Independence Day 2017

Dear Friends,

Last month, I made a trip to New York to visit the city. During my time there, I had the chance to visit the 9/11 Memorial & Museum.

Visiting the memorial left me speechless. Going inside the museum, seeing the twisted metal of the broken support beams of the Twin Towers, staring at the crumbling stone steps of the “Survivors’ Stairs,” which hundreds of survivors used to seek escape, it was overwhelming to see the remnants of the wreckage caused by the attack.  

Staring at the battered fire truck, partially crushed by falling debris, listening to the recordings of the phone calls between passengers on Flight 93 and their families, the experience left you sober and solemn.

Like many other members of Generation Z, I didn’t have a very clear picture of 9/11. Many members of Generation Z were too young to remember the attack. Before visiting the memorial, the only knowledge I had about 9/11 was from history books and online research. After walking through the museum, I now have a more clearer picture of the tragedy that occurred more than 15 years ago.

On September 11, 2001, the United States was attacked by extremists who opposed our freedoms and values. This incident reminds us that our freedoms, our liberties, our constitutional rights, are neither free nor guaranteed. There are many people in this world who oppose these freedoms, and there is a human cost and sacrifice to protect these freedoms. That cost is paid by American soldiers, who put their lives on the line to fight terrorism on a daily basis.

Currently, within the United States, there’s a lot of division, especially politically. To be clear, political debate is important – it is a key element of our constitutional rights. However, I think that as American citizens, it’s important for us to come together and unite over our shared beliefs and values. I think that one of the values that we can unite over is an appreciation for our U.S. servicemen and women.

Every U.S. citizen, regardless of ethnicity, religion, or political party, should share an appreciation for U.S. veterans. These brave souls fight for us daily, they enter battlefields where others would flee, they engage the enemy to protect our freedoms and independence.

This Independence Day, let’s take a moment to reflect and appreciate everything that our U.S. servicemen and women do to protect our values and liberties. Appreciate the fact that we get to enjoy the holiday with our families. Because there is a soldier stationed abroad who is sacrificing time with her family to protect us during the holiday season. Appreciate the fact that we get to enjoy fireworks from the safety of our homes. Because there is a soldier out there facing another type of firework, enemy fire.

Let’s make a promise to spend Independence Day being grateful for the sacrifices made by our U.S. soldiers. By doing so, we can overcome political, racial, and religious divisions, and we can unite as a nation.

God Bless,

Jonathan A. Lu