On September 11, 2001, the United States — the country that had always been the first to jump to the defense and aid of others — was itself devastatingly attacked by foreign terrorists, resulting in the horrific deaths of some 3,000 innocent people.

Suddenly, the free world rushed to our side, there to return the decades of kindness we had shown them. Because we were the good guys.

And we “good guys” were there for each other, offering, at the very least, moral support to those who had lost loved ones and friends on that dark, oddly sunny autumn day. We rushed out to buy American flags of all sorts — big ones to drape from our flag poles or balconies, small ones to wave from our car antennas, and tiny ones to pin to our lapels.

In our grief, we resurrected a song that had been written and recorded by American country singer Lee Greenwood in 1984. It became the anthem of the day in the wake of inconceivable tragedy; and it is stuck in my head now, as we suffer through the slower, more drawn-out, even more demoralizing agony of an internal attack on democracy itself.

And I wonder: Why aren’t we listening to Lee Greenwood now? For those too young to remember the events of 9-11, let me remind you, in part:

“If tomorrow all the things were gone
I worked for all my life,
And I had to start again
With just my children and my wife,

I thank my lucky stars
To be living here today,
’Cause the flag still stands for freedom
And they can’t take that away.

And I’m proud to be an American
Where at least I know I’m free,
And I won’t forget the men who died
Who gave that right to me,
And I’d gladly stand up next to you
And defend Her still today,
’Cause there ain’t no doubt
I love this land.
God Bless the U.S.A.”

– Lee Greenwood; copyright Peermusic Publishing

We should be gathering together again, as we did in 2001, and shouting his lyrics from the rafters — only this time shouting, not at Middle Eastern terrorists, but at the White House, the houses of Congress, and the Supreme Court. At the Departments of Justice, and Defense, and Health & Human Services. And at anyone and everyone who doesn’t truly love and honor the America that has stood for a quarter of a millennium as a beacon of light and hope and freedom to the world.

“God Bless the U.S.A.”

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
12/23/25