Long May it Wave

I saw the movie “World Trade Center” this past week and strongly recommend it. It’s a little slow in the middle, but that’s only because they are trying to tell the story of the agonizing time two NYPD officers spent trapped in the rubble between the towers. In this case, the attack on September 11 has been captured through their personal tragedy and the efforts of those who rescued them, which is an extremely relevant view point. Mercifully, Oliver Stone also gave us a movie unclouded by conspiracies or political commentary. I firmly believe that we, as Americans, need to see these movies and discuss them. What worries me the most however, is the underwhelming response to this movie at the box office. Just like “United Flight 93,” it will make a little money but folks aren’t flocking to see these important films. I find this troubling because it shows a lack of desire in our fellow citizens to relive the emotions of that important day in our history as a nation. September 11 is, if I may borrow a phrase from FDR, “a day that will live in infamy” forever. It has and will continue to define our domestic and international policy perhaps for decades to come. Yet, folks don’t want to think about it anymore. They want to watch reality shows, complain about air travel and talk about American Idol. After those fateful attacks we all hung out our flags, went to church together, sang patriotic songs and swore that we would never be the same again … that we would never forget. We rekindled a patriotism we had not known for decades and pledged allegiance like never before. Yet, folks have begun to forget and return to their original apathy. Our enemies have not. Those who sought to do us harm in 2001, and actually for twenty years prior to that, remain resolutely bent on the destruction of our way of life. We’ve made some significant inroads in the war on terrorism, but they are still out there and our resolve must not fail us.

I could fill volumes with partisan quotes, current events and the like. For now, however, suffice it to say that we must remain ever vigilant and our patriotism must not wane. This great nation could never be overthrown militarily by any country in the world, but we are highly susceptible to the slow poisons of apathy, adversity and partisanship. While we continue to be attacked from without, the real danger is that we shall fail to continue presenting a united front and lose the battle from within. We possess the most powerful and sophisticated arsenal of weaponry in the world and in history. We have the best trained and equipped military of any nation. However, our secret weapon, and our Achilles heal, is our national pride and patriotism. After the attack on Pearl Harbor Japanese Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto stated, “I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant and fill him with a terrible resolve.” I heard that quote repeated after 9/11, but we seem to be struggling to maintain our resolve. The question remains whether this giant can stay awake long enough to achieve victory in the current conflicts which face us. I hope and pray it may be so.

My literary offering today is a poem which I wrote during those emotional weeks following 9/11. I hope that my fellow citizens will take these words to heart and remember the way we felt back then. We swore we would never forget. Have you?

Long May It Wave
Everyone has their flags out lately
On cars and houses most everywhere
And the words of the God Bless America
Seem to be echoing through the air
Our response to the recent tragedy
Has been overwhelming, it’s true
With a nation rallying as one
Around the old red, white and blue
But once this current crisis is over
Once we have mourned our dead
Will our new found patriotism
Begin to fade in the months ahead
I hope and pray that it shall not
That our commitment will endure
That this is a new America
And not just the one du jour
For the way to honor our fallen
To prove our lofty words are true
Is to continue our patriotism
And stand by the red, white and blue
Let us cherish the land of the free
And remain the home of the brave
Taking pride in our mighty nation
And her flag, long may it wave
By Frank Carpenter ©