For those of us who are old enough to remember September 11, 2001, it’s strange to realize that the worst terrorist attack in our nation’s history happened a quarter-century ago. It doesn’t seem that long ago.
For all its horror, it elicited a unique response: mass solidarity across the nation. One of the most memorable examples of this was seen that evening at the Capitol Building, where some 150 members of Congress, senators and representatives, Democrats and Republicans, gathered on the East Front steps.
Then House Speaker Dennis Hastert proclaimed, “When America suffers, and when people perpetrate acts against this country, we as a Congress and a government stand united, and we stand together to fight this evil threat. Those who brought forth this evil deed will pay the price.”
And in unison, all the members of Congress began singing “God Bless America.”
As a reporter for The Australian observed, “One of the most poignant images as the symbols of US economic and military power burned was the spontaneous singing of God Bless America by members of Congress. They stood shaken and tearful on the steps of the Capitol, their love of nation and all that it symbolizes plain for the world to see.”
Days later, in an address to the joint session and the nation, President George W. Bush noted that moment, stating, “All of America was touched on the evening of the tragedy to see Republicans and Democrats joined together on the steps of this Capitol singing ‘God Bless America.’”
Indeed, for Americans who remember 9/11, the national solidarity was unlike anything most of us had ever experienced. Race, gender, religion, or creed — all those divisions evaporated. Everyone was simply an American.
We were stunned, shocked, traumatized. We wept together and were angered together. Interestingly, there were outpourings of patriotism. So many lined up to give blood that blood banks had to turn people away.
On highway overpasses across the country, people spontaneously waved the Stars and Stripes.
One of these individuals was World War II veteran Leonard A. Farrington. Living in South Carolina at the time, he responded to the terrorist attack by grabbing his American flag hanging on his front porch and driving to the Sutton Road Bridge in Fort Mill, just south of Charlotte, North Carolina. Standing on the overpass over Interstate 77, Farrington waved his flag until nightfall.
And every year on the anniversary of that terrible day, Farrington would go to the bridge and wave the flag, a practice he maintained until he died in 2012. When asked why he did it, the old WWII vet answered, “I’m not here for publicity; I’m here for this country.” Adding, “No terrorist beats America.” Following his death, the bridge was renamed in his honor: the Patriot Leonard A. Farrington 9/11 Memorial Bridge.
Farrington’s story is one of thousands across America that day, and what followed was many brave American patriots rising to answer the call to defend our great nation. Many made the ultimate sacrifice; many others bear the wounds and scars from their sacrificial service.
As the years have gone by, a new generation of Americans has grown up without that shared experience and may not appreciate its impact and significance. Therefore, we must not let erroneous, reductionist, and/or dubious narratives regarding America’s response to that terrorism replace the truth.
America was fully righteous and justified in her commitment to seek justice and hold to account those who perpetrated that evil that murdered nearly 3,000 of our countrymen. Let us never forget and never compromise on that fact.
