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Tag: America

One Of My Favorite Days

September 12, 2024 / / 1 Comment

Historically this was one of my favorite days. It was still a bit eerie but stands out as quite the amazing day nonetheless.

The skies were still empty. Life still was standing still for the most part.

Businesses were closed in some sectors of the country. Schools weren’t sure if they should open or close. Churches opened their doors wide up to welcome any and all who just needed some form of comfort and hope.

The dust was still covering most of Manhattan. The military mights from across the spectrum of our allied nations were jockeying for prime position to have the greatest impact of retaliation.

But more notable for me was the way we all bled the same color that day.

Today I hear a lot about blues and reds and even the blended purple of states across this nation. But that day our blood flowed the same. Our hearts beat as one.

It was cool to hear God Bless America playing in random places. People were flying the American Flag that had never flown one before. While I have no real stats on this, I’d imagine flag sales went through the roof as the entire nation became one mass of patriotism.

The day before we suffered a catastrophic blow but it wasn’t fatal. Sure thousands would lose their lives that day but the nation as a whole wasn’t crushed. We stumbled. We even fell on our face for a moment. But on 9.12 we could be seen in a kneeling posture regaining composure. We were gathering our whits and evaluating our surroundings.

Together we cared for loved ones. Together we looked out for neighbors. Together we stood to sing our national anthem. Together we paused when we saw a flag flying. Together we lifted the wounded and grieved with those who mourned.

We were stronger because we did it together.

It was truly one of my favorite days. I look around and long for that feeling again. I see how we handle election season and see how weak we’ve become. We’re not weak because we are a weak nation. We’re weak because we’re so divided. I think back to the great fall through the years of the pandemic. We suffered greatly because we didn’t do it together.

You’d think we’d learn, but I fear we’re too self absorbed to learn from one another. The best we can do is lay down our differences and put aside our agendas and focus on those around us.

It truly was one of my favorite days because we lived up to our name. Divided we will fall. But that day united we stood, stronger than ever.

If only we remembered

September 11, 2024 / / 3 Comments

The pictures are everywhere today. Photoshopped images with super imposed phrases. 

Never forget. 

We will always remember. 

If only we remembered.

In the moment it was devastating. I will certainly remember forever where I was. I’ll remember as I heard the first airplanes go overhead. Fighter jets scrambled from the local airport. It’s not something I heard every day. 

The images that filled our television screens were horrific at best. Smoke and dust filled the air. People were crying, others gasping for air. 

Police and firefighters were transformed before our very eyes into the every day heroes they had always been. Politicians linked hands across the aisle. We no longer saw those who disagree with us over trivial matters as enemies. We had a real enemy. And we were more united than ever. If only we remembered. 

For several weeks, people across the country would gather, linking arms vowing to never stop until justice was served. Our resolve as a nation had never been stronger. They woke a sleeping giant we thought. We will make them pay was another phrase echoed from sea to shining sea. If only we remembered. 

But those weeks would turn to months, and months would turn to years. With every passing anniversary we would vow yet again to “never forget.” Perhaps I’m a pessimist but it sure looks like we don’t have as good a memory as we claim.

But what would happen if we actually remembered?

How would life be different if we remembered on October 1 or February 12 or May 7 or any day for that matter? What would be different if we actually remembered the gut punch we felt on September 11, 2001? What would be different if we as a people stood together the way we did on September 12, 2001?

The answer is simple.

We would be strong. We would be fearless. We would be a beacon of hope. We would be a refuge to the weary. We would be united. And there would be no doubt in anyone’s mind exactly who we were. If only we remembered. 

It’s ok to post your tower pic. It’s ok to reflect on where we’ve been. It’s ok to shed a tear but perhaps instead of any of these things we could actually remember. We could stand next to someone who doesn’t see eye to eye with us and realize that’s what made this nation great. A common ground for uncommon thoughts. A safe haven for the oppressed. A powerhouse renowned around the world.

Perhaps instead of saying we remember, we could actually remember. We could live the September 12th life again. Perhaps we can be the people our pictures reflect.

If only we remembered.

True Heroes Run In

November 11, 2020 / / 0 Comments

As many of you know today is Veterans Day. It’s a day designed and set aside for the honoring of the men and women of our Armed Forces past and present. It’s a day to pause and honor the men and women who ran into danger so we could sit cozy on our couches. It’s a day to stand up for those who stood up for us.

I am pretty sure that most people know that I’m unashamedly patriotic. No this does not mean that I worship the nation, that’s a nationalist. It doesn’t mean that I think a president can save us or a flag is the end all beat all of my freedom. I’m a patriot. I believe that we live in a broken country in the midst of a broken world but we have been awarded some pretty massive freedoms that are being overlooked and taken for granted. I’m a patriot and that means I have no qualms about standing up for what I believe is good and right and honorable in this the greatest republic the world has ever had a chance to witness.

But I didn’t stand in line to serve. I’m no hero. Many days I regret that decision to not serve and protect this country. But today is about the men and women who did just that. It’s a day to thank the feeble old man who can barely push his grocery cart but proudly wears his Veterans of Foreign Wars hat. It’s a day to pause and reflect on what makes America different from the rest of the world and who secured that for us.

As Americans we are so darn entitled. We take for granted things that other countries would die for! Why do you think so many people from so many countries want to come to America? It’s not because we have good barbecue or great restaurant chains. They want to be here because of what these heroes did. They want to be here so they can take shelter in a safe haven that is protected by the most elite group of defenders the world has ever known.

This year has proven to be challenging for so many. I’m ashamed of what has happened to the “united” part of this country. The things that used to unite us now divide us. And to be honest it’s killing the very things we’ve grown to love. If 2020 has taught us anything it’s that life can change in the drop of a nickel.

Do you like knowing that flipping a switch can make the lights turn on? Or that you can go to the store and have plenty of food to pick up off the shelves? Do you like to know that you can leave your house at 1am to make a run to the local corner mart to grab a 6-pack? No the veterans in our country don’t necessarily run those things but they make them a reality. Without their sacrifice and continued protection even at times when we don’t even know it, our lives would look very different.

So today let’s swallow our pride as greedy Americans. Stand for the flag and all it represents, because the flag isn’t about how we treat one another it’s about what they fought for. Greet one another with a smile even those people who look, act and believe different than us. Veterans’ Day is about making this nation a place where we can see life differently and still exist peacefully.

Friends, if you’re not a veteran then today isn’t about you. Thank a veteran because without them much of what you have wouldn’t exist. And it’s all because they ran in when most would run away.

Thank you to all who have served and are still serving. There are still Americans out there who have your six. I am one of them. Happy Veterans Day!

This Is Why I Stand

September 11, 2020 / / 0 Comments

On September 11, 2001, an enemy pushed us to the ground. Terrorists toppled the trade center. They used our own complacencies and comforts against us. While on the outside it looked like they won, there’s something they forgot. We are Americans. They killed the innocent. They crushed our heroes. They darkened our economy and halted our skies, but not once on this day did we kneel. For we are Americans. 

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I’m An American

March 25, 2020 / / 0 Comments

There seems to be a lot of confusion today over who we are. So let me remind you by explaining who I am. This country was built around certain ideals, values and core beliefs. We were not founded to be a two party system that couldn’t see past their differences to the lives they were affecting. Our nation was founded for the benefit of the people whom it was established to serve. Not as an organization offering handouts. Not as a micromanaging boss. Not as a hovering helicopter parent. This nation was established to allow freedom from tyranny and oppressive rule over the people. It was established to provide a system whereby all those who work hard and support one another can truly succeed in life. Let me be completely clear. I am not a republican. I am not a democrat. I am an American!

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When Good & Evil Collide

September 11, 2019 / / 1 Comment

Eighteen years ago the world was forever changed. It was a day that our modern generations will remember forever. You’ll know where you were when you first heard the news. You’ll remember the way our nation become truly one nation as intended. You’ll feel the overwhelming sense of patriotism course through your veins. You’ll pause and thank a service man or woman, even if only quietly in your head. Today was a day when good & evil collided. While it looked at first like evil won, we still woke up the next morning.

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The Nike Debacle

September 5, 2018 / / 1 Comment

The news was quick to spread. Nike made the decision on the new face of their #justdoit campaign. A phrase that’s defined an athletic apparel company for decades was placed on the shoulders of a widely controversial football player. The company went so far as to say that their new face of Just Do It embodied what the phrase meant. But it’s not really that easy. Did Nike know what they were doing? Did they underestimate the impact this would have?

Undoubtedly the fallout will be fairly noticeable. Leaving the gym yesterday I heard more than one person say they were changing athletic apparel companies. It hit some people pretty hard. They were astounded that this company that’s been part of their lives for years would select such a controversial face for their marketing. Stock prices even  dropped over 3% in short order on Tuesday. Pictures of men and women cutting the famous swoosh off of their clothing are floating around the internet. But what’s the real issue? Why are people so upset?

Some say it’s a racial thing. Others say it’s a marketing gimmick. But in my assessment it goes deeper than merely racial or even a simple marketing ploy. It’s about color to be certain, but not the color you’re thinking. The issue is about red, white and blue. The issue is the flag and what it means. The issue is about the reason we have the right to stand or kneel in the first place. It’s about real heroes and real men and women who know and feel sacrifice like many of us will just never understand. I don’t care what the ethnic background of the spokesperson is. I don’t their gender or skin color. But their heart, passion, drive and patriotism – now that’s another story!

I grew up in a generation that unquestionably stood for the national anthem. Men removed their hats. Everyone put their hand on their heart. We didn’t give a rip who sat in the oval office. We didn’t think about crime rates and injustice when we said the pledge or sang the national anthem. We did it because countless thousands marched into death’s door without our ever noticing. We stood and sang those words because they stood for something and still do. Those words spoke of victory in the midst of defeat. They hailed heroes among the fallen. The words evoked hope when it seemed all hope was lost. Those words are constant reminders of a world that will never be the same. Words that evoke emotion when paired with the blood of soldiers. Words that break our hearts when we see the tears of children who will never again see their moms or dads. Words that show why this country exists and for what it stands.

Undoubtedly Nike knew what they were doing. Maybe it was a marketing ploy that in the short-term will bite them in the butt. Maybe they’ll come out stronger because of it. But the flag isn’t about Nike. It’s not about a football player who’s out to make a name for himself. The flag isn’t about crime, racial tensions, violence, or political party. It’s about freedom that most certainly wasn’t free. It’s about a price that was paid to let you wear that Nike swoosh. It’s about lives laid down in the name of your freedom.

Today take a look at that flag. Look at those colors. As Americans, the colors on the flag are the colors that matter. These colors aren’t based on the color of our skin. The colors reflect the story of our great nation. Look at the red, white and blue. Reflect on the sacrifices that got us to where we are today. Never forget. Always remember Old Glory means something.

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