When Is ‘Enough’?
This morning a NY Times article reports that many people are tired of 9/11 tributes. Enough has become too much. They want us all to just forget and move on. Yeah.
Tell that to the people in the twin towers; the people in the pentagon; and those on flight 93. Tell it to the policemen, firefighters, paramedics and other citizens who gave their lives while attempting to save others. Better yet, tell it to their families, those people forever waiting for loved ones that will never come home. Tell it to the sons and daughters who lost a parent — or two. Tell it to the mothers, fathers, wives and husbands who wait in vain for the sound of a voice or the gentle touch from the hand of their beloved.
If, as a nation, we really wanted to put the memories of 9/11 to rest, wouldn’t our energies better be spent working toward peace? What we should be saying ‘enough’ to is hate and violence. Then those who died in the attacks and the aftermath of 9/11 — including the soldiers still dying now — really could rest in peace.
In the meantime may we always remember that privilege should breed responsibility. Unfortunately for too many Americans all it seems to produce is insouciance.
17 Comments
Insouciance? You just want to chase everyone to their dictionary today, don’t you? LOL! I do think remembering is important… we still remember Pearl Harbor each year… but it is “toned down” from what it was, I’m sure, for years after it happened. And eventually 9/11 will “tone down” too… it is the nature of things. But as you pointed out, SOME people still have wide open wounds that need that salve of remembrance.
The people in the twin towers, the pentagon, airplanes and cetera moved on without being told.
Melli — I added the dictionary link just for you. Of course, others may use it.
Doug — most of the survivors haven’t — and given a choice the victims probably wouldn’t have either.
Very well put, Quilly.
… that privilege should breed responsibility…
In the days after 9/11, I wondered if We the People of these United States had been targeted because we had made of ourselves a target. That the people of the world had ceased to see our wealth as an opportunity, and had come to see it instead as a burden.
Occasionally I would venture such thoughts aloud. I did so in the church I attended … and offended many. Some thought me a gay basher, or a Pharisee; others, that I had gone over to the enemy.
Ironically, in that same church three years and a new pastor later, I read Isaiah 58:1-8 aloud …
I second that!! Thanks for the dictionary link, that was cute. 🙂
Nessa — thank you.
OC — we were targeted because of our power and arrogance. Americans are seen as a blight upon the earth on several different fronts. It is time we started wondering why and taking action to combat the global opinion that we are all arrogant, shallow, narcissistic, money grubbing, vultures out to further our own culture at the expense of all others. If we don’t take action, others will — example: Al Qaeda.
Pauline — thank Melli. Her grumbling made me do it.
Noam Chomsky said, “Everybody’s worried about stopping terrorism. Well, there’s a really easy way: stop participating in it.”
We never want to forget what those people did, being a Canadian it wouldn’t affect me the same way it did you, but it brought the fighting to our shores and we need to be made aware that any city or town in Canada or the United States could be hit again.
I worry about my nephew and a lot more his age that could be called to go into war and to fight a fruitless battle. You are right Quilly, two wrongs don’t make a right. This is not WWII, we are not fighting Nazi’s that are trying to take something that doesn’t belong to them or make the world only see their way of thinking. This is different, it is a war that will never be won. We must put our faith in God and pray to him.
Thankyou for sharing
Well said, Mumma.
Bill — I would much rather we have allies in peace than allies in war.
I’m not ready to forget just yet.
Quillie, sorry if that seemed unfairly flippant. Yesterday on the radio I heard someone say “Avoid memorials. That’s where the next evil starts.” I believed it as soon as I heard. I haven’t forgotten but I’m not trying to remember either.
Brooke — I think forgetting would be a mistake which would leave us open for a repeat.
Doug — I agree in part. Too much picking at the scab can make a wound fester instead of heal — but ignoring a wound can be just as damaging. I think that the best way to remember and honor those who died on 9/11 would be for American to clean up our image around the world, stop bullying other nations to do things our way — for our benefit — and start acting like the beneficent neighbor we claim to be.
Quilly, I think we can agree on that, but the dead are 3000 of the billions that would honor.
Doug — that might just be a nice start on cleaning up the American image.
Hey Quilldancer, I noticed you don’t write on your other blog anymore, I don’t know if you remember me but I posted a rude comment on your blog a long time ago, and I still think about it, I just wanted to apologize. Hope everything is going well with you.
Hey Lost Crow, I remember you. You are welcome here — rude comments or not. Don’t let it bother you, I have moved on — literally and figuratively.
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