Keeping The Memory of Those We Have Lost Alive

As word of the death of Osama Bin Laden spread a sense of satisfaction also began to spread that this mass murderer finally had met his end at the hands of the US military. People rejoiced and celebrated the death of this evil conspirator who caused the death of nearly 3,000 innocent people on 9/11 and so many others over the past nine years. Upon hearing the news a I was hit with a sense of relief that this nearly ten year effort had finally resulted in the death of one of the most despicable men the world had ever known. Unfortunately I kept hearing that this will bring closure to many of the families who lost loved ones on 9/11 and in the efforts since. While this does close a significant 9/11 chapter it does not bring closure at all. It will not bring back the parents, the children, the siblings or the friends lost on 9/11. It will not fill the emptiness in the hearts of so many 9/11 family members. It will not eliminate the haunted memories of that September morning in 2001. Hopefully what it will do will be to send a message to the remaining terrorists out there and remind them that they are all still on our radar and that we will not rest until they all meet the same fate. As for us we need to continue to keep the memory of those murdered alive. We need to continue to speak for those who no longer can. We need to constantly remind those in power that “We Will Never Forget” loses its effect when we only hear it on days like this or on the anniversary of 9/11. We need to keep the memories of those who have died alive by continuing to support those who still suffer the after effects of that tragic day. We need to keep the memories of those who have died alive by supporting the soldiers who protect us and by properly treating the physical and mental needs of those when they return home. And we need to keep the memories of those who have died alive by being vigilant and on guard against future terrorist attacks. Finally we need to rekindle the sense of unity and patriotism that we saw the weeks following 9/11. And we need to continue to take a positive, proactive approach to instill goodness and decency in our youth, assuring that all of those who were lost will always be our beams of light towards a better tomorrow. A generation of caring individuals, concerned about their neighbors, who are not afraid to get involved, would be the greatest memorial to those we lost on 9/11. And although this still will not bring closure it will certainly keep the memories of our lost loved ones alive for generations to come.

Lest We Forget

Dennis McKeon