9/11 Ancient History to Millennials

9/11 Ancient History to Millennials
Commentary by Sanford D. Horn
September 8, 2019

The babies born in 2001, if they have not already, will turn 18 this year, thus making them eligible to vote. The catastrophic events of September 11, 2001 are literally a lifetime ago, and the United States has changed dramatically since that horrific day.

Those who suggest making political hay of 9/11 as inappropriate, are wrong. This is not about the 2020 presidential election or any specific candidate. This is about a philosophy - a philosophy that has been a success for 243 years and hopefully into the foreseeable future. Called the American Experiment, it is an experiment that, missteps, mistakes, and pitfalls notwithstanding, has been a grand success. After all, millions upon millions of people have arrived on our shores and crossed our borders - legally - from every corner of the globe. 

“America is a shining city upon a hill whose beacon light guides freedom-loving people everywhere,” said President Ronald Reagan (1911-2004) often, as he paraphrased John Winthrop (1588-1649).

People are literally dying to get into the United States. There are not scores and scores of people leaving or being denied the right to leave the United States. Who is attempting to sneak into Angola, Cuba, North Korea, or Venezuela? People are dying in their endeavor to escape those oppressive regimes.

This new crop of voters, these millennials, are knee-jerk quick to condemn and criticize their own nation, most often with precious little knowledge of the history of these United States. As an educator, it is demonstrably easy to attest to the sad notion that the teaching of American History in public schools has been watered down to sound bytes in an effort to indoctrinate this generation of students. They are taught the dark side of American History - which, make no mistake, must be taught. The teaching of any history must not be whitewashed. But for all its missteps, mistakes, and pitfalls, the United States of America has done infinitely more for the world than any other country on the planet, and continues to do so.

Slavery was an abomination. Interning more than 110,000 Japanese-Americans during World War II was reprehensible. But how many Americans of all races, creeds, colors, and faiths gave their lives so that others may enjoy the rich taste of freedom? How many Americans created and invented life saving tools, techniques, and drugs that are available around the world?

WE, all of America, all Americans were viciously attacked on September 11, 2001 because of our way of life, our history, our free and open society, our capitalism, our democratic-republic form of government giving every American - black, brown, red, white, and yellow equal opportunity to make the most out of their lives.

While the pre-ordained intent of the 19 Islamic extremist terrorists became clear upon impact, and the loss of human life intentional - male and female, Jewish, Christian, and Muslim, the nearly 3,000 slaughtered became the first casualties of the current war on terrorism.

A brief timeline of the harrowing events of September 11, 2001:

Between 7:59 AM and 8:42 AM four flights take off from Boston’s Logan, Washington’s Dulles, and Newark airports, each headed for Los Angeles except the Newark flight, headed to San Francisco.

8:46 AM: American Airlines flight #11 is flown into #1 World Trade Center - the North Tower - by five Muslim extremist hijackers murdering the 11 crew, 76 passengers and hundreds inside the tower instantly. This is an example of unintended, yet real sacrifice.

9:03 AM: United Airlines flight #175 is flown into #2 World Trade Center - the South Tower - by five Muslim extremist hijackers murdering the nine crew, 51 passengers, and hundreds inside the tower instantly. This is an example of unintended, yet real sacrifice.

9:05 AM: President George W. Bush is alerted to what is now believed to be terrorist attacks. “Terrorism against our nation will not stand,” said Bush.

9:37 AM: American Airlines flight #77 is flown into the Pentagon in Arlington, VA by five Muslim extremist hijackers murdering the six crew, 53 passengers, as well as 125 military and civilian personnel on the ground. This is an example of unintended, yet real sacrifice.

9:59 AM: The South Tower collapses in 10 seconds after burning 56 minutes. More than 800 civilians and first responders are murdered. This is an example of unintended, yet real sacrifice.

10:03 AM: United Airlines flight #93 crashes into a field in Shanksville, PA when passengers and crew storm the cockpit. There are no survivors of the seven crew and 33 passengers due to the murderous plot by the four Muslim extremist hijackers. Flight #93 was 20 minutes from Washington, DC where the White House and/or the Capitol Building were the presumed targets. This is an example of intended sacrifice - heroism, in fact, knowingly sacrificing their lives in an effort to prevent thousands more from perishing should that plane had reached its intended target.

10:15 AM: The damaged section of the Pentagon E-Ring collapses.

10:28 AM: The North Tower collapses after burning 102 minutes. More than 1,600 civilians and first responders are murdered. This is an example of unintended, yet real sacrifice.

5:20 PM: World Trade Center #7 collapses. The 47 story building had already been evacuated and no fatalities are reported.

8:30 PM: President George W. Bush addresses the nation.

Clearly the Muslim-extremist terrorists did not discriminate on September 11, 2001, nor have they done so since in their various formations. All freedom loving people must be vigilant at all times. The international terrorist, the domestic terrorist, and yes, even the politicians who call for the shrinking of the American military, the ceding of borders, and the adoption of socialism must not be allowed to garner or maintain a foothold in the fabric of America or in any elected office, locally, statewide, or federally.

Socialism has never succeeded - it has a 100 percent failure rate - there can be no more damning a statistic. The inculcation of socialism will tax this nation out of existence, into bankruptcy, and with it the inability to continue to do the good the United  States does around the globe. Listen to the unrealistic plans and claims being made by the myriad candidates - in their own words - extolling the virtues of government running (and ultimately ruining) virtually every aspect of our lives. Government run health care? The government can’t even take care of the veterans, who deserve so much more from this country. Imagine government attempting to mete out health care for roughly 320 million Americans, and countless illegal aliens, to whom free health care has been promised.

Is socialism what the Founding Fathers fought, and in some cases, died for? Hell no! Read the Preamble to the United States Constitution, where it calls for the “form[ation of] a more perfect union.” The Founders, for all their intelligence, knew this new nation was not perfect upon its founding. It took a Bill of Rights and 17 additional amendments to straighten out many of the ills plaguing this still great nation. And the works continue to this day - today, tomorrow, next year, next decade, next century as we the people make this a more perfect union.

“It can be done,” was the four word phrase President Ronald Reagan kept on his desk in the Oval Office. Reagan also reminded the American people that “freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same.”

However, if the nation remains divided, if indoctrination of our children continues in the public schools and on the college campuses, if sanctuary cities continue to protect criminal illegal aliens, if abortion on demand including infanticide continue to exist, if G-dlessness continues to expand while attendance in churches and synagogues continues to contract then surely we shall cause our own demise as a nation.

President Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865) was a visionary beyond reason. “America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed itself,” he brilliantly said.

It is up to we the people to fight to prevent Lincoln’s prophecy from becoming reality. Heed Reagan on freedom. Read the great documents of America’s founding. Read, learn, and understand American history. If condemnation and hatred is all you have for the United States; if the American flag and the Star Spangled Banner offends you, feel free to take your leave from this great nation at any time. Ensure that the nearly 3,000 men, women, and children who became the first casualties in the war on terrorism did not die in vain. Make America for Americans - from wherever they have come.

Sanford D. Horn is a writer and educator living in Westfield, IN. He grew up in northern New Jersey in the shadow of the Twin Towers. On September 11, 2001, he was writing for a newspaper in northern Virginia, 10 minutes from the Pentagon.