Let Us Always Remember, But Also Let Us Never Forget

Let us always remember, but also let us never forget.

Today is the 13th anniversary of the attacks on 9/11/2001. I certainly remember where I was and what I was doing that day. I am sure that you do to if you were old enough to remember it. But remember, we now have a generation of young people who have no living memory of those events, yet, they have lived their entire lives under the cloud of the global war on terror.

They will never know the former relative ease of walking onto an airplane. Today, they get to have a personal inspection by a TSA agent. They will not experience those heady years after the fall of Communism, where anything seemed possible. Sure, there were hiccups along the way (Ruby Ridge, Waco, Khobar Towers, Oklahoma City, USS Cole, etc. You get the picture). They have lived their lives learning about Al Qaeda and Terror Threat levels. But do they really understand why all of this happening? It seems that they do not. What does that say about us?

Thirteen years ago we as a society looked at our Police Officers, Firefighters, EMS, and Military Service men and women with a great admiration. How do we look at them today? I am sure many of you still hold them in great regard. But, how does your neighbor look at them? Too many people see them now as a threat. Again, ask yourself why they see them as a threat. What does that say about us?

Americans seem to suffer from constant selective amnesia. We remember only what we want to, excluding all else. The problem is magnified by the impression that it is the whole society doing this, leaving us with a dazed, confused, and forgetful community.

Remember the events on this day. I know I will. Teach them to your children. Remind your neighbor of them. But, also teach your children about the way we were before. Remind your neighbor of how they lived before that day. Yes, we as a people made mistakes and did wrong. We also did things right. 

Remember those things.