Remembering September 11, 2001


Every year around this time, I choose to watch as much as I can about 9/11. I watch the specials, learn about the personal stories, and I cringe and cry and try to comprehend what the victims went through on that day, even if I never will really be able to.
In the past, I was told I could not watch those specials because they were useless or exploitative of those who perished and lost so much. I would watch the specials in secret, feeling guilty, like I was being perversely morbid.
Now that I am able to do what I wish, I have immersed myself in the many stories of 9/11, and it has scared me, angered me, shocked me, and saddened me. However, no matter how bad I feel, I believe it is my duty to re-witness these terrible events in order to honor the memory of those who were killed. I believe it necessary to suffer through this in order to maintain the vital memory of what happened. Forgetting is not only to disrespect the fallen, but to endanger the present and to risk the future.
This year, what really enrages me are the "truthers," those who say it was an inside job, those who say the buildings were imploded, that the planes were military jets or were missiles.
I do not believe these people should be silenced, however. We live in a free society, and if we wish to truly honor the memories of those who were murdered on that day or later died because of that day, we have to honor the freedom that we were attacked for.
But this does not mean I am still not furious at the disrespect and sheer stupidity of those making the ridiculous truther claims. How anyone can believe any of that nonsense is beyond me!
I would like to tell a truther to try and spew their beliefs down at Ground Zero on 9/11. I dare them to say what they believe to the faces of those who lost loved ones in the attacks or to those who actually survived that day. I imagine Stanley Praimnath would have a few things to dispute. I imagine the family of Orio would find flaws in the detonation story line. The ignorance of these truther people is staggering!
And so every year I remember, I watch, I read, I go through the emotional discomfort of it all --willingly. And I speak up against the idiocy of those who show nothing but dishonor and disrespect to all those people who went through such hell in New York City, Washington, DC, and aboard United 93.
My thoughts and prayers are with the victims' families. . .

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