As the morning sun poured platinum over the streets of Blue Ridge last Saturday, citizens of all ages gathered in the city park gazebo to pay their respects to the heroes and victims of the 9/11 terror attacks on this tenth anniversary of the catastrophe. County officials and residents alike gathered to remember the devastating events of ten years ago. Under tents stretched before the gazebo, citizens watched attentively, while they listened to the Fannin County High School Band perform the musical prelude to the ceremony. After Blue Ridge Mayor Donna Whitener welcomed the crowd, the North Georgia Honor Guard posted the colors. The procession of flags before the gazebo was patient and solemn, where each flag stopped before the crowd momentarily for reflection. Beside the American Flag, one of the most poignant banners was the black flag in memory of POWs and MIAs. As it halted before the onlookers, the solemnity of the spectators grew visceral. And, if you listened closely, it seemed as if you could hear the soft murmuring of prayers and tender incantations of intercessions for the souls of soldiers of wars long past and wars present and on-going. As if in continuation of these prayers, Shawn Rudd sang The National Anthem, as listeners held hand over heart. Following the National Anthem, Pastor Asa Dockery delivered a heart-felt invocation. Pastor Dockery’s invocation, these prayers to God for our leaders and country, set the theme for the events of the day and prefaced the afternoon’s keynote address, delivered by Reverend John Mason, a deacon from St. Anthony’s Catholic Church in Blue Ridge.

Reverend Mason’s address captivated the audience and, as he spoke and delivered his speech, listeners and onlookers, either nodded or bowed their heads, seemingly in prayer. Mason began his talk inevitably by recalling the decade-old day of infamy. He called the memory one of horror and recalled the cause and our enemies of the event and the current war. In his talk, Reverend Mason addressed the evil and threat of Radical Islam to our nation, but also explained this is not the only threat. He gave a history of the infiltration of socialism and communism in our country and noted these ideologies are not dead, warning,

“Big government control through socialism is the last step to what was called communism.”

The reverend reminded his listeners that, no matter what revisionists say, America is a Christian country and that Christians must unite to save our nation from peril, a salvation which can only come through the grace of God. But, he said that,

“regardless of one’s religious beliefs or lack of belief, every American must decide for or against America, for its survival of a free nation or its demise.”

Listeners looked on reverently and following a breath of soft breeze, Mason concluded his speech, which seemed not only addressed to Blue Ridge or Fannin County, but to the entire country.

“ If we are to honor our fallen,” he finished, “we must do more than remember, we must act and we must act rightly. God Bless America and God Bless us all. Amen.”

A roar of applause followed, as the Deacon left the podium. Matthew Colbert said a prayer and then the Honor Guard gave a rifle salute to the fallen, followed by taps.