The thing that is so fucked about this is that we’ve been fighting a war now for 10 fucking years as a result of those attacks. And I’m sure we’ve killed way more civilians in Afghanistan than died on 9/11/01.
And then there’s the whole Iraq war debacle.
What we should be doing is taking a good hard look at what are reaction to this event was, and how we should change that reaction in the future. I’m all for going after al Qaeda, but we shouldn’t have to devastate 2 entire countries in doing so.
“Never Forget” could be the collective slogan of the Balkans. I don’t think we should aspire to that score-keeping and grudge-holding mentality.
And for that matter I’m sure there are people in Iraq and Afghanistan who will also “Never Forget.” Personally, I would rather avoid a trans-generational feud of cultures. To that end, yeah, let’s forget. Or at least stop wallowing. Let’s move on.
Do you feel that the two (the heroic Jewish soldiers/Jews on the Manhattan Project v. the Holocaust) are mutually exclusive? BTW, I agree that we should know more about current genocides. Though, the expression,“Those who forget history are doomed to repeat it.” seems apt.
I don’t know where you’re living, but the only “near constant” reminder – and I’m not even talking about remembrance, just a reminder – of the attacks are occasionally seeing Virginia license plates with a 9/11 symbol on them, I just can’t say that I often see or hear anything like what you seem to be referring to. 9/11 remembrances are certainly uncommon in the newspapers, other than around this time of year, save for the occasional story like the firefighters not getting health benefits.
Don’t overlook the New York factor. These big media companies have large presences in New York and therefore were more directly impacted by it than say Katrina. Therefore the media probably overplays 9/11 because of it.
For the people getting mad at the OP, I have a question:
Is there any amount of 9/11 commemoration that would bug you? Like, suppose I went into every thread on the SDMB and started steering the discussion toward 9/11? “You know, that scene from Return of the King reminds me of 9/11.” “Have you guys noticed that [global warming/the obesity epidemic/rape] has gotten worse since 9/11?” "How can you sit here talking about your cat when people lost their lives on 9/11?!?!?" Would you defend me when I was banned? Why not? Have you no hearts? Do you not even care about our national tragedy? I suppose you’d just like to forget it ever happened, wouldn’t you? You bastards.
You don’t think those topics organically relate to 9/11? Why? If 9/11 made global warming worse, wouldn’t you want to know about it? Or would you rather stick your fingers in your ears and pretend it’ll just go away, like some happy ending hollywood fairy tale? Why do you hate America?
Alcohol never “lead” to a driving fatality, it was the car, assembly lines, dinosaurs, the road, the tires, and the Exxon at which he purchased the gasoline! Without all those things the alcohol couldn’t have “lead” to the crash!
9/11 didn’t justify our invasion of Iraq. But 9/11 was absolutely used by the promoters of that war as a reason to invade, and I have to admit that that argument unfortunately won the day.
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You don’t think those topics organically relate to 9/11? Why? If 9/11 made global warming worse, wouldn’t you want to know about it? Or would you rather stick your fingers in your ears and pretend it’ll just go away, like some happy ending hollywood fairy tale? Why do you hate America?
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Your Return of the King example (haven’t seen movie) is the only one I can plausibly connect ot 9/11. We’ve had alcohol/obesity/etc. for years, and MANY topics can get you banned :rolleyes:
One of the reasons we don’t forget 911 is because it has political coinage by some conservatives.
Bush, Cheney and Guilliani could not say a paragraph without mentioning it. It justified enormous programs that have been very lucrative.
I wasn’t talking about being banned for controversy, I was talking about being banned for being a one-trick pony.
But forget the SDMB. My question was, is any amount of 9/11 remembrance too much? What if they had a parade down your street every Tuesday, for the Weekiversary of 9/11? Would you have gotten tired of it around week 427? Is it because you don’t appreciate our brave men and women in uniform who put their lives on the line for you every day? I mean, why else wouldn’t you want to commemorate the solemn occasion of the 427th Weekiversary of 9/11?
How much I’d be fine with: Mention in passing on “flat” (not round) anniversaries. Retrospectives in 5 year intervals. I think it will change once Iraq and Afghanistan have stable, peace-loving democracies