They say time heals all wounds, but not all wounds heal so quickly
On this 12th Anniversary of 9/11, time has yet to heal all wounds. We are still reminded of them constantly when our children get on a plane or when we see a car with a “Never Forget” sticker on it. Whether we see an Arab at an airport, a young man with a tattoo of the twin towers on him, even when the discussion of Benghazi comes up, the memories of that horrific day are triggered.
Will we ever get over it? No. Will we ever forget? Never. Will good memories ever replace the bad ones? No, never.
Most of us still remember that day like it was yesterday. When we were kids, we feared the Soviets. Kids today fear Al Qaeda. While we were “concerned” about the Soviets, Al Qaeda struck fear in our hearts, much like they continue to do today.
There isn’t much left, but a pit where the World Trade towers stood, but thousands still flock to the Memorial & Museum to see what remains of that fateful day in September, 2001.
In the time that’s past, the victims have been treated like whiners, even the families of first responders who died. They were vilified by pundits, politicians and common people for not getting over the deaths of their family members or for simply wanting pensions and financial help. First responders have been denied medical benefits and disability.
The aftermath has almost been as horrific as the actual event and the flashbacks are heartbreaking. No amount of money can pay for the broken hearts of the victim’s families. Even today, thousands of those who responded on 9/11 and were crippled to some degree still can’t collect disability, have a need for health care, need money to pay their bills and raise their kids.
Just as we mustn’t forget 9/11, we must not forget the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq that September 11 helped to spawn. The Hijackers along with a misguided president have cost the lives of thousands of troops to both combat and suicide.
This September 11 of 2013, the President is overseeing a Russian plan to have Syria turn over their chemical weapons to the United Nations so they don’t fall into the hands of Al Qaeda. It is relatively the same thing the Bush Administration rejected in 2003 that led us into an unjust war.
Since 2001, the struggle to contain Al Qaeda has taken over our country’s consciousness. The proliferation of suicide bombers in several countries including our own is truly terrifying. Al Qaeda is not a standing army. Al Qaeda is a bunch of backward thinking extremists who are disillusioned by the false wishes of Allah and are provoked by anyone who does not agree with their ideology.
As we mourn today, just as we have ever other anniversary of September 11, let us remember that our ever enduring Constitution and Bill of Rights is something we hold dear to our hearts. Our freedom of speech, our civil rights, and the liberty to use social networking to get our voice heard cannot be lost no matter what Al Qaeda tries again.
