We Cannot Afford to Forget 9/15/2024

By: Jennifer Richardson Holt

I should probably begin by apologizing to any of my non-American readers. What I planned to talk about today may seem to be pointed at one particular people group, however, I feel like my sentiments could really apply for the most part to a citizen of any nation so maybe I don’t need so much of an apology as I do a disclaimer that this may be a tad country specific.  I shall do my very best however, to make this at least close to a worthwhile read despite your nation of origin or current residence.

It is the time of year that puts these thoughts of my nation heavily in my head.  Not only have we been bombarded with election fodder that is only intensifying for the past several months here but we also just this past week had the anniversary of the September 11^th attacks.  With all these uniquely America focused things going on I couldn’t help but give this nation and its goings on some extra thought.  The 23^rd anniversary of that fateful day in September was the catalyst that started giving me a very clear perspective.

Around this time of year our favorite phrase, well for at least a meager couple of days is “Never Forget”.  But if I’m honest, I don’t think the majority of us remember. I know that sounds flippant and possibly unfeeling.  I genuinely wish that it wasn’t true but if we get right down to brass tacks, I’m afraid it is. After that fateful Tuesday, we weren’t the same. Nothing was. We were more than happy to join together to protect our people and everything we stood for.  We were all patriots and happy to be so. Loving your country didn’t come with some strange negative connotations like we see today that I have never understood.  We flew flags everywhere that we could put them, and spontaneous chants of “USA” broke out at any gathering. We bent over backwards to help with the relief efforts.  We realized how much this country meant to us and we were not willing to let that be compromised.

Today, it seems the majority of the population couldn’t be bothered to call themselves a patriot much less go out of their way to help a neighbor. We are far too wrapped up in getting our own way and our opinions being the only ones that matter to put our pride aside to prioritize the needs of others.  It is disheartening to see where we are today and to remember the type of people that we were on September 12^th, 2001.  We aren’t the same. We haven’t remembered.  All appearances have pointed to the fact that we have utterly forgotten all the values and principles that make this country great.

And nothing has been hammering that home lately to me more than watching what are supposed to be adults carrying on about the upcoming election.  I know that there has always been heated contention between presidential candidates and it isn’t a new development. But, oh my days, this election seems to be especially ridiculous. People aren’t even arguing over issues and policy. We have resorted to name calling and making inappropriate memes.  We are too busy spewing venom at each other to consider we are all in the same nation and will all be in the same boat once this election is done.  If we could all get down off our unnecessarily aggressive soapboxes for just a few moments and consider that every one of us wants, more or less, the same thing. We want safety for ourselves and our families. We want to be able to live our lives in comfort and peace.  We don’t all require wealth and multiple houses, cars and boats. But this type of thing doesn’t seem to even cross the minds of society today.  We are a conceited and rude people as of late. While I know for a fact that there are exceptions to this, they seem to be lately too few and far between.

I wish it didn’t take an earth-shattering tragedy for us to be able to love one another. That day twenty-three years ago we didn’t all agree on everything, but we knew what meant the most and what the best of us was. I hate that it takes us being traumatized to learn these things.  We say we remember but if you look around very much these days that sentiment is questionable at best.  But I must remember, those Americans that we were back then, they do in fact still exist. They may have lost themselves under the rubble of stress, media and political correctness but they are still in there. Hopefully something can turn the tide and teach us that “we the people” really does include everyone and we truly aren’t as different as the powers that be, and media would have us believe. Division is far more profitable for them so they are happy to keep us this way. I just hope we can remember that we all bleed the same without having to have a horrible wound to prove it.