We like saying "Never Forget" but we can't seem to remember why

This is something I felt inspired to write back in 2015. I post it again today not to boast or pat myself on the back. It's just that I stand by these words now more than ever. The hurricanes we've seen the past couple of weeks seem to have pulled us together, and once again we see unity coming from disaster. But I still wonder why we can stay united. 

Sept. 11, 2015 

I see a lot of "Never Forget" postings across the social media universe today, and I am of course reminded of this date 14 years ago. In the same way older generations remember the exact moment they heard about the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor or about the assassination of John F. Kennedy, the memory of that Tuesday morning in 2001 has a permanent spot in my head as well as my heart. If I close my eyes I can still see those terrible images; I can see myself standing in front of the television, trying to take in as much information as possible -- trying to make sense of the senseless. 

Never forget? Of course not. Well, I hope not. 

 Amid all that tragedy there arose a great sense of patriotism, not just on 9/11 but in the coming days, months and even years. America wasn't without its divisive issues back then, but on that day, under those awful circumstances, they seemed rather trivial by comparison. We were shocked, confused, sad and angry all at once. But beyond that, we were united and at least that felt good. 

Sadly, the expression "never forget" isn't quite as impactful today as it was back then. The meaning is the same -- remember where you were, how you felt and, of course, remember the victims -- but in this day of social media, it's about memes as much as it is memories. 

I'm not sure if it's pathetic or just ironic, but far too many Americans have forgotten that day. Yes, of course, they remember 9/11 and they'll post "Never Forget" as a status update, but just 14 years later they've forgotten the impact of that day. They remember the buildings falling, but they've forgotten who took them down. Worse still, they remember the date on a calendar, but somewhere along the way they forgot about the importance of unity and patriotism.

Just 14 years later, we remember 9/11 and we remind our social media friends to "Never Forget." Unfortunately, this country is no longer united. Instead, it's now weaker and far more divided than it was on Sept. 11, 2001. 

But at least the Internet memes are better.

Maybe the bad guys won after all.