By Claire DeRoin–
#Remember911 and #NeverForget911 trended on Twitter for the first half of the day on September 11, 2012, but by the evening, #theVoice had taken over and no 9-11 hashtags remained on the top trending list.
Why is it that a lot of Americans seem to pick and choose the days they are patriotic on? Memorial Day. Independence Day. Veteran’s Day. Why is it that we pick certain days out of the year to honor America?
It shouldn’t take an advertising campaign (Memorial Day sale!) for a citizen to feel obligated to raise a flag, think of victims of terrorism, thank a firefighter or police officer, or remember our troops both overseas and stateside. Whether we like it or not, there are men and women risking their lives every day for the sake of our country. They deserve more appreciation and respect than the occasional thought on a national holiday.
While yes, it’s great that certain days are dedicated specifically to victims of tragedies, it’s sad that the attention only comes on those days. 9-11 victims should be remembered year-round, not just on Patriot’s Day. The same goes for the Pearl Harbor victims and all other martyrs.
Society’s expectation shouldn’t drive patriotism- our own love for the country should.
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