During this year's commemoration of September 11th, a particular pattern I repeatedly saw on my social media were compilations of the planes hitting the two towers, the towers collapsing, and in one video a person jumping from one of the buildings… all in one video and without a trigger warning. These images flashed across my screen and a sad song played in the background, as if to stretch the somberness and distress. After the third video, I became angry, frustrated, and concerned. I asked myself, what is the point of videos like these? What patriotism and heroism does this display? How could this possibly remember and respectfully acknowledge the dead? The blatant truth is, it doesn’t. Videos such as those are disrespectful towards families who lost loved ones on 9/11, they publicly advertise the moments in which hundreds of Americans lost their lives, and worse it degrades the trauma that so many individuals suffered on that day.

The last of those reasons most concerns me - trauma. In New York City, the Twin Towers were a symbol of commerce, cooperation, and an iconic and beloved landmark that city-dwellers referenced as a testament of opportunity and success. Watching the towers fall symbolized the ultimate defacement of their pride. This country of freedom, our country tis' of thee, sweet land of liberty and safety watched thousands of their American brothers and sisters die in front of their own eyes. Flash forward 19 years, and somehow it's ok for those moments in time to be replayed over and over again, forcing traumatized individuals to relive the horrors that they witnessed in 2001. These horrific images have become ways of expressing patriotism and remembrance, yet we have subsequently isolated those who survived and turned their experiences into our viewing pleasure. It disgusts me. When someone we love passes away, we may reminisce about their death, but our ultimatum is to honor them by being better human beings in a world that they hoped to make better themselves. America is obsessed with replaying the death of September 11th, 2001, and it’s time that we examine how we can move on from the death and focus on how we can heal each other.

This pandemic has forced us to be on our phones almost all the time: social media, playing video games, calling friends, etc. That is why now is such a perfect opportunity to spread the word about how we can give back to those who served and risked their lives for the safety of others on 9/11. Comedian Jon Stewart, after his tenure of 16 years at The Daily Show, devoted his spare time to advocating for health coverage for first responders who developed terminal illnesses as a result of working at Ground-Zero. In 2019, after many years of lobbying and meetings with congressional leaders, Stewart and his proponents of the 9/11 First Responders Bill watched it pass in the Senate - ensuring that 9/11 first responders’ healthcare costs would be covered by the U.S. Government until 2092. And yet, we're not celebrating this! While the costs in the First Responder's Bill is provided by the Federal government, some organizations also help and assist ailing first responders. We should be donating and raising awareness of these incredible organizations, so that could continue helping our country’s bravest heroes. Perhaps you’ve heard of the 9/11 Memorial in NYC. Because of the Covid-19 pandemic, the memorial hasn’t been able to raise money to maintain its facilities. They too could use donations and support. These are just a few ways in which America could honor the living and the dead, and provide the still-grieving families with a sense of security and love.

There is a reason we built One World Trade Center - it was to show the world that from the ashes of our grief and pain, we rose collectively to overcome our fear and build back the glorious symbolism that the twin towers represented. It was to honor the sacrifice and dedication that the people working in the towers carried with them every single day. Most importantly, the shining glass and elegant structure of One World Trade Center always and will forever remind us of the emotions and grief the nation suffered, and the way we overcame the pain that still lingers in our hearts every year. That is the way we should process our grief and sadness, pausing to reflect on its impact on our lives and our country’s history. It is what our country needs, and it’s exactly how we should remember the 3,000 souls that we lost 19 years ago.