The twelfth anniversary of
America’s oft-quoted “darkest day” has arrived, and gone. Rather than get
overly sentimental, I believe it’s time to take a kick in the nuts. Why?
Because we’re living a life given by men and women who developed a land of the free, and created a home of the brave…and we are no longer
either of those. We’ve given our freedoms away, and continue to sit in silent,
petrified fear because of a single, ugly moment in our recent history. We don’t
live up to the example set by our forefathers- and if we do, we are labeled as
misfits of society, extremists, or even, ironically, domestic terrorists.
Cracked.com
goes far in realizing exactly how exuberant anti-terrorism is in modern
American society. Fear locks us down the moment we hear “terrorist” or
“terrorism.”
But I have a different point to
bring up. What responsibility is held by the general population of America? Why
should we stand up for anything? Because being American begins with bravery. You were born of it, and are
expected to act from a stance of fearlessness.
9/11/01 taught us a lesson: terrorists
are real. Post 9/11 holds a different lesson, one modern Americans are far
too willing to ignore: We are willing to give away freedoms, hard earned in blood by our forefathers, for a largely
fictional sense of security.
What’s your
responsibility, post 9/11?
·
Begin with Integrity: America was built
on a code of specific moral values and unimpaired solidarity. Represent those
values, and stop fighting over stupid shit like religion, homosexuality, and
women’s rights. Instead, fight for freedom, bravery, and a transparent
relationship between our government and its people.
·
Realize You Control the Government: No,
not as a single person…but come together as a people and take action when
necessary. That’s how the Constitution was built, and the only way to enact
good changes. There are nearly 314 million people calling the US home as of
2012. If we worked together in demanding our government perform a certain way,
we would win every time.
·
Be Educated: A simple high-school diploma
doesn’t make you educated. Neither does a college degree. Real education is
found in the real world, in learning from every experience you have, and
applying what you learn to what you do next. This also involves thinking critically,
and solving problems on your own.
·
Own Up: The world doesn’t owe you
anything. You were born into an unforgiving world, a world that has starved,
killed, and tortured its inhabitants since the beginning of time. If anything,
you owe the world for allowing your existence. So own up, live your life to
make the world better, even if you affect only a small percentage of it. Stop
expecting everything to be handed to you on a silver platter. Eventually,
you’ll find that the more you put in generally returns more back to you. This
means hard work, blood, sweat, and tears must come from you. That’s the
reality, and it always has been.
·
Be Brave in the Face of Fear: 9/11 scared
the hell out the American people. We weren’t invincible anymore. And while we
got mad, most of that anger was spent in fruitless, useless, activity. War,
hatred within our lands, and fear overtook the American population. We
separated ourselves from our most formidable post, solidarity. And it continues
today. Come back together, have the bravery to stand with those in your
neighborhood, your county, state, and union. That’s how the old guard did it,
and that is the mind-frame we need to return to.
There’s a reason to be proud of being American. That pride
stands from our history; and it’s time we start earning that pride again.
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