the brave," the land of openness and liberty, the land where freedom is more abundant than any other, the place where people drink of life's overflowing fountain, and breathe free. Oh, yes, it's also true that for all its goodness and strength, it has its imperfections--indeed there is room for improvement in most departments and still, it's the best place in the world to call "home," the United States of America.God Bless you, dear reader, and God have mercy upon and bless the United States of America.Written byIf the September 11th, 2001 attack on the United States has had but one salutary effect, it is an outpouring of patriotism and unity unlike anything this writer has seen in his now, too rapidly advancing years. Not even the * of WWII brought on such a sustained fortissimo exhibition of Red, White and Blue. Yes, there were fantastic ticker tape parades, welcome home rallies, and victory celebrations, but those were peaks of celebration. The country did not have the technical quality, quantity nor variety of media outlets to sustain the patriotic flood that we now observe.Besides, this is different, it is the beginning, not the end of a long and difficult campaign, a campaign to eradicate a scourge of terror, fear and evil. The task is complex, the challenges immense, and the danger unprecedented. Will the outpouring last? Wouldn't it be wonderful? It is refreshing at the moment and we should revel in.And, what a wonderful tribute to America that people worldwide spontaneously express their sometime grudging admiration, if not love, for this country in this crisis hour. And to, as is too often the case, it is sad that tragedy must first strike before appreciation is expressed. But, now it's expressed in a sustained chorus and Americans stand together as rarely before. It is united against a shadowy enemy, one that strikes wantonly, viciously and without regard to gender, age, race, color or creed (with the possible exception of their own religion). This enemy is one that hates with a diabolic hatred and seeks to turn America into a place of desolation and hardship like its own habitation and abode. They will not prevail! Those enemies of life and light will never break the American spirit; America is a beacon in the darkness, a land of hope, promise, and opportunity; the bulwark, the citadel, the champion of freedom for people everywhere. It's not its geography or topography that makes America great, although those adorn it with majesty and beauty, its greatness is embodied in the people who populate it, "...from sea to shining sea."The world's "...tired, poor and those yearning to breathe free...," come beating down its doors. (In fact, so many come illegally that the government does not have control, and given present events, is obliged to gain and establish control, no matter how daunting the task.) And they still pour in, certainly not because it is undesirable, rather, because it is here that they find the blessings of liberty so eloquently set forth in the Constitution. "We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union,...and secure the blessings of liberty for ourselves and our posterity..." God--it's wonderful! Thank you!For the past two hundred twenty five years, the United States has been and continues to be a powerful magnet for freedom loving people everywhere: the land where freedom rings from every hilltop and every steeple; a land where people can have and pursue a dream; a land truly flowing with milk and honey; and, a land bought and paid for by ordinary citizens doing an extraordinary job of securing the blessings of liberty for all Americans, for all time. Yet, despite its great goodness, for too many years there have been divisions and moral excesses in the name of diversity and freedom. The time has come to adopt a more reflective demeanor and attitude, to sober up, to be constructively critical and patient; it is time to think of consequences brought on by individual and collective actions. It is time to get the chip off our gender, ethnic and racial shoulders, to cast aside the differences that divide us; now is the time to unite as Americans, for all time. But, if perchance we Americans allow differences and divisions to prevail, it will give new meaning to the "...divided, we fall" part of the slogan.This writer has often been told, "...with a name like Pappas, you must be Greek." My answer is, "Thank you. I appreciate and am proud of my Greek heritage, but I am American." The words of a song express it best, "What difference if they come from North or South, Or from the East of West, My heart is filled with love for all of these, I only know, I fill with pride, and deep within my breast, I thrill to see Old Glory paint the breeze.""This is my country, land of my birth, This is my country, grandest on earth, I pledge thee my allegiance, America the bold, For this is my country, to have and to hold." The time has come that we must transcend our differences and stand together, united for America's good and the good of all humanity. As the world teeters on the edge of a great abyss, it will only be through enduring strength of unity that America will be forever remembered--or forever lost.It shouldn't be a surprise that "9/11/2001" has spurred America to sing "My Country 'Tis of Thee,""America the Beautiful," and "God bless America" because these songs have words that both reflect and animate its spirit. And as we sing, the whole world looks on in awe at America's brilliance in this dark hour; and as they stand they also see an awesome sight of the power that is beginning to emanate from unified diversity. America--yes, it's "the land of the free and the home of the brave," the land of openness and liberty, the land where freedom is more abundant than any other, the place where people drink of life's overflowing fountain, and breathe free. Oh, yes, it's also true that for all its goodness and strength, it has its imperfections--indeed there is room for improvement in most departments and still, it's the best place in the world to call "home," the United States of America.God Bless you, dear reader, and God have mercy upon and bless the United States of America.Robert L. Pappas Col. USMC (RET)Posted on gulf1.com
Semper Paratus
Semper Paratus