9/11/11

In reflecting on the 10th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on 9/11, I could not get my mind off of a thought.

The influx of status updates and tweets that are patriotic and pro-USA were not at all surprising. "God Bless America" seemed to be the most popular of the ones I have seen.

Instead of feeling patriotic, and warmed inside like I usually do when seeing an American flag or reading about great American historical events, these statuses and sayings did nothing but provoke another idea from within me.

This day is a pivotal day in our American history. It is unlike any thing we have ever experienced. Even Pearl Harbor, a similar attack on American soil is different in that we were already fighting a war in Europe at the time. The attacks on 9/11 caused so much confusion as to what was happening, why it was happening, who was attacking us, and even how?

Innocent people were killed by the hands of militant extremists from another land, people who disagree with us and our way of life. Even more people risked their lives to save the lives on the fringe, of the lives of those still holding on for dear life. The FDNY worked diligently through the wreckage, looking for any and every survivor possible. 9/11 was a day of infamy without a doubt.

Today, it is a day of patriotism, to remember the lives lost in the attacks and in the decade of war that would follow. It is also a day of celebration of the American way, the diligence to overcome adversary and to come out of a catastrophe stronger than before.

Despite this, when I see all the "God Bless America" posts or sayings on our many social networking sites, something inside me corrects the statement. Instead of "God Bless America", shouldn't it be "God Bless Everyone"?

Is it not the polarizing mindset of extremism and to some extent, patriotism, the cause of these attacks in the first place? Couldn't a worldly, respect-for-your-fellow-man (or woman) mindset cure the world of violence and terror like this?

I do not mean to take anything away from those who lost a loved one in the attacks, but rather, I offer another way of thinking. As a society of people, the world should learn from these attacks. Polarizing mindsets and extremism in any fashion is destructive to a common goal for humanity.

Is a peaceful world not what we all want?

God Bless Everyone.