On this 23rd commemoration of that fateful day which saw so many of us fling to corners of the earth to track down those behind this heinous act and bring them to justice, I want to remember the feeling of that day as it transpired. A feeling of helplessness. I want to remember it because I don’t ever want to have the feeling again.
There were 2996 immediate deaths on September 11th, 2001. I will never forget the people who cheered that day, celebrating an attack on America and the deaths of so many innocents. I woke up this morning and checked my usual news sites. Almost nothing about the events of 9/11/01. It took 23 years for America to forget its dead and abandon a unified purpose.
Regardless of which way the political winds blow, I remain a patriot. But in a greater sense, I will also always honor those from other nations who stood with us on that day and throughout the ensuing decades of conflict. After all, there were victims from 90 countries on 9/11. A sick ideology attacked the world and despite our efforts, it lives on, dug in like a tick.
The crisis remains. Every year we lose more and more amazing people to issues caused by those events. Victims and rescuers alike suffer life threatening medical conditions due to the exposure to toxins during the attacks and continue to succumb to these lingering wounds. As a country, we must stand by them.
Even now, the world is faced with the continued threat of Islamic fundamentalism that targets our ideals in both word and deed. We must oppose them in every case, lest our efforts thus far, be in vain.
The toll…it weighs on.
Never Forgive, Never Forget
Thank you again for the moment by moment recap Eric. Never forget the jumpers. Never forget what it felt like that day. This we’ll defend.
Every American should read this. Every year.
Thank you for doing this. We all benefit.