The True American Spirit : A remembrance

Two weeks ago as I gazed at ground zero atop the Empire State building with my son, the emerging structures against a still cloudy morning background arising slowly from the destroyed foundations of the Twin towers reminded me of the true American spirits:
Peace, Liberty, Freedom, self empowerment (Individualism), Character, Resilience, Resoluteness, Innovation, Egalitarianism, Leadership, Helping, Healing, Love and empathy for fellow humans (Humanitarianism), Sharing and World citizenship.

The last few to me are the most important if we have to survive the multicultural, diverse individual views and religions that make up America and the world today. Twenty years ago, I lived in the city, and remember the magnificence of the Towers, the true International spirit of America that they represented.....and today I am still at a loss looking at the destruction. But from the cinders of ground zero, I see hope arising again.....

I opened this thread not to compete or open up controversies again, but to invite a perspective on above viewpoints from most fellow Americans/World citizens whose voices remain subdued that I share today. So, if you would be kind enough to share your thoughts on what any of the above mentioned (American or your part of the World) spirits mean to you, feel free to post your thoughts here. Use quotes, poems, abstracts from famous speeches or your own free speech to enrich this thread, if you will.

Healing and moving on, is what this thread is all about, commemorating the 9-11 anniversary, at the same time remembering those innocent lives (Christians, Muslims, Jews, Hindu's and more) lost this Tuesday 11 years ago, which woke up a sleeping giant.....

If however, you wish to stir up controversies again, please spare this thread. Got to get to work now, so will catch up and enjoy your treasured thoughts when I get back.

Nice thread, LS. It's good to see Americans who love their country.

After 9-11, we could have fallen apart as a country. Instead we hugged each other and pulled together for support. Community as a nation, not as separate states, could be felt everywhere. That's something we should be proud of - in the face of tragedy, we chose to come together and feel the loss as one beating heart. There was something incredibly moving, even exhilarating about it.

Many people died that day, and becouse of that day, I have lost people I have come to know has brothers and sisters. Remember the Soldiers who lost their lives for this day, remember when you see the flag, to put your hand over your heart and thank the Soldiers we lost and the soldiers still there fighitng.

Thanks Jane and Sam for your thoughts.

A lesson learnt defending "Freedom of Speech":

The innocent Diplomats who died in the Libyan embassy assault on 9/11/12 (yesterday) by the hands of a mob chanting anti-America slogans, were assisting a newly liberated country with understanding the burden of what liberty and freedom really mean, are classic examples of how the world views us today.

We are blamed for someone else's (mistaken) right to blasphemy. The movie producer who supposedly was responsible for the rage and attack upon peaceful US diplomatic missions (Benghazi and Cairo) yesterday, was an Israeli living in America who made a film which fit his views, not the country's, in which he lives in today. Yet, the price of his ignorance was paid by diplomatic representatives of the US government, which neither endorsed his views, nor took away his right to freedom of speech - a right protected by the constitution. In Arab countries, he would have been lynched or stoned to death. However, people who do not understand this fundamental right to free expression, a true American value, will always blame "America", the big "bad brother", "the root of all evil" and chant "death to America", like the one's chanting yesterday outside the Cairo embassy.

I have to say this, the lesson learnt from this incident, is very similar to the real 9/11, that these people who carried out the attack on innocents failed to appreciate the true spirits behind what America really stands for and why its brave men and women die fighting for others rights and establishing worldwide peace, like the country's forefathers who championed the foundations of Peace, Liberty and Freedom (speech and religion), and defending the same freedom of others. With this incident I am reminded of some famous American's quotes:

America is much more than a geographical fact. It is a political and moral fact - the first community in which men set out in principle to institutionalize freedom, responsible government, and human equality. ~Adlai Stevenson

What is the essence of America? Finding and maintaining that perfect, delicate balance between freedom "to" and freedom "from." ~Marilyn vos Savant, in Parade

Our country is not the only thing to which we owe our allegiance. It is also owed to justice and to humanity. Patriotism consists not in waving the flag, but in striving that our country shall be righteous as well as strong. ~ James Bryce

There are those, I know, who will say that the liberation of humanity, the freedom of man and mind, is nothing but a dream. They are right. It is the American dream. ~Archibald MacLeish

This nation will remain the land of the free only so long as it is the home of the brave. ~Elmer Davis

"However, people who do not understand this fundamental right to free expression, a true American value, will always blame "America", the big "bad brother", "the root of all evil" and chant "death to America", like the one's chanting yesterday outside the Cairo embassy."

I think your explanation here is the best I've heard. I've tried to explain it myself but get caught up in my long winded platform lol.

That tragedy brought American together rather than destroying their spirit.

Killing a soul to make a statement is a disgrace

I agree

I was shocked by 9/11. Like everyone else I remember exactly where I was and for days that is all we talked about at work. Innocent people should never pay the price for their governments mistakes and military actions.

I find it hard to be overly sympathetic though to the USA in general given its fucking awful military history.

Thanks everybody.

^Kevin: Where would have the UK been if Roosevelt did not make the unpopular "forced" decision to jump in and save the British/European losing war with Hitler? reluctantly only after the Japanese Pearl Harbor attack in Dec 1941 left it with no other choice. Only 20% of the American public had supported aiding the Allied war previous to Pearl Harbor, despite Hitler's onslaught on Europe and Africa. It was the post WW I experience of the American public that had led to the anti-war sentiment until that fateful day.
And, if America had failed to intervene, Hitler could have destroyed UK and marched through the rest of Europe/Africa, where would the World be today? Why blame America for wars in which it gets ensnared in?

The rest is all in written World history, its twists and turns. With the changing times, to re-interpret history in a different way as "modern" historians sometimes do who were not born then, would be an error and disrespectful to the 417,000 Americans who died defending the UK, France and the entire World during those difficult times. To really appreciate how each of the painful subsequent "individual" decisions were taken in the ensuing years, particularly during the "cold" war with communist Russia (until communism itself was defeated by its own failed economic policies and unpopularity) you have to really research in depth, each conflict in which America was involved before judging. America remained an unwilling peg in several sectors of the World, trying to counter communism's influence during those years (cold war). It was probably never an aggressor, or oppressor, and in most situations (other than covert anti-communist activities to keep them at bay) and went to war for others when all else failed (eg Korea, Vietnam), or with a UN mandate, or when its own security was threatened by people who do not understand what liberty and freedom mean (9/11).

Today's wars are not with individual countries, but with this new force of "fundamentalistic terrorism," born out of incitement from such misguided folks telling the world that "jihad" against the West is "necessary." What is destroying the World is not America, but their own people, fighting over "God's word", the jihadists (Al Queda) and other fundamentalistic groups, who want to view the West not as peacemakers, but as an "enemy."
We are unfortunately back in the middle ages, when we should be moving beyond and uniting humanity.
"Religion is the root of all evil" a famous saying of the modern times, may be a little extreme, but is the real essence behind what I am alluding to........for me "Religion is the basis behind most corrupted minds pursuing evil", against innocent humanity (their own brothers and sisters) and destroying world order and peace, to publicize their narrow vision. Why are we still in Afghanistan, and why did we stay in Iraq for so many years (until withdrawal ordered by Obama in Dec 2011)...... only because many of these newly liberated countries had weak governance, law & order to maintain and keep their freedom.....with Al Queda and like groups heavily infiltrating each of these countries to keep the chaos going and derailing any democracy from working. And, not because we need their opium to feed drug addicts, or the oil or land, or love to get our men & women killed. Why is the Arab revolution a failure so far, likely because the people in these countries are still infighting (sometimes on basis of religion) and fail to maintain peace in their fledgeling democracies, with little idea as to how a US style democracy really works, after being suppressed/oppressed by dictators and Kings from time immemorial.

If there was only one religion (monotheism), the so called "God's most devoted followers (=jihadists and like)" will not be murdering their own brothers and sisters over what he never intended his children to do.

America" is always to blame though Americans are a people that are drawn from all walks of life. All nations. All religions. All none religions. All ethnicities. All who came together with the same purpose out of life? Too live in peace and harmony with all. Often blamed for unjust wars, invasions, and ignorantly claims of conquering with purpose to capture and control. Yet it is failed to acknowledge the ignorance of man who threatens to very livelihood the world popular comes to America to escape.

Tyranny, dictators, scoundrels, beasts of nature. Americans are always going to be the target for ignorant no acceptance of humans basic rights to exist in peace by causing aggression. I have been targeted for drawing on history as does lost soul who is in harmony with intelligent thinking.

All through mans history there has been various reaction to threats to his believes. Whether it is religious or a philosophy damned or professed. Man is a creature of progression. We have come a long way from walking low among the shadows of fear to sailing in space and now on the verge of conquering elements of time. Yet we must realize there are those who refuse for what ever their personal beliefs refuse to progress. As an excuse they point always to some mystical entity they claim is the positive reasons. If a God is a God then truths reveal a God is in control of all. A God then too needs not send "helpers" to weed out wrongs against man. Man is rewarded in heaven. Heaven is not here on earth. A God should not care here on earth what is what. If a God need be helped, then the God is a fallacy. Why should a self proclaimed "helper" believe that by eliminating here on earth proclaimed enemies a place in heaven promised? Simply, to please a God. Why kill your neighbor in thoughts that you will be rewarded for doing so when in fact it has no rhyme or reason.

Also non -believers is just as guilty as to war as not. Non believers have killed millions if not more in their quest for self proclaimed God be's.

Man has created rights from wrongs and each can be a barrier if ignorance becomes interpretation.

Reiterate; America is a land of all nations. And only thinking becomes the term America as we are all peoples of this earth. We are no more and no less of what is the world.
we all come from the lands we try to protect.

"If there was only one religion (monotheism), the so called "God's most devoted followers (=jihadists and like)" will not be murdering their own brothers and sisters over what he never intended his children to do." ...... the lost soul

correction; "lonely" Soul ...forgive me.