Rebuilding Rob

This is something that’s been on my mind since Wednesday, which of course marked the 23rd anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks

I was home this week with Covid and quite frankly I usually try to avoid any of the remembrance coverage of 9/11 if that pops up every year at this time.

I don’t know anyone who died on September 11, 2001. Nor do I even know anyone who joined the military in the aftermath of the 911 terrorist attacks. The only connection I have 911 is the same one that most Americans have. We saw it unfold live on TV. For the first time in our lives, we saw a terrorist attack on that scale taking place on American soil.

But I remember how I felt on that day. And I remember that feeling of not knowing whether or not World War III was starting. I also remember how silent the skies were once the president grounded every non-military flight in the United States. I remember that sudden sinking feeling that hit my stomach every time I heard Sirens in the streets.

In fact, the closest connection I have to 9/11 was visiting New York City in the spring of 2002. One went there at design because she wanted to attend a meeting for teach for America. I decided to go to New York Yankees game that day. But the following day, we made a point of visiting ground zero. I remember how eagerly silently was. There were tons of Momentos left behind by visitors that had been attached to or hung on the wrought iron fences that align various properties in the business district. If I had it with me at the time, I would’ve left one of my Detroit Tigers hats there. 

I say this, but at the same time, I’m not one of those people who goes into a solid state of morning on September 11. I don’t change my Facebook profile picture. I don’t adorn my social media accounts with American flags. But I certainly do reflect on the events of that day every year

But I have been seeing some stuff on social media about the way that members of Gen Z will use photos from 9/11 in jest. That is to say, that they will use them in a lighthearted fashion related to anything other than the attacks that happened on that day.

I suppose it shouldn’t come as any surprise though. Growing up as a WWF fan in the 1980s, I was remember gorilla monsoon describing any attack – – behind by one wrestler to another as “Pearl Harbor job“. At that time, we were already 40 years removed from the Pearl Harbor attacks. I guess my question is, at what point does it become OK to make lighthearted jokes about real tragedies? Will people begin making jokes about the Covid lockdowns 20 years from now? 

Obviously, some people get a free pass on this, like Pete Davidson. For those who don’t know, the father of SNL cast member Pete Davidson was a firefighter in New York City and lost his life at the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. I have heard Davison joke about 9/11 on occasion. As I said, I think most of us are willing to give him a flyer on that. but, 9/11 had a profound effect on young Davidson‘s life. A lot of comedians seem to have very dark moments in our lives that foursome to seek refuge in comedy. I think that’s the case with Pete Davidson as well.

We’ve reached a point time where we have an entire generation of people who are born into the post 9/11 world. There are people who are on the cusp of leaving college are already entering the workforce for whom 9/11 is just a historical event. Something they learned about in school. For older folk, just take out a much more, because remember where we were when heard about it; we also remember the immediate aftermath and those incredibly tense few days of wondering what was going to happen next.

I’m sure this will be a topic of conversation every year, or at least until my generation dies off. 

Thanks for stopping by Rebuilding Rob. Be sure to like, comment and subscribe to my blog below. It’s greatly appreciated! Also, feel free to follow me on social media as well! Check out my most recent posts as well as some earlier, related posts:

• Sunday is borrowed time
• Teacher Armor and the Saturday Clearing
• The Extra Day: A Ten-Year Memory
• Of Training Wheels and Christmas Lights
• Charity Starts at Home (And I’m Back in My Childhood One)

The article “23 years later” first appeared on Rebuilding Rob