FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2009
GOV. RITTER ORDERS FLAGS LOWERED ON PATRIOT DAY
In commemorating the tragedy of September 1l, 2001, and in accordance with Congressional Joint Resolution 107-89 approved on December 18, 2001, Gov. Ritter has directed that all flags be flown at half-staff on Patriot Day; Friday, September 11, 2009, until sundown.
Click here to read the Governor's proclamation commemorating September 11 as a National Day of Service and Remembrance.
"In an attack that created new global politics and ushered our nation into war, we must not forget the innocent men, women, and children that lost their lives that day," said Gov. Ritter. "We are a nation of rights; and eight years ago, the most basic right of more than 2,500 innocents was extinguished. United in their hatred for America and the West, the terrorists who committed this heinous act were not successful in breaking our spirit, our strength, or our love for one another.
"In Colorado, we pay tribute to those who perished and to the troops who continue to sacrifice so that we may enjoy our freedoms. But most importantly, our thoughts and prayers are with those who lost loved ones on that terrible day."
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One should comtemplate that day, which for whatever reason is now called "Patriot Day". Any number of days could use this moniker. December 7th, May 8th, April 5th, September 2nd, November 11th. Check any of them, they all have significance. I always thought July 4th summed up the patriot spirit just fine.
But then again we live in a time when the term "patriot" has been usurped to mean what one group or another wants it to.
As of late, since 9/11 it seems to embody a meaning quite apart from it's original American definition.
As of late, the term has in common a blind following of our government leaders into two wars, the second of which was not justified, the first of which was forgotten and is now only getting attention, for reasons other than what it was started for.
As of late it seems to be associated with the "Patriot Act". A law, which took away many of the same liberties that governor Ritter claims were taken away from the 9/11 victims.
First of all, their rights were not taken away. Their rights were intact when the attacks occured. Their lives were taken. The rights of the rest of us have been under attack ever since, all in the name of security for the country.
Security from what. Do we actually believe that Al Queda could bring down the USA. The American character is too strong for that. In an open war, there is now way the entire middle-east could defeat the USA and the West.
Osama Bin Laden made it clear that he had no intention of bringing down America, which he thought impossible. His goal was to ruin our economy. Something we managed to do ourselves.
Or is patriotism something else. Is it more in line with what Thomas Jefferson saw as a patriot. Someone loyal to the ideals of the great experiment, and very suspicious of the the government and rulers who run it, regardless of party affliliation.
Historian Howard Zinn, on this past "Patriot Day" at the renowned Faneuil Hall in Boston commemorating the start of the American Revolution, asked this question: “What is patriotism, and what is not? Who is patriotic, and who is not?”
“Patriotism is about dissent. It’s about criticism and civil disobedience.”
Jefferson might agree. He advocated for the Constitution to be torn up every 19 years and re-written. He also led what many historians call the second American Revolution during his presidency, when he undid many of the policies of Washington and Adams, who were heading down a path more in line with Alexamder Hamilton's view. A view very similar to the recent Bush administration.
So before we declare a day for patriots and all that means. Before we all jump on the collective bandwagon. One might reflect upon who is driving the wagon and which was it is being steered.
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