On a Day of Loss, The Hope of Unity

The passage of time does not dim the painful memories. After 13 years, the memories of September 11, 2001 come back vividly, an unwelcome guest we all must entertain on this day. At times, during the flood of coverage of memorial services, documentaries and remembrances, it feels like our memories are not our own. We need to be told what to remember and think about that day by our TV/Internet overlords. Overwhelmed by the annual orgy of grief, our minds rebel at this.

That said, there is a way to find meaning in the madness of that day. We need to go back to how we felt afterwards. Remember now how irony was dead and we were all going to pull together to defeat terrorism. Of course, the deep, lasting divisions in our society made this feeling impossible to last. OK, we can’t agree on what our country needs. We can still agree that different people will have varying beliefs. That desire to form our own beliefs makes us Americans.

Let’s celebrate it and pull together for the common good of our country whenever possible; we can search for ways to be patriotic that don’t involve shopping. As in times of crisis (such as the start of World War II) this is what our nation has done best. We can and should do so again. September 11 must become the day when we remember not only loss; it can be the day we rededicate ourselves to the common good. Our country deserves nothing less.

[Editor’s Note: As a child of the 1970’s, patriotism was a deep part of my childhood as an American. Each morning, I proudly placed my right hand on my heart and faced the flag as I recited the Pledge of Allegiance.

I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Then, afterwards, we had a silent moment of prayer. Now, so many schools are prohibited from these rituals. Children spend their time texting on their smart phones and playing handheld videos games instead, absorbed in themselves and their technology. We are no long one nation, indivisible. This is why today, the Day of Unity and Prayer, is so important. Not only to remember the tragedies we have overcome as one nation, but to take time out from our self-absorbed lives and to put back into this great nation and to each other. So on this day of remembrance, do something kind for your fellow American, take a moment to pray and give thanks for everything you have, and never take for granted the liberties we hold so dear. And, lastly, never forget those who perished and those who worked tirelessly to help the survivors. They are our true unsung American heroes.]

– Louis Burklow (aka, Hollywood Country Boy), Staff Writer, Phoenix Genesis

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