Remembering...and Contemplating

On September 11, 2001, I was up camping in the hills along the Nehalem River.  It was right before my last chemo and the intention had been to get away for some quiet contemplation.  Of course we didn't have cell phones then so there was no way for us to have heard the news before a friend came up to meet us.  I have to admit, I didn't even really register the significance of the buildings they had hit till getting back and seeing the news.  I watched the footage over and over until I was interrupted by a call from my parents telling me that our family dog, Cinder, just suddenly took sick.  She died a few hours later.

I think everyone felt the impact of the attacks on various levels for a long time afterward.  Some of it was just the shock that something like this could happen to us, some of it was personal as people knew people involved or affected, some of it was at a more personal level; perhaps empathy or vulnerability. The attacks invoked a sense of unity, patriotism, and blind (sometimes ignorant) anger.  I don't know what it was like for folks in the city or amongst a more liberal influence, but this was what it was like out in the conservative sticks. 

It seems like the fire that burned so hot initially was allowed to burn out, until the president called for us to go to war with the Middle East again.  The interesting thing about the way I remember it, is that I don't even recall 9/11 being the first reason for us to declare.  I recall it being sandwiched in between oil conflicts and accusations of possession of mass destruction.  Part of me felt that using those excuses was just away to incite support from all political demographics... Nothing will get the rednecks on board faster than a call for us to put "A Boot in Their Eye".  It seemed like the war kept the spark lit for 9/11 a little longer, though it seemed that more and more people protested seeing the footage, but after that, it was almost as if it fizzled out, reviving only occasionally from year to year as people noticed it's lack of coverage the year before.

So, this leads me to contemplate what 9/11, Patriot Day, really means to us.  First, just an inaccuracy I usually read that I'd like to comment on.  I keep seeing comments that we should remember all those who died that day for our freedom.  First, I think the only people that truly fall into that category are the passengers on Flight 93.  Everyone else was a victim or died trying to save the victims.  Our integrity and our sense of pride and security were attacked on that day.  The attacks to our freedoms came from our own government after the fact.

Then there seems to be two prominent trains of thought on the  whole thing.  The first is this constant bombardment of "Never Forgets" and "We Should Kick Their Asses" and "Proud to Be A-Mur-E-can".  On the one hand, I see a purpose for these sentiments. 

One, we should NEVER forget that someone can sucker punch us.  We fall into this false sense of invincibility that leaves us vulnerable.

I don't know that I totally agree with the "kick their asses" portion because while I do believe that there should have been some retaliation, I think there is a time period in which that would have been truly effective and a certain way it should be handled. But, I think we ended up losing true perspective about what happened to us.  We were hit hard and fast and what happened was horrible, but there are places in the world where attacks, if not at that magnitude, occur on a regular basis.  Sometimes, the way I hear people talk about it, it is like listening to a person try to tell a long-term victim of physical child abuse about how his experience being hit once by his parent compares to their experience.

I think a sense of patriotism is good for us.  I don't feel that there is a lot of it these days, but what is patriotism beyond the feeling?  How do you show it?  Is it just a matter of waving flags, parades, and posting things on social networks?  Then what?  In some countries it seems that showing patriotism is very much an action with community service, events and activities all related specifically to whatever national holiday being observed.  I'm sure this does actually go on in some places in the U.S. but it's not something I hear much about....though being in the sticks might be why.

Then there seems to be the other group who seems to have let it go and moved on.  I can't say I totally agree with this mindset either.  It seems like our society has developed a serious case of short term memory loss and I don't just mean with 9/11.  If you watch the weather you'll notice that after a couple years of mild weather, the first round of storms causes serious panic and concern.  Folks act like it hasn't happened in ages when really, it's only been a couple of years since the last storm.  But, it's more than just forgetting.  No one seems to have time for observances.  Not just patriotic, but even holidays, anniversaries, etc.  Is it a testament to the overload our society is experiencing due to information and material overload?  Is it a drop in values?  Is it a testament to the individualistic nature of our society?

I don't know....  I think though, it is a sign for us to consider what we can value on the outside of our immediate world as well as the inside, because both influence our lives and who we are and only we can control the balance in order to reap the benefits.