Welcome to POSC240-012!
This is where you will be posting 10 blogs throughout the semester; 4 blogs in September, 3 in October, & 3 in November. Your entries should tackle current events, reactions to lectures and readings, & comments & questions about the class.
Make sure you write substantial and thought-provoking entries & write your full name at the end of each post!
Start blogging!
Nick & Sara
Wednesday, September 5, 2007
Commemorating 9/11
Should we keep on commemorating 9/11?
56 comments:
Anonymous
said...
A NYT article asks: when is it time to stop commemorating 9/11?
The answer to that question will be different for everyone. Some people quoted in the article say that they are tired of 9/11 remembrances; “grieving [has] a shelf life,” one said. Obviously the anniversary of 9/11 affects everyone differently, and people who would rather not remember are free to do so.
However, for many people, myself included, remembering is important.
Every generation has a defining moment, a tragic event that unites the country and defines the proceeding decades. Our grandparents remember hearing the news on the day that shall live in infamy, knowing that they or their husband would soon be sent to fight on foreign soil. Our parents still remember where they were on Nov. 22, 1963. For our generation, 9/11 was our defining moment.
I don’t think I could easily forget 9/11, even if I tried, just as I doubt the “Greatest Generation” has forgotten Pearl Harbor. How could I? Besides being tragic for the people who died and their families, that day ushered in the world my generation has and will grow up in. Whenever I hear the date Sept. 11, I flash back to those images seared in my mind: the Towers falling, walls lined with missing person posters, the firefighters raising the American flag amidst the rubble.
It is important to remember the victims of 9/11 because many of them, such as the firefighters who rushed into the Towers without regard to their own safety and the passengers of Flight 93, represent the best of America. However, considering the threat we still face, it is even more important that we remember the events of 9/11 and the lessons we learned by them.
In the years after the end of the Cold War, America grew complacent, believing she was safe with the Soviet threat gone. All the while, al-Qaeda strengthened and plotted its attack on America. On 9/11, we awoke to the threat and following the attacks, we stood united and dedicated to keeping America safe, without regard to politics. Now, that has been replaced by partisan bickering, and America is still at risk. It’s crucial we remember the lessons of 9/11 and get back to the bipartisan effort to keep the country safe.
Sept. 11 will be remembered in the hearts of people who lived through it for many years to come. As for the yearly public memorials, I’m sure they will diminish and eventually come to an end. But, I say, a long as even one victim’s family members want to make the pilgrimage to Ground Zero, the public memorials should continue.
This blog is in response to the second blog, answering the question: When is it time to stop commemorating 9/11?
I am of the belief that there will never be an appropriate time to stop commemorating 9/11. I can remember exactly where I was when I first heard of the attacks..9th grade earth science, and I can remember the panic that rode through my body that September morning. My dad was working in the building directly across from tower 2. He was lucky enough to escape in time and return home safely, but the images of falling bodies and total destruction haunt him till this day. I know loved ones that lost moms, dads, brothers, sisters, and friends that day. I do not believe however, that the attack was a result of America's growing complacencty in the post cold-war era. The American government knew of Al-Queda, its mission, and its evil capabilities well before 9/11. It is my belief that it was the failure of the government to protect their citizens that resulted in this tragedy. While I still stand strong in remembering lost loved ones for however long it takes one to truly heal, I ask the question: When will it be time to START commemorating the losses of the 3000 plus and counting fallen US troops in Iraq and bring the rest of the soldiers home?
It is important to remember that many people used 9/11 to justify going into Iraq. While it was a tragedy, it is crucial the American public is not scared, misled, and unwillingly committed to any more wars as a result of the type of blind nationalism that results from such tragedies. Terrorism and Iraq had no connection before we entered (though now, depending how you define "terrorism", some may argue otherwise), and yet people were fooled into believing 9/11 and Iraq were one in the same. If you disagreed you were labelled as unpatriotic, unsupportive of the troops, etc...even today, you could use up well over a dozen hands counting the times Guliani has brought up 9/11 on the campaign trail.
Every time I read this article it makes me sick. It is when such an event, such an unfortunate loss of life is used in THIS way...that is where we must draw the line. Is it important to remember? Of course...we must remember, mostly so that we don't make the same mistakes again. I believe not in remembering to ignite blind patriotism, but to keep in mind how careless we as a nation can become if we are not careful after such fragile times. Our government failed us after 9/11...our media failed us after 9/11...we failed ourselves, and even though we are starting to realize this as a nation, we cannot let it happen again.
"...remember we were attacked not for what we do wrong but what we do right." It is for THIS reason we must remember 9/11 and our country before it. If we truly believe, as Pataki put it, that we were punished for what we did right...then it will only happen again because we will be destined to repeat the same mistakes.
So, should we remember?
I believe we must, in order to avoid making the same mistakes...however we must be careful. Governments, unfortunately, are much too deceptive by nature to be trusted with something as powerful as 9/11' if we rememebr the wrong way, we could easily find ourselves in another Iraq.
And one more article, actually its a transcript from a podcast...very interesting.
In response to the question: should our nation stop commemorating the events of 9/11, I feel that the answer is simply, no. While memories of this day are painful to many, taking time to honor and remember those who were lost brings a sense of unity to our nation and provides an outlet for grief. Although we should not let these events haunt us, if we were to stop commemorating this day in our nation's history, we might potentially forget the emotions it once stirred in us. I personally was moved by the courage of those aboard the airplanes involved in 9/11 who gave their lives taking down the hijackers in order to avoid more casualties. In the aftermath of 9/11, our country's patriotism was stronger than ever, and in honoring this day, we bring back a sense of that pride. I feel that to stop commemorating this day, though a dark time in our history, would cause us to forget a day that ultimately revealed the character of our country and its civilians.
I think it is impossible to decide on a specific date upon which to stop commemorating an event. I know that even if the day comes where 9/11 is no longer spoken of and almost forgotten, i will still remember. I think everyone old enough to understand what happened that day will always remember. I was only in seventh grade at the time of the attack, but I can remember every single thing that happened that day. I remember my father having to embark on the 4 hour long walk home from his office just a block away from the towers. I remember him telling me that grown men were crying in the streets, and that the scene that day was worse than anything I could ever imagine. When is it time to stop commemorating 9/11? I don't think such a time will ever come.
I agree that there will never be a time when we will stop commemorating such a pivotal moment in our generation. History shows that we will always remember terrible tragedies. We still commemorate Pearl Harbor, the days Martin Luther King and JFK were assassinated, even the death of John Lennon. With time, 9/11 will become less a part of our everyday lives, but will never be erased completely from memory. Just like everything else, 9/11 is a part of our history and like every other important part of American history, good or bad, we should do everything we can to make sure that its memory doesn't fade. If history was never commemorated, it would just repeat itself. If we just try to erase September 11th from our history, we will fall back into the same security issues we has pre 9/11 and our nation will be a less safe place to live in.
It is also wrong not to remember those who died. Not everyone that day was a hero, but many were. Even after the first tower collapsed, firemen, rescue workers, and even civilians still tried to save people from the second tower. We cannot, in good conscience, forget about their acts of heroism.
I agree that there will never be a time when we will stop commemorating such a pivotal moment in our generation. History shows that we will always remember terrible tragedies. We still commemorate Pearl Harbor, the days Martin Luther King and JFK were assassinated, even the death of John Lennon. With time, 9/11 will become less a part of our everyday lives, but will never be erased completely from memory. Just like everything else, 9/11 is a part of our history and like every other important part of American history, good or bad, we should do everything we can to make sure that its memory doesn't fade. If history was never commemorated, it would just repeat itself. If we just try to erase September 11th from our history, we will fall back into the same security issues we has pre 9/11 and our nation will be a less safe place to live in.
It is also wrong not to remember those who died. Not everyone that day was a hero, but many were. Even after the first tower collapsed, firemen, rescue workers, and even civilians still tried to save people from the second tower. We cannot, in good conscience, forget about their acts of heroism.
I believe it is important to never forget the events that happened on 9/11. Many brave Americans lost their lives and the face of America has forever been changed. From the constant threat of future attacks to new security measures to the current war in Iraq theses are reminders of 9/11 that all current and future Americans live with. While I feel it is extremely important to always remember the events that have changed all of our lives forever its it equally important to look forward. At the same time I also believe that by continuing to have major commemorating events we are only opening wounds in the minds and hearts of all Americans. There comes a time that we must stop looking back on the event and start looking to the future for a new beginning, a beginning that will be called the post 9/11 era. I am in no way saying that we need to forget the events of 9/11 but I am saying that by altering the way we live, by continuing the show documenting 9/11 on TV and by making poorly made movies that show the events of 9/11 we continue to bring back bad memories in everyone’s mind along with playing into what the terrorists want. The Webster dictionary defines terrorism as, 1. the use of violence and threats to intimidate or coerce, esp. for political purposes. 2. the state of fear and submission produced by terrorism or terrorization. By continuing to recall the events of 9/11 it is making the citizens of the United States alter their way of life. Either by the constant news coverage of the current threat level to families being scared to fly in the fear of another terrorists attack. I feel for America to move on and to overcome the goal of the terrorists is to not live in a state of fear and not feel threatened by the potential of a future attack, and I feel this is done by not looking back on 9/11 but looking forward to a better tomorrow. Drew Majerick
I dont think it is up to us if we keep commemorating 9/11. I meen, as time goes by, a different person is finished mourning that tragedy. there is no "we" when it comes to commemorating. Its an individual thing. A person will finish mourning when they are content on the issue. Because when someone stops mourning, its due to the fact that they know its time to let go, or they have shed enough tears, and are willing to accept the issue finally. it has come, stayed, and gone. Personally I think it was a terrible tragedy, one that should never be forgotten, but we cant stay stuck in that time frame- or we will never fully give our undivided attention to issues at hand. Who still mourns the Isreali Olympic team that terrorists killed? How many people? The point is there comes a time to where you need to show that we as a people are stronger from what we've been through. That time is always now. There are other things to gain strength from now, and mourn. The current situation with Iraq we are in for example. Why is 9/11 more important to remember? Because they were civilians? To sound more sympathetic, no i presonally do not tink we should mourn any longer, its time to be strong, strong for those lost, strong for their family memebers who cant be because of a loss they can never get back, and strong for the wellbeing of we the people. -Ryan Harrison
On September 11th, 2001, our nation was changed forever. The terrorist attacks our nation faced will never be forgotten nor will innocent people who lost their lives. Anyone alive for these events will never forget this horrible day. I think that everyone in this nation can remember exactly what they were doing that morning. For me, I was in my 7th grade history class and my peers were being picked up from school. No one would give us a straight answer of what was going on but we all knew something horrible had happened. For anyone who had someone working in New York City, they will remember the chaos of trying to get in touch with love ones. Phone lines were busy, people were missing, and debris covered the beloved city of New York.
I think that it is important to remember the events of September 11th, because it is a part of our country’s history. Furthermore, despite personal opinions about the War on Terrorism now, its original intentions were to go after those responsible for these horrible attacks.
I think that every individual of this country will decide how they will remember the events of 9/11. I think in the future, some will only take time to commemorate on the anniversary of 9/11. However, I know that for me personally, I remember the events of 9/11 whenever I see my godfather’s face because he was on a business trip the day of 9/11. My family is so blessed to still have him in our lives and we realize this. Additionally, I think of 9/11 whenever I am playing basketball because one of my coaches, Paul Nimbly, died in the towers. I think about his daughter and his family and how their lives are changed forever. I think that the victims and their families deserve to be remembered on every anniversary of September 11th.
It has been six years since the tragic morning of 9/11 and that day still haunts America. In the years since, many developers have tried to find a way to commemorate this event while still using the land. So far, all of these proposals have been shot down. This news proposal changes the emphasis from the distant bird’s-eye view. This time the view stays pretty much at street level, showing many of the details that will make or break the pedestrian experience. There will be a 90-by-35-foot “media wall” of light-emitting diodes as well as a wall of polished black granite that would reflect the memorial plaza.
"There are other things to gain strength from now, and mourn. The current situation with Iraq we are in for example. Why is 9/11 more important to remember? Because they were civilians? "
Ryan,
I certainly wouldn't say that 9/11 vicitms are more important to remembner than soldiers who were killed in Iraq. I don't think anyone can say that one person is more important than another. However, I would imagine that people remember most those who they were close to no mattter when or how they died.
That said, I think the reason people remember 9/11 so much is that it's not just that 2,996 people died. The attacks were the first foreign attack on American soil in 60 years. They changed America and the world forever, and, as I said in my original post, defined a generation. Almost anything in international relation or political science is defined as pre-9/11 or post-9/11 know. It changed the way we think about the world, how we conduct foreign policy, and even how we check-in at the airport.
I don’t think anyone can hear the date 9/11 and not immediately think of the attacks on the World Trade Center. Over time however, Americans tried not to show through their faces that it’s the only thing they could think about. We had to move on and we couldn’t leave the date 9/11 only as the day we suffered tragic losses. I know people whose birthdays are Sept 11th and although at first it was hard for them to be happy when everyone else was still grieving over the losses in NYC, it’s getting easier. We’ve been reminded everyday that the last day to drop/add classes without penalty is tomorrow, and every time I think about the attacks. If it was the right day for the school to make the deadline, it shows me that America seems to be moving on. Some people might see that as disrespectful, and I understand why but I don’t agree with them. For me, it’s obvious all Americans should take some time out of their day to remember those we lost and their families as well as the men and women overseas. They deserve at least that. We can’t stop everything for the entire day and I don’t think anyone thinks we should.
I feel that people will never forget 9/11 and that the time to stop commemorating should never come. Though i think that when commemorating it the media needs to think about the people who were most closely effected, for example people actually in the twin towers and people that lost close friends and relative on 9/11. The media sometimes plays videos and clips from the day of 9/11 and if you have ever watched one they are pretty graphic for example people on fire and people jumping out of the windows. I feel they dont need to show these clips every year. People know how bad it was. The reason i say this is because people that survived or lost people on 9/11 get flashbacks from things the media shows. Psychologists are saying people like that should avoid shows commemorating 9/11 due to the fact it will make undesired feelings resurface and each year it makes them feel they are reliving the event.
The question of should we or should we not commemorate 9/11 is one that encompasses should we remember any of the tragedies that have struck the United States to make it what it is today. The answer to this is no. I adamently feel that to forget a tragedy such as 9/11 is to brush off the terror and hatred that is still very evident in numerous parts of the world. Although a lot of the attention has been brought away from the attack on the twin towers and focused more on the war in Iraq, 9/11 is not something that should ever be forgotten. There are times in this country when tragedy strikes that we come together more than ever. We unite as a people towards one common goal. I feel that when something like the terrorist attack in Manhatten occurs, we all feel the remnants and pain of those who lost their lives and those who gave their lives to save victims caught in the buildings. Commemorating 9/11 means more than giving a moment of silence on the anniversary of that terrible day. Each time we remember what happened we are taking steps to prevent such an occurance from happening again. Every time we honor and remember those who lost their lives on the fateful day of September 11, 2001 we commemorate the courage and valiant citizens that we have in this country. Commemorating 9/11 sets us apart from many other countries in the sense that we only begin the healing process when we remember and respect the heros and heroins of that day.
I do not think there is ever a time when we should stop commemorating 9/11. It was such a pivotal moment for our country that simply not commemorating it seems outrageous. For the many families left behind after 9/11 how could anyone even suggest something like this. There was a Sunday article in the New York Times titled “As 9/11 Draws Near, a Debate Rises: How Much Tribute is Enough?” In this article some Americans feel that public collective commemorations are excess, vacant and even annoying. Many other people fought back by saying if you are tired of it don’t attend. But for the one’s who lost on that tragic Tuesday morning, if commemorating in public or simply saying a pray in the privacy of their own homes is how they cope then so be it.
Although other American tragedies like the Kennedy Assassination on Nov. 22, 1963 or Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941 rarely get much attention anymore it is simply because generations turn over, we all still know how important those dates are it is just not as relevant to our present lives. Because the attack on 9/11 is still so new and the children and families of those who died are still in mourning, it is unfair to ask them or anyone else for that matter to stop commemorating the loved ones they lost. -Alison Burke
There will never be a time to stop commemorating 9/11 due to the fact that everyone was effected in some way or another. Whether is was a close family member or not your life was changed. Being from New York and having my parents work in the NYC sent a nervous shock of are they okay. They were not hurt, but just the thought of hearing they were in the same location and not being able to contact them for hours made my heart stop. The entire U.S has changed due to security risks. Even those thousands of miles away from New York, still go through the thought of fear entering a plane. To Americans 9/11 sent a message of destruction close to home.
Overall the consensus seems to be the same, we cannot decide when to stop commemorating the tragedy of 9/11, but the question I pose is will time ever heal the events of that early morning in September? It seems to me that such defining moments in our history are rarely forgotten, they merely become new pages in our history books. Take for example the Pearl Harbor, we still commemorate the events of that day, but as the generation that lived through the experience dies off the new generations feel a certain level of disconnection. I know personally I have respect and understanding for what happened because I learned about it in school, but I honestly don't give it more then a passing thought. It is my belief that as the generation that lived through 9/11 gets older and starts to diminish that attacks on 9/11 will become another passing thought to some disconnected youth, while the events of that day will live on forever, the true emotion and sincerity of our generation will be lost with time.
This day should be one in which every American at the very least a single moment to reflect on the events that happened just six years ago. We must not ever forget the massive loss of life that occurred on that day- nearly 3,000 people brutally slaughtered, most of whom were Americans. The loss of life would have been much greater if it had not been for the heroic acts of hundreds of common citizens and rescue personal from the NYFD & NYPD. Heroism is everywhere in America; it has been tested time and time again since the founding of this great nation, and we have prevailed in every instance! This should not go unrecognized.
As we pause to look back, we realize since that fateful day in 2001, America has done nothing but look forward. Our economy is robust, our military is strong, and our institutions of government are sound. Furthermore, are way of life, that we all so cherish, is unchanged. Freedom itself was attacked 6 years ago today, but today freedom rings even louder from coast to coast, boarder to boarder and city to city.
Americas are resilient and we do not except failure. As president George W. Bush noted: "We will not tire, we will not falter, and we will not fail." he continued that "...America is the brightest beacon of freedom and opportunity in the world and no one will keep that light from shining." As terrorists and Islamic fundamentalist preach hatred, war, and death on the premise of religion, America moves forward. We move forward with religious tolerance, women’s rights, and justice for all. We stand strong and are willing to defend this way life until our enemy surrenders, or is inileated.
We are the greatest force of good in the world. Without the sacrifices of our nations forefathers, our ancestors, and let us not forget our own grandfathers, most human beings (if not all) would live under suppression and tyranny. We are humankind’s pioneers... And this is something to be proud of!
I have not forgotten that my country was attacked just 6 years ago; I have not forgotten the immense loss to life- nor have I forgotten the many heroes that saved so many... HAVE YOU??
Personally, I feel that we should never stop commemorating 9/11. Every year when that day comes around it obviously brings about awful, sad memories, but it also brings about a feeling of pride and unity our country and each citizen of America has with one another. I can remember exactly where I was when I heard about the terrible tragedies, as can every other person. To me this day is a day of remembrance to all those men and women who were killed so tragically. If we ever stop commemorating 9/11 it would be one of the most unethical moves our country could ever make.
Living in Washington, DC each drive past the Pentagon is a constant reminder of the tragedy of 9/11. My eyes are always drawn to the site of the crash as you can see the change in limestone noting the original from the renovated section. Commemorating 9/11 will always be important and a specific time when one should stop remembering can never be established. Everyone honors 9/11 in his or her own way. For my high school cross-country team we choose to participate in the second and third annual Arlington Police/Fire/Sheriff 9-11 Memorial 5K race. This race raises money for charities of 9/11 and brings members of the greater Washington, DC community together to honor and pay respects as the course leads past the repaired west wall. The number of participants in this race has only increased over the years and this year nearly 3,500 runners took part. Interested in this race check out http://www.arlington911race.com.
9/11 permenantly changed the way that we viewed our role in the world and ended any notion about the value of "isolationism." It was an act of war carried out by religious fanatics demonstrating that they can in fact hurt us. President Clinton viewed the first bombing on the WTC with many people agreeing with him, but 9/11 demonstrated that this was not a criminal attack.
We should never forget 9/11 much like we should never forget July 4th, 1776. It is a serious changing point in our history in how we dealt with the terrorist threat and the movement towards a new military order. We must remember everyday that we do have enemies and that they will do anything that they possibly can in order to hurt us. It is a reminder that we must never rest towards confronting evil whether it is the regime in North Korea which is currently engaging in very questionable business with Syria or Iran and its' nuclear weapon program. We can view the economic damage from 9/11 as 1% of what we could expect if Iran developed a nuke and had terrorists sail it into our harbor. Fortunately, our enemies remain committed to Westerners regardless of whether it is Beslan, Russia or in New York City and this should remind us to stay very alert to the threat.
Fortunately, our enemies remain committed to KILLING Westerners regardless of whether it is Beslan, Russia or in New York City and this should remind us to stay very alert to the threat.
I don't think there ever should be a question raised whether or not we should stop commemorating 9/11. It was a day that marked history and a life changing event for our generation because we had not yet experienced anything quit like it.
When September 11th happened I didn't know anyone that was affected personally by this tragedy until I came to college. My roomate Michelle is from Long Island and her Uncle Peter Ganci was the Chief of Department of the FDNY. He was one of the 343 firefighters who lost their lives that day.
Hearing my roommate talk about her uncle only makes me feel more strongly about why we should continue to commemorate 9/11. The innocent people killed that day were somebody's mother, father, brother, sister, aunt or uncle. Lives were destoryed in a matter of hours and even if you don't know someone who perished on 9/11 it was an attack on our nation and should not be forgotten.
As much as we don't want to think about history as it happens, something someday will happen again. 9/11 will not be forgotten just like Pearl Harbor or the assasinations of John F. Kennedy or Martin Luther King Jr.. It was a time in history and for that reason why can't people grieve until they find peace with what happened. Let it be remembered for everything that it was and also let it stand for the rememberance of all the soldiers who are fighting or lost their lives in this war which was declared after 9/11.
I think the New York Times really summed it up best when they wrote "Sept. 11 is the day we do not want to remember and the day we cannot forget." This is why I think it would be unheard of to stop commemorating these attacks a mere six years later.
In the following article: http://freedomeden.blogspot.com/2007/09/911-tribute-fatigue.html
They debate why the attacks of 9/11 are still so commemorated when other american tragedies such as pearl harbor, the oklahmoa city bombing and the kennedy assination have been over looked. I can think of two main reasons for this.
1. The first is obviose and it is that the events of 9/11 are current and real. Most people remeber where they were and what they were doing when they heard the news. It happend so recently that it seems like almost yesterday. Only time will tell how americans feelings fade as generations grow and distance themselves from the events.
2. The next reason in my aproximation is that the events of 9/11 will be commemorated for so long is because although it was a tradgedy heors emerged to be celebrated. They are two examples of this, the fire fighters at ground zero and the victums aboard flight 93. Both these situations allowed an uplifting message to emerge from all the rubble and be passed down and aught to even young children. This element is just simply not as existant in any of these other events and that is why i think the commemorating of 9/11 will surely be long lasting.
This is an interesting question. On the one hand, you have to be sensitive to the people who lost family members and friends on 9/11. Then again, you have to keep in mind that even though the events already happend,if we keep airing footage of September 11th, we are in a sense, giving the terrorists the upperhand. We all witnessed what happend. The images of the buildings falling and planes crashing are etched into our minds and may be impossible to forget about. In my opinion, I believe that we should commemorate 9/11 by holding moments of silence as we do currently when that dark day comes each year. However, I do not believe we should show footage of that fateful day when that day comes each year. As I said before, we remember the images of the day. We don't need them repeated. In fact, I believe that if we continue to show the footage and images, the terrorists will gradually begin to believe they have won. Not to say that they don't already think this, but maybe this could be a way of fighting back. It's just a thought.
After looking around all of the other comments on this blog, i tend to agree with what most others have said on this topic. 9/11 was a tragic moment for this country and should never be forgotten. I would go as far as to say that it should be remembered as a national day of mourning across the nation. I agree that the footage of that day should not be shown all over the media on that day, but all should just take a moment and recall that fatefull day.
As an aside for others to comment on, am I the only one who has not watched any 9-11 films?
The answer of whether or not commemorating 9/11 should be done or not is an obvious yes. The events of the 9/11 attacks changed the nation forever; after that day the U.S. was ushered into a different era and that should never be forgotten. Everyone I have talked to about the day can remeber what they were doing and where they were when they first heard the news. I was in 8th grade health class with Miss Clark and when she turned on the T.V. at 9:30am none of us could beleive what was happening. The events of that morning is something that we can't forget not just becuase some 2700 Americans lives, but rather the fact that experiencing being attacked on our home soil changed this generation from that point forward. If we were to stop commemorating 9/11, it would be like saying lets not commemorate Pearl Harbour. Its been said many times through-out this blog but 9/11 real is this generation's Pearl Harbor. Our relationships with other countries and our actions as a nation will now be in responce to 9/11 for a long time now. The victims' families will never forget, New York City will never forget, and Americans will never forget that day and they will not stop commemorating it as a memorial for those who lost there lives that day. By Brendon Butler
Yes I believe that we should always keep commemorating 9/11. This is because it took our country by surprise and pushed us and the rest of the world back. It was an act of terrorism that should never be forgotten in our country. It was like Pearl Harbor in the sense that it pushed our entire nation back a step and we had to realize what was going on and act upon it. Pearl Harbor is also still being commemorated 60 years after the fact so I believe we should always commemorate 9/11 in the same way.
In response to the question "When is it time to stop commemorating 9?11?" ....
No one person can decide for a nation when the proper time to end commemorations for an event that changed a nation. However, I have heard many different arguments about this idea.
Some people find that hundreds of ceremonies every year do nothing but commercialize 9/11, and that is in part true. There does not need to be a ceremony at the groundsite, in Delaware, at the White House, near the fishing pond, etc, etc. There is nothing wrong with wanting to show support for the American country, but in that respect, we need to be unified, and have just ONE ceremony for the victims of 9/11.
Some people say that if we fail to have all of these ceremonies, it means that we have forgotten what has happened. Well, these people have made thier point, what with all the ceremonies that basically shout "DON'T FORGET THAT PEOPLE DIED HERE!"
In all honesty, I think that in a few more years, 9/11 will become what other historical days have become to us. Pearl Harbor for instance, is an extremely important day to the Americans who lived in the time period, but I do not think that we take as much time and spend as much money on commemorating those who lost thier lives there. In time, 9/11 will simply fall into its place among those other important American events that are remembered by everyone, and in that respect, are commemorated by everyone.
Honestly, I had never thought about commemorating 9/11 in such depth until I began to read everybody's comments. I understand the point that it was a defining moment in our generation, and it was a trigger to justify sending troops to Iraq. But, I do not believe that this will be the only defining moment within our generation, nor do I believe that we need to continually commemorate the tragedy. It was a terrible day and what happened can never be undone, and for all those who wish to commemorate, I see no problem. Yet, as people have pointed out, there have been other important, defining moments in our nation's past, and we know about them and acknowledge them, but we do not dwell on them like we do 9/11. It it understandable to dwell a bit more on 9/11 considering it was more recent and people are still feeling the pangs of loss that it caused. But I think the day will, and should, become a day in history that we never forget, but not one that we need to take time and resources to continually remember.
Wow, I've never thought about this before, and I think that a lot of really good points have been made on this page. As much as I wish I had an original thought to add I feel like my opinion is very similar to most of the others that have been posted. I agree that 9/ll should always be acknowledged in some way. I think that right now it is getting more attention then it will always get because it is still a recent event. Its something that most of the people alive in the world today remember very clearly. I also would have to agree with several people who made the point that we may over commemorate it right now. I don't think that we should continue to show footage every year. Yes, it is something we need to remember, but its something our nation will never be able to forget. By showing all that footage the terrorists are getting exactly what they wanted. We should not be willing to give them that satisfaction. Someone also said that it would be more effective to have one commemorative service to show our unity. I really like this idea. So I don't believe that we will ever fully stop commemorating 9/11, but I do believe that our efforts will grow smaller as the time gap widens.
I do not feel that there can ever be a date or time set to when people will stop remembering 9/11. It is one of the most significant events of the modern world and it will continue to have an impact on our world for years, decades, and possibly centuries to come. It was the first time the most powerful country in the world was attacked from the inside in such a devastating manner. By inside, I mean that they used our own planes as their weapons, which happened to be loaded with hundreds of our citizens. We now live in a world of constant threat, and the world we knew before 9/11 has been changed forever. We already use phrases such as "pre 9/11" and "post 9/11." We will never again have the feeling of being indestructible as a nation. The fact that we know that we have other threats that can hurt us far more than any other country will keep 9/11 in our minds forever.
Remembering 9/11 in unavoidable for several reasons. People remember because of loved ones who were lost in the attack. They remember how dramatically awesome of a scene it was to see the towers fall. Most of us remember exactly where we were when it all happened. There is certainly a sense, also, in which the Al Quaida attack on 9/11 was one of the most brilliant paramilitary operations in human history. Certainly in terms of its disruptive effects; it changed the direction of the entire security apparatus of the United States. Who is the enemy? Certainly he was no foe comperable to the threat posed by the Soviet Union during the Cold War. He was a new and unimagined kind of enemy. For one thing he was stateless and dependent upon more ore less failed states for refuge. We will always commomorate 9/11 for personal, moral reasons, but we should also be aware that it is a defining signal for Islam as a player on the world stage.
I don't think it will ever be time to stop commemorating 9/11. Although I don't think the nation is capable of ever completely forgetting about the events of 9/11, I don't think that we should ever cease commemorating. After 9/11 occurred, the nation was brought together and strengthened during a time of tragedy. People flew American flags everywhere and there was a sense of pride of "being an American." Sometimes in times of heartbreak and calamity, unity is a very precious tool, which is very beneficial. For this reason, among others, I believe that 9/11 will always be remembered and honored. There are many events similar to the tragedy we witnessed on September 11th that prove people never stop commemorating. Many similar events have become national holidays, but even those that have not are still remembered. Regardless of how many victims are still living from the Holocaust, that event will never be forgotten. Auschwitz is now a museum that is there to celebrate and honor those victims. Ground Zero is a perfect example of how we are still commemorating 9/11 and I think a tragedy as serve as this will never be forgotten. -Katy Johnson
Terrorism is the new type of modern war. This war is invisible and intangible. It can happen any time at any place. In such a sense, 9.11 is the typical war caused by the terrorism instigated by Al Quida. Therefore, I think that we should keep on commemorating this tragedy. 9/11 was the most unforgetable happening in the the history of the earth. So many people were dead miserably. When this broke out, the whole world was greatly astonished. How dare Bin Laden and his villains to think about terroring the strongest country in the world? This tragedy is not just the problem of the US. It can take place ubiquitously, unless we keep remembering it and its consequences. We should cherish its significance and spirit all the time.
I believe that the tragic events that happened years ago should never be forgotten nor ever be lost somewhere in the history books. But I believe that as newer generations come to live and die, the meaning of such an event will come to loose its importance. But such is inevitable as the generations grow older. College students now have no recollection of Pearl Harbor, Vietnam, the assassination of Kennedy, the fall of the Berlin Wall and the Holocaust. Yet there are generations that are still living that will never forget those moments. The only thing we know about those events is what we read or see in the movies. We did not experience those monumental events that shook the world, yet we did live for 9/11.
We as a generation must never forget what happened, but you can't blame the generations that have yet to come for not understanding what the event meant to us. But at the same time it would be wrong and impossible for the world to one day simply forget about 9/11.
Although it was important that we get over the 9/11 tragedy, however, remembering it and re-living it are two different things. There have been many different instances in which hundreds or thousands of people have lost their lives. But the one attack that closely resembles this would be Pearl Harbor. To an extent we still remember it and mention it yearly, but its more like the flashing ticker at the bottom of the daily news. And i'm sure the 9/11 events will hit that soon enough.
I think with any tragedy, there reaches a point where the commemoration stops, not because it is stated, but it merely happens. In 9/11, I feel as though it will not happen for another 10 years. I know through the course of the week of September 11, people mentioned that it was coming up. On the day, there was not so much commemoration, as there was a realization of "this day in history" type perspective. The people who were effected will never forget, millions will never forget, but, there are people who will not constantly think about it.
You would have to look back at any major tragedy and find at what point did the day not have a "fanfare", which isn't the best word, but does describe it. Although, looking up the last commemorated day is a difficult job, and as stated before, 9/11 will always be remembered, however it will change to the anniversary of the day, and the feelings of the day will eventually dissipate as generations enter. What we know is what we remember until our memories fade away.
In my opinion, 9/11, while still acknowledged very much so, will not be commemorated even the slightest of how it is now. Sure, there will be events every year for the families of the deceased; but like the bombing of pearl harbor, not that many Americans commemorate it. I assume that only the US government, family and friends of those affected by the bombing, and military service men would give full commemoration to the attack. While 9/11 was the largest terrorist killing in US history, the truth is that people ultimately die and the victims of the terrorist attack just happened to die sooner.
I remember when I was in the 7th grade during the attacks and they let school out early. My classmates were happy that they could leave early, but I was in tears because my uncle worked in New York city. I was terribly scared for his safety, but I can kind of laugh at myself now, as he actually works in Queens. But when the attacks first occurred, there was a big shock factor and this tends to decrease over time. People will still commemorate 9/11, but just not to such a degree as they do today.
Nobody that was alive and knew what occurred is probably capable of forgetting the terrorist attacks 6 years ago. By the very fact that the name it is known by is a date makes it very hard to forget when it happened. It's not like the notorious husband story of forgetting his wifes birthday. If you know 9/11 happened then yuo know when and where it was. So basically it's impossible to forget. But is it necessary to have a national event forever in remembrance every year? I believe that it currently makes sense why people need to commemorate the day. The US is still fighting a war that can be affiliated with 9/11. The President still uses the terrorist attacks to try to draw support of his expansionist hawk motives around the world. So, once 9/11 loses its real world applicabilty I believe it will drift out of people's mind much more just like so many other monumental events. The reason 9/11 is a talking point for commemoration si because it is talked about every single day. Pearl Harbor or a similar event really isnt' referenced so readily, instead rememberance is reserved for its specific day in December. One day it will be the same for september 11.
In my mind 9/11 will always be commemorated. It was the biggest attack on our nation’s soil since pearl harbor. It changed people’s lives forever across the country whether or not they were directly involved or had lost members of their family. For a while it instilled a sense of paranoia and still today everyone is more cautious in what they do now (airport security). I think the question that the NY Times should have posed was, on how big of a stage should it still be commemorated? That I can not answer because every family is different but I believe that on September 11th our generation will always think of the terrorist attacks on that day. Others will commemorate more and others will know that it is just a day of respect for those who were lost. As if I haven’t already reiterated the other 41 comments I also believe that this is our generations defining moment. It has been said that tragedy only brings people closer together. It brought a new sense of patriotism to our country and unity, in which this country had been more individualistic and every man to fiend for him self. Like I said before 9/11 should still be commemorated for years to come and those who have already forgotten should remember what that date in history truly means, that we will bend but never be broken. Just like the torn flag that remained after the attacks.
To answer the question when is it time to stop commemorating 9/11 I don't believe there ever will be a time when we as a people stop commemorating 9/11. Its like saying lets all forget about Americans landing on the moon or the Civil war. Both events had major and long lasting impacts on American culture. The Civil War helping to pave the way for African Americans to become free and eventually obtain equal rights. Then landing on the moon led to massive research on space (more importantly the dangers that it holds and also the benefits). Now we have 9/11 which heighten everybodies awareness of how much many other nations don't like the U.S. To me 9/11 is an historic moment in U.S. history and should never be forgotten.
I don't think we should ever stop commemorating 9/11. December 7 still goes hand in hand with the attack at Pearl Harbor and that was over 65 years ago. I wish there weren't so many Hollywood film makers jumping on the bandwagon to make a quick buck from a reinactment, though. 9/11 is something that we should always remember. I can't think of any other event in my life that stuck in my mind so well. Every year, I still think about the time when the towers were hit while I was sitting in my 9th grade classroom. This was such a shocking event in our life time that you really can't just turn the page and forget about it.
I feel that 9/11 should always be commemorated. The truth is that it is already starting to become another fact in peoples minds'. The first 1-3 years it was a highly recognized day, now it seemed to me that this year it almost passed under the radar. This does bother me that we do not give it the proper attention that is deserved, but there are fare more tragic things that are known but are not commemrated to the exstent they should be (not to lessen the loss of any of the people who were killed, or knew some one killed). Some examples of things we don't commemorate (which this an opinion and is debatable) are WWI, WWII, Holocaust, Joseph Stalin's rule and many more. It seems to me tragic events are destined to not be forgotten completely but they surely seem to sink to the back of our minds.
9/11, in my opinion, should never stop being commemorated. Realistically, as the years pass since this tragedy, the degree to which to 9/11 is observed diminishes. Im sure the families of the victims of 9/11 will never forget that horrendous day. However, some of the families don't like all the emphasis placed every year on commemorating 9/11. Oprah interviewed many children whose parent was killed on 9/11. Some of those children actually say that by the media having a huge tribute to 9/11 each year brings back some sad thoughts that they would like to forget. In answering the question, when is it time to stop commemorating 9/11, offically the answer is never, but in actuality, as time goes by the sadness felt by the tragedy of 9/11 will diminish.
9/11 in my eyes should not stop being commemorated. It should be a day that brings our country together like that of Pearl Harbor, but over the years if you look many of the image of Pearl Harbor has diminished and so has the memory of 9/11. This day is a day that should not be forgot, i am not saying have an all out celebration but we need to remember this as a day that America bounced back from and prospered.
I agree that the answer to this question is different for everyone. I will never forget September 11th because I remember it as the day I lost a parent. 9/11 should be commemorated especially because it was the first attack on continental US ground. It united our country, and stands as a symbol that we will prevail. I think about the loss of my loved one everyday, and I will commemorate our freedom every year. The tragic event changed the face of our country and everyday life.
i feel as though commorating 9/11 will be held the same way as the commemoration of pearl harbor. the annual commemoration of 9/11 serves a dual purpose: honoring the people who lost their lives that day and to look at how that day has shaped the world (most importantly the middle east) and its politics. since it served as a catalyst for the change made in the middle east, it might be viewed as the barrier separating one portion of global socio-political relations from another. in that sense it will still continue to be honored but there is a decent chance that as a memorial, it will probably ebb away, much like nationally commemorating pearl harbor has. -mack shane
I don't think that the US will ever officially stop commemorating 9/11. We are still commemorating the losses of those who had fallen and fought during WWI and WWII. 9/11 has been just as big of a devastation to this country as those endured during the WW's. There are many of our citizens who still deal with the deaths of those lost that day, and the nation is still dealing with the consequences. However, I believe that though 9/11 happened 6 almost 7 years ago it is still too soon to produce movies such as United 93 on the subject, there are still too many people who remember vividly what happened that day and who are still dealing with it. I agree that we should commemorate those but not through Hollywood and the entertainment industry.
I do now think we should forget about 9/11. I think it has affected people from all over the world. I remembered hearing about it living in another part of the world and how it changed because of it. Upon hearing the news I lived in Saudi Arabia. I did not know at the immediate time that i learned about 9/11 and the crashes just how connected the country was to the incident. I thought that it was a horrific event and immediately contacted friends to ask about them. The next day at school I noticed a lot of the students were absent. It was a lot of the westerners, a lot that were caucasian or who looked American. Some were South African or Australian. The school had a assembly commerate the 9/11 attacks and at the end told the the students that because of racial profiling had been advised by their embassies to "lay low" for a while because of how the Saudis were connected to the terrorists. I remember how scared everyone was that day, mirroring the ones we saw on TV.
We shouldn't stop commemorating because 9/11 meant a lot to many different people. We should remember the people who lost thier lives that day as well as how our has changed since then.
I believe that we should never stop commemorating 9/11. This is a tragedy that will never be forgotten, just like the World War's, Pearl Harbor, and the assassination of JFK. This is a day that can not be forgotten, we can not just forget about all of the police officers and firefighters that risked their lives for people, the least we can do is commemorating event for them. September 11 brought our country together and by having commemorating events will continue to bring us together.
Should we keep on commemorating 9-11? Now this question has a million and one bases to go off of. First off i remember for the first anniversary there were a lot of kids asking if we were getting off. Simply for the reasoning that they wanted to get off from school. Now obviously that is not a reason to commemorate 9-11, but the point is that children automatically thought that 9-11 had become a National holiday. In my belief we should not have a formal day of remembrance for 9-11. Today still there is enough remembrance of 9-11, on 9-11 without there being any 'formal' holiday associated along with it. Are we going too far today commemorating 9-11 as is? My answer to that would be a no. Too many people were lost that day for it to simply vanish over the course of near a decade. For many years, perhaps even near a century this day will be fully remembered. That is not too much time to remember fallen loved ones. Thus it is not time to stop commemorating 9-11.
9/11 is a very important thing to commemorate. It was one of the most devastating events that ever happened to our country. Remembering what happened, who was killed, and the heroic rescue stories gives us inspiration to do the same if anything else of this matter should ever happen.
The most important reason is for the younger generations; children who were not born yet or too young to remember the events should have a good idea of both the positive and negative events in our country's history. Knowing the positive events alone would not be a good way to teach our kids. Even though it is horrible thing we must remember, remembering is the smartest way of preventing such events as this in happening again in the future.
On paper, we are at war because of 9/11. There still are cries for justice from the families of the victims. Conspiracy thoerists are making money and air time. I think that the dust from 9/11 hasn't settled yet. Commemorating is a strange thing. I'm going to say it is case sensitive and that as long as we are commemorating 9/11, we should be. Stephane Stewart
56 comments:
A NYT article asks: when is it time to stop commemorating 9/11?
The answer to that question will be different for everyone. Some people quoted in the article say that they are tired of 9/11 remembrances; “grieving [has] a shelf life,” one said. Obviously the anniversary of 9/11 affects everyone differently, and people who would rather not remember are free to do so.
However, for many people, myself included, remembering is important.
Every generation has a defining moment, a tragic event that unites the country and defines the proceeding decades. Our grandparents remember hearing the news on the day that shall live in infamy, knowing that they or their husband would soon be sent to fight on foreign soil. Our parents still remember where they were on Nov. 22, 1963. For our generation, 9/11 was our defining moment.
I don’t think I could easily forget 9/11, even if I tried, just as I doubt the “Greatest Generation” has forgotten Pearl Harbor. How could I? Besides being tragic for the people who died and their families, that day ushered in the world my generation has and will grow up in. Whenever I hear the date Sept. 11, I flash back to those images seared in my mind: the Towers falling, walls lined with missing person posters, the firefighters raising the American flag amidst the rubble.
It is important to remember the victims of 9/11 because many of them, such as the firefighters who rushed into the Towers without regard to their own safety and the passengers of Flight 93, represent the best of America. However, considering the threat we still face, it is even more important that we remember the events of 9/11 and the lessons we learned by them.
In the years after the end of the Cold War, America grew complacent, believing she was safe with the Soviet threat gone. All the while, al-Qaeda strengthened and plotted its attack on America. On 9/11, we awoke to the threat and following the attacks, we stood united and dedicated to keeping America safe, without regard to politics. Now, that has been replaced by partisan bickering, and America is still at risk. It’s crucial we remember the lessons of 9/11 and get back to the bipartisan effort to keep the country safe.
Sept. 11 will be remembered in the hearts of people who lived through it for many years to come. As for the yearly public memorials, I’m sure they will diminish and eventually come to an end. But, I say, a long as even one victim’s family members want to make the pilgrimage to Ground Zero, the public memorials should continue.
Josh Shannon
This blog is in response to the second blog, answering the question: When is it time to stop commemorating 9/11?
I am of the belief that there will never be an appropriate time to stop commemorating 9/11. I can remember exactly where I was when I first heard of the attacks..9th grade earth science, and I can remember the panic that rode through my body that September morning. My dad was working in the building directly across from tower 2. He was lucky enough to escape in time and return home safely, but the images of falling bodies and total destruction haunt him till this day. I know loved ones that lost moms, dads, brothers, sisters, and friends that day. I do not believe however, that the attack was a result of America's growing complacencty in the post cold-war era. The American government knew of Al-Queda, its mission, and its evil capabilities well before 9/11. It is my belief that it was the failure of the government to protect their citizens that resulted in this tragedy. While I still stand strong in remembering lost loved ones for however long it takes one to truly heal, I ask the question: When will it be time to START commemorating the losses of the 3000 plus and counting fallen US troops in Iraq and bring the rest of the soldiers home?
Kevin Moreno
It is important to remember that many people used 9/11 to justify going into Iraq. While it was a tragedy, it is crucial the American public is not scared, misled, and unwillingly committed to any more wars as a result of the type of blind nationalism that results from such tragedies. Terrorism and Iraq had no connection before we entered (though now, depending how you define "terrorism", some may argue otherwise), and yet people were fooled into believing 9/11 and Iraq were one in the same. If you disagreed you were labelled as unpatriotic, unsupportive of the troops, etc...even today, you could use up well over a dozen hands counting the times Guliani has brought up 9/11 on the campaign trail.
http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/09/10/pataki.commentary/index.html
Every time I read this article it makes me sick. It is when such an event, such an unfortunate loss of life is used in THIS way...that is where we must draw the line. Is it important to remember? Of course...we must remember, mostly so that we don't make the same mistakes again. I believe not in remembering to ignite blind patriotism, but to keep in mind how careless we as a nation can become if we are not careful after such fragile times. Our government failed us after 9/11...our media failed us after 9/11...we failed ourselves, and even though we are starting to realize this as a nation, we cannot let it happen again.
"...remember we were attacked not for what we do wrong but what we do right." It is for THIS reason we must remember 9/11 and our country before it. If we truly believe, as Pataki put it, that we were punished for what we did right...then it will only happen again because we will be destined to repeat the same mistakes.
So, should we remember?
I believe we must, in order to avoid making the same mistakes...however we must be careful. Governments, unfortunately, are much too deceptive by nature to be trusted with something as powerful as 9/11' if we rememebr the wrong way, we could easily find ourselves in another Iraq.
And one more article, actually its a transcript from a podcast...very interesting.
http://verbal.democracynow.org/2006/12/18/howard_zinn_on_the_uses_of
Nick Sarlo
In response to the question: should our nation stop commemorating the events of 9/11, I feel that the answer is simply, no. While memories of this day are painful to many, taking time to honor and remember those who were lost brings a sense of unity to our nation and provides an outlet for grief. Although we should not let these events haunt us, if we were to stop commemorating this day in our nation's history, we might potentially forget the emotions it once stirred in us. I personally was moved by the courage of those aboard the airplanes involved in 9/11 who gave their lives taking down the hijackers in order to avoid more casualties. In the aftermath of 9/11, our country's patriotism was stronger than ever, and in honoring this day, we bring back a sense of that pride. I feel that to stop commemorating this day, though a dark time in our history, would cause us to forget a day that ultimately revealed the character of our country and its civilians.
I think it is impossible to decide on a specific date upon which to stop commemorating an event. I know that even if the day comes where 9/11 is no longer spoken of and almost forgotten, i will still remember. I think everyone old enough to understand what happened that day will always remember. I was only in seventh grade at the time of the attack, but I can remember every single thing that happened that day. I remember my father having to embark on the 4 hour long walk home from his office just a block away from the towers. I remember him telling me that grown men were crying in the streets, and that the scene that day was worse than anything I could ever imagine. When is it time to stop commemorating 9/11? I don't think such a time will ever come.
I agree that there will never be a time when we will stop commemorating such a pivotal moment in our generation. History shows that we will always remember terrible tragedies. We still commemorate Pearl Harbor, the days Martin Luther King and JFK were assassinated, even the death of John Lennon. With time, 9/11 will become less a part of our everyday lives, but will never be erased completely from memory. Just like everything else, 9/11 is a part of our history and like every other important part of American history, good or bad, we should do everything we can to make sure that its memory doesn't fade. If history was never commemorated, it would just repeat itself. If we just try to erase September 11th from our history, we will fall back into the same security issues we has pre 9/11 and our nation will be a less safe place to live in.
It is also wrong not to remember those who died. Not everyone that day was a hero, but many were. Even after the first tower collapsed, firemen, rescue workers, and even civilians still tried to save people from the second tower. We cannot, in good conscience, forget about their acts of heroism.
I agree that there will never be a time when we will stop commemorating such a pivotal moment in our generation. History shows that we will always remember terrible tragedies. We still commemorate Pearl Harbor, the days Martin Luther King and JFK were assassinated, even the death of John Lennon. With time, 9/11 will become less a part of our everyday lives, but will never be erased completely from memory. Just like everything else, 9/11 is a part of our history and like every other important part of American history, good or bad, we should do everything we can to make sure that its memory doesn't fade. If history was never commemorated, it would just repeat itself. If we just try to erase September 11th from our history, we will fall back into the same security issues we has pre 9/11 and our nation will be a less safe place to live in.
It is also wrong not to remember those who died. Not everyone that day was a hero, but many were. Even after the first tower collapsed, firemen, rescue workers, and even civilians still tried to save people from the second tower. We cannot, in good conscience, forget about their acts of heroism.
I believe it is important to never forget the events that happened on 9/11. Many brave Americans lost their lives and the face of America has forever been changed. From the constant threat of future attacks to new security measures to the current war in Iraq theses are reminders of 9/11 that all current and future Americans live with. While I feel it is extremely important to always remember the events that have changed all of our lives forever its it equally important to look forward. At the same time I also believe that by continuing to have major commemorating events we are only opening wounds in the minds and hearts of all Americans. There comes a time that we must stop looking back on the event and start looking to the future for a new beginning, a beginning that will be called the post 9/11 era. I am in no way saying that we need to forget the events of 9/11 but I am saying that by altering the way we live, by continuing the show documenting 9/11 on TV and by making poorly made movies that show the events of 9/11 we continue to bring back bad memories in everyone’s mind along with playing into what the terrorists want. The Webster dictionary defines terrorism as,
1. the use of violence and threats to intimidate or coerce, esp. for political purposes.
2. the state of fear and submission produced by terrorism or terrorization.
By continuing to recall the events of 9/11 it is making the citizens of the United States alter their way of life. Either by the constant news coverage of the current threat level to families being scared to fly in the fear of another terrorists attack. I feel for America to move on and to overcome the goal of the terrorists is to not live in a state of fear and not feel threatened by the potential of a future attack, and I feel this is done by not looking back on 9/11 but looking forward to a better tomorrow.
Drew Majerick
I dont think it is up to us if we keep commemorating 9/11. I meen, as time goes by, a different person is finished mourning that tragedy. there is no "we" when it comes to commemorating. Its an individual thing. A person will finish mourning when they are content on the issue. Because when someone stops mourning, its due to the fact that they know its time to let go, or they have shed enough tears, and are willing to accept the issue finally. it has come, stayed, and gone. Personally I think it was a terrible tragedy, one that should never be forgotten, but we cant stay stuck in that time frame- or we will never fully give our undivided attention to issues at hand. Who still mourns the Isreali Olympic team that terrorists killed? How many people? The point is there comes a time to where you need to show that we as a people are stronger from what we've been through. That time is always now. There are other things to gain strength from now, and mourn. The current situation with Iraq we are in for example. Why is 9/11 more important to remember? Because they were civilians? To sound more sympathetic, no i presonally do not tink we should mourn any longer, its time to be strong, strong for those lost, strong for their family memebers who cant be because of a loss they can never get back, and strong for the wellbeing of we the people.
-Ryan Harrison
On September 11th, 2001, our nation was changed forever. The terrorist attacks our nation faced will never be forgotten nor will innocent people who lost their lives. Anyone alive for these events will never forget this horrible day. I think that everyone in this nation can remember exactly what they were doing that morning. For me, I was in my 7th grade history class and my peers were being picked up from school. No one would give us a straight answer of what was going on but we all knew something horrible had happened. For anyone who had someone working in New York City, they will remember the chaos of trying to get in touch with love ones. Phone lines were busy, people were missing, and debris covered the beloved city of New York.
I think that it is important to remember the events of September 11th, because it is a part of our country’s history. Furthermore, despite personal opinions about the War on Terrorism now, its original intentions were to go after those responsible for these horrible attacks.
I think that every individual of this country will decide how they will remember the events of 9/11. I think in the future, some will only take time to commemorate on the anniversary of 9/11. However, I know that for me personally, I remember the events of 9/11 whenever I see my godfather’s face because he was on a business trip the day of 9/11. My family is so blessed to still have him in our lives and we realize this. Additionally, I think of 9/11 whenever I am playing basketball because one of my coaches, Paul Nimbly, died in the towers. I think about his daughter and his family and how their lives are changed forever. I think that the victims and their families deserve to be remembered on every anniversary of September 11th.
-Erin Donahue
It has been six years since the tragic morning of 9/11 and that day still haunts America. In the years since, many developers have tried to find a way to commemorate this event while still using the land. So far, all of these proposals have been shot down. This news proposal changes the emphasis from the distant bird’s-eye view. This time the view stays pretty much at street level, showing many of the details that will make or break the pedestrian experience. There will be a 90-by-35-foot “media wall” of light-emitting diodes as well as a wall of polished black granite that would reflect the memorial plaza.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/07/nyregion/07tower.html
Kaitlin Keelan
"There are other things to gain strength from now, and mourn. The current situation with Iraq we are in for example. Why is 9/11 more important to remember? Because they were civilians? "
Ryan,
I certainly wouldn't say that 9/11 vicitms are more important to remembner than soldiers who were killed in Iraq. I don't think anyone can say that one person is more important than another. However, I would imagine that people remember most those who they were close to no mattter when or how they died.
That said, I think the reason people remember 9/11 so much is that it's not just that 2,996 people died. The attacks were the first foreign attack on American soil in 60 years. They changed America and the world forever, and, as I said in my original post, defined a generation. Almost anything in international relation or political science is defined as pre-9/11 or post-9/11 know. It changed the way we think about the world, how we conduct foreign policy, and even how we check-in at the airport.
Josh Shannon
I don’t think anyone can hear the date 9/11 and not immediately think of the attacks on the World Trade Center. Over time however, Americans tried not to show through their faces that it’s the only thing they could think about. We had to move on and we couldn’t leave the date 9/11 only as the day we suffered tragic losses. I know people whose birthdays are Sept 11th and although at first it was hard for them to be happy when everyone else was still grieving over the losses in NYC, it’s getting easier. We’ve been reminded everyday that the last day to drop/add classes without penalty is tomorrow, and every time I think about the attacks. If it was the right day for the school to make the deadline, it shows me that America seems to be moving on. Some people might see that as disrespectful, and I understand why but I don’t agree with them. For me, it’s obvious all Americans should take some time out of their day to remember those we lost and their families as well as the men and women overseas. They deserve at least that. We can’t stop everything for the entire day and I don’t think anyone thinks we should.
Katie Dunn
I feel that people will never forget 9/11 and that the time to stop commemorating should never come. Though i think that when commemorating it the media needs to think about the people who were most closely effected, for example people actually in the twin towers and people that lost close friends and relative on 9/11. The media sometimes plays videos and clips from the day of 9/11 and if you have ever watched one they are pretty graphic for example people on fire and people jumping out of the windows. I feel they dont need to show these clips every year. People know how bad it was. The reason i say this is because people that survived or lost people on 9/11 get flashbacks from things the media shows. Psychologists are saying people like that should avoid shows commemorating 9/11 due to the fact it will make undesired feelings resurface and each year it makes them feel they are reliving the event.
Kristin Iorii
The question of should we or should we not commemorate 9/11 is one that encompasses should we remember any of the tragedies that have struck the United States to make it what it is today. The answer to this is no. I adamently feel that to forget a tragedy such as 9/11 is to brush off the terror and hatred that is still very evident in numerous parts of the world. Although a lot of the attention has been brought away from the attack on the twin towers and focused more on the war in Iraq, 9/11 is not something that should ever be forgotten. There are times in this country when tragedy strikes that we come together more than ever. We unite as a people towards one common goal. I feel that when something like the terrorist attack in Manhatten occurs, we all feel the remnants and pain of those who lost their lives and those who gave their lives to save victims caught in the buildings. Commemorating 9/11 means more than giving a moment of silence on the anniversary of that terrible day. Each time we remember what happened we are taking steps to prevent such an occurance from happening again. Every time we honor and remember those who lost their lives on the fateful day of September 11, 2001 we commemorate the courage and valiant citizens that we have in this country. Commemorating 9/11 sets us apart from many other countries in the sense that we only begin the healing process when we remember and respect the heros and heroins of that day.
Mike Poznansky
I do not think there is ever a time when we should stop commemorating 9/11. It was such a pivotal moment for our country that simply not commemorating it seems outrageous. For the many families left behind after 9/11 how could anyone even suggest something like this. There was a Sunday article in the New York Times titled “As 9/11 Draws Near, a Debate Rises: How Much Tribute is Enough?” In this article some Americans feel that public collective commemorations are excess, vacant and even annoying. Many other people fought back by saying if you are tired of it don’t attend. But for the one’s who lost on that tragic Tuesday morning, if commemorating in public or simply saying a pray in the privacy of their own homes is how they cope then so be it.
Although other American tragedies like the Kennedy Assassination on Nov. 22, 1963 or Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941 rarely get much attention anymore it is simply because generations turn over, we all still know how important those dates are it is just not as relevant to our present lives. Because the attack on 9/11 is still so new and the children and families of those who died are still in mourning, it is unfair to ask them or anyone else for that matter to stop commemorating the loved ones they lost.
-Alison Burke
There will never be a time to stop commemorating 9/11 due to the fact that everyone was effected in some way or another. Whether is was a close family member or not your life was changed. Being from New York and having my parents work in the NYC sent a nervous shock of are they okay. They were not hurt, but just the thought of hearing they were in the same location and not being able to contact them for hours made my heart stop. The entire U.S has changed due to security risks. Even those thousands of miles away from New York, still go through the thought of fear entering a plane. To Americans 9/11 sent a message of destruction close to home.
Overall the consensus seems to be the same, we cannot decide when to stop commemorating the tragedy of 9/11, but the question I pose is will time ever heal the events of that early morning in September? It seems to me that such defining moments in our history are rarely forgotten, they merely become new pages in our history books. Take for example the Pearl Harbor, we still commemorate the events of that day, but as the generation that lived through the experience dies off the new generations feel a certain level of disconnection. I know personally I have respect and understanding for what happened because I learned about it in school, but I honestly don't give it more then a passing thought. It is my belief that as the generation that lived through 9/11 gets older and starts to diminish that attacks on 9/11 will become another passing thought to some disconnected youth, while the events of that day will live on forever, the true emotion and sincerity of our generation will be lost with time.
James Lambrou
This day should be one in which every American at the very least a
single moment to reflect on the events that happened just six years ago. We
must not ever forget the massive loss of life that occurred on that day-
nearly 3,000 people brutally slaughtered, most of whom were Americans. The
loss of life would have been much greater if it had not been for the heroic
acts of hundreds of common citizens and rescue personal from the NYFD &
NYPD. Heroism is everywhere in America; it has been tested time and time
again since the founding of this great nation, and we have prevailed in
every instance! This should not go unrecognized.
As we pause to look back, we realize since that fateful day in 2001, America
has done nothing but look forward. Our economy is robust, our military is
strong, and our institutions of government are sound. Furthermore, are way
of life, that we all so cherish, is unchanged. Freedom itself was attacked 6
years ago today, but today freedom rings even louder from coast to coast,
boarder to boarder and city to city.
Americas are resilient and we do not except failure. As president George W.
Bush noted: "We will not tire, we will not falter, and we will not fail." he
continued that "...America is the brightest beacon of freedom and
opportunity in the world and no one will keep that light from shining." As
terrorists and Islamic fundamentalist preach hatred, war, and death on the
premise of religion, America moves forward. We move forward with religious
tolerance, women’s rights, and justice for all. We stand strong and are
willing to defend this way life until our enemy surrenders, or is inileated.
We are the greatest force of good in the world. Without the
sacrifices of our nations forefathers, our ancestors, and let us not forget
our own grandfathers, most human beings (if not all) would live under
suppression and tyranny. We are humankind’s pioneers... And this
is something to be proud of!
I have not forgotten that my country was attacked just 6 years ago; I have
not forgotten the immense loss to life- nor have I forgotten the many heroes
that saved so many... HAVE YOU??
-Mike Werch
Personally, I feel that we should never stop commemorating 9/11. Every year when that day comes around it obviously brings about awful, sad memories, but it also brings about a feeling of pride and unity our country and each citizen of America has with one another. I can remember exactly where I was when I heard about the terrible tragedies, as can every other person. To me this day is a day of remembrance to all those men and women who were killed so tragically. If we ever stop commemorating 9/11 it would be one of the most unethical moves our country could ever make.
-Eric Goodman
Living in Washington, DC each drive past the Pentagon is a constant reminder of the tragedy of 9/11. My eyes are always drawn to the site of the crash as you can see the change in limestone noting the original from the renovated section. Commemorating 9/11 will always be important and a specific time when one should stop remembering can never be established. Everyone honors 9/11 in his or her own way. For my high school cross-country team we choose to participate in the second and third annual Arlington Police/Fire/Sheriff 9-11 Memorial 5K race. This race raises money for charities of 9/11 and brings members of the greater Washington, DC community together to honor and pay respects as the course leads past the repaired west wall. The number of participants in this race has only increased over the years and this year nearly 3,500 runners took part. Interested in this race check out http://www.arlington911race.com.
Francesca Carregal
9/11 permenantly changed the way that we viewed our role in the world and ended any notion about the value of "isolationism." It was an act of war carried out by religious fanatics demonstrating that they can in fact hurt us. President Clinton viewed the first bombing on the WTC with many people agreeing with him, but 9/11 demonstrated that this was not a criminal attack.
We should never forget 9/11 much like we should never forget July 4th, 1776. It is a serious changing point in our history in how we dealt with the terrorist threat and the movement towards a new military order. We must remember everyday that we do have enemies and that they will do anything that they possibly can in order to hurt us. It is a reminder that we must never rest towards confronting evil whether it is the regime in North Korea which is currently engaging in very questionable business with Syria or Iran and its' nuclear weapon program. We can view the economic damage from 9/11 as 1% of what we could expect if Iran developed a nuke and had terrorists sail it into our harbor. Fortunately, our enemies remain committed to Westerners regardless of whether it is Beslan, Russia or in New York City and this should remind us to stay very alert to the threat.
-Daniel Greenbaum
CORRECTION
Fortunately, our enemies remain committed to KILLING Westerners regardless of whether it is Beslan, Russia or in New York City and this should remind us to stay very alert to the threat.
-Daniel Greenbaum
I don't think there ever should be a question raised whether or not we should stop commemorating 9/11. It was a day that marked history and a life changing event for our generation because we had not yet experienced anything quit like it.
When September 11th happened I didn't know anyone that was affected personally by this tragedy until I came to college. My roomate Michelle is from Long Island and her Uncle Peter Ganci was the Chief of Department of the FDNY. He was one of the 343 firefighters who lost their lives that day.
Hearing my roommate talk about her uncle only makes me feel more strongly about why we should continue to commemorate 9/11. The innocent people killed that day were somebody's mother, father, brother, sister, aunt or uncle. Lives were destoryed in a matter of hours and even if you don't know someone who perished on 9/11 it was an attack on our nation and should not be forgotten.
As much as we don't want to think about history as it happens, something someday will happen again. 9/11 will not be forgotten just like Pearl Harbor or the assasinations of John F. Kennedy or Martin Luther King Jr.. It was a time in history and for that reason why can't people grieve until they find peace with what happened. Let it be remembered for everything that it was and also let it stand for the rememberance of all the soldiers who are fighting or lost their lives in this war which was declared after 9/11.
-Kelley Thompson
I think the New York Times really summed it up best when they wrote "Sept. 11 is the day we do not want to remember and the day we cannot forget." This is why I think it would be unheard of to stop commemorating these attacks a mere six years later.
In the following article:
http://freedomeden.blogspot.com/2007/09/911-tribute-fatigue.html
They debate why the attacks of 9/11 are still so commemorated when other american tragedies such as pearl harbor, the oklahmoa city bombing and the kennedy assination have been over looked. I can think of two main reasons for this.
1. The first is obviose and it is that the events of 9/11 are current and real. Most people remeber where they were and what they were doing when they heard the news. It happend so recently that it seems like almost yesterday. Only time will tell how americans feelings fade as generations grow and distance themselves from the events.
2. The next reason in my aproximation is that the events of 9/11 will be commemorated for so long is because although it was a tradgedy heors emerged to be celebrated. They are two examples of this, the fire fighters at ground zero and the victums aboard flight 93. Both these situations allowed an uplifting message to emerge from all the rubble and be passed down and aught to even young children. This element is just simply not as existant in any of these other events and that is why i think the commemorating of 9/11 will surely be long lasting.
-Dan Shainker
This is an interesting question. On the one hand, you have to be sensitive to the people who lost family members and friends on 9/11. Then again, you have to keep in mind that even though the events already happend,if we keep airing footage of September 11th, we are in a sense, giving the terrorists the upperhand. We all witnessed what happend. The images of the buildings falling and planes crashing are etched into our minds and may be impossible to forget about. In my opinion, I believe that we should commemorate 9/11 by holding moments of silence as we do currently when that dark day comes each year. However, I do not believe we should show footage of that fateful day when that day comes each year. As I said before, we remember the images of the day. We don't need them repeated. In fact, I believe that if we continue to show the footage and images, the terrorists will gradually begin to believe they have won. Not to say that they don't already think this, but maybe this could be a way of fighting back. It's just a thought.
- John Nathan Colicchio
After looking around all of the other comments on this blog, i tend to agree with what most others have said on this topic. 9/11 was a tragic moment for this country and should never be forgotten. I would go as far as to say that it should be remembered as a national day of mourning across the nation. I agree that the footage of that day should not be shown all over the media on that day, but all should just take a moment and recall that fatefull day.
As an aside for others to comment on, am I the only one who has not watched any 9-11 films?
The answer of whether or not commemorating 9/11 should be done or not is an obvious yes. The events of the 9/11 attacks changed the nation forever; after that day the U.S. was ushered into a different era and that should never be forgotten. Everyone I have talked to about the day can remeber what they were doing and where they were when they first heard the news. I was in 8th grade health class with Miss Clark and when she turned on the T.V. at 9:30am none of us could beleive what was happening. The events of that morning is something that we can't forget not just becuase some 2700 Americans lives, but rather the fact that experiencing being attacked on our home soil changed this generation from that point forward. If we were to stop commemorating 9/11, it would be like saying lets not commemorate Pearl Harbour. Its been said many times through-out this blog but 9/11 real is this generation's Pearl Harbor. Our relationships with other countries and our actions as a nation will now be in responce to 9/11 for a long time now. The victims' families will never forget, New York City will never forget, and Americans will never forget that day and they will not stop commemorating it as a memorial for those who lost there lives that day.
By Brendon Butler
Yes I believe that we should always keep commemorating 9/11. This is because it took our country by surprise and pushed us and the rest of the world back. It was an act of terrorism that should never be forgotten in our country. It was like Pearl Harbor in the sense that it pushed our entire nation back a step and we had to realize what was going on and act upon it. Pearl Harbor is also still being commemorated 60 years after the fact so I believe we should always commemorate 9/11 in the same way.
Robert O'Reilly
In response to the question "When is it time to stop commemorating 9?11?" ....
No one person can decide for a nation when the proper time to end commemorations for an event that changed a nation. However, I have heard many different arguments about this idea.
Some people find that hundreds of ceremonies every year do nothing but commercialize 9/11, and that is in part true. There does not need to be a ceremony at the groundsite, in Delaware, at the White House, near the fishing pond, etc, etc. There is nothing wrong with wanting to show support for the American country, but in that respect, we need to be unified, and have just ONE ceremony for the victims of 9/11.
Some people say that if we fail to have all of these ceremonies, it means that we have forgotten what has happened. Well, these people have made thier point, what with all the ceremonies that basically shout "DON'T FORGET THAT PEOPLE DIED HERE!"
In all honesty, I think that in a few more years, 9/11 will become what other historical days have become to us. Pearl Harbor for instance, is an extremely important day to the Americans who lived in the time period, but I do not think that we take as much time and spend as much money on commemorating those who lost thier lives there. In time, 9/11 will simply fall into its place among those other important American events that are remembered by everyone, and in that respect, are commemorated by everyone.
- Megan Pettingill
Honestly, I had never thought about commemorating 9/11 in such depth until I began to read everybody's comments. I understand the point that it was a defining moment in our generation, and it was a trigger to justify sending troops to Iraq. But, I do not believe that this will be the only defining moment within our generation, nor do I believe that we need to continually commemorate the tragedy. It was a terrible day and what happened can never be undone, and for all those who wish to commemorate, I see no problem. Yet, as people have pointed out, there have been other important, defining moments in our nation's past, and we know about them and acknowledge them, but we do not dwell on them like we do 9/11. It it understandable to dwell a bit more on 9/11 considering it was more recent and people are still feeling the pangs of loss that it caused. But I think the day will, and should, become a day in history that we never forget, but not one that we need to take time and resources to continually remember.
-Anna Post
Wow, I've never thought about this before, and I think that a lot of really good points have been made on this page. As much as I wish I had an original thought to add I feel like my opinion is very similar to most of the others that have been posted. I agree that 9/ll should always be acknowledged in some way. I think that right now it is getting more attention then it will always get because it is still a recent event. Its something that most of the people alive in the world today remember very clearly. I also would have to agree with several people who made the point that we may over commemorate it right now. I don't think that we should continue to show footage every year. Yes, it is something we need to remember, but its something our nation will never be able to forget. By showing all that footage the terrorists are getting exactly what they wanted. We should not be willing to give them that satisfaction. Someone also said that it would be more effective to have one commemorative service to show our unity. I really like this idea. So I don't believe that we will ever fully stop commemorating 9/11, but I do believe that our efforts will grow smaller as the time gap widens.
-- bethany kravitz
I do not feel that there can ever be a date or time set to when people will stop remembering 9/11. It is one of the most significant events of the modern world and it will continue to have an impact on our world for years, decades, and possibly centuries to come. It was the first time the most powerful country in the world was attacked from the inside in such a devastating manner. By inside, I mean that they used our own planes as their weapons, which happened to be loaded with hundreds of our citizens. We now live in a world of constant threat, and the world we knew before 9/11 has been changed forever. We already use phrases such as "pre 9/11" and "post 9/11." We will never again have the feeling of being indestructible as a nation. The fact that we know that we have other threats that can hurt us far more than any other country will keep 9/11 in our minds forever.
-Ryan Pierce
Remembering 9/11 in unavoidable for several reasons. People remember because of loved ones who were lost in the attack. They remember how dramatically awesome of a scene it was to see the towers fall. Most of us remember exactly where we were when it all happened.
There is certainly a sense, also, in which the Al Quaida attack on 9/11 was one of the most brilliant paramilitary operations in human history. Certainly in terms of its disruptive effects; it changed the direction of the entire security apparatus of the United States. Who is the enemy? Certainly he was no foe comperable to the threat posed by the Soviet Union during the Cold War. He was a new and unimagined kind of enemy. For one thing he was stateless and dependent upon more ore less failed states for refuge. We will always commomorate 9/11 for personal, moral reasons, but we should also be aware that it is a defining signal for Islam as a player on the world stage.
Gordon Lippincott
I don't think it will ever be time to stop commemorating 9/11. Although I don't think the nation is capable of ever completely forgetting about the events of 9/11, I don't think that we should ever cease commemorating. After 9/11 occurred, the nation was brought together and strengthened during a time of tragedy. People flew American flags everywhere and there was a sense of pride of "being an American." Sometimes in times of heartbreak and calamity, unity is a very precious tool, which is very beneficial. For this reason, among others, I believe that 9/11 will always be remembered and honored. There are many events similar to the tragedy we witnessed on September 11th that prove people never stop commemorating. Many similar events have become national holidays, but even those that have not are still remembered. Regardless of how many victims are still living from the Holocaust, that event will never be forgotten. Auschwitz is now a museum that is there to celebrate and honor those victims. Ground Zero is a perfect example of how we are still commemorating 9/11 and I think a tragedy as serve as this will never be forgotten.
-Katy Johnson
Terrorism is the new type of modern war. This war is invisible and intangible. It can happen any time at any place. In such a sense, 9.11 is the typical war caused by the terrorism instigated by Al Quida. Therefore, I think that we should keep on commemorating this tragedy. 9/11 was the most unforgetable happening in the the history of the earth. So many people were dead miserably. When this broke out, the whole world was greatly astonished. How dare Bin Laden and his villains to think about terroring the strongest country in the world? This tragedy is not just the problem of the US. It can take place ubiquitously, unless we keep remembering it and its consequences. We should cherish its significance and spirit all the time.
- Kim, Hyo Suk -
I believe that the tragic events that happened years ago should never be forgotten nor ever be lost somewhere in the history books. But I believe that as newer generations come to live and die, the meaning of such an event will come to loose its importance. But such is inevitable as the generations grow older. College students now have no recollection of Pearl Harbor, Vietnam, the assassination of Kennedy, the fall of the Berlin Wall and the Holocaust. Yet there are generations that are still living that will never forget those moments. The only thing we know about those events is what we read or see in the movies. We did not experience those monumental events that shook the world, yet we did live for 9/11.
We as a generation must never forget what happened, but you can't blame the generations that have yet to come for not understanding what the event meant to us. But at the same time it would be wrong and impossible for the world to one day simply forget about 9/11.
-Tanner Herpst
Although it was important that we get over the 9/11 tragedy, however, remembering it and re-living it are two different things. There have been many different instances in which hundreds or thousands of people have lost their lives. But the one attack that closely resembles this would be Pearl Harbor. To an extent we still remember it and mention it yearly, but its more like the flashing ticker at the bottom of the daily news. And i'm sure the 9/11 events will hit that soon enough.
--Kristian Quiroz--
I think with any tragedy, there reaches a point where the commemoration stops, not because it is stated, but it merely happens. In 9/11, I feel as though it will not happen for another 10 years. I know through the course of the week of September 11, people mentioned that it was coming up. On the day, there was not so much commemoration, as there was a realization of "this day in history" type perspective. The people who were effected will never forget, millions will never forget, but, there are people who will not constantly think about it.
You would have to look back at any major tragedy and find at what point did the day not have a "fanfare", which isn't the best word, but does describe it. Although, looking up the last commemorated day is a difficult job, and as stated before, 9/11 will always be remembered, however it will change to the anniversary of the day, and the feelings of the day will eventually dissipate as generations enter. What we know is what we remember until our memories fade away.
In my opinion, 9/11, while still acknowledged very much so, will not be commemorated even the slightest of how it is now. Sure, there will be events every year for the families of the deceased; but like the bombing of pearl harbor, not that many Americans commemorate it. I assume that only the US government, family and friends of those affected by the bombing, and military service men would give full commemoration to the attack. While 9/11 was the largest terrorist killing in US history, the truth is that people ultimately die and the victims of the terrorist attack just happened to die sooner.
I remember when I was in the 7th grade during the attacks and they let school out early. My classmates were happy that they could leave early, but I was in tears because my uncle worked in New York city. I was terribly scared for his safety, but I can kind of laugh at myself now, as he actually works in Queens. But when the attacks first occurred, there was a big shock factor and this tends to decrease over time. People will still commemorate 9/11, but just not to such a degree as they do today.
-Chun (Ben) Choi
Nobody that was alive and knew what occurred is probably capable of forgetting the terrorist attacks 6 years ago. By the very fact that the name it is known by is a date makes it very hard to forget when it happened. It's not like the notorious husband story of forgetting his wifes birthday. If you know 9/11 happened then yuo know when and where it was. So basically it's impossible to forget. But is it necessary to have a national event forever in remembrance every year? I believe that it currently makes sense why people need to commemorate the day. The US is still fighting a war that can be affiliated with 9/11. The President still uses the terrorist attacks to try to draw support of his expansionist hawk motives around the world. So, once 9/11 loses its real world applicabilty I believe it will drift out of people's mind much more just like so many other monumental events. The reason 9/11 is a talking point for commemoration si because it is talked about every single day. Pearl Harbor or a similar event really isnt' referenced so readily, instead rememberance is reserved for its specific day in December. One day it will be the same for september 11.
eric mortensen-nemore
In my mind 9/11 will always be commemorated. It was the biggest attack on our nation’s soil since pearl harbor. It changed people’s lives forever across the country whether or not they were directly involved or had lost members of their family. For a while it instilled a sense of paranoia and still today everyone is more cautious in what they do now (airport security). I think the question that the NY Times should have posed was, on how big of a stage should it still be commemorated? That I can not answer because every family is different but I believe that on September 11th our generation will always think of the terrorist attacks on that day. Others will commemorate more and others will know that it is just a day of respect for those who were lost. As if I haven’t already reiterated the other 41 comments I also believe that this is our generations defining moment. It has been said that tragedy only brings people closer together. It brought a new sense of patriotism to our country and unity, in which this country had been more individualistic and every man to fiend for him self. Like I said before 9/11 should still be commemorated for years to come and those who have already forgotten should remember what that date in history truly means, that we will bend but never be broken. Just like the torn flag that remained after the attacks.
-James Squillante
To answer the question when is it time to stop commemorating 9/11 I don't believe there ever will be a time when we as a people stop commemorating 9/11. Its like saying lets all forget about Americans landing on the moon or the Civil war. Both events had major and long lasting impacts on American culture. The Civil War helping to pave the way for African Americans to become free and eventually obtain equal rights. Then landing on the moon led to massive research on space (more importantly the dangers that it holds and also the benefits).
Now we have 9/11 which heighten everybodies awareness of how much many other nations don't like the U.S. To me 9/11 is an historic moment in U.S. history and should never be forgotten.
Gregory Alen Ward Jr.
I don't think we should ever stop commemorating 9/11. December 7 still goes hand in hand with the attack at Pearl Harbor and that was over 65 years ago. I wish there weren't so many Hollywood film makers jumping on the bandwagon to make a quick buck from a reinactment, though. 9/11 is something that we should always remember. I can't think of any other event in my life that stuck in my mind so well. Every year, I still think about the time when the towers were hit while I was sitting in my 9th grade classroom. This was such a shocking event in our life time that you really can't just turn the page and forget about it.
-Eric Boruta
I feel that 9/11 should always be commemorated. The truth is that it is already starting to become another fact in peoples minds'. The first 1-3 years it was a highly recognized day, now it seemed to me that this year it almost passed under the radar. This does bother me that we do not give it the proper attention that is deserved, but there are fare more tragic things that are known but are not commemrated to the exstent they should be (not to lessen the loss of any of the people who were killed, or knew some one killed). Some examples of things we don't commemorate (which this an opinion and is debatable) are WWI, WWII, Holocaust, Joseph Stalin's rule and many more. It seems to me tragic events are destined to not be forgotten completely but they surely seem to sink to the back of our minds.
-Ryan Wallace
9/11, in my opinion, should never stop being commemorated. Realistically, as the years pass since this tragedy, the degree to which to 9/11 is observed diminishes. Im sure the families of the victims of 9/11 will never forget that horrendous day. However, some of the families don't like all the emphasis placed every year on commemorating 9/11. Oprah interviewed many children whose parent was killed on 9/11. Some of those children actually say that by the media having a huge tribute to 9/11 each year brings back some sad thoughts that they would like to forget. In answering the question, when is it time to stop commemorating 9/11, offically the answer is never, but in actuality, as time goes by the sadness felt by the tragedy of 9/11 will diminish.
Roopa Sabesan
9/11 in my eyes should not stop being commemorated. It should be a day that brings our country together like that of Pearl Harbor, but over the years if you look many of the image of Pearl Harbor has diminished and so has the memory of 9/11. This day is a day that should not be forgot, i am not saying have an all out celebration but we need to remember this as a day that America bounced back from and prospered.
Andrew Unthank
I agree that the answer to this question is different for everyone. I will never forget September 11th because I remember it as the day I lost a parent. 9/11 should be commemorated especially because it was the first attack on continental US ground. It united our country, and stands as a symbol that we will prevail. I think about the loss of my loved one everyday, and I will commemorate our freedom every year. The tragic event changed the face of our country and everyday life.
Sorry that last comment was posted by Kris-Ann Panzella
i feel as though commorating 9/11 will be held the same way as the commemoration of pearl harbor. the annual commemoration of 9/11 serves a dual purpose: honoring the people who lost their lives that day and to look at how that day has shaped the world (most importantly the middle east) and its politics. since it served as a catalyst for the change made in the middle east, it might be viewed as the barrier separating one portion of global socio-political relations from another. in that sense it will still continue to be honored but there is a decent chance that as a memorial, it will probably ebb away, much like nationally commemorating pearl harbor has.
-mack shane
I don't think that the US will ever officially stop commemorating 9/11. We are still commemorating the losses of those who had fallen and fought during WWI and WWII. 9/11 has been just as big of a devastation to this country as those endured during the WW's. There are many of our citizens who still deal with the deaths of those lost that day, and the nation is still dealing with the consequences. However, I believe that though 9/11 happened 6 almost 7 years ago it is still too soon to produce movies such as United 93 on the subject, there are still too many people who remember vividly what happened that day and who are still dealing with it. I agree that we should commemorate those but not through Hollywood and the entertainment industry.
-Amanda McDonnell
I do now think we should forget about 9/11. I think it has affected people from all over the world. I remembered hearing about it living in another part of the world and how it changed because of it. Upon hearing the news I lived in Saudi Arabia. I did not know at the immediate time that i learned about 9/11 and the crashes just how connected the country was to the incident. I thought that it was a horrific event and immediately contacted friends to ask about them. The next day at school I noticed a lot of the students were absent. It was a lot of the westerners, a lot that were caucasian or who looked American. Some were South African or Australian. The school had a assembly commerate the 9/11 attacks and at the end told the the students that because of racial profiling had been advised by their embassies to "lay low" for a while because of how the Saudis were connected to the terrorists. I remember how scared everyone was that day, mirroring the ones we saw on TV.
We shouldn't stop commemorating because 9/11 meant a lot to many different people. We should remember the people who lost thier lives that day as well as how our has changed since then.
Michelle Rana
I believe that we should never stop commemorating 9/11. This is a tragedy that will never be forgotten, just like the World War's, Pearl Harbor, and the assassination of JFK. This is a day that can not be forgotten, we can not just forget about all of the police officers and firefighters that risked their lives for people, the least we can do is commemorating event for them.
September 11 brought our country together and by having commemorating events will continue to bring us together.
Brittany Monteiro
Should we keep on commemorating 9-11? Now this question has a million and one bases to go off of. First off i remember for the first anniversary there were a lot of kids asking if we were getting off. Simply for the reasoning that they wanted to get off from school. Now obviously that is not a reason to commemorate 9-11, but the point is that children automatically thought that 9-11 had become a National holiday. In my belief we should not have a formal day of remembrance for 9-11. Today still there is enough remembrance of 9-11, on 9-11 without there being any 'formal' holiday associated along with it. Are we going too far today commemorating 9-11 as is? My answer to that would be a no. Too many people were lost that day for it to simply vanish over the course of near a decade. For many years, perhaps even near a century this day will be fully remembered. That is not too much time to remember fallen loved ones. Thus it is not time to stop commemorating 9-11.
- Christopher Fromme
9/11 is a very important thing to commemorate. It was one of the most devastating events that ever happened to our country. Remembering what happened, who was killed, and the heroic rescue stories gives us inspiration to do the same if anything else of this matter should ever happen.
The most important reason is for the younger generations; children who were not born yet or too young to remember the events should have a good idea of both the positive and negative events in our country's history. Knowing the positive events alone would not be a good way to teach our kids. Even though it is horrible thing we must remember, remembering is the smartest way of preventing such events as this in happening again in the future.
Corey Wall
On paper, we are at war because of 9/11. There still are cries for justice from the families of the victims. Conspiracy thoerists are making money and air time. I think that the dust from 9/11 hasn't settled yet. Commemorating is a strange thing. I'm going to say it is case sensitive and that as long as we are commemorating 9/11, we should be.
Stephane Stewart
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