A Day of Infamy
“…December 7, 1941—a date which will live in
infamy…”[1] That’s
what President Roosevelt said, the day after the Japanese attacks on Pearl
Harbor.
Webster’s New World Dictionary defines infamy as
follows: very bad reputation; notoriety;
disgrace; dishonor. The quality of being infamous; great wickedness.
Yet somehow, December 7th has become just
another day on the calendar. Some wall calendars don’t even mark it. December 7th
has died. Somehow, we’ve let it slip away, we’ve forgotten, we don’t care
anymore.
I’m ashamed to say that I write this on the morning
of Pearl Harbor’s 77th anniversary, because I didn’t take the time
to write something more in depth sooner. I let the day slip away from me.
I realize that this is not necessarily the case for
all Americans. Some remember, and they remember well, but I feel that Pearl
Harbor Day is becoming ignored by the American people. It may not be
intentional, but failure to purposely recall will lead to ignorance. Real men
and women lost their lives. Let’s not overlook them. Let’s not allow our
generation to stop thinking about it.
As we bring it to mind, take care to not let it
become a day of hate toward the Japanese, but one of solemn remembrance for the
people killed. Let it remain a day of infamy in United States history. One that
we don’t forget.
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