No, I didn't miss it

Yesterday was 11 September 2012, and my Facebook news feed made sure I didn't forget. In fact, the internet was full of reminders. I get it, and I am not insensitive, though my tone may suggest otherwise. I love this country, and the events on 11 September 2001 rocked me to the core. In fact, I think about it often, nearly every single day. Do you? This is not an indictment, and I certainly appreciate moments of silence, days of remembrance, and the like. My problem, however, is that there have been so many horrific things happen on so many different days throughout history, that I wonder why we focus so much on the ones we do. For example, one of the most horrific events in American history was the bombing of Pearl Harbor, but even though 7 December brings remembrances and recognition, I feel as though the country as a whole doesn't remember how devastating it was. Not only were thousands of servicemen killed in the bombing, but it led to our involvement in WWII, where thousands more sacrificed not just for fellow Americans but for fellow humans who had fallen under the fist of oppression and worse. Is it as simple as the fact that much of that generation has gone the way of all the earth and that the 9/11 attacks are still so close, something that almost all of us can remember so vividly? Food for thought. I mean, at what point will people stop reminding the world that they remember, that they have not forgotten, and simply spend time quietly reflecting on these past events, reconciling within themselves, and then just going forward to do good every day?