Never Forget What?

But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate – we can not consecrate – we can not hallow – this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us – that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion – that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain – that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom – and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth. – A. Lincoln

I’m having a strong, almost visceral reaction to the coverage of 9-11 today on cable news and Twitter and Facebook. The American History Museum is live tweeting the events of that tragic morning without comment, which I find incredibly poignant. At the same time, politicians are posting empty comments about praying for “grace”, maybe paying lip service to the first responders. But the most common posting I’ve seen today is some version of a photo of the Twin Towers and the words “Never Forget.”

That phrase is a powerful one for us as Americans, but also as human beings. The sad fact is that our memories are woefully short, lasting perhaps a generation or two and no more.  There have been many occasions on which we swore we would “never forget.” In 1813, British forces demolished the American army near the River Raisin in Michigan, denying their attempt to recapture Detroit. From that defeat came the great battle cry of the War of 1812: “Remember the Raisin!” But we forgot.

We vowed to remember the sacrifice of William Travis and Davy Crockett in March of 1836.  That’s when a tiny band of less than 200 men swore they would defend their fort against the forces of Mexico with their lives. Every last defender of Texas liberty died at the hands of General Santa Ana’s forces, but their devotion and bravery contributed to Mexico’s eventual defeat and the liberation of Texas, mostly because of that rallying cry: “Remember the Alamo!” But we forgot.

We also swore to remember February 15, 1898. That’s when the battleship Maine sank in Havana Harbor following an enormous explosion that tore a hole in the side. At the time, we thought it was an act of war on the part of Spain and the cry went around: “Remember the Maine!” But we forgot.

And now, to commemorate the 2,977 lives lost on September 11th, 2001, we again say, “Never forget.” But what is it that we vow to remember? Those innocent lives or our illusion of safety and invulnerability? If it’s the loss of life that you mourn, then how do you think we can best honor those who died? I think we can agree that the Iraq war and Afghanistan invasion did the dead no good service. But do the empty platitudes accomplish more?

I don’t want to diminish the grief that anyone feels on this day, nor do I want to engage in a competition over whose loss is most painful. I didn’t live in New York on 9-11 and I didn’t lose a single family member or friend on that day. And yet, I remember having to pull my car over as I rushed to the newsroom because my body was racked with sobs and anguish, so much so that I couldn’t drive. If my reaction was that strong, I’m sure others experienced much the same thing, whether they lived in New York or not.

And yet, I’m troubled on the anniversary of this day every time it comes around. I’m frustrated that we behave a certain way on this day, say certain things and then go back to business as usual on September 12th. It’s like the fair-weather Christian who talks about charity and humility on Sunday and then steals from the poor on Monday.

So again I ask the question: what will we never forget? I hope some of you will share your answers to that question, and let me share mine. I will never forget that for the first time in my life, I felt the presence of more than 300 million other Americans as a physical thing, a sense that we all froze together, gasped together, moaned together and embraced one another as one nation and one people. I will never forget how the rest of the world reached out to us with compassion instead of blame, how people in other nations, thousands of miles away, struggled to say and do the right thing that might ease America’s pain.  I will never forget that for a very short period of time, we set aside our differences. We held each other’s gaze at the grocery store and the bank, commiserated together, held doors open for each other, asked how others were doing and really cared about the answer.

But that can’t be what politicians mean when they say, “Never forget,” because they’re the reason that moment of unity was lost so quickly. It didn’t take long for operators in DC to start using the tragedy for political ends, to turn that sense of common purpose and pain into divisiveness, and to offend the rest of the world with our anger and arrogance, squandering the good will we had earned. I’m not talking about any particular party, because both are guilty.

And we’re guilty, too, for allowing those operators to play on our baser instincts and manipulate us into hating our neighbors. We allowed ourselves to believe that some poltical ideals are more patriotic than others, that tax cuts dishonor 9-11 or increasing regulation just lets the “terrorists win.”

9-11 is not about politics. It’s not even about religion. It’s about the power of tragedy to bring us together in shared grief. It’s about remembering what really matters in this life and that all the rest is just noise. 9-11 is about forgetting class, race, religion and political party and acknowledging that we are fragile, that we are easily hurt, and that we are all our brother’s keepers.