After the dust and ash settled on Ground Zero, a remarkable calm took over New York City, as the rest of the world watched. The prolific image of industry, progress, jazz and hard city life, entrepreneurship and confidence, of Wall Street and the Statue of Liberty, skyscrapers and Times Square; the indestructible city was struck.
As the American public tried to understand the outcome of that day, New Yorkers lent a hand to their neighbors; firefighters, police officers and other first responders lifted hot stone from the ground and uncovered the bones and artifacts of the people they loved, or perfect strangers.
Now, 10 years later, America looks back. We watched as the “war on terror” evolved; we saw Saddam Hussein removed from power and grew accustomed to body scanners and random bag checks in airport lines.
Hurricane Katrina trampled and swallowed New Orleans, Americans lost jobs and the national debt rose to crippling heights. An African-American man became president, the Tea Party was formed, and Egypt fought successfully for freedom from an oppressive regime, without our help. Jon Stewart, the anchor of a “fake news” program became one of the most trusted news sources in America.
With all the programming and media attention on the 10th anniversary of 9/11, the focus has shifted. What does 9/11 mean for the real “Children of 9/11”? The children who remember that morning, seeing the news, the images, the aftermath. What happened to those people who helped their neighbors for a few precious hours, or an entire year?
Instead of allowing that day to become an opportunity for advertisements and ratings, let’s strive to be better as a country and as a people. The deaths of 2,819 people, the continued suffering of their families and the deteriorating health of first responders who inhaled the dust of the towers while struggling to save lives should not be commercialized. This year and those that follow, let’s have integrity as our first priority.