I was as affected by 9-11 as every other American, and I realize I'm taking a risk of angering some of my fellow citizens, but when has that ever stopped me.
I am so weary of having the events of 9-11 crammed down my throat by the media.
They tell us what to think, and how to think it, and how we should be feeling and responding to that horrific time 10 years ago.
Today, on Today, they had five of the "children" of that day who had lost a parent. They had been rounded up by the Today Show to put "A Face" to the tragedy of those sad times.
Was it necessary?
Did it help me have more compassion and understanding of what so many went through that day.
No. It did not.
And the reason it didn't is because over the last ten years it has been used by the media, both print and television as one of their top "Go To" stories for those times when there just isn't much happening in the world.
In other words; Fodder for a slow news day.
I can just imagine the giddiness of those news-crews covering such a gut wrenching story as
9-11 Ten Years After
Back to this morning.
There was good old Matt with those children (most of them now in their 20's) who had lost a parent to the horror that was 9-11. Of course the Today Show has been keeping track of them during these last ten years.
And of course, in typical TV journalism fashion, Good old Matt Lauer wanted to know,
How did they FEEL?
Guess what? They were good. They have moved on. They have survived. In fact not only survived but by the sound of it flourished.
And guess what else?
They didn't appreciate all that much being forced to relive that day for the nice Today Show audience.
In so many words a few of them basically told Matt that they prefer to not think about that time. They don't dwell on it. They have;
Moved on.
Has anybody thought about that?
Has it ever occurred to anyone other than me that maybe, just maybe the victims of 9-11 don't really want their entire life defined by that awful tragedy? I'm sure it's occurred to a lot of people actually. I think that maybe someone needs to enlighten the media.
I absolutely believe in the "Never Forget" mentality.
Within reason of course.
One point I would like to make though, is I think what this means is to never forget the mistakes we have made as a people, as a country.
As horrible as 9-11 was it wasn't an event that we caused. I don't really think that any rational person still thinks "Well we brought it on ourselves, hopefully we can learn from our mistakes."
No. Of course not. 9-11 was the result of evil men with evil intentions, wreaking evil on innocent victims.
We have nothing to be ashamed of.
Now, if we really believe in "Never Forget" we need to remember the truly awful things we have done as a people.
The atrocity of slavery. We should also, Never Forget the way Black people were treated after slavery was outlawed. Did we take the chance to repair the evil we had done to the innocent victims of this most horrible chapter in our country's history? Did we engulf these newly freed people in arms of security and prosperity as we should have?
No. We did not.
Instead they were thrown from the frying pan into the fire. the . Segregation, discrimination, horrible Jim Crow laws. Evils that to this day still exist, in part, in certain areas of this country.
We need to Never Forget the forced determent of Japanese citizens during World War 2.
Innocent families rounded up and forced to leave their homes and everything they owned and sent to what were basically concentration camps in THIS country. Most of those victims of US stupidity never got back their homes or property, their jobs, their previous lives.
When was the last time you heard this evil remembered.
Women and Blacks denied the right to vote.
The Trail Of Tears i.e.The deplorable treatment of Native Americans.
There are many wrongdoings that we as a people need to remember and learn from.
9-11 is an event so awful, of such incalculable harm, that yes, we still feel it's effects these ten years later. So of course we will remember.
Erect the monuments.
Engrave the names of the victims.
Grieve for the families who lost loved ones.
That is only natural.
But stop contributing to the media's exploitation of that horrible time and let's all remember in whatever way seems appropriate to each of us.
I will never forget that day, that week, that month, and the years that followed. I will never forget. But, I will claim the right to remember it in
my own way,
on my own terms,
and not the way dictated to me by the media.
I do remember, and I do care, but I refuse to feel any guilt if those early days have become somewhat hazy in my mind.
It doesn't mean I don't care, it just means that I'm human, I have a life, I have my own hardships and I have many happinesses as well.
That's how life is.
That's the power of humanity.
We remember.
But we refuse to let those memories stunt our further growth and development.
We heal and then we move on.
And thank God for that.
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