It's the 20th anniversary of something today

I don't think it's necessary to post any pictures

A group of guys plotted for years to ultimately kill almost 3,000 Americans. Their leader was angry at our leaders because Saudi Arabia’s government invited in US troops to prevent attacks from enemies like Saddam Hussein. He wanted that job.

So we launched one war to take him and his cohorts out and another, to take down Saddam. At least half a million Iraqis have died, many of them innocent civilians. And numerous lies were spread about to justify our invasion of Iraq, whose leaders had nothing to do with the 9-11 attack.

That’s what I won’t ever forget. I won’t forget the American military people damaged or dead from that long war and occupation. I won’t forget the first responders who rushed into multiple dangers to save whoever they could. I won’t forget what a struggle it’s been to get for those suffering ongoing health problems for their courage and service. I don’t need a calendar date to make me remember.

There are mothers who die giving birth to children. Those who succeed and raise those children often have later health issues, like osteoporosis. I thank them for their service too. People who take risks that help sustain us all deserve more courtesy and honor.

And 20 years after we set out to take down Bin Laden, we’re finally out of Afghanistan and the Taliban are in charge again. Twenty years ago, their leader decided to help Bin Laden escape because Bin Laden had married his daughter. Our then President, after launching two wars, took out Saddam in a month but couldn’t find Bin Laden for more than 7 years. The next president found Bin Laden in 16 months. Not protected by the Taliban. He was being protected by the Pakistan military. How could I ever forget that? How can I forget how many years longer - after achieving the principal objectives - our presidents decided to keep our troops stationed in those countries?

Between the Soviet occupation, two civil wars and our occupation, most Afghani people have endured more than 40 years of constant war. They won’t forget. Nobody’s happy with the outcome, not even the Taliban. They lost a lot because a Saudi man married an Afghani woman. It wasn’t a typical Love Story ending.

We have firemen everywhere, rushing into fires to save lives. Occasionally, some people decide to attack police officers. Like hundreds of people did not long ago. I don’t need it to be January 6 to remember that. I thank those brave souls who protected government officials from a few who intended to assassinate a vice president and a speaker of the house. And I thank the firefighters in every city or wildfire.

In whatever their native language is, I thank them: thank you, gracias, merci, etc.

I thank the postal workers and meatpackers and farm workers and grocery clerks for their ongoing service amid a pandemic. Their service posed definite risks to their lives but they kept over 300 million of us alive throughout. And I especially thank every nurse, doctor, orderly and hospital janitor for their ongoing struggle against a virus and against the streams of nonsense information that anti-American Americans keep putting out. They’ve been through hell and are mentally and physically exhausted. They won’t forget, nor will I.

The day of the year doesn’t bring back any of those memories. I reflect on them often. I don’t need pictures or videos of any of the awfulness and pain.

I want New York City and DC residents and the families of all who died in all those events to recover from the wounds and scars. I want that for every family in every nation that lost people in those wars. Yes, a few more American military men and women lost their lives at the end during the largest airlift in human history. Their lives matter too, like all the other lives. I won’t forget to maintain perspective and not be swayed by political beliefs. There’s some blood on multiple leader hands, civilian and military, in our country and several others.

A lot of that blood was spilled needlessly. The last 13 Americans who were killed don’t matter more than all the others, except to their family and friends.

I don’t need somber politicians and media stars to remind me. I don’t need play actors going through these ritual memorial events. I wish I could forgive and forget all the human folly that went into these events. I wish I could forget the hatred, the religious dogma, the greed, the pain and suffering.

We’re all going to die eventually. Life’s so short and we shouldn’t rush these endings. I won’t forget that many people are far better than this and should be emulated. I’m not talking about the GIs who come back bent and broken who now plot to wage war against Americans. Those who endure these things and come out wiser, let us put them in charge for a change. Not the generals. The frontline responders in NY and those doing tours of duty in foreign countries and in hospitals across the planet. The Moms who delivered us into the world instead of the politicians and broadcasters and military planners and foreign groups so eager to take so many of us out way too early.

Let’s not forget what we still have left to do.

We’re gonna need more and better education, more reflection and wisdom and heart to overcome all the evil of humans that has prevailed too long. We can’t bring back our lost ones so let’s save the living.

Otherwise there’s not much greatness to be had. Pain and ashes isn’t enough for justice to reign. Memorial services aren’t answers, they’re performances.

Let’s not forget we can do better than this. Let’s help everyone who needs healing to heal and stop repeating past mistakes that others have paid the ultimate price for.