“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal; that among
these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”
I’m reminded of these immortal words memorialized in our Declaration of Independence
and how they still ring true today. While the anniversary of the national tragedy suffered
on 9/11 is an opportunity to mourn and reflect, it is also a chance to take stock of our
many blessings and give thanks for the freedoms we enjoy.
Western civilization and the foundational values that sustain us are, in many ways,
under assault. These values were artfully articulated in America’s founding documents
and have served for generations as the underpinning for the expansion of republican
forms of government, free market economic systems and democratic ideals.
America is uniquely positioned on the world stage to lead the way. When we were attacked on 9/11, the reverberation was felt across the globe. How would we respond? Were the values of Western civilization at risk of being erased? Which of our allies would step forward and support that response? Would the values we hold dear cease to exist? In the days and months that followed the attack, there were certainly more questions than answers.
As a high school civics teacher on the day of the attack, I struggled to calm the fears of the freshmen students looking to me for guidance. I stood in a unique position to help a group of young people process what we were literally watching in real time. It was a huge responsibility and one I realized for the first time, made a difference.
The pursuit of happiness includes access to a free and basic liberal arts education for
all young people. This a truth we hold to be self-evident and those of us in education
have committed our life’s work to this end.
Let’s remember on Patriot Day to give thanks for the education we’ve all been given
access to, due in large part to the sacrifices made by the generations before us. Thank
you to our armed services and first responders for keeping our nation and our
communities safe. As adults we have a tremendous responsibility to educate our young
people about the historic events that have shaped our national landscape. In my lifetime, 9/11 was THE defining event.
As the son of a Vietnam veteran and the grandson of WWII veteran, my feelings of national pride and patriotism were rooted in their stories of service. 9/11 was my introduction to a firsthand event where I was able to contemplate the importance of citizenship and my responsibility to uphold American ideals.
While this day is a stark reminder of how fragile freedom is, let’s commit to shifting that
remembrance to action. Freedom isn’t free so if all you can do is take advantage of
these freedoms, do so with passion, vigor and thankfulness for the rights you enjoy.
Those rights come with a heavy burden of responsibility.
Let’s work together to teach our children how valuable their education truly is. More broadly, let us focus on encouraging them to actively participate in their democracy as educated and passionate citizens.
Thank you,
Matt Wandrie