The first Sunday of the football season fell on the 10-year anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks on the U.S. and I can't say I liked all of the "tributes."
"We will never forget."
"Forever remember."
These seemed like sweet sentiments, but who were those messages targeting? Who exactly has "forgotten" what happened? It seemed like everyone was trying to outdo each other in Sept. 11 tributes.
I'm not against patriotism, I wore the flag shirts like everyone else after Sept. 11, I just don't feel these tributes were all genuine. Shouldn't an earth shattering event like 9/11 deserve more than to be taken advantage of by advertisers and promoters?
It is a day of reflection, but I don't need the State Farm's children's choir, or the Budweiser Clydesdales kneeling at the New York skyline during every commercial break for me to "forever remember" what happened. It really bugs me that everyone from news stations, to local radio stations would take advantage of the most horrifying day in our lifetime.
Lance Briggs of the Chicago Bears announced earlier this week that he was going to wear patriotic gloves during the Bears game and it seemed sweet- that is until he so subtly thanked Reebok for providing him with those spectacular gloves.
I was 13 when the attacks on the World Trade center occcured. I still remember the day clearly, all the footage and how I felt. It was only 10 years ago, there's no way I'm forgetting it.
Does everyone really need to have their own tribute?
Is it really OK that those who were afftected can't watch TV or listen to the radio without being reminded that their loved ones are dead?
Is it OK that every media outlet is trying to contact those affected for a story, while these people probably have had to tell their story a million times already throughout the last nine Septembers?
When is it OK? How much time until these people are at peace with the incident? Is the ten-year anniversary the marker for being able to talk about it strictly in a historical sense, or does it still hit close to home?
There were 50,000 fans waving little American flags at the Chargers game and I can't say that I can be as excited for this day as they were. We're still picking up the pieces. I'm all for honoring those who fell, but how much is too much?
Sports played an emotional part in the aftermath. As much as I hate the Yankees, it was beautiful to see them play again. It showed that we were not going to be put down and we were united.
I know there's a feeling that if we show sadness, we let the terrorists win, but if we're going to be real, people still have to fight through the memories.
It would be easy for people like me, who didn't lose anyone, to sit through the endless commercials and the endless replays of the towers falling and count my blessings, but what about the New Yorkers who were there- the people who lived this but 10 years ago- is it really honoring their losses by advertising your product?
Not all of the tributes were bad. Among others, I thought the Jacksonville Jaguars' Maurice Jones Drew's tears during the National Anthem were more genuine than most of the montages and tribute songs.
Maybe all of this is OK, but I just couldn't get rid of that sick feeling in my stomach during my football-filled day.
