I Miss the United STATE (not a typo) of America

19 years ago, our country was knocked to its knees. I use that term with more than one meaning. 

We sat in front of our televisions and watched with shock, horror, disbelief, anger, and sorrow as pillars of our nation were crumbled, and thousands of our fellow citizens perished before our eyes.

As the sun went down on America on that previously crystal-clear blue-sky day in September, we all went to bed in a different world than the one in which we woke up that day.  When most of us heard of the first plane hitting the Trade Center, we probably thought “How tragic for that pilot and his family…I hope no one else gets hurt in this horrible accident.” Within moments, our thoughts went to “Oh my God, we are at war!”

We had just elected a new President 10 months prior, and had a change of political party, and there was certainly some sense of division and tension in our country. However, as early as the afternoon of September 11, 2001, I think most of us in the USA felt a unity as President Bush stood at the podium and addressed the nation. Whether we agreed with his politics or not, he still represented you and me.

In the coming days, amidst the postponement of virtually everything we were accustomed to in our society – sports, travel, school, work, and more – we unified as a nation because we had a common enemy, and a common pain.  More than 3,000 people died that day and, in the days, to come, and very few of us knew anyone on the ground, in the buildings, or in the planes that day who lost their life. Yet, for all of us, it became very personal because we watched it, it happened on our soil, and they brought America to her knees.

I have a friend whom I met just a few years ago who lost her husband on that tragic day. He was at work at the Word Trade Center, and that day, she lost her husband and their 4-year-old twins lost their Daddy. That is as personal as that day gets for me, yet it is still a day where I lost so much.

At the time I am writing this, I am 56 years old. In 2001, I was 37. To this day, I could honestly say that the months after 9/11/2001 were the last, and likely only, time in my life where I really felt like I lived in the UNITED States of America. Yet, I never moved.  

I have heard a quote in churches and religious settings that says, “If you are not as close to God today as you were yesterday, who moved?”

If our country is not as united today as it was yesterday, or as it was in September 2001, then who moved?

Are there more racists in America than ever before? Is social media that powerful that more racist voices are being heard? Are there more crimes against underserved populations than before? Are there more cell phones with video capability so that these crimes are now being captured for the world to see, whereas they were not before?

My guess is that the answer to all the questions above is “yes”. I believe there are more racists, more people stating their beliefs and opinions in 140, or 280 characters, alone in their bedrooms and not out in public (especially now in the midst of this pandemic – this not another COVID-19 article, by the way), and everyone seems to video everything now, whether to share with friends in person or, more likely, for “likes” and “retweets” on social media.  Sort of ironic that it is called “social” media, isn’t it? Most of the controversial opinions are being shared in the privacy of our homes.

Back to 9/11.

I miss the United States of America. Even more I miss the united STATE of America. I miss when she was a land of the free, a home of the brave, and when her flag represented power, freedom, opportunity, hope, and light.  Today, our flag, and our country, are laughing stocks across the world, and that has happened in 19 short years. Sure, it has probably happened over centuries, but we have moved from any sort of unity to a total feeling of division. 

I do not have the answers, and I am not about to run for office to try to change the world, or the country. All I can control is me. All I can do is make my little corner of this great country united again and do my best to love everyone I know equally, regardless of race, ethnicity, skin color, beliefs, or choices.

I was raised by parents who taught me, just like the founding principles of our country state, that all men (and women) are created equal, and that we should all be treated as equals. 

This morning, I looked at the contact list on my phone, and I listed my 20 closest friends and colleagues from that list. I am proud to say that their race, religion, gender, social status, wealth, or political party didn’t cross my mind when I looked at this list of my inner circle – my personal “team”, if you will. Now that I look at it again, I am relieved to see that my closest friends are black, Asian, Latino, gay, straight, Mormon, Atheist, Catholic, Christian, poor, wealthy, men, women, democrats, and republicans.

I am honored to see that people of any and all walks of life have chosen to be my friend, and I theirs, and that, at least in our little corner of this country, we are, indeed, united.

My prayer (when I am on MY knees, just like America has been in many ways – and hopefully more in the way I mean here) is that we can all look at the “team” around us and realize how much we truly love those with whom we associate, not in spite of our differences, but because of them!

If we all have the same opinion, then all but one of us is not necessary. We make the greatest impact when we diversify, recognize, embrace, and love our differences, and realize we are strongest when we are together.

Hopefully, we can once again not only become the United States of America, but we can also be proud, again, of the united STATE of America.

It starts with me.  It continues with you.