THIS MORNING, the nation and the world were again confronted with the terrible events of Sept. 11, 2001.
There have been other anniversaries, but this one — the fifth — seems to carry more weight. Maybe it is simply that people pay more attention to anniversaries with a five or a zero in them. Or perhaps, after five years, the nation is beginning to gain a measure of perspective on the terrorist attacks and their aftermath.
As the years have passed, “9/11” has changed from its first use as a euphemism for a day of death, destruction, pain and fear. It quickly became a war cry. In recent years, it has been diluted to a common piece of political currency, often used for partisan — even commercial — purposes. The numerals seemed to become a part of a numbing of the national memory. In place of vivid memories of the day, the national consciousness had a little box labeled “9/11” that seldom needed to be opened.
That is changing.
Two films, “Flight 93” and “World Trade Center,” recall the day and personalize it with the stories of real people who died that day, or lived through it. The Discovery Channel recently aired documentaries about the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. The program about the trade center did a particularly good job of recreating for the viewer the experience of the victims.
Another factor working to restore that national memory is the revelation that the attack on the World Trade Center continues to maim and kill. A recent study showed that 69 percent of the rescue workers at Ground Zero developed lung problems, presumably from the toxic dust cloud that hung over the site for weeks. Five years after their heroic effort, police officers, firefighters, EMTs and volunteers continue to feel the physical effects of that dust. Some have been disabled. Some have died.
It is as if the twin towers did not collapse, but fell like dominos, knocking over others, which knocked over others.
Those dominos — war, death, disease, fear — are still falling.
After five years, we can look back and begin to see the path of that destruction.