Our culture is struggling to raise thriving men—the kind of men we count on in crises, the kind whose strength of character we celebrate each year on September 11.
Where do such men come from? What sparks that kind of resolve? Are we, as a nation, raising up a new generation prepared to meet the challenges of their day with the same kind of bravery?
One thing is certain: character doesn’t appear overnight. It is forged over years. Theodore Roosevelt once said, “No one can be a good American unless he is a good citizen, and every boy ought to train himself so that as a man he will be able to do his full duty to the community … [to] act in a way that will give them a country to be proud of.”
Inspiring words. But they also raise a question: will boys simply train themselves? Will they, on their own, develop the kind of habits and virtues that make for citizens of strength and conviction?
The truth is, boys learn courage much the same way they learn how to change the oil or fix a leaky faucet. They need men to:
- Show them what courage looks like in everyday life.
- Guide them as they practice it themselves.
- Affirm them when they rise to the challenge and take their place as men of character.
Yet today, too many boys are left to navigate manhood without guides. Nearly 21 percent of boys live without their father in the home. In schools, 89 percent of elementary teachers are female—dedicated educators, but not male role models. Many boys are left without men to emulate, and the results are sobering: men account for four out of five suicides in America and suffer drug-related deaths at twice the rate of women. Even boys as young as 10 to 14 now face one of the fastest-growing suicide rates in the country.
Clearly, something is broken. Our culture is struggling to raise thriving men—the kind of men we count on in crises, the kind whose strength of character we celebrate each year on September 11.
We remember Todd Beamer bravely rallying the passengers of Flight 93 with the simple words, “Let’s roll.” We remember Rick Rescorla’s steady strength, singing as he guided thousands of employees out of the North Tower. We remember the men of Ladder Company 6 and their conviction, refusing to leave Josephine Harris behind and carrying her to safety at the cost of precious minutes. The list could go on and on.
These stories endure because, in the darkest moments, light shines brightest. And dark times are nothing new. Every generation needs men like these—men of courage, strength, and conviction.
But it is not too late. Across the country, fathers, mentors, and volunteers are stepping in to model courageous manhood and to guide boys into becoming men of service. And that work begins in small, ordinary moments.
I’ve seen this lived out firsthand in Trail Life USA. Boys discover strength as they push past limits on mountains and rivers, learning that endurance, grit, and teamwork matter more than comfort. They learn conviction when they choose service over self—like in California, where boys shouldered backpacks of supplies to deliver relief to wildfire victims, or in New Mexico, where young men rebuilt a Marine veteran’s storm-damaged flagpole and crafted a memorial in his honor. No one ordered them to do it. They acted because they believed it was right. That is conviction in action.
As that veteran’s wife said, “They gave us a beautiful gift. Not just the memorial, but the hope that there are still boys being raised to be good men.”
This September 11, as we remember the courage that lit the darkness 24 years ago, may we also look forward. May we commit ourselves to raising and guiding boys into men who will one day be remembered for their courage, strength, and conviction. Because the world will need them.