Is 16 Years Long Enough?

This September marks the sixteenth anniversary of the attacks that rocked the entire United States. The World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and a possible third target of the White House were all attacked. This catastrophic event was so devastating that you seldom can find an American who was not affected by it in some way. With so many lives lost (2,977 in total), the question comes up; should we still be remembering 9/11? Is 16 years enough time to successfully honor the lives lost?

This year, there will be some driving for the first time who were born after the attacks, and others like myself, who were so young that they have no real memory associated with that day. There is an ever growing disconnect between the younger generations and the suffering that occurred before them. Some say it was only 2,977, and others that we shouldn’t dwell on just this one. All that is misguided thinking.

Regardless, it is important we remember the terrorist attacks which stole nearly three thousand lives and injured thousands more, because they were Americans. It was the first time we were attacked on our own soil since the Japanese firebombed the forests of Oregon. This isn’t something to be dismissed lightly.

The attacks that September morning united a nation under one flag again, the American. Politics was set aside and people came together, something that hasn’t been seen since the Second World War, and it has the capability to do just the same again. In a time when some American citizens are genuinely waving the flags of regimes and nations we fought hard to defeat in the previous century, we need to come together again. Even if it is only for this one day.

We have the ability to give the younger generation perspective on what it means to be an American. By teaching them American values and ideals they can learn what was attacked.

America is a nation principled in capitalism, individual rights, and the Constitution. These three concepts are so disliked by radical terrorists that they view America as the biggest evil on the planet. The world’s pinnacle of capitalism as well as where America’s leaders and Constitutional protectors work, were the targets of the attacks. We were attacked for the character of our nation.

The blunt and obvious answer to the original question is “no.” No, we haven’t reached our maximum allowance of honor and remembrance. So go ahead, visit that 9/11 memorial, pass on your experiences from that day, or simply wave that American flag with pride. We need it.

#September11 #911 #terrorism