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
