Remember

Today is the sixth anniversary of the September 11th attacks. A part of me didn't want to write about this. Not because there is nothing to say, but because at this point, we all have processed our feelings and what remains is hard to put into words. To not write something however would be disrespectful to all the victims and heroes of that day. To not write about it means that despite the horror we all felt that clear Fall morning, we have moved on and the memories we once held so vividly have begun to fade just a little. Not talking about the attacks means that we have buried our heads in the sand, and by doing that, we run the risk of diminishing the effect that Tuesday, September 11, 2001 had on all of us.

I don't believe that anyone who was alive that day will completely forget where they were, how they felt or the images of carnage they witnessed. I have struggled with how the media should cover the anniversary. Should we keep running the video? Should we continue to make the anniversary the lead story on the news? Are we as Americans in too much of a hurry to "put things behind us" and move on? No one wants to keep reliving a tragic event. Personally, I don't need any help conjuring up exactly what I saw that day. For those who can't, won't, or were too young to remember, it is important to keep this anniversary visible.

We were talking about this on the radio show the other day and one of my insightful listeners brought up a good point. While I was talking to people about how they would commemorate this anniversary, a man called and asked if I remembered how united we all felt in the days and weeks that followed the attacks. I do. It was one of those times where tragedy brought out the best in all of us. People were concerned about each other, and no matter what your background or political leanings, for a short time, we were all Americans, united and focused on the same thing. How times have changed. Te car flags have faded, and we are back to business as usual.

A lot of questions remain six years later. Are we safer than we were in 2001? Why did we seemingly stop looking for Osama bin Laden and go into Iraq? Have we learned any lessons about inter-agency communications and intelligence sharing? Those questions will be here tomorrow. Today isn't for debating, today is for remembering. Talk to your family, especially your kids. Share your feelings, and take a moment to look back with honor and look forward with hope and gratitude. Later...Brian