This week, all eyes are on the 18th anniversary of September 11th, and rightly so. I was only nine years old when the tragedy happened, but it certainly affected me nonetheless. The solemn remembrance is a reminder of the need to stand up and speak out for what is right. I will always remember then-President George W. Bushs’ famous words to the New York City Firefighters while standing in the rubble of Ground Zero. “I can hear you! I can hear you! The rest of the world hears you, and the people who knocked these buildings down will hear all of us soon.” While there are those in congress who demean the loss of life on 9/11, it certainly does not change the fact that this nation and indeed, the world were forever changed that day. When good men do nothing, evil advances. That cannot be allowed to happen. The need to speak up and speak out remains true today. It is time for those who believe in the principles that this country was founded on to rise and make their voices heard. It is time to get back to the basics and be grateful for the fact that we are blessed to be Americans.