09/11/2017
A message from our founder:
Every year on 9/11 I sit down and try to write something, my thoughts and reflections on one of the most horrific events in our nation's history. I wrestle with choosing the right words, ones that might make an impact, even if no one ever reads them because I want to remember. I want my son to know. We often say "Never Forget", but the truth is, we do. The events of history eventually fade. Kids today learning about 9/11 in school are our first generation of people with second hand knowledge of the attack. And with each generation, the memories will fade, the pain will lessen, and we will move on. It's an important part of the healing process. And yet. And yet, we need to remember. We need to share the stories, the images of the lives damaged, the lives taken. We need to remember ardently the horror of that day, lest Patriot Day turn into another Memorial Day, with BBQs and shop sales, and fewer and fewer attendees at cemetery Memorial ceremonies.
I often refer to 9/11 as my generation's Pearl Harbor. I remember the stories my grandfathers told me because they wanted me to remember, Never Forget. My grandfathers served in both the European and Pacific theaters, one even surviving the Bataan Death March. Their stories are what planted the seed for the Pinup Patriettes. I hope that our organization, in whatever small way, can be a link to the past and bridge to the future. Our uniforms are a symbol of a nation bound together in a common goal, everyone doing their bit. We want to keep that spirit alive. We want to remind people, Never Forget.
So, today, as you go about your lives, make a point to share where you were, what you were doing, how you felt. Listen to the stories of others. Share those stories. Keep the humanity in 9/11, because the history books will eventually water it down to names and dates, future generations will no longer care, and Patriot Day will just be another three day weekend. Unless we tuck those memories in our hearts. Unless we Never Forget.
~Dolly Marlowe
