From a former DUer: "I know this may not be a popular sentiment today."

[KamaAina]

"I honor those we lost 13 years ago and am sad about all we have lost as a country (not just the people) in the years since. However, this annual grief extravaganza is not only over the top, in my opinion, it is also very unhealthy collectively. We as a country really have not moved on from the events of 9/11/01. We as a country really need to move on."

Much like New Orleanians have done with the "Katrinaversary" every August 29th. Some even leave town to get away from it, like the ones who split for Aspen during Mardi Gras.

[Politicalboi]

1. You're right, and I'm tired of it too

We don't do this for Pearl Harbor unless it's a big anniversary. I know this isn't military like PH but after 10 years, let's cool it till 15, 20 25, 30 years. And I'm a truther, and it hurts a lot more, not only do I have to put up with the anniversary crap, it's also crap being said to me.

[unblock]

2. one of our best friends is a 9/11 widow. can you imagine?

it's hard enough to lose someone you love, in their prime -- and then to raise a child alone (she was pregnant at the time).

can you imagine this intensely personal grief being made so public, being so inescapable, being tossed about for everyone's personal agenda?

how does someone get closure, how does someone move on with the rest of their life, when the entire country remains obsessed with it? you get a moment when your mind is actually occupied with actual living, and then there's another 9/11 mention in the news and you're sucked right back into that horrible day....

[BuelahWitch]

3. Totally agree

But we still "celebrate" Pearl Harbor Day almost 75 years later. I think a lot of people see 9/11 as a day that brought the country together. Over three thousand people died that day, but so did our country, and Mr. Bush "hit the trifecta".

[geek tragedy]

4. as a New Yorker, I agree that the ritual mourning, with the same platitudes being recited by the

same group of politicians, who are there because they have no choice in the matter, has exhausted any purpose.

September 11 is just another day in the calendar to me. Having lived here since 1999 and being present in Manhattan on that day, I do not need to be reminded.

[merrily]

8. A friend of mine felt he could not remain there. He tried but he could not.

He had worked near Ground Zero. He lived in Brooklyn. IIRC, he could once see the towers from his roof deck or his kitchen window, but maybe I am mistaken about that. I know it was some famous landmark, but maybe not the towers. His birthday is 9/12,

Anyway, he sold his apt and moved to California, about as far from Ground Zero as he could get without leaving the mainland.

[geek tragedy]

9. people deal with these things in different ways nt

[joeybee12]

5. I think it should still be a day of remembrance, that of remembering the colossal

failure that was George W. Bush.

[karmaqueen]

6. Agree!

We have turned it into a Holiday..

[get the red out]

10. Yes

Equipped with flags everywhere, looking too much like July 4th for me.

[global1]

7. Possible Theories As To Why We Still Commemorate.....

I feel for the people that lost someone on 9/11. They should remember and they should commemorate the anniversary if they so desire.

I agree with you that this 'annual grief extravaganza' is 'unhealthy collectively'.

This a.m. I got wrapped up in MSNBC's re-playing of the events of that day as broadcast on the Today Show that morning. No doubt it is compelling and got my interest - but it also set the tone for the rest of my day. I'm in a surly, suspicious and sad mood now.

Compelling!!! Yes. But I didn't believe it then and I still don't believe it now as I re-watch it. Too many coincidences that seem innocuous at first but when put together have always made me suspicious of the events of that day. Many resources that should have been around were out of place - conveniently. The time span between the first plane hitting the towers and the second plane. The plane hitting the Pentagon a long time after the planes hit the towers - yet they didn't seem prepared to take any action. The shuttling out of the country of Saudi's tied to Bin Laden when all other flights were grounded. The aftermath - with the passing of the Patriot Act - that seemed to be poised and ready to pass through a Congress that most in Congress didn't even read. The quick judgement by the Administration to go after Saddam Hussain and Iraq. And look where this has all brought us to today.

Is it a coincidence that the day before the anniversary of 9/11 - we had our President address the country about basically a continuation of the results of the incompetence of BushCo. Fear back then about al quaida and fear today about ISIS/ISIL. What seemed to be timed videos of beheadings of American journalists that contributed to more fear in the minds of the American People and contributed to change their mindset about more war, destruction, loss of lives and treasure. More defense spending coming up folks. A deadlocked/obstructing Congress that is not allowing anything to help us climb out of this aftermath of the destruction that BushCo brought onto this country. The main stream corporate media that seems to be accomplices in sabotaging this President. And a critical election coming up in less than 2 months that can further decimate this nation based on control of Congress.

Sad & Scary stuff people - sad & scary stuff.

Now my theories as to why we play this out every year since:

1. To continue to instill fear in the minds of the American People

2. Somebody wants to remind us as to who was in charge and let this happen

3. More sinister than that - somebody wants us to continue to pick it apart and hope that we pick up more clues that this might have been a planned event. I know - I know - my tinfoil hat is on rather tight today.

Our watershed moment in this country was the SCOTUS Bush v Gore decision that turned this country over to the neocons.
One could track our decline as a country from that day forward to bring us to our present day problems. We lost not only the Presidency that day - but we lost our freedoms, privacy, men & women that sacrificed their lives to fight the false wars for the neocons and we lost treasures ($$$$'s). We lost our stature as a country as well.

But for some - things seemingly went on as planned. And it appears that the plans are still going forward - given the actions that President Obama has had to initiate given the cards he was dealt by BushCo. Just think PNAC and things seem to fall right into place.

Sorry - but that's the anniversary of this tragic day - conjures up in me.

[City Lights]

11. I agree.

I switched channels this morning when my news station went to DC to cover what was going on at the White House. Of course, I will never forget what happened that day, but that doesn't mean I will continue to dwell on it year-after-year. I liken it to picking at a scab to make it bleed every 11.SEP. The wound will never heal that way.

[HuckleB]

12. Travel to Spain during Oktoberfest.

You will meet many Germans who have left town to escape.

[librechik]

13. we'll move on when the right people go to jail over it.

I'd even settle for an actual investigation instead of the torture and lie fest we grudgingly got for a tenth of the money spent on Whitewater.

[proReality]

14. A friend of mine wrote something similar to me today...

"It's 9/11, a sad day. It should be remembered and is by everyone who has an iota of compassion. However, this nation has obsessed over it for 13 years. We're 'treated' to day-long festivals of "special coverage", showing the traumatic catastrophe from every angle, with every fact/fiction/speculation from that day assaulting our ears. Our emotions of fear and hatred are continually refreshed, topped off like an inebriating beverage.

"We aren't being allowed to heal. It's little wonder we're a mentally unhealthy nation, misinformed and lead wherever the powers that be want us to go.

"I'm not sure what I'm more depressed about today: The loss of all those people or the loss of the country I thought I lived in."


I tend to agree.

[Avalux]

15. I don't know who wrote that, but I agree.

Staying mired in the tragedy and reliving those feelings year after year keeps us stuck there, keeps us from moving forward and OUT of fear.

It is certainly appropriate to remember 9/11, to never forget the circumstances surrounding that day, and the aftermath. But it does not serve us to re-live the details and year after year and bring the past into the present. All that does is mess up our future.

[KamaAina]

16. You seem to be somewhat of an old-timer.

Do you remember KitchenWitch? It was she.

[Avalux]

17. Yes I do!

I don't know why she left, but yes I remember her, tell her I said hello.

[KamaAina]

18. She got banned

because she got a little too huffy about some of the anti-LGBT claptrap that is all too common around here.

[Avalux]

19. I'm sorry to hear that.

DU has changed quite a bit from when I joined, that's all I'll say. I moderated for several years on DU2 and we didn't put up with intolerant crap.

[KamaAina]

21. It was on DU2.

Go figure.

[Avalux]

22. Really?

I don't recall that, must have been after I stopped modding. Again, without saying too much, there are actions I would take now if I could.

[KamaAina]

23. Kitchy says Hi back.

From FB.

[Avalux]

24. The wonders of the internet!

Kitchy eh? Thanks!

[La Lioness Priyanka]

20. as a new yorker i agree. i have moved on, and unless you have actually lost a person in those attack

its time everyone else moved on.

especially since we have caused so much death through our politics using 9/11 as an excuse

[cwydro]

28. Well said. nt

[surrealAmerican]

25. Actually, this is a popular sentiment.

We, as a nation, are terrible at the whole commemoration business. It needs to be much lower-key if it is to honor those who died.

[grahamhgreen]

26. How do we move on when we're still in the same friggin illegal war???

[arcane1]

27. TPTB don't want us to move on. We must be in constant shock