| The 9/11 Generation…and Our Sons
Kabul, Afghanistan We all remember where we were when the towers fell. I was a junior at Princeton University, with a new set of Army fatigues hanging in my dorm-room closet. Having joined Army ROTC just four months earlier, Al Qaeda’s attack on America was the ultimate validator of that decision. We were going to war, and I would be a part of it. The nation cheered as our special operators made quick work of the Taliban, and I’ll never forget watching a soldier slap an American flag on the face of Saddam’s falling statue nineteen months later. We were kicking ass, and the world was changing. It was our time to be Teddy Roosevelt’s “Men in the Arena.” September Eleventh was a horrific day—we lost almost 3,000 Americans; including the heroic members of Flight 93 who saved countless lives and first responders who raced up smoke-filled stairs in downtown Manhattan. We must always remember these Americans and that day. We need to force ourselves to remember, from the comfort of our offices, homes, and back-yard barbeques. While we’ve remained safe on the home front for the past ten years, the world remains a dangerous place. As I type this, there are radical Islamists and rising regimes eager to exploit our weaknesses and curb American power. In light of this fact, today is not only a day to remember, but also a day to re-commit to both the greatness of America and the defeat of her enemies. We mustn’t be afraid to champion the American experiment, in our schools, churches, businesses and communities. Likewise, we must incubate the collective courage required to inflict decisive violence on those who wish us harm. America’s economic and military ascension was never preordained, nor is our perch atop the world stage inevitable. The sweat, tears, and blood of our forefathers made it possible, and without the Sons of Liberty, the First Minnesota, the Harlem Hellfighters, the Boys of Pointe du Hoc, the Frozen Chosin, the Magnificent Bastards, and the Berlin Brigade (look ‘em all up!)—America would not be the country she is today. The 9/11 Generation—having lost 6,200+ brothers-in-arms in Afghanistan and Iraq, along with 45,000+ wounded—is only the latest group of warfighters to carry the mantle of freedom. These battlefields—amongst other corners of the globe—have been our “arena.” But they certainly won’t be our last. I often hear soldiers, politicians, and policymakers say, “We fight so that our children won’t have to.” The idea is attractive, and appeals to a fatherly desire to provide a peaceful life to my young son. The problem is, the statement is patently false. I fight today, fully cognizant that my son—and other sons of the 9/11 Generation—will be needed on tomorrow’s yet-foreseen battlefields. History isn’t over, and despite efforts to overcome the human condition (in Ivy League lecture halls and United Nations’ assemblies), America’s military still carries the burden of liberty amidst a fallen world—we remain the last, best hope. If not me today, and my son tomorrow, then who? Our sons and daughters will not bear the scars of falling towers, so the job of remembrance lies with us. Our job is to infuse America’s unique and indispensable principles, values, and role in the world into their thoughts, words, and deeds. In order for America’s influence to live on, our sons and daughters must both remember the threats we face, and stand ready to advance our values and interests—by the pen, the podium, the checkbook, and when necessary, the M-4. So, as I write this from Afghanistan—along with 100,000 fellow Americans—I ask that you take this day to not only remember the events that took place ten years ago, but to recommit yourself to the American cause of liberty. Not everyone needs to pick up a rifle; but we all need to work together—through shared sacrifice, selfless service, and an entrepreneurial spirit—to ensure the lives of future generations of Americans are better than ours, and exist in a world where liberty, democracy, enterprise, and prosperity are on the march. As the Washington Post recently pointed out, “The Iraq and Afghanistan wars have not had the broad cultural impact of previous conflicts such as World War II or Vietnam. The new wars have not produced war bonds, […] victory gardens, or large-scale counterculture protests. Movies about these fights have largely flopped.” For better or worse, the events of 9/11 mobilized America’s military, with little impact on most of the country at-large. This cannot be sustained indefinitely, as this disconnect is unhealthy for the military, the public, and our shared safety. I pray the memory of 9/11—ten years later—draws us closer and stiffens our collective resolve. Today we remember the events of September 11, 2001; and tomorrow let us mutually pledge to build another American century. Our lives, fortunes, and sacred honor depend on it. Godspeed my friends, Pete Hegseth |