Never Forget .... And Yet...
Today is 9/11 the day that we remember as the day we realized that the United States was not immune to terror attacks. From that day on, for a while, we pulled together as a country. We forgot about our petty differences and we tried to make this country a better place. We displayed our flags and promised to "Never forget" what happened on that day.
We were also overtaken by fear. It was as if we woke up. Suddenly we realized that something had to be done about the terrorists in the world, we didn't care before, but we did now. Because they attacked us. We let our President declare a war on terrorism, we let congress pass a bill which takes away some of the rights given to us in the Bill of Rights when they feel that the security of the country is being threatened, and for a while, we were okay with it.
September 11, 2001 was eight years ago. Where are we eight years later? Now we claim that we've "come to our senses". Now we complain about this war fighting terrorism, even those who supported it at the time, when they were gripped with fear. Eight years later, it looks like we are beginning to forget. When we are torn because of something so petty as what political party we belong to, and what our religious beliefs are.
We no longer display the American flag every day, nor do we stop to help our neighbor. We sneer at those who volunteer, giving up time in order to make the world a better place, just because a questionable administration is endorsing it, spreading rumors in indoctrinating the youth.
We take in what the media tells us and forget that no matter where you get your news from, it's going to have a spin to it. That the media is propaganda and that we need to not believe everything that we see. That sometimes we have to concede that the other side is right, that we don't always have to be right, and that it is okay to be wrong and to admit it.
We talk about freedom and what it means to be free. We forget that we are all entitled to our own opinions and beliefs, whether they are political or religious. That we have basic rights given to us in the Constitution. We forget that they don't only apply to ourselves but to others as well.
Did we forget about all the talk about "united we stand, divided we fall"? Did we forget how great it felt to say that we are a great country? That we are all in this together?
It seems that eight years later, we are so caught up in our selves again that we no longer think about the hungry, the poor, the illiterate, the sick, and the lonely people who live on the outskirts of our society. Have we really forgotten? Or were we just lying when we made those promises all those years ago?
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Written by Mieko Sano
You will also find this posted on my blogger.
We were also overtaken by fear. It was as if we woke up. Suddenly we realized that something had to be done about the terrorists in the world, we didn't care before, but we did now. Because they attacked us. We let our President declare a war on terrorism, we let congress pass a bill which takes away some of the rights given to us in the Bill of Rights when they feel that the security of the country is being threatened, and for a while, we were okay with it.
September 11, 2001 was eight years ago. Where are we eight years later? Now we claim that we've "come to our senses". Now we complain about this war fighting terrorism, even those who supported it at the time, when they were gripped with fear. Eight years later, it looks like we are beginning to forget. When we are torn because of something so petty as what political party we belong to, and what our religious beliefs are.
We no longer display the American flag every day, nor do we stop to help our neighbor. We sneer at those who volunteer, giving up time in order to make the world a better place, just because a questionable administration is endorsing it, spreading rumors in indoctrinating the youth.
We take in what the media tells us and forget that no matter where you get your news from, it's going to have a spin to it. That the media is propaganda and that we need to not believe everything that we see. That sometimes we have to concede that the other side is right, that we don't always have to be right, and that it is okay to be wrong and to admit it.
We talk about freedom and what it means to be free. We forget that we are all entitled to our own opinions and beliefs, whether they are political or religious. That we have basic rights given to us in the Constitution. We forget that they don't only apply to ourselves but to others as well.
Did we forget about all the talk about "united we stand, divided we fall"? Did we forget how great it felt to say that we are a great country? That we are all in this together?
It seems that eight years later, we are so caught up in our selves again that we no longer think about the hungry, the poor, the illiterate, the sick, and the lonely people who live on the outskirts of our society. Have we really forgotten? Or were we just lying when we made those promises all those years ago?
=====
Written by Mieko Sano
You will also find this posted on my blogger.