For anyone who is old enough to remember September 11, 2001, all of us know exactly where we were and what we were doing when we heard the terrible news. For this generation of Americans, that day was as memorable as was the assassination of John F. Kennedy for a previous generation. On both occasions, time seemed to stand still for all Americans as we processed the tragic events.
The replays on TV this week of the hijacked jets crashing into the twin towers still seem like a nightmare — did it really happen or was it all just a dream? But as much as we’d like to unwind the past, the reality is that 23 years later, the events of 9/11 clearly have changed all of our lives and have had a dramatic impact on the course of world history.
The invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq, and the long and costly wars that followed, never would have occurred. Those wars forever changed the trajectory of our world in so many respects: The deaths and injuries of thousands of our brave members of the American armed services; the destruction of Afghanistan and Iraq, and the deaths of tens of thousands of civilians in those countries; the destabilization of Syria and other nations in the Middle East and Africa that gave rise to a new terrorist organization, ISIS, that resulted in the greatest number of displaced persons in the history of the world, an exodus that has led to the rise of right-wing groups in democracies world-wide that threatens to destabilize our long-standing alliances; and the rise of Iran, which has partnered with Russia, to bring death and destruction to Israel, Ukraine, and beyond.
However, amidst the discussions by historians and analysts of the global effects of 9/11, we must never forget the impact that 9/11 had on the families and loved ones of those who perished that day, many of whom were from our area and who were passengers on the planes that left from Logan Airport.
Nearly 3000 Americans died in the attacks on the Twin Towers and the Pentagon and on the flight of a fourth plane in which the passengers of the plane overwhelmed the hijackers before they could reach their target, the U.S. Capitol.
In addition, the heroism of New York City firefighters, of whom 343 died when the towers collapsed as they were racing inside to rescue occupants, as well as another 71 law enforcement officers (and one National Park Service officer who died when the fourth plane crashed into national parkland in Pennsylvania), must never be forgotten. In addition, another 360 firefighters have died from diseases since that time because of the toxic fumes they inhaled.
We recently had occasion to visit the 9/11 memorial in downtown Manhattan where there is now a beautiful building, known as the Oculus, and the soaring Freedom Tower.
But despite the passage of more than 20 years, the memories invoked by that terrible day brought us a deep sense of grief, not only for those who perished and their families, but also for the world as we knew it that existed before 9/11.
9/11 changed our lives forever. We can only hope that we will be able to navigate the treacherous world we are facing with the necessary strength and wisdom equal to that task, both for ourselves and future generations.