A day without politics

The man behind tomorrow's day of national service makes an impassioned plea for Americans to take one day off from politics:

Lest we all forget, almost eight years ago, 2,974 people were murdered. Forty percent of the families of these victims never recovered any remains. Nothing. They buried empty caskets. Since then, nearly 800 first responders who raced to the scene have died -- 27 percent from cancer. Thirty-one of the 800 committed suicide.

Needless to say, 9/11 is not a day that should ever be politicized or used to flame the fires of partisanship. Not by The American Spectator or Fox News. Or by supporters of the Obama Administration or MSNBC. It must always be a day of unity, patriotism, and reflection, along with remembrance. And yes, if a person chooses to do so, voluntary service as well. Let's honor the 9/11 heroes by putting the boxing gloves away, at least for one day.

We have 364 days of the year to argue politics -- including some things that came in the wake of 9/11 -- but one day when it's best to focus our thoughts on the innocents who lost their lives, their families, the heroes who saved lives or who died trying, and the neverending struggle to conquer the kind of evil that a small band of fanatics carried out that sunny yet awful day. That time is right now.