Remember the lessons of Sept. 11, 2001

America has made it through 20 years of life under the shadow of the devastating terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. It’s an occasion for contemplation.

America has made it through 20 years of life under the shadow of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

That day will always linger somewhere in the back of the mind of each of us who lived through it. But the news of recent weeks has returned the subject front and center even before most of us were ready to start the process of marking the solemn anniversary.

This summer President Joe Biden decided to pull U.S. forces from Afghanistan. What followed was the swift collapse of the Afghan government and its military forces. There was chaos as the Taliban forces we had ousted all those years ago returned to power and Americans and their Afghan allies tried desperately to get out of the country.

America’s two-decade presence in Afghanistan was the direct result of the 9/11 attacks, which were planned and executed by al-Qaeda terrorists operating on Afghan soil with the Taliban’s permission. Now many are concerned that the Taliban’s return could again put terrorists in good position to launch devastating attacks on Western targets.

There is much work to do to keep protecting America and its allies under these new circumstances.

But on this anniversary and in the wake of the tragic conclusion to our mission in Afghanistan, it’s appropriate to pay tribute to everyone in the military, law enforcement and other government agencies for their magnificent work keeping their nation safe for the last two decades.

Remember that in the weeks and months following Sept. 11, 2001, many experts and others were convinced that more catastrophic attacks on our soil were imminent. The news was filled with stories about our many vulnerabilities. Heroic work by many people, including our forces who served in Afghanistan and routed al-Qaeda and the Taliban there, put the terrorists on the defensive and kept us safe.

Of course there have been terrorist attacks on the U.S. and our allies since 9/11, and there’s no diminishing how tragic they were. But there was nothing remotely on the scale of 9/11, which killed about 3,000 people and injured more than 6,000 more. Four airplanes were crashed, New York’s twin towers were destroyed and the Pentagon was badly damaged.

Let us express gratitude for those who protect us as we once again mourn the losses of 9/11. There’s are many children and young adults who have no memory of that time. Let us keep telling the stories of what happened on that day and the period that followed it. We must remember the great heroism on the part of so many people, including the first responders who rushed into scenes of devastation without regard to their own safety, and the passengers on Flight 93 who kept one of the planes from hitting the terrorists’ target. We must rekindle the memory of the many lives cut short.

Each year at this time we issue a call for bringing back the spirit of unity and cooperation that took hold in America immediately after the attacks. Each year such calls seem more and more futile as our nation becomes increasingly polarized. Nevertheless, we still hold out hope. There’s no alternative, for our nation’s long-term survival as a constitutional republic depends on reversing this terrible trend.

We refuse to accept that an ever-worsening split between blue and red is inevitable. If people who want cooperation and comity make their voices heard as loudly as those on the political extremes, the tide can turn. This anniversary represents an opportunity to once again think of one another as fellow citizens rather than members of one political side or another.

On this solemn day, let’s resolve to show empathy and mutual support during national crises. Let’s embrace and listen to our neighbors rather than shunning them over differences in viewpoints. To do anything else only shows deep disrespect for the memory of those who died on this date 20 years ago and the many others who made extraordinary sacrifices on our nation’s behalf then and in the months and years since.