Is it just a date yet?
Do we say, "I have a dentist appointment on Sept. 11th" or "Let's get together for drinks on Friday; what is that, the 11th?" without flinching, blanching or taking a moment to grieve?
Or is "Sept. 11" still a phrase for most Americans and not a date? Is it too huge a concept, turning point, horrific landmark in American and world history that changed our daily lives and the direction of our country?
Depends on who you are.
For people like Rosemary Dillard, whose husband, Eddie, was killed when his plane, American Airlines Flight 77, crashed into the Pentagon, it will never be just a date.
After he died, Dillard left their Alexandria, Virginia, home and moved to Michigan to care for her mother. But she still returns to Washington every year for the memorial.
"At the end of August, I start trembling. And now, I'm just a wreck," she told me, as she drove south on I-70 the afternoon of Sept. 10, toward the place her husband died.
Dillard is among those advocating the release of 28 pages redacted from the 9/11 Commission report. She is adamant that we learn everything we can about the attacks, and she passionately hopes — and believes — it should be a full-throated day of national mourning.
There are still memorial walks and services, wreath-layings and moments of silence. But it's not too hard to imagine how those might fade, too.
"It can't become something like Memorial Day or Labor Day, just a day off," Dillard said.
We have mattress sales and hot- dog cookouts on the days that once had huge social, political and historic impact on our country. And sometimes we forget.
That's what angered Clarence Davis.
His day?
Dec. 7, 1941. "A date which will live in infamy."
But when I stopped at the National Mall this week and asked a dozen people what Dec. 7 was, not a single person knew it was the day Pearl Harbor was attacked, the day America entered World War II and the day our nation changed forever.
Davis, now 91, was on the USS Medusa when the bombs were dropped in Hawaii and the carnage began.
In the years right after the war, sure, folks remembered the day.
But by and by, as the years passed and Davis settled into a life in St. Mary's County, Maryland, Dec. 7 became that day of dentist appointments and dinner dates.
I spoke with Davis 10 years ago, when he was the youngest member of the Survivors of Pearl Harbor, Maryland branch.
He told me that he would go into post offices and raise a fuss if the flag wasn't at half-staff on Dec. 7. (It wasn't until 1994 that President Bill Clinton ordered federal flags to be lowered and for Dec. 7 to be made an official day of mourning.)
He'd march into gift shops and stationery stores and look at their calendars. If Dec. 7 wasn't marked on the ones they had in stock, he would call the printers and demand corrections.
That kind of dedication to the memory of a fateful day is what also drove Robert Clark, 66, of Mount Airy, Maryland, to action. His father was a gunner's mate on the USS Honolulu that Dec. 7. But few people knew that.
When Clark was 9, his dad asked him what he had learned at school one day. And Clark went on to talk all about the attack on Pearl Harbor that was the day's lesson.
"He told me, 'Yes, I know. I was there,' " Clark said. "I couldn't believe it."
Fathers of that generation did not tell their sons these stories.
And although his taciturn father, with 14 pieces of World War II steel still embedded in his body, didn't talk much about that day, Clark thought America should remember. The accountant founded the Maryland Chapter of the Sons and Daughters of Pearl Harbor Survivors and continued the crusade to keep Dec. 7 a day for America to remember.
But Clark worries that a gauzy remembrance could befall Sept. 11.
"These two dates are related. Both times, it was people who wanted to kill us," he said. "The Sons and Daughters motto is 'Lest We Forget.' "
There are kids in school born after that Sept. 11 who need to learn about that day the same way he learned about Dec. 7, he said.
Times are different. The lessons, in hindsight, change.
But one thing is clear.
Thousands of Americans lost loved ones on Sept. 11. Our nation's actions after the attack cost us thousands more lives, and the global order is forever different. You know that, whether you lost a sister in the Pentagon or have to take your belt and shoes off to go through a metal detector at the airport.
So, no, Sept. 11 can never be just another day.
The Washington Post
Fri Sep 11 2015
Thousands of Americans lost loved ones on Sept. 11.
Iran's supreme leader says Hamas leader's death will not halt 'Axis of Resistance'
The "Axis of Resistance", built up with years of Iranian support, includes Hamas, the Lebanese Hezbollah group, the Houthi movement in Yemen, and various Shi'ite groups in Iraq and Syria.
Putin says Russia willing to seek compromises between Iran and Israel
Russia is ready to help seek compromises between arch-foes Israel and Iran, President Vladimir Putin said on Friday, saying these would be difficult but possible.
What proposals will Russia push at the BRICS summit?
The proposal is also to establish a BRICS reinsurance company to allow uninterrupted shipment of goods and key commodities between members.
Indonesia's free meals plan in the spotlight as Prabowo readies for office
Prabowo calls the programme one of the main drivers of economic growth, eventually set to add an estimated 2.5 million jobs.
Astro AWANI's revamped English news website, AWANI International, launches on Oct 21
Astro AWANI's revamped English platform delivers in-depth global news and expert analysis to keep you informed on key developments.
Israeli strikes kill 33 people in Jabalia refugee camp in Gaza, medics say
Residents of Jabalia said Israeli tanks had reached the heart of the camp after pushing through suburbs and residential districts.
Liam Payne's ex-partner calls for media restraint after 'painful' death
Cheryl Tweedy used her statement to urge the media to remember they had a seven-year-old son, Bear, who could read the reports.
Analysts: Indonesia's strong MoF leadership team to boost investor confidence
Sri Mulyani Indrawati as head of Indonesia's Ministry of Finance is expected to instil confidence among investors.
Biden offers both a carrot and a stick to Israel as his term nears an end
Israel has frequently resisted US advice and has caused political difficulties for the Biden administration.
Putin says BRICS will generate most of global economic growth
Russian President Vladimir Putin will host a summit of the group in the city of Kazan on Oct. 22-24.
ISIS Malaysia's perspective of Budget 2025
An excellent rakyat-centric budget under the overarching principle of a caring and humane economy.
Budget 2025: Record increase in STR, SARA aid initiatives
The government will provide a significant boost to the Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah (STR) and Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (SARA) initiatives next year.
Budget 2025: EPF contributions to be made mandatory for foreign workers – PM Anwar
The government plans to make it compulsory for all non-citizen workers to contribute to the Employees Provident Fund (EPF).
What policies to expect from Indonesia's new President Prabowo
Prabowo will be open to foreign investment, his aide has said, such as by offering investors management of airports and sea ports.
Budget 2025: Govt allocates RM470 mil to empower women's participation in PMKS
The Women's Leadership Apprenticeship Program will be intensified as an effort to produce more female corporate personalities.
Israel sends more troops into north Gaza, deepens raid
Residents of Jabalia in northern Gaza said Israeli tanks had reached the heart of the camp, using heavy air and ground fire.
Indonesia ramps up security ahead of Prabowo's inauguration
Prabowo Subianto will be sworn in as Indonesia's president on Sunday with Vice President-elect, Gibran Rakabuming Raka, also taking office.
Immediate allocation of RM150 mil for local authorities, DID to tackle flash floods
Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said this allocation is intended to address the recent flash floods that hit the capital and several major towns.
Budget 2025: Sabah, Sarawak to continue receiving among highest allocations - PM
Sabah and Sarawak continues to be prioritised under Budget 2025, with allocations of RM6.7 billion and RM5.9 billion respectively.
NFOF will be operational in November 2024 with funding of RM1 bil
PM Anwar Ibrahim said NFOF will support venture capital fund managers to invest in startup companies with RM300 million set aside for 2025.