Americans like us

There are those days in American history that invoke some of the most powerful feelings imaginable.

For my grandparents, it was Pearl Harbor. My grandfather, who served during World War II, would tear up as he talked about the “day that will live in infamy.”

For my parents, it was the day that JFK was assassinated. My parents were very young, but the death hovered over the heads of people heavily for the next two decades and some would argue that it still does today.

For my generation, it’s September 11th. It’s that moment of shock. That moment of denial. It’s that moment when we saw so many good, innocent Americans die.

We watched, in complete horror, as terrorists murdered people like us. They murdered Americans like us. Americans who were just going to work like so many others do around our nation.

Americans who were innocent.

While feelings of sadness overwhelm me, the anger hasn’t subsided.

When I see pictures and videos of Bin Laden huddling with the rest of the conspirators of 9-11, the anger boils over.

The rage of watching thousands of Americans die jumps back into my heart and soul. It’s a feeling that probably never will subside.

I remember sitting on my couch, watching our leader George W. Bush addressing workers and volunteers at Ground Zero.

“I hear you, the world hears you, and pretty soon the men that knocked down these buildings will hear you!”

Those were the words of our leader. He promised that he would take this war to the terrorists. He promised that we would fight this war in the terrorists’ back yard.

Unlike Bill Clinton before him, who sat back and watched Americans die all over the globe, Bush looked into the camera and told us that he would make a difference.

I’m here today to tell you that that promise was kept.

All of our comrades, both civilians and police and firemen, are being avenged.

The biggest, best country in the world is taking the war to Al Quaeda.

How many terrorists have we killed? How many terrorists have we captured? Those aren’t even the most important questions.

How many terrorist attacks have happened on U.S. soil since we set the war right on the doorsteps of Bin Laden’s house?

That’s the question.

September 11th taught us a valuable lesson. Unlike the attack in 1993 against the World Trade Center and the subsequent attacks against Americans in Africa and Saudi Arabia in the eight years prior to 9-11, we need to go after these terrorists.

They’re madmen.

If we don’t take the war to them, we lose the war. My heart goes out to all those families that had someone die in those towers five years ago.

It’s a sadness that I will not be able to shake for a million years. Just know that you’re getting justice.

Our president, our leader, has crippled these terrorist factions. This dose of justice may take a while to pan out, but we will run Al Quaeda and the terrorists out of Iraq. Thanks to a valiant effort by our military and our current administration, Iraq is no longer a house of terrorists.

September 11th is a day that will live forever in the hearts of Americans.

We must support our troops. We must never let the sadness fade. We must never let the anger fade. When we forget, the terrorists have won.