Every year, in the United States, we are reminded to "Never Forget". This is in refence to 9-11, and it is time to stop. The Mexican-American War used "Remember the Alamo" as a rallying cry and WWI had "Remember the Maine". Then there was Pearl Harbor, the day that used to be THE DAY that would live in infamy. So, with every year that comes along, we are reminded to remember 9-11 and are deemed to be unpatriot if we don't. I am sure the survivors and families of the victims appreciated the memorializing the first year and the monument built to honor the victims, but it has been sixteen years, and it's a little difficult to quit grieving under normal situations without having yearly reminders and replays of the day on CNN. At this point, why do we need a call to remember? In the US every emergency call is 911. There did I just make you feel uneasy? Maybe for a moment, but you probably will lose the association because it's nine eleven as oppoaed to nine one one. Chances are the date was intended to be connected to the emergency number but Al Qaeda didn't understand subtlety and American's ability to compartmentalize trauma.
There is no need to tell folka to never forget. Those of us who grew up during the sixties, never forgot the assassinations, the Viet Nam war or the protests. We can remember 9-11 without it sounding like a yearly call to war. A simple way to do that is a memorial observance on the day, lay a wreath at the monument and move on. Don't allow the national ego to keep the focus on the perpetrators,remember the lives lost. Honor the families and quit renewing their pain.
