Guiding our Nation out of the Storm

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Guiding our Nation out of the Storm
by Robert Yoho, Columnist and Senior Editor

September 11, 2003

"Eye on Conservatism"

Columnist Robert Yoho President George W. Bush (R-TX) (AP) The other night, I listened to the Democratic candidates for President in their televised debate. Lost in the endless carping and criticizing of President George W. Bush (right) was the memory of September 11th, that bright and sunny Black Tuesday in 2001.

As I watched them posturing and preening for the press, I could not picture any one of them as President and dealing with the fear, shock, and outrage that faced our country on September 12th. Had any one of them been in charge, America would still be apologizing for the actions that pushed these bloodthirsty terrorists to commandeer our airliners.

In one tragic and terrible day, an extraordinary leader emerged from the most unlikely of circumstances. A man, who did not win a majority of the popular vote, but was duly elected by Constitutional mandates, became an immensely popular and trusted president.

In these two years, the United States military, under the direction of their Commander-in-Chief, have accomplished some extraordinary things. We routed the Taliban and Al Qaeda in Afghanistan—something the Soviet Union could never do. Usama bin Laden, if he is still alive, cannot get any rest from the relentless pursuers of the US military. In less than 30 days, we chased the Saddamites out of Baghdad. Hussein’s sons, Qusay and Uday, have been killed and are no longer a threat to anyone. Knowing the fate of his sons, Saddam is forced to flee for his life.

This is great news! But you would not know if from listening to the nightly news. Despite the reports of the whiny Bush haters in the media, the great majority of the Afghans and Iraqi people are thrilled with our military intervention. And all of this was accomplished with a minimal loss of human life, theirs and ours.

Perhaps President Bush could have done some things better. I will be the first to admit that I have not been satisfied with all the things he has done. However, considering the crises he has faced, our president has done a remarkable job of leading this country, restoring our confidence, making us safer, and destroying those who would do us harm.

I am not suggesting that our president shouldn’t be criticized; however, those criticisms should be placed in their proper context. The economy began to tank under Clinton and has still not completely rebounded. And those problems were compounded by a nation’s fear of terrorism. But in our rush to criticize, let us never forget from where we have come.

The media have done a great disservice to Americans by removing these dreadful images from our television screens. America needs to remember. We must never forget! We need to see the flame, smoke, and debris as the second airliner crashed into the World Trade Center. We need to recall the smoke and flames billowing skyward from the building. We need to picture the tragedy of already doomed souls plunging from the towers. These were not suicides, because those trapped on the upper floors were already dead. They just didn’t know it.

We need to recall those brave individuals, firefighters and police officers, who valiantly rushed into the buildings to save lives, and in the process they lost their own. We need to remember how we wondered where all of our family members were?

We need to see the mighty towers disappear from the beautiful New York skyline, as Lady Liberty shined her torch on some of the darkest deeds any member of mankind could dare to carry out on another. It would do us good to remember frightened New Yorkers fleeing from the crumbling towers. Never forget the images of stunned New Yorkers eerily covered with white ash and dust.

And as we approach another presidential election season, I do not see anyone clamoring for the job who could have done it any better. I am proud our country and its people. I am proud of our Commander-in-Chief.

It is certainly not my intention to use this solemn occasion as a platform for any political party. However, any proper rendering of the events of the past two years is incomplete if it fails to adequately recognize the capable pilot who prayerfully guided us out of the storm.

May we never forget those who perished. May we never forget how this all started and who started it. And let us never feel guilty for the pride we feel for having come through it. America has emerged from the storm and once again rules the waves. ***

Photo of Robert Yoho courtesy of staff files
Photo of President George W. Bush (R-TX) courtesy of the Associated Press