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Are Americans tired of 9/11 remembrances?
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CommentNovember 12th, 2008
November 11th, 2008
November 7th, 2008
October 17th, 2008
After seven years, are Americans tired of reliving the memories and images of Sept. 11 on each anniversary of the attacks?
I think the time has come to stop the yearly 9/11 front-page photos in newspapers here and across the country, and find a quieter yet respectful way to remember those who died and the impact that tragic event had on our collective psyches.
I think the time has come to stop the yearly 9/11 front-page photos in newspapers here and across the country, and find a quieter yet respectful way to remember those who died and the impact that tragic event had on our collective psyches.
At the Register and in other newsrooms, we routinely consider how to handle anniversaries of significant events or tragedies, both local and national. For example, not long ago we had stories on the 25th anniversary of the Atlas Peak fire and the 40th anniversary of the creation of the Agricultural Preserve. Every Halloween will remind us of the 2004 murders of Adriane Insogna end Leslie Mazzara.
How many times can people be reminded of something before we all just start shutting down — looking for something else, anything else, to talk about that day?
How many times can people be reminded of something before we all just start shutting down — looking for something else, anything else, to talk about that day?
In the past, I watched as Sacramento-area media descended on a high school where I once coached, coming back year after year to tell the story of a former student who came on campus, took students hostage and killed faculty and students.
Members of the media interviewed students four and five years after the incident, forgetting or just ignoring the fact these students were not there when it happened. The need to feed the anniversary beast, however, drove their coverage more than common sense.
Members of the media interviewed students four and five years after the incident, forgetting or just ignoring the fact these students were not there when it happened. The need to feed the anniversary beast, however, drove their coverage more than common sense.
Look at the Sept. 11 remembrances done at the high school level now. The oldest of these students was 11 or 12, the youngest 6 or 7. This can be a historical accounting, an inclusion in the teaching. But I think it is time to stop the recounting of grief and move on.
This week, we placed on our Web site the videos of the memorials in New York City, at the Pentagon and in Pennsylvania on Sept. 11. As of Friday afternoon, the three videos were watched a combined total of 17 times, far lighter than the usual traffic.
By comparison, the video on our site of the Oakland Raiders practicing in Napa against the San Francisco 49ers was watched 14,808 times the day it was posted.
Am I saying pro football is more important than 9/11? Of course not. What I am saying is that as a nation we appear to be very tired of the messages about war, about terrorism, about destruction. We are looking for different ways to remember.
I hope we do not end up with remembrances such as those we for Veterans Day or Memorial Day, where the annual celebration has boiled down to a white sale at JCPenney and a sale on Budweiser at 7-Eleven (A 12-pack for $9.11 on 9/11 perhaps?).
Dan Ross is NapaValleyRegister.com's Multimedia Producer. He can be reached at 256.2264 or dross@napanews.com.
This week, we placed on our Web site the videos of the memorials in New York City, at the Pentagon and in Pennsylvania on Sept. 11. As of Friday afternoon, the three videos were watched a combined total of 17 times, far lighter than the usual traffic.
By comparison, the video on our site of the Oakland Raiders practicing in Napa against the San Francisco 49ers was watched 14,808 times the day it was posted.
Am I saying pro football is more important than 9/11? Of course not. What I am saying is that as a nation we appear to be very tired of the messages about war, about terrorism, about destruction. We are looking for different ways to remember.
I hope we do not end up with remembrances such as those we for Veterans Day or Memorial Day, where the annual celebration has boiled down to a white sale at JCPenney and a sale on Budweiser at 7-Eleven (A 12-pack for $9.11 on 9/11 perhaps?).
Dan Ross is NapaValleyRegister.com's Multimedia Producer. He can be reached at 256.2264 or dross@napanews.com.
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kevin wrote on Sep 12, 2008 4:38 PM:
I say show the videos. Make people watch them, especially children. Put the pictures on the front page. Because the story is NOT OVER. The story has ONLY JUST BEGUN.
The Islamofascists have been fighting this war for a 1,000 years and are prepared to fight for for another 1,000 years. They may have lost the battle in Iraq, but they haven't lost the war. They will be back as soon as we forget.
It's your job Dan to make sure we NEVER forget... "
Hear Ye wrote on Sep 12, 2008 6:22 PM:
napablogger wrote on Sep 12, 2008 7:59 PM:
At some point you do have to go on. I think more than that our understanding of it has to mature in some ways. My question would be, have we gained any new perspective? To keep hammering away about terror and keep emotionally reacting the same way we did that day is wrong.
What is right? I think a better memorial would be to evaluate how far we have come and what we have learned since then. "
freeport56 wrote on Sep 12, 2008 8:58 PM:
We should always remember the day our freedom was placed in jepordy. It is why we fight to keep it.
I just wish they would show it all even the people jumping from the towers to remind us all what those innocent people indured and suffered on that day. we should all be angry about it. "
NVR-Dan Ross wrote on Sep 13, 2008 6:29 AM:
Remembering 9/11, Remembering D-Day is important, I just think we as a collective society are at the point we need to find that way to do so without sending a message that being afraid is the way to go. "
jwk wrote on Sep 13, 2008 7:44 AM:
kevin wrote on Sep 13, 2008 9:01 AM:
There was a letter to the editor just yesterday (that seems to have disappeared from the website, btw) that demonstrated how some people don't understand the seriousness of the threat.
We need VIGILANCE. We need to stay ALERT. But most of all, we need to make sure the terrorists KNOW that any attack will result in an immediate military retaliation... "
cagirl wrote on Sep 13, 2008 1:53 PM:
Miann wrote on Sep 13, 2008 2:27 PM:
NVR-Dan Ross wrote on Sep 13, 2008 10:53 PM:
thanks, but I need no one to apoligize for my opinion. This is not an editorial, but my personal column, my opinion.
I find your opinion emphasizes my point very well, of people stressing the need for people to be afraid, over the need for people to find a way to remember the events wiithout stressing the need for a country to fear. "
NVR-Dan Ross wrote on Sep 13, 2008 10:56 PM:
You described what I heard from family members and those affected by the high school shootings. The endless yearly pushes from the media to force the families to relive the deaths of their loved ones was a massive intrusion and very disrespectful, essentially forcing the family members to grieve all over again, for the benefit of TV cameras.
This is not how we should be told to remember those lost in senseless tragedies "
kevin wrote on Sep 14, 2008 8:52 AM:
jimtub wrote on Sep 14, 2008 9:33 AM:
Paddy wrote on Sep 14, 2008 9:40 AM:
From everything I've read and heard in the biased media families never want one of the very dark days in this countries history and certainly the darkest day in theirs to ever be forgotten. Ever.
Though the feel-good, spineless avatars of the media may just want everyone to 'all just get along' and think it best to start forgetting this day was anything more than a big mistake that it not the consensus of this countries' majority or the countries that lost citizens of their own on 9/11/2001.
Let the memory of the brave firefighters and policemen that sacrificed their lives never be diminished. Let the memory of those innocents brutally mass murdered never be forgotten. Let the perpetrators of this brutal, demonic strike against humanity never be allowed to forget what they have done.
No Dan. Humanity must always remember what we're capable of. "
NVR-Dan Ross wrote on Sep 14, 2008 10:53 AM:
My hope is that the message of Be Afraid about Sept. 11 becomes one that serves to help us all find a better way to deal with that violent day "
NVR-Dan Ross wrote on Sep 14, 2008 10:55 AM:
humanity must always remember a state of constantly being told to be afraid is one that is constantly in a state of needing to be reactive, and to me that is not the message that should send for anything positive to occur. "
funnyme wrote on Sep 14, 2008 12:17 PM:
Dan, you don't want the message to be that "we are afraid"...
Every time I am at the airport I am reminded of the 9-11 TERRORIST ATTACK, I can't even have a bottle of lotion in my purse because it "could" be used as a murder weapon.
This will probably continue until those who embrace and support TERRORISM are entirely eradicated from the face of this Earth (I believe that is what our troops are trying to do right now), so someday your kids and mine could get on a plane with a toy car without having to be asked to throw it way because it is a potential murder weapon that could be used by a terrorist.
I constantly hear -and read bumper stickers- that say "I Support our Troops", I can't stop wondering what EXACTLY does that mean.
Does it mean you send "goodies" to the troops?
Does it mean you approve of money to be spend on weapons for our troops?
Does it mean you support those judges who want to try/treat the TERRORISTS as American citizens and their rights?
Most Americans are still very angry that 9-11 HAPPENED (Why did it happen?).
No, it's not time to move on and talk about football...not until I can board a plane without having to throw away my eyebrows tweezers because they are a potential murder weapon.
We are not safe yet, we still need to be afraid and be vigilant, and most of us still need to be reminded that if we had not been "aggressive" enough 60 years ago, we would all be speaking German or had become a bar soap. "
Paddy wrote on Sep 14, 2008 1:32 PM:
I don't live in fear because we have a government today that has stepped up the pressure on the animals that believe they can maim and murder in the name of their prophet. It will be important for many years to come that we take off the rose-colored glasses believing that we, somehow, are immune to terrorism. There is no better reminder than the date 9/11/2001.
This is far from over. When a dirty bomb is left in a NY train and not noticed because we've lost our edge and let down our guard because we've stopped remembering then we'll have nobody to blame but ourselves.
Hurt me once, shame on you. Hurt me twice, shame on me. "
Sandra wrote on Sep 14, 2008 7:29 PM:
The claim that the threat of Islamofascism is overblown is a view that the far left perpetuates. This view is just downright foolish and short sighted.
I agree that having to live with fear does make it difficult for the world to be a positive place. But that IS NOT caused BECAUSE OF FEAR. That is caused because THERE IS REASON TO FEAR. Until the reason for fear is removed, it would be downright foolish to pretend it did not exist.
My son who works in AF intelligence, and is privey to information we do not have, is very concerned. I raised this fine young man, and I kniow he is sensible and very smart. He has never been delusional. If he is concerned, there is reason to be concerned.
We should never forget 9/11. I do not care if some silly people are tired of the "negative vibes" surrounding it. It was a very sad day for our country and the world. It was a day that showed much of the world just how far Radical Islam can reach into everyone's life. Many living under the yoke of Radical Islam already know the brutality of it, but that day should have opened everyones eyes to this sick threat that is alive and well in our world. It was a day that showed us what we are made of, what we are capable of, and how we can pull together. We cannot forget until Radical Islam is no more. "
kevin wrote on Sep 14, 2008 8:48 PM:
...it was MAINSTREAM Islam. "
ADark1 wrote on Sep 15, 2008 3:52 AM:
Sandra wrote on Sep 15, 2008 9:26 AM:
Bill wrote on Sep 15, 2008 9:56 AM:
How quickly these become simple platitudes are evidenced by national holidays quickly used as an excuse to spend a day at the beach. "
bloodagar wrote on Sep 15, 2008 10:20 AM:
I can see "the falling man" and the towers collapsing without a picture or video, but I imagine all of those people who died a horrible death right along side heroes who gave their lives in an attempt to save others.
This is a day that should be remembered...people need perspective sometimes.
Be kind to each other and smile at your neighbor instead of cursing their noise...be a part of their noise. "
freeport56 wrote on Sep 15, 2008 2:26 PM:
we should be angry we took our security for granted having two oceans separating us.
Our anger should be just as it was Dec 7, 1941. "
napamama wrote on Sep 15, 2008 4:33 PM:
The anniversaries bring that back up again for me, and I imagine for others - especially those who were directly affected. My heart goes out to all of them and my desire is for a respectful memorial each year.
What I don't want to see is the replay over and over and over of the planes crashing into the buildings, and the horror that followed. It's burned forever in my mind's eye. If there is a need to play it, that is fine with me, but I won't watch. I don't need to steep myself in that FEAR and terror each year.
Let us also remember the heroes. There were many. "
kevin wrote on Sep 15, 2008 9:39 PM:
When that day comes, I hope they go to the beach and don't have to think about 9/11... "
glenroy wrote on Sep 15, 2008 11:20 PM:
Kevin…you nailed it….as long as we fight such a wicked ideology… 9/11 should be front page everyday. Let’s face the facts….most Americans believe whatever the networks put on air and they simply don’t understand this is a real war that ebbs and flows like all wars of past. These part time ill-informed opinionated armchair Generals and Presidents need to be reminded why we’re in it. Who cares about public fatigue…tough luck and cowboy it up…this is a war and it’s the least we should do for those carrying the burden of battle… besides don’t forget the political angle here, the DNC, Dean, Pelosi Reid, strategy is precisely to down play 9/11, disconnect patriotism, disconnect military successes and undermine the public support …. "
Paddy wrote on Sep 16, 2008 10:45 AM:
NVR-Dan Ross wrote on Sep 16, 2008 11:09 AM:
nice try but a failed one. Not only am I in complete agreement with my opinion, but I replied five different times while away this weekend. No replies yesterday for I was too busy.
As for your comment, I never stated the events of 9/11 should be swept under the rug. I think constantly telling people to Be Afraid is the wrong message.
Developing a way each Sept. 11 for people to deal with this on a national level without working to make people afraid is my opinion on where to go. "
Bill wrote on Sep 16, 2008 11:52 AM:
Any war on such a definition can only be waged by the individual not by nations so lets have a holiday and go the beach where can observe and commemorate terror perhaps in drowning and shark attacks, after of course the war on terror has been won and victory has left us in the promised “land of no fear,” another good bumper sticker. "
Sandra wrote on Sep 17, 2008 8:13 AM:
Am I correct to understand that the point of your 'War on Teror" post is to say that we can only stop radical Islam on an individual basis? Or, that we are fighting the actual definition of the words? Either undertaking seems foolish to me. I do not think the victims of Islamofacsism had any effect individually on stopping Radical Islam from overtaking them. And I think in light of the very real threat Radical Islam poses that squabbling over the true definition of the words is just silly.
There will always be things we should be fearful of, it is a survival trait, afterall. It would be suicidal for the species to ignore the valid reaction of fear.
This does not mean we should not use reason, and act inappropriatly to things that are not true threats. Nor does it mean we should go 180 degrees in the oppisite direction and downplay, or ignore true threats.
There are those who seem to be perpetuating the myth that Islamofascism is not a threat.
I say there is Darwins law, and perhaps they should go to the beach, ignore the rip tides, swim with the sharks and have as much darn fun as they can. Thay should do this as I have a feeling they will have shorter lives than those who are more prudent, so should live as long as they can in happy bliss. "
nycrow wrote on Sep 17, 2008 9:42 AM:
Are you kidding? What in God's name else would you talk about on 9/11? Of course we are tired, not of remembering those killed or the history of that day, but tired of hearing supercilious opinions from supercilious newswriters who offer nothing either by way of idea, action or deed in answer to his own stupid question. How about this, let's all remind ourselves not to read Mr. Ross's column after 9/11 next year, it's a no brainer. "
Bill wrote on Sep 17, 2008 10:44 AM:
Bill wrote on Sep 17, 2008 10:46 AM:
Bill wrote on Sep 17, 2008 10:48 AM:
Sandra wrote on Sep 17, 2008 12:03 PM:
luv1mom wrote on Sep 17, 2008 3:45 PM:
Raven wrote on Sep 19, 2008 5:32 AM:
vocal-de-local wrote on Sep 19, 2008 1:58 PM:
For the first two weeks after 9/11, I read and responded to the media frenzy. Thereafter, I stayed away from it. 9/11 has the potential to be a depressing subject and it's just not something I wish to revisit. There's nothing I can do to make a difference about what happened on that day. If there's nothing I can do to influence or change the situation on some level, I don't want that situation to become an integral part of my being. But that's my personal philosophy on the matter. I've never had a problem with "depression" either! "
jwk wrote on Sep 20, 2008 1:59 AM:
vocal-de-local wrote on Sep 21, 2008 1:10 PM:
The planet will become more peaceful with Obama. Many diverse groups of people respect him. but they do not respect either McCain or Palin. The fight will continue with them in office because they will respond with the same old same "revenge" mentality to a very complex melting pot new world order that we are entering. And I also think that I'm justifiably concerned about the reaction of terrorists to a McCain election victory. Scary. "
jwk wrote on Sep 22, 2008 3:01 AM:
Raven wrote on Sep 22, 2008 9:06 AM:
and none of the leftist loonies here has suggested we dont defend ourselves... but maybe it makes since to try a somewhat more subued approach than the guns blazing diplomacy we have been using "
jwk wrote on Sep 22, 2008 11:06 AM:
Paddy wrote on Sep 23, 2008 10:01 AM:
It's attitudes like this that caused our national security budget to be slashed by Clinton and opened the door to the mass murder of thousands of global citizens in New York on 9/11. "
anticommie wrote on Sep 24, 2008 8:54 PM:
"The planet will become more peaceful with Obama. Many diverse groups of people respect him. but they do not respect either McCain or Palin. The fight will continue with them in office because they will respond with the same old same "revenge" mentality to a very complex melting pot new world order that we are entering. And I also think that I'm justifiably concerned about the reaction of terrorists to a McCain election victory. Scary. "
I am amazed you actually believe this argument. The world will become more peaceful??? Wow. Really? What would make terrorist all of a sudden change their views of hatred to the west. Islamo-extremists will always hate this country, because they hate everything we stand for, especially our freedoms. They will continue to attack us regardless of who is the President. They have been attacking us for decades all over the world through many different Presidents. McCain will continue the fight to win, Obama wants to appease. We dont need a Arthur Neville Chamberlain to appease a new generation of fascists. "
Sandra wrote on Sep 26, 2008 2:18 PM:
The Islamic religion is one of, if not the, fastest growing religions in the world. If Vocal understood it's tenets, I do not think he could say that and keep a straight face. The Islamic world is ruled by fundamentalism and does nothing to end Radical Islam. They are NOT PEACEFUL, and have no intention of being peaceful until their goals are reached. If the Islamic world will not step up and stop terrorism, then who should?
According to Vocal that would be Obama? By appeasment? By talking? Radical Islam will certainly talk...as a tactic to distract while they move forward with the goals they have had all along. Main stream Islam will go along...anyway they have so far. The Islamic world disdains the western world. In their eyes we are corrupt, godless, and selfish, at the worst, and silly infidels at the best. Obama will not change that view. The only part of Islam willing to take a stand against Radical Islam, is REFORM Islam. Reform Islam is a VERY SMALL part of the religion, and the only part we should be talking to.
Does Obama get that? I am not sure he does. Of course we would have none of this problem with Mainstream Islam if we all converted to the Muslim religion....we could all help them reach their goal sooner and more peacefully by just converting... "
misfit wrote on Sep 27, 2008 11:23 PM:
hubble wrote on Nov 16, 2008 10:20 PM:
I do believe that it is important to see the news coverage of the events of 9/11, and the documentaries about the events of that day are valuable reminders of the forces at work in the world. THAT is something we should never forget. "