How Soon We Forget

By: American Decency Staff

“Never forget.”

This Sunday marks the 15^th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on U.S. soil.  We will never forget that day when our nation was horrifically attacked by Islamic terrorists.  We will never forget that 3,000 American citizens lost their lives.

Anyone old enough to remember that day will never forget where they were when the news broke of planes being purposefully flown into the twin towers and later the Pentagon.  Daily routines came to a standstill as seemingly the entire population was glued to their TV screens.  We watched in horror as the Twin Towers fell on live television.  We heard of a plane heading toward DC that suddenly nosedived into a field in Pennsylvania.  Later we would hear of the heroic efforts of passengers on that flight who stormed the cockpit, sacrificing their own lives to prevent even greater loss of life. 

With every plane in the air a potential weapon, the FAA’s Operational Manager, Ben Sliney, made the completely unprecedented decision to ground every commercial aircraft in U.S. airspace immediately.  It was Mr. Sliney’s first day on the job.  Amazingly, over 4,000 planes were landed within hours. 

As a nation we wept, we prayed, we stood together as Americans. 

Ari Fleischer, press secretary to President George W. Bush on 9/11, recently shared handwritten notes he scrawled on that fateful day of what was being said and done as the presidential administration scrambled to determine the source and scope of the attacks.  Here are a couple of those statements President Bush made during that day as Air Force One was escorted to safety:

12:40 p.m, POTUS (President Bush): “I can’t wait to find out who did it. It’s going to take a while + we’re not going 2 have a little slap on the wrist crap.”

1:35 p.m., POTUS: “this administration will spend whatever is necessary 2 find, hunt down, and destroy whoever did this.”

5:05 p.m., POTUS:  “We will find these ppl + they will suffer the consequences of taking on this nation.  We will do what it takes. Everyone must understand this will not stand.”

That sentiment was echoed by millions of Americans.  In the days, weeks, and months following those barbaric attacks, our national resolve to “never forget,” also included “never again.”

Now flash forward 15 years.  Instead of being pushed back, Islamic terrorism is a scourge that has spread worldwide.  There have been over 1,200 jihadist attacks in 50 countries this year alone.  And as we remember places like Boston, San Bernardino, Orlando – the U.S. is certainly not immune.

Yet in spite of 9/11 and in spite of ongoing attacks, many in our nation – including and especially the current administration – have gone from “never forget” and “never again” to “how soon they forget.”

Since 9/11, we have gone from a nation resolved to eradicating Islamic terrorism, to a presidential administration that enables a terrorist regime to develop nuclear weapons.  We have

gone from the most elite fighting force in the world, to a military whose leadership seems more focused on forcing homosexuality and transgenderism upon our troops than preparing troops for battle.   Our military budget has been drastically cut, yet our president gives over one billion dollars in cash to Iran, a country that is the world’s number one sponsor of terror – repeatedly pledging “death to America” and “death to Israel.”

As Senator Ted Cruz stated last year when President Obama brokered his nuclear deal with Iran, "Osama Bin Laden never had a hundred billion dollars. He was filled with bilious hatred. And using rudimentary tools murdered over 3000 Americans on September 11, 2001. We are now talking about giving the Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, a theocratic homicidal maniac who hates America every bit as much as Bin Laden did, giving him 100 billion dollars to carry out his murderous plan.”

And the “forgetfulness” of what happened 15 years ago at the hands of terrorists following the tenets of radical Islamic ideology doesn’t end with this presidential administration.

Many current college students are too young to truly remember 9/11.  However, their leftist college professors will make sure they learn all about it – from the terrorist point of view.  Last year it was reported that numerous major universities were teaching a course entitled “The Literature of 9/11,” which teaches a sympathetic portrayal of terrorists depicted as “freedom fighters.”

Tomorrow in Owego, New York the small town will erect a memorial reading:  “On September 11, 2001 nineteen Islamic terrorists unsuspectedly boarded four airliners departing east coast airports to hijack the planes and carry out a series of coordinated attacks against the United States. This is a tribute to all the lives lost that day and to the heroic sacrifice of all who rushed to help. As Americans, we honor their memory by living our lives in freedom. We will never forget.”

The accurate description – “Islamic terrorists” – was too much for the interfaith group, “The Children Of Abraham Of The Southern Tier,” which is protesting that language.  Thankfully, the town leadership is standing their ground.  However, as we’ve recently written, this is just one effort of many by Islamic front groups to portray the teachings of Islam as ‘peaceful” and label those who speak truthfully about the threat of radical Islam as bigoted extremists.  

The list could go on and on – detailing how quickly we have gone from “never forget” to “how soon we forget.”  However, our memory loss may lead to an even greater loss than that suffered on 9/11 as we ignore the growing threat we face from those who seek to destroy us.

This weekend is a good time to remember.  A time to remember those who lost their lives that dark day; remember the heroic acts of everyday Americans; and remember the values that united us all for that brief time. 

As we prayed then, may we pray again that God would not only protect us, but restore us.   That we will become a nation that not only never forgets 9/11, but far more importantly becomes a nation that never forgets Him.

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