Never forget, never surrender
Mike Marchand
Undistinguished Alumnus
The moment I remember most about Sept. 11, 2001 wasn't any of the horrific images from New York City, Washington, D.C. or Pennsylvania I watched on television, but rather a real, tangible event I was present for — the hastily arranged Mass on South Quad in which 7,000 people united in a show of both mourning and support. I was never so proud to be a member of the Notre Dame family as I was then, and I still feel that way.
Unfortunately, I wasn't there for the Mass on Sept. 11, 2002, which drew 5,000 people, according to news reports. But it seems appropriate that reflections on that terrible event one year before took place at the reflecting pool in front of the image of Christ on the Hesburgh Library.
Have we really changed? Yes and no. There aren't as many American flags hanging from windows, car antennas or jacket lapels anymore, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing. No emotion can be felt forever. Alan Jackson's song was wrong — the world didn't stop turning on Sept. 11. The world has kept turning, and time's march has continued unabated.
That day may be a watershed moment in American history and all of our lives, but we can't be expected to feel the same way a year later and forever after that. And just because we don't all feel patriotism at this time as actively as we might have last year doesn't mean that it's disappeared from our lives entirely. Like anything else, it's settled. After a year, we've all figured out, in our own way, how to reach an equilibrium between looking back and looking forward.
The memorial services at Ground Zero, the Pentagon and the Flight 93 crash site also struck that delicate balance between remembering and moving on. Reading the names of all the people that perished in the World Trade Center took more than three hours. But the circle where victims' families left tributes and the eternal flame lit by New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg and President George W. Bush will be part of the permanent memorial, whenever that is decided upon.
At the Pentagon, the theme was a return to normal. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld commended the workers who rebuilt the Pentagon so well that it can hardly be seen where the damage was done to it. And although names weren't named, there was a vow to continue the war against terror to ensure that such an act of heinous barbarism won't be repeated.
In Shanksville, Penn., the memorial was probably the most celebratory, commending the heroes of Flight 93 who refused to accept their fate and took over the plane, guiding it into the ground rather than allow it to be flown into what we now know was going to be the U.S. Capitol. The "Let's roll" vow uttered by Todd Beamer will be echoed as the theme of the permanent memorial erected there.
For the rest of us watching, the day was somber. The endless repetition of violent images of the planes tearing into the World Trade Center and the towers collapsing, and the orgy of war rhetoric and jingoism predicted by so many didn't happen. Instead, we focused on the human aspect: families missing loved ones, firefighters struggling to continue in their duty without some of their brothers. In a way, the television presentations were our way of going to a funeral and showing solidarity and paying our respects.
But even still, the events of the day were nearly overshadowed by the uncertainty of our future. America was put on high alert for terrorism, Code Orange, which scared everyone. Would the terrorists use the anniversary of Sept. 11 to attack us again? Terrorists, as a general rule, like symbolism. It's no accident that the targets were the centers of American financial, military and political might.
However, the vigilance paid off and there were no repeat attacks. But there is an even more ominous anniversary that may be looming — Oct. 7, the date the bombing of Afghanistan started a year ago. It's probably more likely that the terrorists will use that day to demonstrate their continued presence than on the anniversary of their most successful attack.
But that's just proof that we must continue to look forward. And as the days continue to tick by, the memories of Sept. 11 may fade a little. The tragedy won't be in the forefront of our minds. Sept. 11, 2002 was known as Patriots' Day, but as the years go on, the day won't have the same significance. That's a good thing. Life will go on, but we must never forget. We won't live continually in fear, but we can never surrender. And that's the way it should be.
Mike Marchand, class of '01, not to be confused with Michael Marchand, freshman from Stanford Hall, is either on his way to an Aerosmith concert right now or working, depending on how well he can beg. His column appears every other Monday. Contact him at marchand.3@nd.edu.
The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
All Viewpoint Stories for Monday, September 16, 2002
