Never Forgetting is Bullshit

Driving 3,000 miles up and down the west coast in early September, I saw no small number of handy reminders about the events of 9/11/01.  The most common refrain (especially in the rural areas) was a plea to "never forget."  Really?  Is that the extent of our obligation as a citizenry?  To simply apply a few brain cells to the act of remembering?  Actually, now that I think about it, "never forgetting" requires even less effort than actually remembering, a real life verb.

It sort of reminded me of our instructions shortly after the attacks nine years ago to go shopping.  That was how we were to protect our republic and the ideals it was based upon.  Because nothing pisses off Osama more than a trip to Best Buy.

Aren't we setting the bar a little low, here?  Shouldn't we spend more time learning, preparing, and fixing?  I know that's harder, but isn't that a course of action that better honors those who were murdered?  I know we Americans like it to be real easy.  I also know that we prefer the obvious to the correct.  But, even taking the more selfish route, isn't 9/11 (and the threat of future 9/11's) important enough to our own personal well-being to actually burden ourselves with proper reflection?

I spent September 11th traveling through California on the most lengthy vacation I've had in many years, so there were enough distractions to keep me away from the business of memorializing the relevant events.  However, it's impossible, for me at least, to let the anniversary of the attacks pass without considering how and why they've changed my world.  I'm certain that those that hate us will visit our shores again and, eventually, hurt us worse than they did in September 2001.  I'm also pretty certain that attack will come from within--perpetrated by angry Americans.  Regardless, I think we are very poorly served by the mandate to "never forget."  We'd be much better off we spent a little more time considering all of the signs we ignored on the way to 9/11 instead of the grotesque that was 9/11.  At least then we'd be better armed to spot the same signs, many of which are currently on display, again, right in front of our eyes.