Remembering September 11th

I remember the morning of September 11, 2001 vividly. My mother woke me up and told me a plane had crashed into one of the World Trade Center buildings. Half-awake, I tried to make sense of that information. How had a plane gotten that far off track? I got out of bed and turned on the television. I watched live as the second plane crashed into one of the towers. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing.

I couldn’t stay in front of the television too long. I had to get ready to leave - I had a full day of college classes. The whole drive to the campus, I just listened to the radio, trying to comprehend it all. None of it made sense.

They ended up cancelling our classes that day and everyone just sort of walked around the campus in shock. I hugged a girl I had known since high school, who was really shaken up. I had no words to comfort her.

I realize my story isn’t all of the unique or captivating. It probably closely mirrors what a lot of you were going through on that day. All of us just trying to make sense of a senseless act. And my story is nothing compared to those who actually lived the horror - people who lost loved ones or firefighters who bravely went inside those towers to save lives.

So why am I sharing my story? Because I want you all to remember. I want everyone to take a moment and remember what that day was like. I want us all to take just one moment and reflect on a day that forever changed our lives in this country.

I’m doing this because I feel like we are forgetting about September 11th. I feel like we are pushing it aside. Like we are repressing our thoughts and emotions.

On the one year anniversary of the attacks, George Bush declared September 11th “Patriot Day” and said, “We will not forget the events of that terrible morning nor will we forget how Americans responded in New York City, at the Pentagon, and in the skies over Pennsylvania -- with heroism and selflessness; with compassion and courage; and with prayer and hope.” Many memorials and events were held that year to honor the lives lost and to take a moment to reflect on the tragic events of September 11, 2001.

And yet, here we are just four years removed from the attacks and it seems like September 11th is being viewed as just another day. I haven’t heard about any memorials or ceremonies planned for that day. In fact, it’s the first day of the NFL season. While I hear Nick and Jessica are supposed to sing something patriotic at FedEx Field that day, I somehow think any meaningful tribute will be overshadowed by fans just waiting to see if Joe Gibbs can lead his revamped offense to victory over the Chicago Bears.

We live in a fast food culture these days. Every story has a shelf life. Our media works in news cycles where they run a story into the ground until no one wants to hear about it anymore. And I realize that it is depressing to dwell on the tragic events that occurred four years ago. It’s best to try and go on with our lives. I understand all of that. I agree that it is the right thing to do.

There is so much tragedy in the world today. Any time I turn on the news, I am overwhelmed by all of the horrific things that go on in this world. The devastation of Hurricane Katrina. The bombing on the London subway. The rising death toll in Iraq. It’s too much to take. These days, I try to stick with pro wrestling on television and only get my news from The Onion.

That being said, I think we all need to take a moment to remember what happened. It’s important to remember, especially with what’s going on in Iraq and the bombings in London. It's painful and depressing, but we need to reflect on what happened. So please, before you settle down with your hot wings and beer for another exciting football season, just take a moment of your time on Sunday to remember September 11th.

Joel Murphy is the creator of Hobo Trashcan, which is probably the reason why he has his own column. He also has some really hot friends. You can contact him at: murphyslaw@hobotrashcan.com