By some accounts the memory of Pearl Harbor has reached a period of exponentially rapid fading. A survivor in Baton Rouge indicated 2012 was the last time he was asked to deliver words about the event–and with few survivors remaining it may be up to historians to continue either marking the date or further emphasizing the events in teaching materials.
I’ve been to two of the three September 11 attack sites on the anniversary dates—New York for the fifth anniversary and Washington for the twelfth. Each had a much different feel that was likely more due to geography rather than time. New York hosted several events attended by thousands of people over a few days in close proximity to the attack site. It’s a very public space. Washington, on the other hand, held numerous events scattered over miles of space covering several venues. Largely due to the near-police-state bubble known as The Beltway. I didn’t like one more than the other—they were very different. Very different.
I was on foot in NYC and on a bike in DC so had little difficulties getting around–but I felt part of a community more in NYC. In DC I just felt like another tourist trying to circumvent barriers, blockades and the exhausting security presence. I wouldn’t do it again.
In KC I struggled to find anything to attend—limited in part by the geographic spread of the city and some transportation limits. I did find an all day open-door prayer service a few blocks away—it didn’t look as if many more were in attendance than any other weekday morning. The local permanent 9/11 memorial is still unfinished and several miles away so I’ll reserve it for another year. By that personal admission I wonder if the memory or –care-factor–is beginning to fade in me? Other areas around the country are already feeling a bit of the 9/11 fade–so surely I’m not alone.
A local, unscientific survey was completed with the open ended question of, ‘do you feel more or less safe now than before September 11, 2001’. Responses indicated people feel less safe—yet it’s due to circumstances far removed from the origins of the 9/11 attacks. Local crime, ongoing proliferation of gun violence, law enforcement violence all scored points—international terrorism took a seat considerably in the back. If I voted that’d be mine as well.
My parents along with several aunts and uncles visited Pearl Harbor a couple of years ago—my dad lost an uncle in the attack and Dad was interested in visiting the site in person–photos and videos were no longer enough.
They said it was a moving experience but the way they told the story indicated it was something more than moving.
Perhaps Pearl Harbor fades more quickly because of the relative difficulty in visiting. Or the lack of current technology to capture, display and archive visuals. Or the subsequent relationship rebuilding with Japan. Perhaps September 11, 2001 fades more quickly because of our current short-attention-span culture. Or fascination with lowest-common-denominator reality television. Or population size relative to that in the Pearl Harbor era. Only history will tell. For now I’ll anxiously await the completion of the local 9/11 memorial to add to my destination list and delay my personal memory fade.