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Condemned to repeat ?
The world has moved on from 9/11/2001. As I watched the media today, there was brief mention of the events and ceremonies taking place across our nation to commemorate those awful events, mixed in with cooking segments, the latest football scores, and the ever-ending presidential races. Is it time to move on? Do the family and friends of those lost ever get over the tragedy? We all agree that we are forever changed by these events but I fear that we have some elected officials and some in the media that are so obsessed with political correctness that they are uncomfortable discussing the events of 9/11 for fear of “inciting emotions” or “upsetting the children and families”. There is a generation of people that do not understand the facts, the feelings, but especially the impact of 9/11 upon our nation.
I believe that every school should require each high school student to attend a 90 minute class of un-interrupted viewing of the videos, news broadcasts, pictures and interviews that were shown as the events unfolded that day. It is rare that history can be taught with such eloquence as the photos and videos shown live that day. The ash covered people streaming out of the city on foot, not knowing what was happening, what could happen next; the urgency to find loved ones and co-workers; the desperate attempts to talk or connect with family; the chaos as policemen and firemen rushed into buildings as occupants of the building ran, walked or were carried out; the hopelessness as we watched the towers collapse, taking thousands of lives to a fiery grave; the deep hurt of loved ones as days passed and there were no bodies to recover, no remains to bury, only ashes. The horror of watching those in the Middle East and in a few places in the US as some rejoiced as the towers fell.
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Yes, we all have a need to move on with our lives after tragedy and loss, but we are taught in the scriptures that after each momentous occasion, the children of Israel built an altar of remembrance to teach the future generations about what God had done in the past, who they are in the present, and how to live in the future. The monuments in New York, Washington, and Pennsylvania are there to mark an historic event, but everyone can’t or won’t visit the memorials. It is our job to teach the next generation our history.
“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”
George Santayana (1863-1952), “Reason in Common Sense, The Life of Reason, Vol.1
“Only take care, and keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things that your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. Make them known to your children and your children’s children— Deuteronomy 4:9
Devotion by Brinda Blair
Magee, MS
