Point of View

If Only for a Moment

Not long ago in our not to distant past, America was a prideful nation. World War II was nearing an end, the defeat of evil and those that sought to destroy whole civilizations fell. The citizens of this nation came together for a common bond and showed the world that America would not run from fear, threats, or force. These were our grandfather’s and to hear them speak of the service they gave during WWII is moving and patriotic. They are a living history of our past mistakes and triumphs, our bravery and fears all rolled into one and they typified the youth of a strong nation.
Six years ago today our country fell prey to an attack of enormous proportions and joined the long list of countries subject to terrorist warfare. Like our grandparents before us we all remember where we were and what we were doing the day time stopped.

For me, it was just another day. I was nearing the end of my enlistment with the Marines, after having served from 1983 to 1990 and then reenlisting ten years later as a reservist. My civilian job was as a service mechanic and I had just arrived to work that September morning to hear the first of many reports from New York crackle from my little transistor radio. The other guys gathered around to listen and we thought nothing of these first reports, thinking it must be a small plane that lost its course and hit a building. We moved to the break room where we watched the carnage unfold on TV. It was bad, but still the notion of an attack was not even a thought. Then as the camera pulled back, we saw another plane come into view, bank left, level out, and… the rest need not be told. A collective gasp was what I remember hearing, then the room fell silent as we watched in horror and disbelief at what our eyes had just witnessed, and we knew this was no accident. There wasn’t a dry eye in the shop that morning and our east coast transplants feverishly tried to phone back home for more news of their loved ones. It was our Pearl Harbor happening all over again only this time for the whole world to see.
In the days that followed the attacks the skies over America fell into an eerie silence as all flights were cancelled. Our nation was in a collective state of shock and our way of life had been altered forever. The things we took for granted were now in question as we tried in vain to search for answers. In doing so, something else was changing around us and as the days turned into weeks there rose a familiar taste from our past. The namesake of a nation was reborn and we were once again united for a common bond, The United States of America. Flags flew from homes, offices, and from the beds of trucks. Patriotic slogans became motivating forms of greeting. “Let’s Roll,” was on everyone’s lips and we were pumped. Eager for closure and thirsty for pay-back; we were once again a proud nation. Enlistment into the armed forces soared and the crime rate dropped as thousands of American’s searched for ways to help. We had put aside our petty differences and rose to our full potential; if only for a moment.
It was a taste of America that lives within us all and for a brief moment in time we were one. But time has a way of fogging our memories and being replaced by blame and accusation. Slowly the flags begun to disappear from sight and our overwhelming drive to make more, spend more, and have more had returned. We seem to be a fickle nation content with our reactive attitudes, short attention spans, and “bandwagon” mentality. If the home team is winning we are there for support, but let them loose a game or two and they are yesterday’s news.


Epilogue:  No matter your political or military views, take a moment to remember our troops and the freedoms you enjoy because of the sacrifice they make. Thank a cop and remember the trials they face each day they put on the uniform. Shake a fireman’s hand and ask yourself if you would brave a falling building for someone you do not know. These people do not hesitate to step in and act selflessly for our defense and our safety. They are not without fault, they have no super powers, and they do not ask to go where we send them. They are us; they are Americans.