September 2017 30 This year marks the 16th Anniversary of the terrorist attacks in New York City, Shanksville and Washington D.C. It is important to honor the victims and remember the heroic sacrifices made on 9/11. Every American should visit “ground zero” in their lifetime. Make the 911 Memorial & Museum a bucket list item. It is well done and respectful. Long lines reinforce that we haven’t forgotten what was witnessed in person and via television and media on that day in 2001 that changed the lives of everyone in our great nation. Last year was the first year that junior year high schoolers were taught about the act as a historical event they weren’t yet alive to witness. It is also important to gain perspective on the long term impact of the attacks and the challenges we continue to face. The first mission of the war that followed 9/11 was to prevent any further attacks. That mission was accomplished. That is a fact often forgotten. The most extraordinary fact of the “war on terror” that began on 9/11 is that there have been no more successful major attacks on the United States. The US has always been known for being relentless in its protection of freedom and diversity. Now, these values are at risk being challenged daily. 9/11 compelled the United States to address its vulnerabilities and risks more aggressively. Today homeland security is about minimizing all risks, maximizing all defenses and maintaining our spirit as a nation undivided even in a time when politics can be so caustic. The attacks and the government’s response forever changed the boundaries between war and peace. Before 9/11 government surveillance of communication would have been considered shocking and illegal. Now, almost anything goes. A “war on terror” can have no clear boundaries in time and space and no clear boundaries between combatants and civilians. Americans can no longer define the battlefield or the enemy with any clarity. We can’t even define what counts as a weapon: a plane, a truck, a virus or a computer code. So, we continue in America’s longest war. “Tuesday, September 11, 2001, dawned temperate and nearly cloudless in the eastern United States.” This simple unassuming statement is the opening line of the official 9/11 Commission report. Many have said that America lost part of its innocence on that day. We move forward continuing on the path to regain it with the knowledge that we are able to enjoy a late summer morning without the fear of what may come. The United States became stronger after the attacks. This anniversary let us continue to support one another and grow as one united nation. THE IMPACT OF 9/11 Reserve Your Tour Today! Wickenburg, AZ Explore the BeautifulSonoran Desert by Jeep! bcjeeptours.com AZ COUNTRY STYLE BBQ 520-414-2063 WE GIVE MILITARY DISCOUNTS