Tomorrow, our nation will commemorate the 16th anniversary of one of our country’s darkest days — Sept. 11, 2001.

On that day and with no public warning, a group of terrorists succeeded in making the American way of life cease to exist — at least for a bit.

Radical Islamic terrorists found a weakness in our nation’s airport security and took full advantage, hijacking four large passenger jets.

Two were flown into the towers of the World Trade Center, one crashed into the Pentagon and the four crashed into the Pennsylvania countryside, presumably after passengers learned of terrorists’ plans and fought back, thwarting the terrorists’ plot.

That flight, United Flight No. 93, will always represent the strength of America.

We can be taken by surprise.

We can get caught off guard.

And we can be knocked to our knees, but Flight 93 showed, we would not go down without a fight.

Sept. 11 was a deep and dark tragedy for our nation, but it was also a reminder of how quickly Americans can come together in the face of tragedy.

Many Americans fondly recall the deep patriotism imbued by the days after Sept. 11. As we remember the tragedy tomorrow, let us also remember how quickly and easily American can find its patriotic core when it wants to and hope and pray we can do so again without a terrorist attack.