Friday, September 12, 2008

Let's Just Forget



In the comments of yesterday's post, The Daily Rant ranted that we should forget the events of September 11, 2001 because it's divisive to our nation.

Forget?

Really?

Is that really a viable option? Tell the entirety of our nation to FORGET?

I can certainly forgive those who consider America and Americans an abomination. But I doubt that I'll ever forget what happened.

I am in Tennessee. A very long way from where the tragedy occurred. No one I knew was in the towers. And yet, seeing any image from that day brings all of the helpless feelings back. Brings back the sorrow for the people who lost someone that day for a few hours or forever.

Forget that day. Let's just move on because some Muslims are hated and some people are inconvenienced. Wouldn't educating the idiots be a better plan?

Perhaps I am overly educated with my minor in Religion, but I doubt it. I understand the difference between extremists Muslims that want us dead and your everyday Muslim that is an American. No different than I am. An American. With a religious view.

Should we forget?

Do we have that luxury?

32 comments:

Anonymous said...

I truly hope the words were meant, not so much as a 'forget' but a means of helping to move on. Sometimes we are not emotionally fit to handle comments that seem harsh. In reality, sometimes they aren't intended to be callous.

None the less. Forget not. Forgetting is not a luxury, it is a method to one's madness for turning off their emotions. Eventually the emotion train will collide with your heart and make you feel. Here's to kleenex to that person on that day.

Knight said...

I hope what the people that say "Let's forget" really mean is let's move on. They just aren't expressing themselves very well. Forgetting is a horrible idea. If you forget you have learned nothing from the experience.
I really liked what Mickey-T said in your comments yesterday. It goes along with what you are saying in this post. We have to learn about each other. Understand each other. Respect each other.

Karen said...

I will never forget. Even if I tried, I would never be able to forget how it felt in those first moments to be alone and so scared. I will never forget the celebration in front of masque near my house.

I have often thought that you had to be "closer to the action" to really get what it was like. Maybe I have been wrong - you certainly get it.

Dana said...

We damn well better never forget - it's one of the ways that history repeats itself and quite honestly, I'd be happy to never see a repeat of that moment.

Forgiveness is a gift - one that some are much more adept at giving than others. Forgiveness has a place.

Like you, I was far away in MN - some place where the "touch" of the tragety should have been light. Unfortunately, I was working in an industry where the product we manufactured (respiratory protection) was in high demand in the days and months afterward.

In a tech support position, I fielded THOUSANDS of calls and from a variety of people. I listened to the sobs of mother's hoping to find something to protect their children from future "attacks" when I told them these types of products are made for adults and their children could not be protected. I listened to the stories of workers at the sight, looking for a way to eliminate the smell of death.

You didn't need to be in NYC to feel the impact. I'll never forget ...

Christo Gonzales said...

forget NEVER, forgive - maybe....and this 'commercialization' concept that some proclaim....so what! Its a way of remembering for some people - tourists come to see 'ground zero' so it is these tourists that contribute to this 'commercialization' and I still say so what...I have never been to ground zero, I dont have the need nor any business there, sure I pass it, you cant help but have to be near it at some point if you live here but I dont 'go' to it and when people who visit who want to go I tell them how to get there and thats about it...I understand that people want to see it for themselves but what they will never see is the fear that was felt that day and everyday since -especially when an airplane seems a little off course!

venuss66 said...

It is not that easy to forget. It will be there in ones memory. Whatever it is life has to go on.
Thank you for visiting my blog. Thank you for your kind words. Take care.

gary rith said...

My wife helped with a reception last night, 9/11, in a conference room at Cornell University and I met her there. There is a brass plaque on the door, dedicating the room to a family's daughter--who died in this very photo here. She was 25.
Maybe we get tired of memorials, plaques, statues, but why would we ever want to forget a terrible and tragic event? The families can't. Better we learn and remember and maybe make a better world. Or try to.

The Angry Homo said...

How do we forget? And how do we let our children forget? This was a day in history that will always be heard about. Our history books will show it as a tragedy, while others will show it as a victory, how do we forget? It has been almost fifty years since the Kennedy assasination...have we forgot?

I think everyone remembers 9/11 in many different ways. And I think that we all remember it in different ways. I am orginally from AL, and like you, I knew no one in the towers. But I remember where I was, how I felt, calling my parents who lived a block away from where I worked, just to check up and make sure they were okay. Did I focus my entire day on the events yesterday...no, but I remember. And like many of the people who posted to your blog yesterday, I to, will someday pass on to my children, thee events that happened that day, so that they will learn from the mistakes, and hopefully grow up to make our nation a better place than what it is now.

Lu' said...

Without a doubt in my mind we do NOT have the luxury of forgetting. The United States seems to be complacent again. Not everyone of course. It just seems like our guard is slipping; good Lord I hope not.

Tink said...

Re: The Daily Rant's rant...

Spoken like someone who has never lost anyone or anything important. I hope you never do, lest you be thrown from that unsympathetic pedestal of yours. I don't approve of this war, or the religious hatred that has followed in its wake. But I don't think we should just forget 9/11. I don't think we CAN and I don't think its right.

Akelamalu said...

How can anyone forget such an act of abomination?

James Goodman said...

Forget? I'll neither forget nor forgive. I had friends, family, people I cared about not only at ground zero, but those who survived had to deal with the fallout of something so horrendous right in their backyards so to speak.

No, wiping the slate is not an option...

James Goodman said...

Oh, and I got so riled up, I nearly forgot to thank you for the kind words over on my blog... so, thanks. :D

Joni Dixon-Stanger said...

To "never forget" is not to remember to hate but instead to pay tribute to the lost lives on that day and give credence to the lives they lived. I believe that having some observance of Sept 11, 2001 is necessary to show as a United Nation that loved ones did not die unnoticed. The nation is moving on as are those left behind in this tragedy. I think that the same people who say let's forget and move on would be singing a different tune is they had personally lost someone on that day.

Jen said...

I will never forget. I don't want to. I say a prayer each year on 9/11 and will continue to do so until I no longer breathe on this here earth of ours. I don't hate, but I won't forget either. Hatred is what brought them to us.

I won't be one of them.

Kup said...

Great post!

SagaciousHillbilly said...

LAte last night MSNBC broadcast the couple houres of 9/11 coverage as it happened in '01. Yea, that helpless feeling all came back. . . the horror of watching the towers collapse knowing that so many thousands were dying before our eyes. It was an absolutely reprehensible thing.
I was thinking. . . they could have wiped out NYC's bridge system. . . taken out the GW and Verrazano Narrows, the White stone and Throgs Neck, etc. and really paralysed NYC, but no, they wanted kill innocent people. They wanted a high death rate. I find it difficult to forgive such actions.

Anonymous said...

When anyone who reads this lays down tonight they can be sure I won't forget, ever, and nobody in my reach will either.
Evidently we forgot the first time they bombed the WTC, because we did nothing.
Evidently we forgot when they bombed the USS Cole, because we did nothing.
Does it seem that every time we forget it gets worse.I'm sure in 1942 some folks wanted to forget. I'm sure in todays America of its all about me and stick you head in the sand people they probably forgot the holocaust. Hell I'm sure back then people said awwww we should forgive the SS and just forget about the whole gassing thing, man we oughta move on.
You know thats insane.
Some of Lincolns ad visors, anyone know what they said? Yeah they said well slavery ain't that big a deal Abe, lets scrap this whole war thing and move on. Anyone realize that ABE paid a huge price in his day politically, that his numbers were barely above GW's? But he did what was right for a Nation, not for himself, not for his legacy, but for his country.
Ever heard of a loyalist around oh lets say 1776. That was lets forget that independence thing, thats just silly lets move on.
There are always folks who want to forget and forgive and all that, I ain't one of them.
And another thing since my wranglers are already in a bunch.
All that about politicizing it etc etc by showing it and discussing it.
Thats a crock.
Thats an out for all those that dont want to discuss it.
They should show that clip everyday.
They should discuss it.
It should be front and center.
Lastly I'll say this.
I have a cousin (now retired) that was in the pentagon that day. 22 years in the navy. He was in Navy Intel the last 5-6 years.
he has told me 100 times
"if the American public had any clue, even the slightest idea what threats we face every minute of the day and what plots we thwart everyday they would force every able bodied person into the military, their sons and daughters, and they would work overtime to send money to the military to ensure their own safety." As his 3 sons, 2 in one trying to take his GED so he can join before he finishes high school.

I won't forget. ever.

Anonymous said...

I might shoulda said "good post" like Sal

Have a good weekend

Ken said...

Eric is right....
while others will show it as a victory
Please, please don't forget!

I was overseas in Italy when this happened. A blogger recently asked me how the locals reacted to the the attack. I told her supportive and concerned. What I didn't add, was that the next day, the concierge at the hotel, ran to us in the morning to proudly tell us, that last night a large Muslim group were celebrating the attacks on a beach, so a large group of locals attacked them with sticks and clubs. Wow!
This is real....we can't forget!

Ken said...

Opps! let me add....good post!

Spiky Zora Jones said...

I guess I'm one of those that doesn't forget. I'm against war and aginst violence, but that doesn't mean have to forget.

I am more vigilant if I remember. We have all become watchers ready to act.

ciao babes.

Fortune Cookies said...

Forgiveness does not equate to amnesia. I've forgiven the person who raped me when I was a kid. He was mentally ill, and I was convenient and just happened to be there. But I'll never forget it. I believe it is imperative to remember and never forget the events leading up to that horrible day so that we don't have to relive it. I am an anti-war, peace-rallying hippie, but I believe we should never ever forget September 11, 2001. Great posts, RLL, yesterday and today!

Mind of MadMan said...

It should read "Always Remember."
Regardless of how other fell or felt about what happened, it happened and our culture is changed forever. Not meant as a slam: How many people are still flying our flags? Talk about this as often as you can so that you can teach your kids or others. It seems to have been put on the backburner with so many people when it should not be. Keep the topics of importance on the minds of as many people as possible to influeance the masses to stand up for what we have in America.
Always Remember

dawn said...

this is probably why i don't read the paper.
what an insanely sorrowful thing to read.

okay, to try to forget while risking it repeating? hmmm. need another cup of coffee for that.

in yesterday's speech, reverend lowery said to not forget who and where we are so they can't take us back there. i got my money on that one.

Decorina said...

I am old enough to remember JFK's assassination and the aftermath. I, too watched the events of 9/11 and am still horrified by Shrub's further victimizing the people that were killed that day and their families to squander the good will of the planet and declare war on Iraq.

Children need to be educated about 9/11. If they are very young they will understand little of the motivations or consequences of the events. But as they grow and mature, so will their understanding and ability to process the ramifications of the events. We owe them that, it is our job to teach them.

I grew up learning about Pearl Harbor, WWII and the internment by the US government of Japanese Americans by our own government in concentration camps. One of the camps was located near my home in Scottsdale, AZ and my parents had Japanese friends.

Our children are being handed a planet that has been defiled, a load of staggering debt, and a moralistic government that is dishonest and corrupt. If we don't show them what is out there we are derelict. If we don't show them how tolerance and education can be used to further peace and understanding they are doomed to repeat our own mistakes.

Their world will be different than ours. Help them grow to be able to make theirs better, not worse, than ours.

Anonymous said...

I don't believe we should forget 9/12 either, the day that Bush took the world's good will and in the name of safety put it all in danger.

Since that day, we have lost so much as a country and as a people. As I've written a couple of times on other sites, we have lost America’s leadership position globally, we have lost respect in our country, we have lost our privacy, we abuse prisoners, we detain unconstitutionally, we allow unwarranted wiretaps, we let our citizens die in New Orleans for days and we go into a war based on lies.

We have lost the world’s trust and respect in our country. September 12th is actually the saddest anniversary of all for me. It's the day that the Bush regime took what was the world's outrage at what occurred on the 11th and unity with America, and a true chance at peace and squandered it.

That is why I am determined to do all I can so that we don't see Republicans in the White House again. Gotta go stand out on a corner now and register voters, the sun is shining and our country is at risk! This flag-waving, pro-choice, tolerant, Christian, liberal has things to do today.

The Daily Rant said...

It appears as if I wasn't clear enough for RLL or the rest of you when I made my original comment, but I think this post says exactly what I was trying to get across:

http://www.highwayhags.com/2008/09/12/911-our-memory-lives-on/#comment-124

MWalsh said...

Other days worth remembering

-April 23rd, 1985- New Coke Invented Ewwww!

-July 4th, 1848- First Public School opened. If it had only closed on that day also, the day would have redeemed itself.

-March 4th, 1980- The day I learned that chocolate was not good for you if eaten in large quantities.

-July 2nd, 1937- The day Amelia Earhart disappeared. I wasn't around, but that day must have sucked it hard!

Peace,

Mike

Ann said...

Wow. Just read the Sept. 11 post and now this one. FORGET? I'm sorry - is there a pill for that I'm not aware of? And, where have we learned that sweeping things under rugs was a good thing? I thought we pushed that concept out a generation or so ago.

To hear it implied that it's "more christian" to forget has me baffled. Firstly, where is it written that the U.S. is supposed to be a "christian" country? Secondly, ever hear of separation of church and state? I wonder how the other non-christian folks feel about this "christian" judgment.

Also, it was said that remembering this date breeds hatred instead of tolerance. I'm sorry, but I've never once felt hatred regarding this event. Where would hatred get me? Hatred never entered my realm.

If anything - remembering this day reminds me to strive for peace and tolerance in the world.

Travis Cody said...

I'll always remember the events of that day. At this point in my life I can't even conceive of forgetting. The event and images are seared into my memory.

What I've learned since then is to try and live with more tolerance and respect. It isn't easy. But it's worth working on every day.

The Daily Rant said...

Ann:

Where is it written that the U.S. is supposed to be a “Christian” country? Where is it NOT written?

Unless you live under a rock and/or don’t watch or read news of any kind, I find it hard to believe that you’ve never heard our country referred to as a “Christian Nation”. This is primarily said by Republicans, the “family values” party and while there are more instances than I can cite regarding this belief, here are just a few that John McCain (that old guy running for President) has said in the past:

“Arizona Sen. John McCain has been backpedaling all weekend from seeming to suggest that the next president should be a Christian. In an interview with Beliefnet, a religion-oriented website, McCain said that America was "founded primarily on Christian principles" and said he would prefer a president who shares that faith.”

You can read the rest of that Washington Post article here: http://blog.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2007/10/01/foundering_with_a_stand_on_chr.html

John McCain also said, in that interview with Beliefnet, “I just have to say in all candor that since this nation was founded primarily on Christian principles....personally, I prefer someone who I know who has a solid grounding in my faith.”

One of the actual questions during the interview was, “A recent poll found that 55 percent of Americans believe the U.S. Constitution establishes a Christian nation. What do you think?”

Senator McCain answered: “I would probably have to say yes, that the Constitution established the United States of America as a Christian nation. But I say that in the broadest sense. The lady that holds her lamp beside the golden door doesn't say, “I only welcome Christians.” We welcome the poor, the tired, the huddled masses. But when they come here they know that they are in a nation founded on Christian principles.”

You can read the rest of that interview here: http://www.beliefnet.com/story/220/story_22001_1.html

George Bush and his administration has also claimed the same thing:

“It is hard to believe that George Bush has ever read the works of George Orwell, but he seems, somehow, to have grasped a few Orwellian precepts. The lesson the President has learned best--and certainly the one that has been the most useful to him--is the axiom that if you repeat a lie often enough, people will believe it. One of his Administration's current favorites is the whopper about America having been founded on Christian principles. Our nation was founded not on Christian principles but on Enlightenment ones. God only entered the picture as a very minor player, and Jesus Christ was conspicuously absent.”

You can read the rest of that article here: http://www.thenation.com/doc/20050221/allen

And, yes, I have heard the term “separation of church and state”. It would be nice if someone actually abided by it. But in case I didn’t make myself clear in my original comment which, since there seems to be so much debate about it, I guess I did NOT….

I stated the “Never Forget” mantra was counter-productive and that we should forgive and forget since it seems that “Never Forget” and “9/11” are always invoked in the same sentence, which only seems to stir up hatred and intolerance, most often toward the people of Iraq, any brown skinned person who happens to “look” like the terrorists, or anyone who practices the Muslim religion.

And since so many people, from the current President to the current Republican Presidential nominee and countless others talk about how “Christian” this nation is, I would think they’d adopt the way of a Christian and be able to FORGIVE (Colossians 3:13 ) and FORGET (Genesis 41:51), which would be leading by example instead of just stirring things up.

I believe you when you say you have never felt hate regarding this event. I do not either. But many people do. Just read “Pinky’s” comment from this blog’s 9/11 post. She said “Good thing we have brave men and women willing to FINISH it.” She was talking about what we should do to the people who attacked on 9/11. That sound like hate and intolerance to me.

And “Southern Sage” said, “we don’t discriminate on people because of race, religion or origin…” to which “Mike Walsh” replied “Yes we do.” I have to agree. That’s hate and intolerance too.

I’ll be the first one to say I have very little tolerance, but usually it has to do with ignorant people, bad customer service and my boyfriend’s love of old Twilight Zone episodes. But to be a person who leads a nation or who wants to lead a nation to say these things and to inundate people with propaganda to believe these words? That’s unacceptable and something I have no tolerance for.