Over the next few days we will be bombarded with the message that, 14 years ago, our world changed forever.

The question we all need to ask ourselves is: Did it really?

The Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the World Trade Centers and the Pentagon certainly shocked our nation and struck at the core of our belief that we are safe here within our borders.

In the days and months that followed patriotism and unity soared.

We came together as a country and stopped identifying ourselves by which political party we last voted. We showed thanks and appreciation for all the men and women who make sacrifices to keep us safe including our soldiers, firefighters, police officers and other emergency responders.

We declared, as a country, that nothing would ever be the same again.

But as the old saying goes, time heals all wounds, even those that are very important to remember.

This isn’t to say that we have forgotten about 9/11 and all the sacrifices made, but we have certainly lost sight of the great things we can accomplish when we come together as one.

Partisan bickering, racial tension and class warfare continue to eat away at our country. Patriotism and pride are among our nation’s greatest strengths but they can also become weaknesses if we allow them to be so overpowering that we ignore other viewpoints than our own or lose sight of the freedoms this country was founded upon.

So, on this anniversary of 9/11, let’s all try to do our part to reflect on the 2,977 lives lost in this tragedy and recapture a sliver of the unity we felt 14 years ago that overcame all societal labels and united us as Americans.

 

Opinions expressed are those of the editorial board consisting of Publisher Michael Caldwell and editors Ambrosia Neldon, Craig Haupert, Ted Yoakum and Scott Novak.