Austin H

25 years later, the terrorist attacks of 9/11/2001 seem both raw and distant. On the one hand, the news reports that day have been seared into the American consciousness like few, if any, events in American history. The heroism displayed by the civilians and first responders who risked — and in some instances gave — their lives to rescue others from burning towers represents the American spirit at its finest. This is also true of the selfless actions of the passengers on United Flight 93, who spared hundreds, if not thousands, of innocent civilians from a similar fate that befell those killed in the WTC. On the other hand, the unity displayed following those attacks seems like a distant memory. America has since been chastened by suboptimal outcomes in foreign conflicts, has foolishly imported foreigners who hate the US, and has largely forgotten the lessons of 9/11. We don’t commemorate today’s 25th anniversary because “somebody people did something,” as one member of Congress has claimed. The US was attacked by foreign Islamic jihadists who were willing to kill as many civilians as possible in furtherance of their religious and ideological agenda. That agenda is as present today throughout the world as it was in 2001. Indeed, it is much stronger within the borders of the United States than it was on the day of the terrorist attacks. Honoring the memory of those killed on 9/11 requires us to be clear-eyed about the belief system that precipitated the terrorist attacks and the ongoing threat posed by that belief system. Never forget should mean never forget.