I've seen a lot of promises today never to forget and lots
of claims that it is actually impossible to forget what this day means to our
country. I'd just like to remind everyone, that it is possible to forget, and therein lies the danger of ignoring days
of remembrance. Yes, it is painful. Yes, it is sad. Yes, it is horrific. But it
is also hopeful.
Today is not only a reminder of the tragedy which struck
this country eleven years ago, but a reminder of how strong we remained as a
people—a collective. And yes, our country has gone in controversial directions,
and we fight among ourselves. But we
survived that day.
We are the nation that survived
Aurora and Columbine and Oklahoma and Pearl Harbor and Antietam. The will of
the American people to survive is
this country’s greatest asset. At times we may forget that we’re all actually
on the same side, that we’re all human. That we all were affected in deeply
personal ways by the attack on the World Trade Center. But today is a reminder
of human vulnerability and our ability to overcome it.
So don’t just remember the loss. Become active. Participate. Attempt to repay the debt we all
owe every individual who died in these attacks. Vote. Read the news. Talk to your
neighbor. Be kind. In a time when some are calling it the end of America, stand
up and be counted. Feed the will to
survive. It’s the best way to grow as a nation and a people. Always remember.
