Do you remember where you were on September 11, 2001? I was standing in front of a classroom of 7th grade students. We had a television in the room, and I turned it on before school because I'd heard that something had happened to the World Trade Center. The students filed in and together we saw the smoke and replays of the planes, and later the towers falling. It was horrifying, but I knew they needed to see, and understand. All day long, I helped reassure them that there would be a tomorrow, and we'd all get through this.
On that day I also remember where my sister was. She was in Washington D.C., a couple blocks away from the Pentagon. She phoned back to the local television station to let them know her group was safe, and to give the station a ground's-eye view of the situation. I first heard she was safe by hearing her voice on the television... by chance the station I chose to watch.
9-11 left us all stunned and horrified, but there was a 9-12. That was the day when we decided that we weren't defeated. That was the day when we weren't concerned about Red and Blue states, political parties, or our differences. That was the day we stood up as Americans, united and determined.
We stood with those who mourned. We stood with those who served. We stood against our enemies. We stood up for freedom.
9-10 saw us naïve and carefree, with our heads in the sand. 9-11 opened our eyes and stunned us into silence. 9-12 saw us rise from the ashes.
We are faced with yet another attack on our freedoms. This one doesn't come in the form of airplanes, but is an assault on our core freedoms, principles and values. Our Constitution hangs by a thread, our economy has been sold, our rights trampled, our future compromised. So we are faced with a choice: Do we bury our heads in the sand and trust in our leaders to make everything right? Do we sit in stunned silence as our country falls down around us? Or do we rise from the ashes and again resolve to stand together as Americans?
I am a 9-12'er. I stand for the principles that made this country great. I stand for the Constitution. I stand for the rights of all Americans, even those who I don't always agree with. Maybe especially those. I stand because someone has to. Will you stand with me?
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1. America is good. 2. I believe in God and He is the Center of my Life. 3. I must always try to be a more honest person than I was yesterday. 4. The family is sacred. My spouse and I are the ultimate authority, not the government. 5. If you break the law you pay the penalty. Justice is blind and no one is above it. 6. I have a right to life, liberty and pursuit of happiness, but there is no guarantee of equal results. 7. I work hard for what I have and I will share it with who I want to. Government cannot force me to be charitable. 8. It is not un-American for me to disagree with authority or to share my personal opinion. 9. The government works for me. I do not answer to them, they answer to me. | Honesty Reverence Hope Thrift Humility Charity Sincerity Moderation Hard Work Courage Personal Responsibility Friendship |