Bruised and battered, but not beaten! The Statue of Liberty stands tall amidst the smoke-drenched skies of New York Harbor.

September 11, 2001: The World Trade Center, as seen from across the Brooklyn Bridge, on the day of the attack.

September 12, 2001: The same scene from the same point of view, but the once majestic Twin Towers are gone.

"Angels and ministers of grace
defend us!"
--Hamlet (Act I, scene iv)

I've always been a great supporter of movie magic, but nothing could have prepared me--or the rest of the free world--for what was quite literally a rude awakening on the morning of September 11, 2001. Despite my initial reluctance to believe what I was seeing, the harsh reality was that this was not a Hollywood movie, and from here on in, things would never be the same again.

With unbelievable precision, 2 planes slammed into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City. One plane crashed into the Pentagon in Washington DC. A fourth plane went down just outside Pittsburgh, PA. The worst was yet to come when, one by one, each of the Twin Towers--the very pinnacles of financial power in a city that's notorious for being able to handle anything--came crashing to the ground, injuring and killing thousands of people.

Hollywood has a long history of depicting terrorist attacks on the United States (with "Arlington Road," "The Siege," "Die Hard," and "Black Sunday" being among them), but they were just movies. This time, it was for real. Bruce Willis and Arnold Schwarzenegger weren't gonna come around the corner and save the day this time. The screams were real. The deaths were real.

No matter how many time we saw the frightening images on TV, there was just one question on everybody's mind: How on earth could this have happened?

As of this writing (about 36 hours after the first incident), it's still too early to say. We can speculate, we can guess, and we can point fingers, but the fact is, we're just debating in a vacuum. We've got a diplomatic tiger by the tail, and there's no telling which way that tail is going to swing. We've got to be patient and be prepared. Then--and only then--can we take an appropriate course of action.

Many reporters and politicians were quick to evoke the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, but the fact is, this was much worse. In 1941, we knew who the enemy was. This time, we don't. In 1941, the target was a military base. This time, they were civilian cities. In 1941, Hawaii wasn't a state yet. This time, it was not one, but two very shining examples of what makes America the great country that it is.

Again, as of right now, there are millions of questions and no answers. Still, you can help. Contact your local Red Cross and give blood. Make monetary donations to the Red Cross, the Salvation Army, or any other fund established to help those in need.

Beyond that, stand tall. Be strong. Band together. Support your neighbor. Maintain an even strength. Take a deep breath. Remain calm. Control your anger. Be smart. Don't take your anger out on a fellow American just because he or she doesn't look like you.

I wish I could say that the worst is over, but I'm afraid it's not. If this is a declaration of war--as many politicians have led us believe--then the worst is yet to come. That's why now, more than ever, we need to embrace our loved ones and live up to what it means to be a true American.

This is the land of the free, the home of the brave. This is the United States of America, and the evil culprits who are responsible for this devastating atrocity will be brought to justice.

God bless America, God bless you all, and God help us.