Weekly Mail: September 11, 2005
September 11, 2005
I was wondering in what direction I wanted to take my annual essay on the anniversary of 9/11. Did I want to tie it in with Hurricane Katrina? Did I want to analyze the progress that we've made in fighting Al-Qaeda? Maybe. But first there was something I needed to address, something I was afraid was going to happen is starting to happen. What's worse, I'm a bit guilty of it myself.
I've heard some people say that they have "had their fill of 9/11". I heard a couple of others say that they'd pay the anniversary more mind next year, the fifth anniversary. This September 11 not only had sporting events, but big ones. The first full weekend of NFL Games, a Yankees-Red Sox game, and the US Open Men's Tennis Final. Yep, I watched the Jets lose big Sunday afternoon. Yes, I was a raving maniac. Of all the days to get upset at a lousy football game. With many of my fellow New Yorkers down at Ground Zero mourning, what the hell was wrong with me?
I don't want to be one of those that are "9/11'ed out." I don't want to be someone who acts like it never happened, or to try to forget that it happened. For one thing, if anything good came out of that day, was that my love of this country strengthened considerably. And despite things that have happened in the four years since the attacks, I never want to forget that prideful feeling I had as we all rallied around our flags and our people, and yes, even our government.
I also don't think it's a good idea to move away too much from 9/11. Someone much smarter than myself once said "Those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it." Acting like those attacks were a one time thing that can't happen again is pure folly.
In a recent episode of the FX show "Rescue Me", firefighter Tommy Gavin (played brilliantly by Dennis Leary) is discussing the pros and cons of being a firefighter with his cousin's son. Gavin's cousin died in the World Trade center on 9/11/01. One of the things he tells the young kid is that "We (firefighters) were big heroes for a while, but since this country has ADD, it didn't last long."
I got up at 8:30 Sunday morning and listened as most of New York Radio went silent at 8:46 AM, the time the first plane hit the first tower. Two or three of the stations came out of the silence with Ray Charles version of America the Beautiful. I listened for a little while longer. Then I went back to sleep.
I got up later and went to Mass. There was some kid talking about going on a mission to Tanzania. I tuned him out and said a prayer for all those who perished four years ago. By 1:30, I was home, in front of the TV, screaming at Chad Pennington. Except for an occasional mention on TV, I didn't give 9/11 another thought.
My goodness, am I one of the people Tommy Gavin was talking about?
I guess what I'm trying to figure out is how much is enough? When do I draw the line and say "OK, now I need to move on" without forgetting about those poor people who died? How do I honor the firefighters and cops who died running into the towers as they were coming down? Is a prayer of thanks for their bravery in church enough? Especially if I spend the majority of the afternoon worrying about the Kansas City Chiefs and what I'm going to have to eat while I'm watching football all day.
I guess the answer is that we do our best. The lessons that we learned that day,painful as they were, are too valuable to ever forget, but we do what we can do to cope with it all. Most of us know someone who died that day. If in our heart we keep good thoughts for them and all the others who died, if we keep in mind the pain we felt that day, and never forget the triumph of our spirit that ultimately ruled the days following, than at the end of the day, we can rest assured that we are doing right by everyone.
I was wondering in what direction I wanted to take my annual essay on the anniversary of 9/11. Did I want to tie it in with Hurricane Katrina? Did I want to analyze the progress that we've made in fighting Al-Qaeda? Maybe. But first there was something I needed to address, something I was afraid was going to happen is starting to happen. What's worse, I'm a bit guilty of it myself.
I've heard some people say that they have "had their fill of 9/11". I heard a couple of others say that they'd pay the anniversary more mind next year, the fifth anniversary. This September 11 not only had sporting events, but big ones. The first full weekend of NFL Games, a Yankees-Red Sox game, and the US Open Men's Tennis Final. Yep, I watched the Jets lose big Sunday afternoon. Yes, I was a raving maniac. Of all the days to get upset at a lousy football game. With many of my fellow New Yorkers down at Ground Zero mourning, what the hell was wrong with me?
I don't want to be one of those that are "9/11'ed out." I don't want to be someone who acts like it never happened, or to try to forget that it happened. For one thing, if anything good came out of that day, was that my love of this country strengthened considerably. And despite things that have happened in the four years since the attacks, I never want to forget that prideful feeling I had as we all rallied around our flags and our people, and yes, even our government.
I also don't think it's a good idea to move away too much from 9/11. Someone much smarter than myself once said "Those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it." Acting like those attacks were a one time thing that can't happen again is pure folly.
In a recent episode of the FX show "Rescue Me", firefighter Tommy Gavin (played brilliantly by Dennis Leary) is discussing the pros and cons of being a firefighter with his cousin's son. Gavin's cousin died in the World Trade center on 9/11/01. One of the things he tells the young kid is that "We (firefighters) were big heroes for a while, but since this country has ADD, it didn't last long."
I got up at 8:30 Sunday morning and listened as most of New York Radio went silent at 8:46 AM, the time the first plane hit the first tower. Two or three of the stations came out of the silence with Ray Charles version of America the Beautiful. I listened for a little while longer. Then I went back to sleep.
I got up later and went to Mass. There was some kid talking about going on a mission to Tanzania. I tuned him out and said a prayer for all those who perished four years ago. By 1:30, I was home, in front of the TV, screaming at Chad Pennington. Except for an occasional mention on TV, I didn't give 9/11 another thought.
My goodness, am I one of the people Tommy Gavin was talking about?
I guess what I'm trying to figure out is how much is enough? When do I draw the line and say "OK, now I need to move on" without forgetting about those poor people who died? How do I honor the firefighters and cops who died running into the towers as they were coming down? Is a prayer of thanks for their bravery in church enough? Especially if I spend the majority of the afternoon worrying about the Kansas City Chiefs and what I'm going to have to eat while I'm watching football all day.
I guess the answer is that we do our best. The lessons that we learned that day,painful as they were, are too valuable to ever forget, but we do what we can do to cope with it all. Most of us know someone who died that day. If in our heart we keep good thoughts for them and all the others who died, if we keep in mind the pain we felt that day, and never forget the triumph of our spirit that ultimately ruled the days following, than at the end of the day, we can rest assured that we are doing right by everyone.
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