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When our own words fail us, we can turn to the words of others, especially those words that are set to music. Music can transcend our spirit beyond the ashes, so it is more easily joined to the spirit of others. We don't want to be alone during times of great tragedy in this land we love. People, human beings like us, have been viciously and mercilessly blown to bits and scattered to the four winds. Ashes to ashes and dust to dust, we can't put every-thing into perspective all by ourselves. The most important word in my life is truth. Some people tend to instead hang onto the word love until its meaning has been denigrated into mush. Don't they see that love has little chance, long term, if it's not founded in truth? We can't get to true love without truth! And the truth is that America was attacked by evil, an evil which should not be given the other cheek. That wouldn't be love, nor would it be justice or even mercy. It's a question of reason. Are we asked to turn our cheek to evil when it's a matter of life and death of a soul, of a nation, of a people? But we know that freedom can be taken away, even by people waving American flags. Freedom can be taken away when we are not vigilant, when we do not educate ourselves and our children adequately, when we allow false gods to steer us in the wrong direction, when we stoop to conquer rather than to serve, when we do what we want to do instead of what we ought to do. Then we become slaves instead of free people. In America we are still, for the most part, free. There ain't no doubt I love this land that provides opportunity and freedom for me to write and sing to my heart's con-tent, and to also publish the words and thoughts of others. When Allan and I visited sites in Philadelphia, which is where we were on September 11th, the day that will go down in infamy, I saw the land on which the men at Valley Forge suffered and died to make people free. When I saw, on television, the New York firefighters get swallowed up in the carnage that was the World Trade Center, I was reminded of Valley Forge. Brave men dig in their heels and do what they ought to do to set people free. I'm proud to be an American because Americans have, for the most part, good wills, tender hearts, and strong spirits. Americans have, for the most part, hard-working minds and bodies. Americans are generous to people in war torn countries, to people sacked by natural catastrophe, to friends and neighbors in need, to public and private charities, to causes for freedom and truth. Those good works put a good pride in my heart. I learned about spacious skies and amber waves of grain firsthand, growing up on the farmland of southwestern Min-nesota, where the Pledge of Allegiance and Our Father began each school day and the Rosary ended each family day. There is still very much good in America, from sea to shining sea. Can we allow others to trash our freedom and security? Does not duty compel us to fight for righteous purpose? So I continue to sing of thee, sweet America, for it comforts my soul and lifts my spirit above the ashes and allows the tears to stream gently, with reverent thoughts and prayers for all those innocent human beings who suffered and died, and for those who continue to suffer, and for the courage of our countrymen who are called to lead us in this war against the evil of terrorism. |
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