The Importance of Families

The American experience has never included a more gripping illustration of what we hold dear than in the events surrounding September 11th. We knew it before. We know it even better now. The core of America resides not in its majestic structures, its economic prowess or its technology. The core of America resides in its families and the freedom for each family to live its own dream.

As the World Trade Center became rubble before our very eyes and news broadcasts reviewed crash sites where thousands of our beloved countrymen forfeited their lives, the heart of America was in despair. Why? Because all Americans who share the heartbeat of this great land knew that within the rubble of these catastrophes were daughters and sons, sisters and brothers, aunts and uncles, grandmas and grandpas, fathers and mothers.

It has been a compelling reminder of what is truly important in life as we have witnessed family members with photographs in hand as they search the streets of New York City for evidence of their loved ones. The heart of America continues to mourn as we see and hear individual stories of loss.

Maybe the economists have estimated how many millions or billions of dollars will figure into the cost of rebuilding. I haven’t heard. I suspect the numbers will ring a rather hollow tone. Perhaps we should care. But there are plenty of architects who can plan plenty of new and exciting buildings. There are plenty of places for people to figure out how to make plenty of money. But there was only one Daddy, only one Mommy, only one . . .

And that’s why America will not rest until the evil men who would imagine such atrocities are disrupted and brought to justice. That is why the heart of America joins President Bush in saying, "In the war against terrorism, we will not tire, we will not falter, and we will not fail."