It’s the 20th anniversary of Sept. 11, 2001, when terrorists took over airplanes and slammed them into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, killing about 3,000 people. Those of us who lived through that day will never forget the horror and sorrow of that day.
And if you lived through it or it personally touched your family, my thoughts are with you. Some of the messages I see posted today strike my sensibilities wrongly, but I’m not about to tell anyone how to mark this day.
Because it’s the 20th anniversary, the past week or so has brought countless news stories revisiting 9/11 and other reminders of that day. I’ve consciously avoided them. The images of burning and collapsing buildings still upset me all these years later; at the same time, I don't want to see them so many times that I become numb to them, either. But I did take time to read this piece by Garrett Graff, who’s authored one of the few nonfiction books I’ve read in recent years. And these sentences from him hit me:
“… the War on Terror has weakened the nation—leaving Americans more afraid, less free, more morally compromised, and more alone in the world. A day that initially created an unparalleled sense of unity among Americans has become the backdrop for ever-widening political polarization.”
On that fateful day, first responders rushed into the World Trade Center despite knowing they might not come out alive—and many didn’t. In the wake of 9/11, many Americans signed up for the military to fight the coming war. Others drove long distances to volunteer at Ground Zero, to help in any way they can. The feeling of national unity in the weeks after the attacks has grown to mythic proportions looking back through the haze of two decades, but there’s a kernel of truth there. Most people tried to be kinder to their fellow Americans for at least a while.
Contrast that to today, when many Americans are fighting against getting a free vaccine or even wearing a cloth mask to slow down a deadly pandemic that's killed hundreds of thousands of Americans—dwarfing 9/11’s death toll. Extremists are calling for a new civil war after helping to attack our national capitol on Jan. 6 of this year. Angry parents who believe in conspiracy theories are issuing mortal threats to school board members over pandemic policies. Empathy, selflessness, and kindness are in short supply. Hate and violence are on the rise.
And, of course, the final sad irony: On this anniversary, the Taliban is back in power in Afghanistan.
I’m an optimist by nature, sometimes to the annoyance of people around me. But on this day, I must admit that my optimism has waned to new lows over the past year. To quote Graff again, “Looking back after two decades, I can’t escape the conclusion that the enemy we ended up fighting after 9/11 was ourselves.” I fear that’s too true.
To those who had family members and friends die on this day in 2001, I truly am sorry for your loss. So many innocent people went to work that day and never came home.
To those who served in Afghanistan and Iraq in the years afterward, thank you for your service.
As we remember those who died on Sept. 11, 2001, and look at the world around us today, I have one hope: That we decide to embrace our better angels and work toward creating a nation that’s strong, safe, and just for all of us.
Photo: American flag found at Ground Zero. Photo by FBI; found on Flickr.