“The past is never dead. It’s not even past.”
William Faulkner’s words carry a silent force – pushing us to view the past as continually shaping present reality, not as a finished, previous event in time. It is not only history that we must remember, but the importance of memory, dedication, and sacrifice that has shaped us as a collective.
Coming up on the 25th anniversary of September 11, we continue to remember the horrific terrorist attacks that took thousands of precious lives. Since September 11, 2001, the spirit of the United States has never been the same, with the sacrifices of many having an enduring impact. While memory of 9/11 has been ingrained in millions across the U.S., a growing number of people find themselves in a changed nation and receive this through transmission, not memory – at home, in the classroom, and in the media.
Growing up in New York City, I always felt the undeniable gravity of the 9/11 attacks, despite having no memory of it. I heard stories from my family and friends, and I learned about it in my history classes. I know I will never come close to experiencing the emotions many felt and still deal with. Still, the legacy of those fallen heroes fuels my commitment to being an active, productive American citizen.
Along with many young Americans, we have inherited a nation that requires responsible action to support the memory and legacy of those who have made the ultimate sacrifice, especially during the events of 9/11, which showed our American freedom, values, and democracy to be threatened. As Faulkner once said, we do not need to simply recite the events of the past – this is what we have history textbooks for. The past is not and will never be dead; instead, we need to remind ourselves of this ultimate sacrifice and what we must do to uphold their legacy through our actions in the future. These events do not simply vanish when they are over – indeed, their consequences are lasting – but the people we are called to remember remain active, living forces that ought to continuously shape our lives, our identities, and our future as American citizens. As I see it, it is up to each and every one of us to keep the spirits of those who came before and keep their memory central in our quest to protect democracy, American values, and, of course, to unambiguously condemn violence.
My particular outlook was not formed in a history class, but by learning from the extant memories of individuals who possess great courage and enthusiasm for the Nation we all share and hope to pass on to the next generation. By chance, I came across one of these stories – one of resilience, grief, and devotion. It turns out it was a local story. I read about a retired Army captain who worked on the 95th floor of the south tower of the World Trade Center. It was this same man who warned his department to evacuate, making it to the sixty-fifth floor just as the second plane hit the tower. His name is Thomas Sullivan, and he is one of the many countless heroes that we can still honor on this Earth.
His call to action that day was undoubtedly heroic, as he brought many to safety. What I found even more remarkable was how he undertook the aftermath. While dealing with his grief, he tried to find peace with the horrific incident. For Tom, part of that meant going back overseas. After several deployments before 9/11, Tom was once again deployed and joined the Iraq War in January 2006. He knows there wasn’t a question whether or not to join the war, but it was his passion to serve his country and those whose lives were lost on 9/11 to fortify the ideals of our Nation.
I find one of Tom’s realizations quite admirable: “We won’t get anywhere in this world without sticking our necks out for each other. We have to supply support for others if we’re ever going to expect it in return.” Even though Tom is one of the countless individuals affected by these attacks, he possesses commendable humility and dignity under pressure to be able to press on and support his country, especially after having just lived through an unbelievable tragedy.
Despite our shared interests in society and as Americans, we have been experiencing increasing polarization, which is absolutely not welcome when we must work to preserve our American democracy, our freedom, and find ways to remember those who have died doing just that. Although I am not a service member, Tom’s story inspires me to be the best citizen I can be to protect our country. Furthermore, no matter how caught up in the present moment – with work, politics, history, or whatever that may be – we must remember who this is about. We have a responsibility to come together, support one another, and reject negativity and violence against the things that threaten the values that bring us together.
While I did not live through this by any means, I will continue to carry it forward because of our responsibility to remember and to call to action. It is the hope, then, that we can join a common effort towards preserving democracy and the zeal of the United States of America with those fallen whose spirit we honor every day. Remember, “the past is never dead. It’s not even past.”
Again, I keep all fallen heroes, families, and those affected by this tragedy in my prayers.
