Well, we’ve made it through the first anniversary of Sept. 11.
By: Linda Schuster
We have all been through an acutely disturbing ordeal in the last year. We stand here today with a new perspective.
Experience changes people and I don’t think any of us will ever be the same. We have all lost something permanent and significant through the events, without a doubt. Fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, children and friends are gone. They will not return. These losses are severe.
Yet there are changes that have come about that are positive. We take something strong away with us as we turn to leave the scene. Today we are resolved to stand in the tenets of the United States of America. We are resolved to live in the land of the free.
Probably the most obvious difference is the presence of American flags you see around. Here they are, still up a year later.
They speak of our sense of who we are. We know who we are. We are people who value our freedom. We are people who want to be here. That is clear.
We have good reasons to stay in the country where we were born and we know it. No, it’s not perfect. But most of us have decent food and shelter. We have real choices concerning our lives.
And we have a voice. We are allowed to speak out for ourselves, to petition our government when we have grievances, to print what we wish. We may freely exercise our beliefs, peaceably assemble, keep a well-regulated militia.
These are our rights and our freedoms. What they mean is that we each serve as a part of our government. We count.
Dr. Joseph Warren spoke at Boston on March 5, 1775 on the anniversary of the Boston Massacre. Part of what he said is this:
"Our country is in danger, but not to be despaired of … On you depend the fortunes of America. You are to decide the important question, on which rest the happiness and liberty of millions yet unborn. Act worthy of yourselves."
What was true then remains true now. We hold the responsibility "to decide the important question" of highly esteeming our independence. Our current and future happiness and liberty depend on it.
We the people. Us.
We already made the decision last year, on Sept. 11, as to our horror we watched the Twin Towers fall. We knew then and there that we were willing to pull all the stops in order to protect our freedoms for ourselves and those to come. We knew we would act worthy of ourselves because we are Americans.
How do we do this? What tangible way do we accomplish the task? We exercise our rights and teach our children that what they have is a prize. Children love prizes. And let’s always remember. We in Roosevelt, us.
Linda Schuster is a freelance writer living in Roosevelt.

