I was but a young boy when JFK was assassinated and so I cannot join the ranks of those who always remember what they were doing at the time, but I can tell you exactly what I was doing when the first plane hit the twin towers. We were discussing this at work the other day and this seems to be the "remembrance" of our generation. Each person in the room told exactly what they were doing at the time.

There are a few instances of "never forget" throughout each generation of history. I hope my children will be able to bypass theirs but I fear it won't happen.

We must remain always vigilant to protect our shores from all quarters but at the same time we must remember that our individual freedoms are more important than our collective protections. I am often concerned that a collective cry of "save us" sometimes drowns out the thought of "from what?"

An attack from outside our borders or from hostile elements within our borders is always a possibility and unfortunately I have no doubt that another will occur at some time and could perhaps make 9/11 look small in comparison. We must, as a society, remain always alert to what happens around us both locally and around the world to try to lessen the chance or severity of such an attack.

While we watch for attacks on our country and our society it is necessary that we always remember what our country was founded for. Think of your freedoms and rights. Think of our constitution. Take the time to actually read the Declaration of Independence. Write your politicians and become involved in your family, your community, and your country. Protect yourself from both attacks from outside and the whittling away of your rights from within.

Always remember.

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