Thursday, September 11, 2008

September 11, 2008: Never Forget


There are so many things that I could say about this day. But I think you already know. You know how I feel. We all went through the same thing that day.

You saw the destruction. The people jumping. The people with hands over their faces, running.

But, I wonder how will we explain that day to our nation's children so that they understand?

31 comments:

Lori Stewart Weidert said...

I don't think we can explain it so that they understand. We were always told, growing up, about JFK's assassination. Everyone knew where they were when they heard the news. The nation grieved. I always wondered at something that would bring the nation together like that.

I understood, but I didn't. Until the Towers were hit. Ignorance was bliss, I still grieve.

Knight said...

They will never understand. They will never feel the way we felt that day. Grieving as a country can't be compared to anything else.

This picture is really terrifying but I have a feeling to anyone too young to remember it will be just like any other Hollywood created image.

Angel said...

that picture is just devastating....wow

The Daily Rant said...

Your post title states that we should never forget September 11, 2008. I'm guessing you meant September 11, 2001.

This “Never Forget” concept is actually counter-productive. We SHOULD forget and we SHOULD forgive. All this day does, every year, is stir up fear and hatred. Hatred for the people who did this and hate for those people who "look" like them, who practice the same religion as them, who come from the same country as them. And that’s not a very Christian concept, is it?

I look forward to the day we DO forget this. Because if we are supposed to be a “Christian Nation” as everyone likes to spout, then we should forgive AND forget. The people who lost loved ones because of this unfortunate act of violence will never forget them. But we shouldn’t politicize it every chance we have (not that you are - but television does). We shouldn’t stir up hatred for others.

And I can tell you from traveling the country as I do, that what I hear is not sadness for the lives lost or empathy for those left behind, but hatred for those who did it.

What we REALLY shouldn’t forget are all the lives being lost DAILY, over FOUR THOUSAND to date, as we still fight a war that should have never been started.

Do you think those families will remember, every year, that their child was lost? What about them?

Take a look at who and how many here: http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/2008-03-13-iraq-casualties_N.htm

Anonymous said...

I explained this events to my girls this morning by pulling a book out by Time. We carefully went through the pictures, graphical pictures, and both asked questions and had concern on their faces. While my oldest does not remember and my youngest (found out i was pregnant the week of 09/11/01) wasnt here - both had sorrow on their little faces. As a parent I can only hope I teach them the true amount of sorrow that was had on that day. Even if just through pictures.

Fortune Cookies said...

I don't think anyone who wasn't around then could possibly understand it. As someone said earlier, if you weren't alive when Kennedy was assassinated, you wouldn't fully understand. I was in California on Sept.11,2001, sound asleep, and my ex came in and woke me up and said "You HAVE to come see this"...I made it downstairs just in time to see the second plane hit...I sat glued to the TV the rest of the day, as did the nation. I still mourn, and I still miss the country that we'll never again be after that day.

Real Live Lesbian said...

GNGirl: I know. It was the event that defined so many and united our parent's generation. And I too, didn't understand that unity until this happened.

Beth: For a beautiful one, go see Knight. She has a lovely tribute.

Daily Rant: Actually, I did mean September 11, 2008. I didn't however mean to instill hatred and divisiveness.

I think we shouldn't forget because it brought our country together as it hadn't been before at least for my generation. It changed many of us in many ways that aren't hate filled or anti-Christian.

You didn't answer the question. What is it that you want the children to learn from that day? Or would you just ignore the historical aspect and forget it?

Anais: I think it's incredibly interesting how people with children are handling this. I don't have any and won't. So it's not something that I face. Thanks for giving us a snapshot into your life.

Real Live Lesbian said...

Knight: I think you had a different perspective too because of your relationship to the area. What I remember being most odd about that day was the lack of airplanes. It was silent here by the airport. Eerily so.

I'm afraid you are right about it being Hollywoodized. I wonder if they'll watch the movies in class like we did of President Kennedy and think little of it.

Real Live Lesbian said...

Fortune Cookie: You're right. We can't go back to the way it was. Our generation's children will never understand how things were before.

Jessica said...

Thank you for this post.

Ken said...

I think there, is, something to tell the children about that day.

Tell them there, are, people in the world who do things like this because they have hate in their hearts. Teach your children to love and they'll just naturally stay away from hate.

*~*Cece*~* said...

I was pregnant when that happened. I remember sitting in the living room, holding my (then) 3yo, crying thinking OMG we're in a war!

Scarlet said...

How can you explain the inexplicable? So many unanswered questions...still.

Unknown said...

This is my first visit to your blog... nice post!
It's an is.
Some things in life are just an is... trying to describe 9/11 is impossible,if you didn't live it.
How does one explain the Holocaust or landing on the moon?
Thinking back to the world we lived in on September 10, 2001, is so different than the world created a day later.
What a difference a split second can make in every life!

Dianne said...

Fear is being so casually thrown about I worry that young ones are becoming desensitized OR they're becoming afraid of everything.

We need more leaders that can inspire and comfort. I remember hiding under my desk during the Bay of Pigs era and I also vividly recall how JFK made me feel safe because he knew what he was doing.

Spiky Zora Jones said...

I don't like to think about it. t was a terrible day. I remember all of it. I had to explain it to my oldest back then.

you take care sweetie...work has kicked my ass the last three days...make that four...I'll be around more now though...ciao baby.

MrRyanO said...

There is no way to explain.

And no matter how much the "Michael Moore's" in life want to tell us otherwise, this is a day that we should never forget for so many reasons no one which have to do with hate.

It is what you make it and I believe that you are choosing to remember the love and the loss of innocent people.

Ken said...

Rockdog: I do feel love and pain from the loss of innocent people, it hurts me as much as anyone, but I think also we should let our children know 'why' things like this happen in the world. The pilots of those planes did not 'love' us.

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

The people who did this are not ready to forget. They continue to attack our country, and have so far, been thwarted. If you consider the number of plots that have been uncovered, both here and abroad, and the number of attacks that have been carried out overseas (not just in the middle east, but the UK, Spain and other ally nations) Consider also that some portion of what has happened since 9/11 hasn't been revealed as it is a matter of national security. I'd like to forgive, and God knows I'd like to forget, but until we defeat this threat, we can't afford to do so. THEY haven't given up.
As to WHO we hold responsible, of course it's stupid to presume that ALL Muslims or middle-easterners are terrorists. That sort of attitude is small-minded and ignorant. That being said, it is also ignorant to pretend that those who have attacked us are not young to middle-age middle eastern men, (and women) who are of the Muslim faith. It should go without saying that they have perverted the more peaceful nature of Islam and do not represent the majority of Muslims, but to ignore who they are is ridiculous. If more of the leaders of the Muslim faith were to voice opposition to the activities of the extremists, it would probably be easier for John Q. Public to accept and embrace the idea that not all Muslims are terrorists. Sadly, many influential and respected Muslim clerics have remained silent on this front and that tends to imply a tacit agreement with the terrorists. Couple that with the fact that many of them have OPENLY supported the aims of terrorists (and here in America, they have the freedom to actually say that) and it's no surprise that many don't make the distinction between middle-easterner and terrorist. It's been said that if you ignore history's lessons you will be destined to repeat it's mistakes (obviously I'm paraphrasing). By the very same token, if we repeat the mistake of underestimating the hatred that extremists have for our way of life, and acting as though it won't happen again, next time it will be a Superbowl, or the Sears tower, or the Space needle. If our enemies get the chance, they WILL attack us on our soil again. Therefore, we MUST NEVER FORGET!

FMD

Michael Colvin said...

We should never forget such an atrocity. It would demean the people that died that day.

What has remembering got to do with hatred?

Anonymous said...

The Daily RAnt: you're absolutely right. This war should have never been started. Those men shouldn't have rammed those planes full of innocent Americans into the Pentagon, the World Trade Center, and a field in Pennsylvania on September 11, 2001. Shame on them.
Good thing we have brave men and women willing to FINISH it.

Anonymous said...

Well this is a very interesting question and one I had to address to a 9 year old.
They heard a little in school but then I had to finish up when she got home.
What I did was explain to her that some people in the world hate us, ALL Americans.
Why Daddy?
Because we are a noble nation, we make mistakes but we make mistakes in trying to do the right thing. They hate us because they have twisted their religion. They hate us because we live in a capitalistic country. (explained capitalism vs socialism, communism etc), they hate us because we don't look down on women, we don't force any religion on anyone, we don't discriminate on people because of race, or religion or origin, we don't kill homosexuals, and because we pretty much live and let live as a society, we don't make women cover themselves, we don't have censorship, etc etc etc.
The RLL she got me.
She said" Daddy why would anyone hate us for those things?"
Uh huh
answer that so she can understand.

then, daddy do they hate us (me and her and my family)
yes baby they do.

It went on for another 1/2 hour or so and it went political and I won't go into that here because I'm sure anyone who has been around my blog has no question where I stand.
Suffice it to say I explained what tolerance and appeasement to those that attack us did not work, but confronting them and always operating and reacting from a position of strength dissuades further aggression.

Excellent angle to discuss from though.
I dunno FMD but his reply was spot on best I can tell.

Unknown said...

I am just speechless when it comes to "the daily rant" Forget it?There are very few things that REALLY piss me off... that did... Sorry you can't be bothered to REMEMBER all of the people who lost their lives... & how the U.S has been changed F O R E V E R...
I choose to remember... I choose to tell my children... I also CHOOSE to have the Iraqi boy (refugee) who lives in our neighborhood over for play dates & dinner.... But just to forgive & forget? You gotta be kidding me...

MWalsh said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
MWalsh said...

This is an interesting post. First of all, all tragedies are sad and unfortunate. September 11, 2001 is just another in the long list of horrible events that have transpired. Since life is short, I don't really see the point in half of the holidays in the US let alone many of the memorials.

I don't need a tragic event of any sort to remind me that terrorism is bad for me or that any loss of life is sad. The US loses more people every year in car accidents than 100 September 11ths. (In 1983, 144,091 people died from injuries resulting from all causes including motor vehicle crashes and pedestrian injuries (44,452 deaths), all other unintentional injuries (48,036), suicides (28,295), homicides (20,191) and deaths from unknown causes (3,117). http://www.myhealthneeds.com/plus/view.php?aid=4806)

I love your blog Real Live Lesbian and want to get involved here.

TheDailyRant seems to be sick and tired of the rhetoric going on in the media and the way politicians have been abusing the memories of the tragic events of 2001 to gain more votes and attain more power. I'd like to go through some of the comments you have all left and add my two cents.

RLL said:
"Daily Rant: Actually, I did mean September 11, 2008. I didn't however mean to instill hatred and divisiveness."

What happened on 9/11/2008?


RLL said:
"I think we shouldn't forget because it brought our country together as it hadn't been before at least for my generation. It changed many of us in many ways that aren't hate filled or anti-Christian."

What do you mean by brought us together? I remember paranoia and fear after 9/11. I remember everyone wondering if their neighbor was in Al Qaeda. Please explain the good that was attained because of 9/11.


RLL said:
"Fortune Cookie: You're right. We can't go back to the way it was. Our generation's children will never understand how things were before. "

Our generation's children will have their own hurdles to launch themselves over as we have had in our generation. There is no "way it was". How was it? No more feeling of safety like your government is actually doing its job and keeping you safe? We can't go back to that? I strongly disagree and have worked and will work to see our lifestyles maintained in a safe manner because that is true freedom.


MickeyT said:
"Tell them there, are, people in the world who do things like this because they have hate in their hearts."

There are brainwashed people in the world that do what they are told and don't understand why or any aspect of why they are doing what they are doing. If you blow yourself up, chances are that Mommy and Daddy missed a few steps in family preservation lessons or they were just willing to see their kids die. I don't recall in my youth wanting to blow myself up one day. Wait, let me think, nope, not one memory of that.


Fu Manchu Dad said:

"The people who did this are not ready to forget."

The people who did this are dead.

"They continue to attack our country, and have so far, been thwarted."

Who has continued to attack our country?

"If you consider the number of plots that have been uncovered, both here and abroad, and the number of attacks that have been carried out overseas (not just in the middle east, but the UK, Spain and other ally nations) Consider also that some portion of what has happened since 9/11 hasn't been revealed as it is a matter of national security."

I would like to consider all of the plots. Where are they? Where do you get your information? Our national security? We can obliterate any country on this planet with the most advanced military in the history of the world. I am not in the least bit concerned with some guys wearing towels and blankets hiding in a cave under a mountain. I don't care how many arms dealers they know, they don't scare me in the slightest and I don't live my life in fear. Just as I didn't before 9/11. I am also having to guess that you have top secret information about the terrorists because you are saying that some information is not available which apparently you have access to.

"THEY haven't given up."

Who exactly are you talking about? Who is "they"?

"As to WHO we hold responsible, of course it's stupid to presume that ALL Muslims or middle-easterners are terrorists. That sort of attitude is small-minded and ignorant."

I agree with that.

"That being said, it is also ignorant to pretend that those who have attacked us are not young to middle-age middle eastern men, (and women) who are of the Muslim faith."

Tim McVeigh was a US Army veteran. What is your excuse for him?

"It should go without saying that they have perverted the more peaceful nature of Islam and do not represent the majority of Muslims, but to ignore who they are is ridiculous."

Here we go again. Who are you talking about? The terrorists of 9/11 are dead, dead, dead.

"If more of the leaders of the Muslim faith were to voice opposition to the activities of the extremists, it would probably be easier for John Q. Public to accept and embrace the idea that not all Muslims are terrorists. Sadly, many influential and respected Muslim clerics have remained silent on this front and that tends to imply a tacit agreement with the terrorists."

Who? Which Muslim clerics are remaining silent?

"Couple that with the fact that many of them have OPENLY supported the aims of terrorists (and here in America, they have the freedom to actually say that) and it's no surprise that many don't make the distinction between middle-easterner and terrorist."

Who have supported your claims?

"It's been said that if you ignore history's lessons you will be destined to repeat it's mistakes (obviously I'm paraphrasing)."

People who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it - George Santayana http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Santayana

"By the very same token, if we repeat the mistake of underestimating the hatred that extremists have for our way of life, and acting as though it won't happen again, next time it will be a Superbowl, or the Sears tower, or the Space needle. If our enemies get the chance, they WILL attack us on our soil again. Therefore, we MUST NEVER FORGET! "

We have in this country a little thing called public education and it teaches a little subject called history. In this class they discuss such things as Hitler and Mussolini. They talk about World War 1, 2, Vietnam, Korea, Bosnia, etc. etc. Of course the goal of this class is so that our history won't be forgotten. 9/11 was quickly added to the text books along with all of our other misfortunes and tragedies. I would say that I would rather not forget the McVeigh family. In fact I want a day every year where we talk trash about the McVeigh family, and mourn the loss of all of the people who died as a result of the actions of a United States Army Veteran and his hatred toward his own people. Where is MY day? NEVER FORGET April 19th, 1995, the day of the Oklahoma City Bombing. But I guess you have already forgotten since 9/11 seems to have overshadowed the people killed by the hand of Tim McVeigh. As far as we know, the "terrorists" copied what Tim McVeigh did.


Southern Sage said:
"Well this is a very interesting question and one I had to address to a 9 year old."

I am hoping that the 9 year old was yours.

"They heard a little in school but then I had to finish up when she got home. What I did was explain to her that some people in the world hate us, ALL Americans. Why Daddy? Because we are a noble nation, we make mistakes but we make mistakes in trying to do the right thing. They hate us because they have twisted their religion."

Who hates us? Who exactly hates us? Who has a twisted religion? Which mistakes?

"They hate us because we live in a capitalistic country."

I have seen no evidence of this either. They want to sell their own oil and we keep taking it from them to sell for ourselves. We started taking their oil in the 1950's when Iran decided to cut us out of the deal and take control of their own oil fields. What did we do? We overthrew Iran and installed our own Shah with the British cooperation. There is a great book all about this called "All the Shah's Men" by Stephen Kinzer http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_the_Shah's_Men

"(explained capitalism vs socialism, communism etc)"

I would like to have heard that explanation.

"they hate us because we don't look down on women,"

They do? Where did you get that?

"we don't force any religion on anyone,"

Well that is true, we have the freedom of religion here thanks to the Bill of Rights.

"we don't discriminate on people because of race, or religion or origin, we don't kill homosexuals, and because we pretty much live and let live as a society, we don't make women cover themselves, we don't have censorship, etc etc etc."

I believe you meant "discriminate against people" and YES WE DO discriminate here in the United States, hence the many laws against discrimination which are necessary because if there weren't a law, it would happen to women again (as it has), to minorities (as it has), to gays (as it has), to Muslims/Mormons/Buddists/Athiests or any NON-Christian religion (as it has), and to basically anyone who doesn't fulfill the status quo. The people of the US don't have the greatest history of non-discrimination, and in my opinion, THAT is worth fighting to change.

"Suffice it to say I explained what tolerance and appeasement to those that attack us did not work, but confronting them and always operating and reacting from a position of strength dissuades further aggression."

This war we are in has cost our country more loss of life and money than any attack by any terrorist. It has all but completely bankrupt our economy and there has never been a way out (exit strategy) or any real solution. President Bush himself has said that our forces' attempts to install politics in Iraq has failed and will never work there. There never were any ties to Iraq by Al Qaeda and all this war has done is destabilize the region and make it ready for more warlords to take over. If there ever was a good time for people who hate (whoever they are) to organize and attack it would be now. It would be because we did nothing to stop it.

My hat is off to the troops, but they were sent into a situation that was unable to be won, which was even stated pre-war entry by our own War College.


“Without forgiveness life is governed by an endless cycle of resentment and retaliation." - Roberto Assagioli (Italian Psychiatrist, Founder of Psychosynthesis)

Peace,
Mike Walsh

Anonymous said...

Mike,

The people who did this are dead? If you mean the 19 "soldiers" of Jihad that actually carried out the attack, then yes, they are dead. I very generally refer to the remaining Al Qaeda who so thoughtfully send those videos praising the 9/11 attacks, promising more, and exhorting those who would to carry out their own independent attacks. That's who
Who continues to attack?
Richard Reid, the shoe bomber, June 2007 4 men who were plotting to blow up the fuel system at JFK airport, The six who were arrested casing targets at Ft Dix NJ, Jose Padilla attempted to build a dirty bomb for detonation in the US. The plots abroad? The train bombing in Spain, 3 bombs found in London Subways and Picadilly circus, the car bombing at Lockerbie in Scotland, the foiled plot to bring the liquid explosives on board flights from the UK to the US which prompted the ban on all liquids, gels etc in luggage. There are more, I shouldn't need to go on. These folks, while perhaps not card-carrying members of Al Qaeda, were encouraged by them via the aforementioned videos, numerous websites devoted to promoting Jihad and passing messages to and fro. Some of them had attended jihadist training camps in a number of places.
With regards to Timothy McVeigh, his heinous deeds are well worth remembering, and where I am, the date is always noted and a memorial is held at the monument. It hasn't been forgotten, but unlike 9/11, ALL the people involved have received some measure of justice, and do not continue to threaten us. Although other domestic terror plots have been thwarted as a result of lessons learned, policies implemented since OKC.
Whether or not you agree with having gone into Iraq, the fact remains that plots like 9/11 and The shoe bomber happened before we entered Iraq. They did these things with the intention of beginning a war and that's what they got. The overall conflict is far from over, for us or for them. I for one won't forget what started all this and all the nonsense about blood for oil (if we were taking oil from Iraq, the market price would never have hit 140 a barrel and OPECs current threat to short the supply would be meaningless) won't cause me to lose any sleep at night. Our men and women are fighting a REAL enemy for the safety of our nation and our way of life. You don't have to beleive it if you don't wish to Mike. That freedom of opinion is one of the things that makes our country a thorn in the side of extremists who would have us convert or die. I for one will do neither.

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...

Fu Manchu dad said
"The people who did this are dead? If you mean the 19 "soldiers" of Jihad that actually carried out the attack, then yes, they are dead."

Yeah the people who flew the planes into the buildings depicted in the picture on the front of this post. They are dead and they were never linked to Saddam Hussein or Iraq, but yet there we are. Low and behold now Al Qaeda is all over the place in iraq where they weren't before. Recruiting and bringing in more Al Qaedas!

Fu Manchu Dad
"I very generally refer to the remaining Al Qaeda who so thoughtfully send those videos praising the 9/11 attacks, promising more, and exhorting those who would to carry out their own independent attacks. That's who"

I have seen Charles Manson preaching his message with his swastika tattooed between his eyes. I have seen countless websites urging people to do all sorts of harmful things to a peaceful society. I don't agree with their message, but if you are stupid enough to do what a video tells you, then maybe you should be blown up. MTV and VH1 tells me everyday that I am stupid for having a job where I work for a living. I should quit my job and start playing guitar. Well I am on the way to the guitar shop and my years of experience in my chosen field are forever history now. MTV here I come!

Fu Manchu Dad
"Richard Reid, the shoe bomber"

Oh yeah! There is a real threat. He almost blew his own foot off. What is the worst thing he did in my opinion you ask? (I know you were going to ask) He has made me take my shoes off everytime I get on a plane. Thanks Dickie!

Fu Manchu Dad
"June 2007 4 men who were plotting to blow up the fuel system at JFK airport"

4 people with no plan who never had any real chance of even blowing up a diet coke bottle with Mentos

Fu Manchu Dad
"The six who were arrested casing targets at Ft Dix NJ"

Wow our intelligence gathering agencies actually gathering intelligence and doing their jobs. Amazing! Maybe I wont complain about paying my taxes now!

Fu Manchu Dad
"Jose Padilla attempted to build a dirty bomb for detonation in the US."
Attempted!?!?! I know a guy that attempted to slap a Navy Seal once. That didn't go to well either.

To make a long long long long long long long story shorter here. Basically I don't believe that the war we are in is in anyway justified by a few failed or barely successful cheesy plots by idiots who don't like our system. We have much larger problems in our country and running around hiding from bombs and terrorism is not in any way a useful or remotely necessary way to live your life. Move On!

Peace,

Mike

Diederick said...

I think you'll spend more time explaining the American reaction (the War on Terror).

9/11 shocked the world, but so did; and perhaps much more; the War on Terror.

Samantha Alice said...

Good Golly, this is one party I'm kinda glad to be too late for.

From an American Soldier who is honored and humbled to be taking care of the wounded (our country's and other coalition forces) at LRMC, a heartfelt thank you for this rememberance, RLL.

From an American Mom who is proud and terrified that her son enlisted as a medic while his country is at war and is downrange right now taking care of our folks and a whole bunch of Iraq's children, we can forgive enough to save our souls, but to turn the other cheek when there are entire countries who want us dead simply for the many reasons listed so very well by Southern Sage... wow, I just don't even know where to go from there.

It's enlightening to be over here and have to draw news from AFN propaganda, the Stars and Stripes, and yet be able to see other countries' reactions to us without the filters of American MSM. Iran's president has been giving public speeches, on our soil at the UN, ranting and raving against us. Have y'all not heard about that over there? He gets to do that because our country tolerates (mostly) free speech, but if somebody tried to do that on his soil in his country, they'd disappear in the middle of the night. I don't have a news story to quote as a source for this info, because I got it from somebody who lived through it.

And Iran is arming the people we are trying to keep out of power in Iraq, make no mistake about that. I can't cite MSM sources on that little tidbit, either, because I got that information directly from people who have seen it.

It's NOT pretty over there, and we got in for ugly reasons... but we can't forget what will happen if we don't try to do something to keep the entire Middle East from falling under control of people who want nothing less than Death to America. When they chant that, they mean it. They really, really do. I would suggest we remember that little ditty.

Since I've been here, German authorities foiled a plot to attack Americans at Ramstein AFB, and pulled wannabe terrorists off a plane in Cologne before they could do whatever they were planning to do. I'm glad that Germany hasn't taken this "live and let live" attitude.

I'm spending this month on an extra detail to boost the protection on our base. Do I like having to walk around in the cold rain checking the perimeter fence with a loaded M16? Not so much.

But somebody's gotta do it. Somebody really does have to do it, or we won't be safe here. And if we're not safe here, we won't be safe on your side of the Atlantic, either.

We don't have to hate back. Bad karma there.

But we do have to remember, and protect ourselves.

Whew, sorry I was so long winded and rambly, Gorgeous. But, geez...