Published: December 06, 2008 11:44 pm      

LUCINSKI: The day that will live in infamy

Remember Pearl Harbor.

It was the battle cry, both on the front lines and on the home front, that signified the American effort during World War II. On Dec. 7, 1941, a Japanese surprise attack on the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii killed more than 2,300 people, nearly all of them military personnel. The attack was the event that formally brought the United States into the war.

We’ve talked in this space about the Rule of Zeros and Fives; that, after a time, people tend to pay special attention to historic or personal milestones on anniversaries that end in zero or five (25th, 50th, 75th, that sort of thing). So one might think that the 67th marking of the day that will live in infamy could pass by with barely a mention.

But there are a few reasons why we won’t let that happen. First, it is simply just too important. While the storm clouds of war had been building for a few years and battles were raging without the participation of the U.S., Pearl Harbor was the match that lit the fuse for America. It was a blatant act of war that left President Franklin D. Roosevelt no choice but to strike back against Japan. And because Germany was allied with Japan, it brought us into the European theater as well.

The entire world was at war. When the fighting stopped around the globe four years later, it’s estimated that more than 55 million people were dead.

Also, there are fewer and fewer people around who actually remember Pearl Harbor. If one does the math, you’ll see you’d probably have to be at least in your early to mid-70s in order to have any recollection of the event. Those who do are leaving us at an accelerating rate. Once they’re gone, all that will be left will be accounts in the history books and programs on the History Channel; a poor substitute for real-life, first-hand recollection. When there’s no one left who remembers Pearl Harbor, the memory will likely fade quickly.

And why is it important to remember? It’s yet another reminder that there are bad people out there who want to kill us. We were made painfully aware of that at the beginning of this century with the War on Terror as the result.

An incident on Friday is an example of the passage of time fading a terrible memory. On a Buffalo radio station, the host commented on the fact that a co-worker’s birthday was coming up this weekend, on Dec. 7. The host said it was a “day that will live in infamy,” referring to the colleague’s birthday.

Having done my share of live broadcasting, I know what it’s like to ad-lib. You want to be cute, you want to be funny, you want to be witty. But Dec. 7 and President Roosevelt’s characterization of it is not funny. It is the 20th century equivalent of Sept. 11. That’s what happens when time fades the most somber of memories. They become trivialized.

So, on this solemn day, we should recall what happened 67 years ago on a sleepy Sunday morning nearly halfway around the world. For all that has happened since and for all that has changed, there are some things that remain pretty much the same: There are people who don’t have much use for the likes of you and me and who would just as soon see us dead. That means we need to be vigilant and support those who protect us from the bad guys.

If for that reason, and that reason alone: Remember Pearl Harbor.

Dick Lucinski is the managing editor of the Niagara Gazette. His columns appear on Wednesday and Sunday.