This past weekend marked the tenth anniversary of the utterly devastating terrorist attacks on our country. Retrospectives and remembrances were all over the TV, newspapers and internet — as they should have been. We must never forget that horrible day, or those that lost their lives.
But with few exceptions, I saw very little mentioned about the aftermath of 9/11. (One glowing exception is Heather Elias’ post, Remembering, Reflecting, and an Opportunity for Change. It’s a fabulous piece, go read it. I’ll wait for you…)
This morning I was walking along a bike/jogging path near my house. The temperature was a perfect 71 degrees and the remnants of last night’s rain clouds made for a spectacular sunrise. Thinking about all the work this weekend that took place to set up the Tempe 9/11 Healing Field — putting up and then taking down almost 3,000 flags honoring 9/11 victims — and thinking about what Heather wrote, I was wondering why it was that we lost that… togetherness… the country felt in the days following 9/11.
Eight people jogged past me this morning. I said a warm, “Good morning!” to every one of them. Care to guess what the responses I got were?
Five people completely ignored me. Two had head phones on so maybe their excuse was they didn’t hear me. The other three looked me right in the eye. Right through my eyes actually, and said nothing. I might as well have not even been there.
Two people smiled slightly but said nothing.
One said “good morning” back.
Remember the days that followed the 9/11 attacks? American flags were everywhere. People were nice to each other. People were patient. In just a couple of hours that horrible Tuesday morning we had our perspectives radically adjusted. And honestly, adjusted for the better. There was a sense if unity in the air, a sense of togetherness.
Ten years later that seems to have been lost. So many seem to be back at the grind, thinking of themselves, trying to get ahead. Ignoring a fellow citizen that greats them with “good morning!” on a beautiful day.
It’s rather sad.
September 11, 2001 was a monumental day in history. The devastation and loss was unimaginable. But there was some good that came out of that day. Of course I hope and pray we never experience another day like September 11, 2001. But I do find myself wishing we could have some of those good feelings from the day’s after…
I have been reflecting on those things also Jay and wondering where all that went off to. I have never experienced such an overwhelming spirit of unity than in the weeks after 9/11 and it seems that we became complacent and forget how devastating that was and how a country could come together and be unified in our belief that we would overcome. I wish much of that would still have been kept and spill over into our everyday lives also. Thanks for sharing.
My pleasure Diane. Thanks for commenting!
well said Jay.
This past weekend at Healing Field we experienced the feelings once again of a community coming together. It is, to bad that many in our community/country, are too busy to acknowledge one another or they just don’t care.
The word that comes to mind is ‘Apathy’. Our country is at a dangerous cross road and apathy/indifference is driving us down this dangerous path.
I encourage all to get involved, volunteer, hold the door for a stranger, smile, give an unexpected compiment, make a difference in somebody else’s life. Don’t do it to make yourself feel better, just do it because it’s the right thing to do.
After all, United we Stand and Divided we Fall.
Mark – a spot-on statement. Thanks. And thanks for all you did organizing the Healing Field. It was an honor to be a small part of it.
What liberating knowlgdee. Give me liberty or give me death.
We are remembering this event…WHY? Did everyone forget Pearl Harbor, the Vietnam War, WW I and II…and of course our civil war?
All I heard that day…was fear mongering…NEW terrorist attempts…and I believe they don’t want us to forget for FEAR we ALL rise up againstthe Patriot Act…which was put in place for 10 years and now is extended (thanks obummer) for another 10.
I want to FORGET the day our Liberty and Freedom was taken from us. Did anyone realize that the Posse Comitatus Act was revised in 2006? The 2006 language made it easier for a president to declare martial law. Thankfully it was repealed in 2008 ONLY because Rep Ron Paul made an issue of it in 2007. Also of note, a leading opponent in Congress of the 2006 expansion of Posse Comitatus powers, as well as a leading advocate of their repeal, was Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.)
When will people rise against the Patriot Act…as Congress clearly wants it to stay and we all know they do not have OUR interests in mind.
“Did everyone forget Pearl Harbor, the Vietnam War, WW I and II…and of course our civil war?”
Actually yeah, I think a lot of people have forgotten all that Cheryl…
Also, the post wasn’t even about remembering 9/11 (which shouldn’t ever be forgotten), it was about the days following 9/11.
As for Congress, trust me, I have my fair share of issues with the vast majority of them.