As I watch the 9/11 public memorial taking place in various cities, towns, offices and even homes in 2013, twelve years after America suffered a major attack at the hands of vicious terrorists, I am reminded of why America is still the Greatest Nation on Earth. It is not because of our military might (as awesome as it is), and it is not because we have everything figured out as a nation economically or socially. It is because we don't forget about our brothers and sisters; our fellow Americans.

We don't leave people behind.

We don't bury the memories of those who died for our Country and move on leaving their families to fend for themselves. We, as a Nation, mourn together. Democrat and Republican, gay and straight, white and black, we all mourn together the senseless tragedy that forever changed our America.

Every year since September 11, 2001, we once again watch the attacks that took place on our Country, we have moments of silence during the times the planes crashed, and during the times the towers fell. We take the time to read the names of every American that died that horrific day.

Sure, in between those times we bicker and argue over policies and politics. We disagree on how to handle foreign relations, domestic relations and the myriad of problems it seems that are mounting on the American people daily. But, what makes us great, and has always made us great, is not our sense of superiority, our alleged arrogance of reigning supreme as a world super power (for those that do not know, our superpower status didn't happen until the last century.) What makes America great are the hearts of our people. A people that can stand together twelve years later and still cry for one another as the names are read of people we have never met, know nothing about, but know they died and they had family members that loved them.

Our compassion and love for one another should be what dominates the airwaves of our media. Not the exceptions that contribute to disharmony and ill will toward one another.

If we really want to honor those that have died for our freedom and because of it, we should do so by no longer allowing the media to facilitate anger, strife and bitterness, those vial attributes that will actually cause America to stumble and fall. We should unite in one cause, regardless of our differences; the one cause to love another, carry each other's burdens, and respect each other's beliefs and opinions, even if they differ from our own.

Many say we have fallen or are falling as a Nation. It is because we believed the lie that we hate each other, that we are divided. That a racial war is coming, a religious war is coming, class warfare is here. It only comes if we allow it. America is still the greatest Nation on earth as long as we refuse to tolerate hate, perpetrators of hate and agitators of discord, on any side.

We as Americans have the ability to frame the news and hold those media organizations feet to the fire of what we will listen to and tolerate. Stand up and show those in power that we are not going to take their lies and purposeful division anymore.
If we are this compassionate for one another one day a year, we can show love for each other every day of the year. And this is what will keep America the Greatest Nation on Earth.