911 Memorial CNN Photo

Every five years our country makes a special effort to remember 911.  I understand.  We tend to make a bigger deal when an anniversary falls on a multiple of five.  That said, 911 falls in a very unique category and we don’t do it justice.  It is an event that has impacted our lives daily over the last fifteen years yet for many it might be a one year event.  In some ways, marriage or the birth of a child is analogous.  Imagine one’s life if one did not acknowledge, think or live one’s life as if one was married or a parent except for that event’s anniversary?

911 was a catastrophic and horrible event where thousands of Americans died in a matter of hours, it put us on a course that cost another 6000 uniformed Americans their lives and tens of thousands limbs.  The shocks of 911 are felt even in our daily lives whenever we utilize a major conveyance.

With all that said, there is an unconscious and conscious attempt to forget 911 and the truth it communicates.  That truth being radical Islam is at war with us.    Example of this?  Some examples are the efforts to rename the Global War on Terror to “overseas contingency operations”.  Saying Al qeada is on the run just before they kill our ambassador in Libya; categorizing ISIS as a “JV” threat as they successfully inspire multiple terror attacks in the world and even our country.  We increasingly conduct warfare as “lawfare” and refuse to acknowledge allowing large numbers of people from these conflict zones is a threat even while our enemy says they will use that influx to inject more terrorists in our midst.

The latest affront to the senses is the NFL will fine players for wearing commemorative 911 shoes while it condones its players sitting or kneeling during the national anthem.

Remembering 911 is inconvenient, uncomfortable and painful but too many have worked hard at forgetting 911 condemning us to repeat the horror in the future.  I remember that when someone says terrorism isn’t an existential threat despite the fact that is has ended so many’s existence and the way we live our lives.  Maybe we shouldn’t try to remember just once a year.