With the 15th anniversary of the September 11 terror attacks comes an opportunity for all of us to put into perspective some of the issues we, as a nation, are facing...
Over the past year we have watched one of the most divisive presidential elections in history play out on television and social media - and more and more Americans are willing to label those with whom they disagree as "un-American" or "un-Patriotic."
There is very little unity in these "United States."
For the past several years there have been far too many cases of police shootings involving unarmed African Americans. Make no mistake, there is a serious problem in this country with how minorities are treated and the rate at which they are injured or killed by police; but we cannot condemn all police for the actions of a few, but we must hold those few accountable for their actions.
There is very little unity in these "United States."
And as professional athletes choose to protest the national anthem by sitting during its playing and students sit during the Pledge of Allegiance, it is important to remember that the First Amendment allows freedom of expression, but also that the very things these people are protesting are the things allowing for the protest.
There is very little unity in these "United States."
For high school students September 11 is an historical event rather than something they lived through. Their world is defined by that day, but they never new the world as it existed before that day, and so they have no idea what was really lost. And as people continued to condemn or criticize police and the military, it is vital to remember that on September 11, 2001, as everyone ran away from the World Trade Center, it was our men and women in uniform who chose to run towards it.
Thoughts?
Over the past year we have watched one of the most divisive presidential elections in history play out on television and social media - and more and more Americans are willing to label those with whom they disagree as "un-American" or "un-Patriotic."
There is very little unity in these "United States."
For the past several years there have been far too many cases of police shootings involving unarmed African Americans. Make no mistake, there is a serious problem in this country with how minorities are treated and the rate at which they are injured or killed by police; but we cannot condemn all police for the actions of a few, but we must hold those few accountable for their actions.
There is very little unity in these "United States."
And as professional athletes choose to protest the national anthem by sitting during its playing and students sit during the Pledge of Allegiance, it is important to remember that the First Amendment allows freedom of expression, but also that the very things these people are protesting are the things allowing for the protest.
There is very little unity in these "United States."
For high school students September 11 is an historical event rather than something they lived through. Their world is defined by that day, but they never new the world as it existed before that day, and so they have no idea what was really lost. And as people continued to condemn or criticize police and the military, it is vital to remember that on September 11, 2001, as everyone ran away from the World Trade Center, it was our men and women in uniform who chose to run towards it.
Thoughts?