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In the 17 years since 9/11, has the international enemy morphed into a home-grown domestic enemy?

Perceptions and Reflections from Patriot Day in 2018


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By —— Bio and Archives September 12, 2018

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Donald Trump, 9/11 As Americans commemorated the heroes of 9/11 on Patriot Day, it was appropriate that the focus was on them. President Trump was in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, on Patriot Day to pay tribute to a new memorial to the victims of Flight 93. Trump offered a personal and “solemn tribute” to the 40 passengers and crew members of that fateful United Airlines flight. He praised the passengers “who stood up and defied the enemy” 17 years ago.
On September 11, 2001, a band of brave patriots turned the tide on our nation’s enemies and joined the immortal ranks of American heroes... At this memorial, on this sacred earth, in the field beyond this wall, and in the skies above our heads, we remember the moment when America fought back.
President Trump delivered a moving address that touched those with memories of the horrific destruction and magnitude of the unimaginable loss of life of nearly 3,000 human beings. He shared with the audience that “ “We honor their sacrifice by pledging to never flinch in the face of evil and to do whatever it takes to keep America safe.” Trump went on to call the dedicated field a “monument to American defiance,” and stated that the new memorial would express a “message to the world—America will never submit to tyranny.” The president personally pledged:
As commander in chief, I will always do everything in my power to prevent terrorists from striking American soil... 17 years ago, 40 incredible men and women showed the whole world that no force on earth will ever conquer the American spirit …We treasure their memory and legacy.
Vice President Pence was the keynote speaker at the site of the 9/11 attacks on the Pentagon on Patriot Day, and shared with the audience his memories when he was struck by the horrific reality on that day in 2001 while a Congressman on Capitol Hill. He echoed similar sentiments of President Trump, and reiterated what Defense Secretary James Mattis had shared with the audience: “We honor them (those who lost their lives) by doing everything in our power as a nation to prevent the evil of radical Islamic terrorism from ever reaching our shores again…”
Especially, amidst all the political divisiveness and social turbulence in America in 2018, it is right that caring Americans would reflect upon those who lost their lives on 9/11 - especially those heroes who gave their lives that many American and foreign citizens (people from 91 nations died in the attacks) could keep their lives. Certainly, the tragedy of 9/11 would be compounded if the heroes of 9/11 were forgotten. That there were so many who rose to the occasion in the face of pure evil in 2001, should be an Inspiration to all Americans. Remembering the actions of the heroes of 9/11 is heartening, and can spark hope and truly rekindle one’s faith in humanity, as love still prevailed in the midst of man-made hell on earth. Yet, in preceding Pence, Secretary Mattis reminded those attending the Pentagon ceremony that hatred was at the heart of the terrorist attacks. Mattis said something that many Americans (roughly a quarter of America’s current population, according to Pence, were born after 9/11/2001) may not fully realize. He advised American citizens to “remember that hatred disguised in false religious garb to murder innocents will not prevail…“ It is important to understand that there is more truth in that statement than most Americans realize. Americans need to grasp this truth from its core. Much has been written about Osama bin Laden’s involvement with the 9/11 tragedy, but most Americans are only vaguely familiar with his genuine beliefs. It is important to know the half truth-half distortions in his mind, and his words reveal a portion of his thinking. Such thoughts are reflected in those the Islamist terrorist networks to a large degree, as bin Laden is their hero. And, it is revealing how some of his thoughts are eerily similar to the thoughts of people who call themselves Americans, who truly hate America. In the hours after the 9/11 attacks, Americans security agencies only had suspicions, and could not identify any one nation or organization that would be audacious enough to commit to such a deadly assault upon one of the most powerful nations in the world. Ultimately, suspicions were confirmed as evidence was sifted and intelligence agencies concluded that Al-Qaeda operatives were the ones responsible for the attacks.


But Al-Qaeda initially denied it, and denied that Osama bin Laden had anything to do with it. President George W. Bush had preliminary intelligence reports that had linked Al-Qaeda and Osama bin Laden to the suicide attacks. However, spokesmen for Al-Qaeda or bin Laden, although initially denying involvement, were eventually crowing over their victory. When bin Laden was initially questioned about his involvement, he has been quoted as saying: “I have already said that I am not involved in the 11 September attacks in the United States. As a Muslim, I try my best to avoid telling a lie. I had no knowledge of these attacks, nor do I consider the killing of innocent women, children, and other humans as an appreciable act. Islam strictly forbids causing harm to innocent women, children, and other people." The operant word in the statement is “innocent.” When Osama bin Laden eventually came out of the closet and admitted complicity in the acts of terror, he praised the hijackers as freedom fighters exhibiting “defiant spirits” in a fight against an evil oppressive empire. The reason for Americans being killed was because of the “jihad” or religious war against the infidel, and the suicide squad of 19 who carried out the lethal plans, were acting in the name of freedom. Often, bin Laden attempted to play up the freedom loving, freedom-fighter image of Al Qaeda. Yet, when looking more closely at bin Laden’s religious values, someone questioned how he could claim to be a “good Muslim” in light of the obvious contradiction of what he previously said about obeying Islam and not being involved in “the killing innocent women, children, and other people.” At that point, he simply confessed that he was not a good Muslim. However, he did not consider the murders of innocents on 9/11 as murder, and those who were murdered as innocent.
Osama bin Laden’s contortions or distortions of Islam to fit his own agenda permitted him the ability to re-arrange the pillars of the teachings of Islam. It permitted him to preach jihad as a central pillar of the faith (if Islam could still qualify as a “faith”). This emphasis upon holy was with all non-believers would give any religion a bad name. This is likely what Secretary Mattis was referring to when he stated: “hatred disguised in false religious garb to murder innocents will not prevail...“ Although it is not clear whether bin Laden was genuinely a religious man, it is clear that he used the religion of his people to obtain his sinister objectives. Osama bin Laden’s version of the fundamentals of Islam placed the responsibility or duty of waging religious jihad against all non-believers (meaning people of zero faith as well as people of non-Muslim faiths, and even of some opposing Muslim sects). This cuts across a very broad spectrum of humanity. In his myopic view, he possessed the truth, and the truth gave him and any Islamist terrorists the right to take life. Potential targets include a large mass of humanity. Other objectives bin Laden referred to when he sent his “Letter to the American People” in 2002, included the elimination of Israel and presumably all Jews in the U.S., advising all American people to embrace Islam and the virtues of Sharia Law. But, as one reads his letter carefully, it becomes frightfully similar to proposed policies, or actions already taken, by the radicalized 2018 version of the “Democratic” Party. Of course, their Party faithful are not radically religious, many not adhering to any faith whatsoever. And, it is hard to imagine Democrats justifying a holy jihad against the Republicans. Or is it? However, the political tightrope that radical progressives and Democrat-Socialists are walking reveals little fear over expressing similar sentiments to Osama bin Laden in his open hatred of the United States and the capitalist system. In the 17 years since 9/11, has the international enemy morphed into a home-grown domestic enemy?

Dennis Jamison -- Bio and Archives | Comments

Dennis Jamison reinvented his life after working for a multi-billion dollar division of Johnson & Johnson for several years. Currently retired from West Valley College in California, where he taught for nearly 10 years, he now writes articles on history and American freedom for various online publications.

Formerly a contributor to the Communities at the Washington Times and Fairfax Free Citizen, his more current articles appear in Canada Free Press and Communities Digital News. During the 2016 presidential primaries, he was the leader of a network of writers, bloggers, and editors who promoted the candidacy of Dr. Ben Carson. Jamison founded “We the People” - Patriots, Pilgrims, Prophets Writers’ Network and the Citizen Sentinels Network. Both are volunteer groups for grassroots citizen-journalists and activists intent on promoting and preserving the inviolable God-given freedoms rooted in the founding documents. 

Jamison also co-founded RedAmericaConsulting to identify, counsel, and support citizen-candidates, who may not have much campaign money, but whose beliefs and deeds reflect the role of public servants rather than power-hungry politicians.  ​


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