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Recently, ABC announced the release of “The Path to 9/11,” a miniseries detailing the Sept. 11 attacks. The show is certainly undergoing its fair share of criticism. Words like “inaccurate” and “bias” are used to evaluate the controversial content. It truly seems like we are missing the point here.
No matter how many movies or highly-rated television slots are filled with 9/11 coverage, there will always be those who view the events of this day differently. No matter how many hours are spent re-editing 9/11 documentaries into a compacted time slot, it is unlikely that producers and directors will capture a single, unified view of what this day should be. And, viewers should keep objectivity in mind when watching these programs.
According to a column by New York Times journalist Jesse McKinley, “several liberal blogs were questioning whether ABC’s version of ‘Path to 9/11’ was overly critical of the Clinton administration while letting the Bush administration off easy.” This is what happens when topics like Sept. 11 are whirled into a media frenzy. Fingers are pointed and accusations begin to rise.
We should not consume ourselves with whether or not a liberal or conservative view of Sept. 11 is presented to the world via television. Sometimes it is hard to remember that these documentaries and movies are made by actual human beings and do not represent a universal truth by any means. Personal opinions will always lurk between the lines. It is human nature, which is why it is up to us to form our own viewpoints and stick with them.
Sept. 11 is a day for remembering an American tragedy and recognizing those who died as a result. On this day, honor the people, not the propaganda. Only then will we grasp the true meaning of Sept. 11 and what we lost.
