We Shall Never Forget

It seems as if six years has been an eternity and for some, six years has indeed been an eternity. Yesterday the sixth anniversary of the attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon came and passed without incident. The Great Depression defined what we now refer to as the “greatest generation;” Vietnam defined the baby boomer generation; 9/11 has and will undoubtedly define my generation (usually considered to be generation x and generation y). Moments of hardship and despair forever brand us in this country, usually at the expense of those with the greatest potential.

That is what differentiates my generation from those of the past; those lost on September 11, 2001 were selected by fate if not just being at the wrong place at the wrong time. It was not the decision of a president that led to over 2800 lives being lost that day; it was the decision of those who despise what this great nation, this great melting pot stands for. The last six years have been the most tumultuous in the United States since the end of the Cold War. It seems as if the idea of hardship is what has defined every nation-state to have ever existed on this planet. Maybe that is a theory that need be explored.

Six years is not near enough time to even begin the healing process; I’m not sure if those who experienced and went through Vietnam have forgotten the sheer turmoil of the era. The mantra for 9/11 has been “we shall never forget.” I concur, as I will never forget the images that flooded through the television that day. Those that experienced first hand will never forget the sights and sounds of terror. It is my hope that the next generation, our children will never have to know the horror of a 9/11. But like most things in this world, it is never a guarantee that the worse will not happen.