But Do You Remember?

This past weekend I saw numerous headlines that commemorated the worst terrorist attack on American soil by pleading to us, "Never Forget." I watched documentaries about "the kids of 9/11" who followed deceased family and friends' heroic footsteps in becoming first responders. I learned about Thomas Colucci who was one of the first firefighters to respond to the attacks. He later became a Catholic priest, saying on that tragic day, he recognized "the mystical Body of Christ" in the people of New York. I read and heard reflections from people who recounted where they were when they heard the news about the first tower being hit.

I was in my sophomore year of college when I first heard what happened. Every television screen on campus was turned to the news. I was in my college apartment glued to the screen and I remember seeing members of Congress gathered on the front steps of the Capitol. After congressional leaders addressed the nation, Congressmembers broke into a spontaneous singing of God Bless America. I remember being in shock that day, but I'm pretty sure that I shed some tears in that moment. It felt like in the midst of the confusion, we were united.

Re-watching this grainy video 20 years later, I am reminded of two things in particular:

1. When I was studying political science at the University of Georgia, I had a professor who used to tell us "Turn on C-SPAN, and you'll see the raw arguments on the floor. But I want to encourage you to keep the TV on even after the arguments are over, and you'll see members of opposing sides cross the aisle and shake each others' hands. Maybe they'll even laugh or crack jokes with each other." I took that as one of the most powerful lessons I've ever learned. Even though you have differing opinions, you can still be friends, and more importantly, you can still see them as human beings meant to be treated with respect.

2. A friend of mine once noted that the Chinese word for "crisis" is represented by two characters: the one for opportunity and the one for danger. I think most people, when they hear the word "crisis," are likely to associate crisis with danger, but there have been times in my life (the tragedy of 9.11 being one of them), when I've been able to uncover the opportunity to come together with others and make things better.

As I think about the current state of our nation, I can't help but reflect on whether or not we remember who we were after the most tragic historical event of our lifetime. The lives of so many Americans, were changed forever. We proclaim every year, "Never forget," but it's so clear to me that we don't remember what we CAN be when a crisis strikes. Rather than considering what opportunity looks like in the midst of a crisis, we choose to push those who don't agree with us into danger.

Does anyone remember that heroes planted an American flag in the rubble of the Twin Towers?

Does anyone remember President George W. Bush at Ground Zero shaking the hands of first responders, personally thanking them for their sacrifices?

Does anyone remember the FDNY and NYPD and rushing to the scene without hesitation?

Does anyone remember the civilians who tried to take Flight 93 back?

Does anyone remember how we mourned with widows, orphans, and the grieving whose loved ones would never come back?

Despite the posts and reposts, I don't think we do.

Rather than remembering that feeling of unity, it seems like we prefer to rejoice in leaders' failures, disparage our first responders, and reduce fatalities to just a small percentage of the population that died. We don't see people anymore.

I don't know if me saying this will make any kind of a difference, but when I start to lose hope, I think about our Congressmembers on the front steps of the Capitol on September 11, 2001. I don't think anyone knows who started the tune of God Bless America, but I think it's special that 20 years later I'm still thinking about how that one voice started something that still resonates with me today.