We the People

The country faces tremendous challenges, as the bombs that went off in both New Jersey and New York and the stabbings in Minnesota remind us. These are the times when it would be easy to crawl into a hole and stay there, emerging only when absolutely necessary. Fear is its own terror, and we have to rail against it if we are to survive with any sanity.

How do you handle the realization that people seek to maim and kill you? Are you inclined to stay where it's seemingly safe, or do you declare a refusal to be controlled and manipulated by hateful enemies plotting your demise? How do you model for your children what it is to be bold and free in the midst of real threats? Do tell.

Saturday, the day of these events, was Constitution Day. The preamble of that sacred document reads, "We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."

I love those words, but not everyone is in love with our Constitution or our liberty, and their aim is to disrupt our tranquility, to paralyze us with fear. Whether the terror is homegrown or part of a larger cell, we have to contend with it. How do we?

At a time when we are more divided than ever, particularly in the midst of an increasingly ugly presidential election, there is something upon which we agree. It's the same something we agreed upon on 9/11 -- that we are better united than divided, that Americans possess a spirit that will not be broken; indomitable, we are. Our history has already revealed that we don't ask what political party another belongs to when lives hang in the balance. We stand together. In this regard we can all agree with both presidential candidates, no matter how much we disagree with one or the other on other points: As Hillary Clinton's slogan says, we are "stronger together," and as Donald Trump declares, we must "make America great again." We cannot walk alone, and when tragedy and problems arise, we must rebuild and embrace what we truly are as a nation -- exceptional.

As a shout-out to Southeast Missouri, I look at the example of the Cape River Heritage Museum in Cape Girardeau, which recently unveiled a sculpture in the form of a flame. Its purpose is to honor those who lost their lives on 9/11 and to pay tribute to law enforcement and first responders, who serve us daily. Its name, Espirit de Corps, translated Spirit of the Group, bespeaks unity, not in every detail of our lives, not in every policy position, but in spirit -- as Americans. That image of a flame reminds us that our fire will never be extinguished, and our light will never fade.

Cape Girardeau Mayor Harry Rediger said 9/11 "rocked our country," and he was correct. He was also correct when he added that it "defined [our] character." Saturday's events rocked our neighborhoods, as well -- exposing our vulnerabilities and challenging our preparedness. Nonetheless, our resolve is untouched. Our resilience is unquestionable. And our response must be unflinching: Never forget and never again. That's what that eternal flame represents.

I don't know how your family handles times like these -- whether you retreat for a while or whether you run forward in faith, but I know that when it's all said and done, we, as Americans, take a stand -- together. In these moments, the focus is not Republican vs. Democrat, Black Lives Matter vs. All Lives Matter or Colin Kaepernick vs. "The Star-Spangled Banner." It is, rather, a light that never goes out and a hope that never dies. It is WE the people.

Adrienne Ross is an author, speaker, columnist, editor, educator and Southeast Missourian editorial board member. Reach her at aross@semissourian.com.