Never forget

It was one of those defining moments.  Like millions of other people, I will always remember where I was when I heard that the first plane had hit the World Trade Center.  I was at work and had my radio on when I heard.  Then the second plane hit and there was no doubt that this was no accident.  I worked for a law firm at the time; on the 14th floor of a high-rise in downtown Orlando.  Our law firm took up several floors of the building, but ours was the only floor with a conference room with a TV and cable.  Suddenly we had 50+ people crammed into this conference room watching the events unfold on TV.  We watched as another plane hit the Pentagon and again as heroes took over the last of the hi-jacked planes and went down in Pennsylvania.   We watched in horror as people trapped in the World Trade Centers jumped to their death in desperation.  We watched in stunned silence as one tower fell and then the other.

Not knowing what might happen next, they sent us all home for the day.  I didn’t have cable at the time so on my way home I stopped and bought an antenna for my TV.  I watched every second of coverage I could.  Every year there are countless TV documentaries and 9/11 specials. Every year I watch as many as I can.  I do this because I think it’s important that we remember what happened that day.  It’s not easy footage to watch, but that’s also what makes it so important.

The world as we knew it changed that day.  My son has never known a world in which the World Trade Centers stood tall and proud.  His world is not defined by before 9/11 and after 9/11.  It’s imperative that we watch the footage and that our children watch the footage.  We must teach them why this day is so important in our history.  However, we must also teach them compassion, not hate.  It’s so easy to speak hatefully of the men that did this and for those specific people who propagated these attacks, hate them if you want to.  Don’t, however, hate an entire religion based on the actions of a few.  Don’t teach your children to hate an entire religion or group of people because of the actions of a few.  The events  on 9/11 were horrific and should never be forgotten.  They forever changed the way we view our world.  If we let hate and fear take over, we’ve accomplished nothing and given those who murdered just under 3000 people all the power.  Don’t give them that power.  They don’t deserve it.

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