Do we remember 09/11? Where were you when that tragic incident happened? How old were you? How did you learn about it? Were you watching the news? Knew someone involved? Lost a loved one? Whatever your answers are to these questions, the fact is this: WE REMEMBER. But here is another question for us to think about - why do we remember?
Media. I remember watching the news as an 11 year old girl in a Red Roof Inn in Billings, MT; my family and I were moving in to a new home that day. But I remember the video footage. I remember the Twin Towers being hit. I remember seeing people fall from the towers. I remember the smoke and the fire. I remember seeing people scared, crying, running. I remember President Bush addressing all of us, comforting us, and assisting in our coming together as the United States of America. Because of the footage that was being broadcast, the images from that day are forever ingrained in my mind.This was a significant day in our country's history. Life was not the same after that.
A co-worker of mine put this event in terms I don't believe I had thought of before:
Why/How do we forget so easily when such a tragic event is so vivid in our minds? The media did an excellent job on covering the footage that day, everyone knew what had happened. I agree with my co-worker 100% - 09/11 was a horrific day, but 09/12 was "America the Beautiful" as clearly as I've seen it before. What can we do to unite ourselves as a country? As a people? How do we help one another not forget?
At the BYU Football game last night, a beautiful thing was planned. Fans helped in spelling out "We Will Never Forget." These are some of the most powerful words I have ever read. If this is our declaration, we need to share it more often than on 09/11 or other significant holidays like Labor Day, Memorial Day, and Independence Day.
Since media had such an impact on this event and how we remember it, my goal is to express thanks and gratitude more often - for this country, for the people who fight each day for it, and for those who have lost their lives in service. "We Will Never Forget" should be a motto each day of our lives, as individuals and as the United States of America.
As the picture to to the right says, "Will hate bring it all back? Will it bring back the innocence? The sense of security? Will it bring back the husbands and wives and sons and daughters? Will hate make us better than those who hate us? Or merely bring us closer to them? Will hate help us destroy our enemies? Or will it laugh as we destroy ourselves? There are those who say we don't know who our enemy is. But we do. Our enemy is a neighborhood mosque defaced by vandals. An Arab-American storekeeper in fear of reprisal. A scared Muslim child bullied because she is different. Hate is our enemy. And when we start to hate other Americans, we have lost everything. Hate has taken enough from us already. Don't let it take you." Hate is not the answer, but remembering is. We cannot let the hatred take us over and cloud us from remembering who we are as a country.We came together united more than ever after the events occurred on September 11, 2001, and media can show you hundreds of thousands of examples of that. How can we remember (not hate) and never forget these events? Share something today (Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, etc) about this. I know that yesterday was the thirteenth anniversary, but thirteen years ago TODAY we came together as a country - united in never forgetting and always remembering the towers and people who fell. Use the media today to share a message of courage and hope; a message of being united and strong. Always remember, never forget. And thank a soldier for all they do!
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