A view of lower Manhattan from New Jersey. September 16, 2001. Photo © Reuters. |
America 911
Try as we might, it is difficult to talk about
September 11th's deadly attacks on the nation with any sense of
authority or resolve. Whether we watched the events unfold on
television, listened to the radio or witnessed them in person,
every American has a story to tell -- of grief, shock,
horror, anger and sadness.
Whether near or far, we have a connection to the disaster.
Family and friends we loved have died. Strangers we never knew have
vanished. Places we've only seen on postcards
have fallen.
But we are all related.
And we are all Native Americans,
as Billings Gazette columnist
John Potter so rightfully put it.
Yet for all of us, the story is just beginning,
nearly a week after two hijacked planes
crashed into the World Trade Center, another
into the Pentagon and a final one in Pennsylvania.
While no one doubts America will recover, the days
ahead will tell a different tale as we
prepare to go to war against an enemy whose
hidden presence has touched every one of us in ways
unimaginable.
For Indian Country, the potential for the impact
is great. One need only to point to the the Indian wars,
the Navajo Code Talkers and the large numbers of
Native Americans in the military to know
nearly every family on nearly every
reservation or tribal community will be affected
by a battle no one knows how long will last.
The dangers, of course,
are many. When Zuni Pueblo in New Mexico sent off hundreds of its
men to World War II, many returned. But they were not
there. Fitting back into the community after witnessing
the horrors of war didn't come easy for them.
Yet to many tribes, the sacrifice is often worth the price.
Indian Country has fought for this land before and
will fight again, traveling far abroad
to protect what little belongs to us
on paper, and never knowing if it will be there
when we come back.
That undying conviction, determination and
resilience has kept America alive.
So, as we review the events of September 11, 2001, we
say thank you to our tribal warriors for what
you have done in the past and for what you will do in
the future.
All of us will need your strength.
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