Gratitude Monday: Never forget

As you might imagine I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about the centenary of the end of World War I. After all, mass conflicts of the first half of the Twentieth Century are my field, and I see so much of their influence—for good or ill—in our daily lives, even this far on.

And I’ve been thinking about the events of the past week—more mass shootings, catastrophic wildfires, midterm elections, somber commemorations of unbelievable destruction—all framed by the utter lack of leadership in our highest office, which is currently occupied by an ignorant, racist, pathetic buffoon who panders to (and feeds on) the absolute worst in us. And I wondered what I was going to be grateful for today.

But then—Saturday Night Live. Which I only watch via YouTube, in bits and pieces when prompted by Twitter. I knew of the controversy SNL regular Pete Davidson sparked a week ago with his on-air (and apparently approved by everyone in the show’s and network’s chain of command) comments about then-candidate Dan Crenshaw, who lost an eye amid other injuries sustained in an IED attack in Afghanistan six years ago.

Well, Davidson—unlike some in the public eye—manned up and apologized on air this past Saturday. “I’m a dick,” he admitted. And Crenshaw appeared next to him to accept the apology, do a little piss-taking and then—then he laid on a message that really gives me hope.

“But, seriously—there’s a lot of lessons to learn here. Not just that the left and right can still agree on some things but also this: Americans can forgive one another. We can remember what brings us together as a country and still see the good in each other.

“This is Veterans Day weekend, which means that it’s a good time for every American to connect with a veteran. Maybe say, ‘Thanks for your service.’ But I would actually encourage you to say something else. Tell a veteran ‘Never forget.’ When you say ‘never forget’ to a veteran, you are implying that, as an American, you are in it with them, not separated by some imaginary barrier between civilians and veterans, but connected together as grateful fellow Americans who will never forget the sacrifices made by veterans past and present. And never forget those we lost on 9/11; heroes like Pete’s father.

“So I’ll just say: Pete—never forget.”

Crenshaw and Davidson shook hands on that note.

I’m grateful for this display of grace by both of them—the smart-ass New York comedian who was enough of a mensch to apologize and the ex-SEAL Texas Republican congressman-elect who stepped out of his comfort zone to join the show, and for the teaching moment on how to express appreciation for sacrifices that others make—military, civilian, first responder, teacher—in the cause of the common good.

Crenshaw would probably be the first to note that he does not—cannot—speak for all veterans. But the ones I know would concur heartily in bagging the knee-jerk “thank you for your service”. “Never forget” draws us in, and draws us together.

And now is a good time for that.