I remember 9/11. I remember being picked up from my kindergarten class by my mother and ushered home as soon as possible to an apartment in disarray. My uncle died on 9/11, and I can promise you, I remember it.
I understand the viewpoint from which Ms. Pinero approached her column, but I found the argument tasteless and misstated. I am not one to defend America in its exploits overseas and I agree that we have a lot of work to do on our international policies. However, Ms. Pinero’s statement that “when we allow the system, and the individuals, partially responsible for their deaths to continue wielding power, we dishonor those whose lives were stolen from them” is incredibly crass. Standing at the World Trade Center memorial in New York City this year, I saw nothing but honor. I saw mourning families, noble firefighters and EMTs, and interested tourists all paying their respects.
When I see posts that use the phrase “never forget,” I am comforted by the knowledge that there are so many people around the United States who will always remember the tragedy that hit New York on September 11, 2001 and the lives that were lost on that day, including my uncle’s. On 9/11, I do not want to think about American foreign intervention or our governmental policies. I want to think about my family. It is wrong to blame individuals for stating that they will never forget 9/11 just because they don’t think — for one day — about everything that is wrong with our country. Let’s put politics aside for one day a year and solely commemorate the heroes and victims of that fateful day in our country’s history.
Rebecca Saber ’18