Of course, coming off the extremely unusual events of yesterday, who can blame them?
One of my toughest days as an educator had to be how I came into the classroom this morning, with the events of yesterday's attack on the World Trade Center and Pentagon fresh on our individual and collective minds. So many questions. So much pain and confusion. And as an educator, I'm supposed to have answers.
Yeah, about that.
I spent a lot of time last night pondering the a number of big questions. One of the biggest was ... how the hell do I go into a classroom of teenagers the day after this horrific event and ... you know, teach stuff? What would I say to my seniors? How would I assure them things will be OK, that it will be a good year, regardless of yesterday?
I guess time will ultimately tell. Like I said, answers? really?
But while thinking about the surreal events that have forever changed our world, locally and globally, I made a rare decision to put on my "patriotism" hat, if only for the moment, and pounded out a little speech with which to greet my students. I'm proud to say that the presentation at 7:30 a.m. was met with applause and cheers.
It's gonna be a good year, I think.
IN THE GRAND AND GLORIOUS HISTORY OF THESE UNITED STATES, THERE HAVE BEEN RARE – YET MONUMENTAL – BENCHMARKS THAT HAVE SHAPED OUR VERY FOUNDATION AND MATURED OUR SENSE OF BEING. THESE MILEPOSTS SPAN 225 YEARS, AND ARE ETCHED INTO OUR MINDS AND OUR SOULS: THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE AND ENSUING REVOLUTIONARY WAR, THE CONSTITUTION AND BILL OF RIGHTS, ABE LINCOLN AND THE GETTYSBURG ADDRESS, PEARL HARBOR AND IWO JIMA, JOHN F. KENNEDY AND MARTIN LUTHER KING, NEIL ARMSTRONG AND APOLLO 11, CHALLENGER AND THE SHOCKING ATTACK ON OUR SOVERINGTY.
EACH OF THESE – AND OTHER – DEFINING MOMENTS, ALONG WITH NUMEROUS EVENTS SMALLER IN STATURE BUT KEY IN SHAPING US AS A NATION, HAVE BUILT US INTO THE PEOPLE WE ARE TODAY. WE HAVE REVELED IN VICTORY, MOURNED IN TRAGEDY, REMEMBERED ALWAYS WHAT MAKES US STRONG, AND USED THAT INNER STRENGTH TO BETTER OUR COMMUNITIES AND OURSELVES. WE HAVE CREATED MONUMENTS OF MARBLE AND ON MOUNTAINS, ETCHED MEMORIES ON PAPER AND ON CANVAS. AND THROUGH OUR EXISTANCE, WE, THE PEOPLE OF AMERICA, HAVE RETAINED AND REJUVINATED OUR SPIRIT – THAT EMOTIONAL TIDAL WAVE WHICH IS EQUALLY WITHOUT LIMITATIONS AND WITHOUT MEASURE.
AS WE, THE CITIZENS OF THESE UNITED STATES, OF HOBE SOUND AND INDIANTOWN, OF JENSEN BEACH AND STUART, OF PORT SALERNO AND OF TEQUESTA, OF MARTIN COUNTY AND OF FLORIDA, BOND TOGETHER IN REMEMBRANCE OF THE CATACLYSMIC EVENTS THAT FOREVER ALTERED AND ALERTED OUR WORLD THE MORNING OF SEPTEMBER 11, WE COME FACE TO FACE WITH OUR OWN MORTALITY. THE ATTACKS ON US, ON OUR WAY OF LIVING, WAS INDISCRIMIATE. ALL WALKS OF LIFE WERE AFFECTED: OLD AND YOUNG, RICH AND POOR, EDUCATED AND ILLITERATE, BLACK AND WHITE, GAY AND STRAIGHT, THOSE BORN WITHIN OUR BOUNDARIES AND THOSE WHO CAME TO THIS NATION BY CHOICE TO SEEK A BETTER LIFE.
BUT AS THOSE WHO ATTEMPT TO HURT US HAVE ALREADY FOUND OUT, NO AMOUNT OF RECKLESS ABANDON CAN DESTROY AMERICA AND THE AMERICAN SPIRIT. THEY WILL CONTINUE TO DISCOVER THAT NO AMOUNT OF HATRED INFLICTED UPON US CAN DESTROY THOSE WHO EMBRACE FREEDOM AND JUSTICE: OLD AND YOUNG, RICH AND POOR, EDUCATED AND ILLITERATE, BLACK AND WHITE, GAY AND STRAIGHT, THOSE BORN WITHIN OUR BOUNDARIES AND THOSE WHO CAME TO THIS NATION BY CHOICE TO SEEK A BETTER LIFE.
THESE UNITED STATES CONTINUE TO STAND TALL, STAND PROUD. WE CONTINUE TO EXALT IN OUR CONVICTIONS – CONVICTIONS OF THE AMERICAN HEART AND OF THE AMERICAN MIND. OUR QUEST TO LIVE BY A POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY CALLING FOR A GOVERNMENT BY THE PEOPLE, FOR THE PEOPLE, AND OF THE PEOPLE, TO LIVE BY TRUTHS WE BELIEVE TO BE SELF EVIDENT, THAT ALL PEOPLE ARE CREATED EQUAL, THAT THEY ARE ENDOWED WITH CERTAIN UNALIENABLE RIGHTS, SUCH AS LIFE, LIBERTY, AND THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS – REMAINS STRONG. WE THE PEOPLE, IN ORDER TO FORM A MORE PERFECT UNION, CONTINUE TO ESTABLISH JUSTICE, INSURE DOMESTIC TRANQUILITY, PROVIDE FOR THE COMMON DEFENSE, PROMOTE THE GENERAL WELFARE, AND SECURE THE BLESSINGS OF LIBERTY TO OURSELVES AND OUR POSTERITY. IN THE GRAND AND GLORIOUS HISTORY OF THESE UNITED STATES, THERE HAVE BEEN RARE – YET MONUMENTAL – BENCHMARKS THAT HAVE SHAPED OUR VERY FOUNDATION AND MATURED OUR SENSE OF BEING.
LET US TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO CONTINUE TO MATURE AND GROW, TO SOLVE DIFFERENCES, TO UNITE AS ONE, AND TO AIM FOR THE COMMON GOOD OF OUR HOMES, OUR COMMUNITIES, OUR STATE, AND OUR NATION.
