Historic, tragic events often are seared into the collective memory of a nation such as the attack on Pearl Harbor, the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy and the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., or the Challenger explosion.
For millions, a mild September morning nine years ago also became a seminal moment in American history. Saturday marks the ninth anniversary of the attacks at the Pentagon and in New York City and the plane crash in Pennsylvania.
The anniversary occurs at the end of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan and during the Jewish High Holy Days. It is also is occurring amid renewed peace talks in the Middle East and growing hostility between Muslims and non-Muslims as evidenced by tensions over mosque expansion and construction projects in Manhattan and across the country and a proposed Quran burning initially scheduled for Saturday.
But many people from military and religious leaders to fellow citizens such as a Muslim Beliefnet member are calling for religious tolerance, unity amid the current strained climate.
The Sept. 11 anniversary is a day of remembrance and service, President Obama said Friday. At a news conference at the White House, the president said the occasion reminds us “we are one nation” and we should “commemorate not only the heartbreak of Sept. 11, but also the enduring values and resilient spirit of America.”
What do you think about the anniversary? Do you remember where you were that morning nine years ago? Read what others are posting and share your thoughts.