DeKalb-area religious leaders reflect on 9/11 then and now

DEKALB – At their height of attention, observances marking the Sept. 11, 2001 tragedy that shook the nation ordinarily would have set the mood for many.

But 21 years later as commemorations in the DeKalb area and beyond seemingly receive less attention than in the past, some ponder whether politics have muddied people’s memory of the horrific events that transpired.

Ches Thurber, assistant professor of political science at Northern Illinois University, said the U.S. wars in Iraq and Afghanistan that were a response to 9/11 has complicated how people feel about the attack, regardless of political affiliation.

“So many Americans, regardless of political affiliation, have come to see many of our policy responses to the attacks as mistakes, most notably the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan,” Thurber said. “I think that creates this tension between the very right and very important act of commemorating the attacks, and remembering those who lost their lives, with this discomfort with many of the events over the past 20 years that were policy responses to that tragedy.”

Jonathan Crail, senior pastor of First United Methodist Church, recalled seeing increasing attendance at the churches between Poplar Grove and Harvard that he was leading at the time.

“Part of the response of people the following Sundays showing up to church when they hadn’t been there in a long time, if ever, was part of that,” Crail said. “This is bigger than us. This is something we need protection from. We need to recognize that God is somebody that we can turn to in the midst of a crisis. I have a sense that for a lot of people that’s what happened.”

Janet Hunt, senior pastor of First Lutheran Church, recalled what it was like preaching to a congregation in Galesburg, Illinois, and said she remembers reading from Psalm 46 about the promise that God provides refuge and strength.

“For a while, we felt more connected in some ways, even in the very scary time — at least that was my experience,” Hunt said. “I think people did return to faith communities then looking for comfort, for understanding, for a sense of the presence of God. That’s was my experience anyway.”

Hunt said that as time passes, people may be less compelled to show up to public gatherings, but she doesn’t know how anyone can forget what happened on 9/11.

“I think public commemorations are helpful sometimes,” Hunt said. “For us here this Sunday, it will be in our prayers.”

Mohammed Labadi, president of the Islamic Center of DeKalb, said the notion that extremists following Islam attacked the U.S. — which doesn’t follow the teaching of the Quran — prompted Muslims to become “casualties” of the 9/11 attacks.

As time has passed, Labadi said, it’s helped that people have shown compassion for members of the Muslim community and prompted a desire in many to learn more about the faith.

“[It] took a bad situation and made it into a good situation for Islam because people became more intrigued,” Labadi said. “Some people converted or reverted to Islam.”

Thurber acknowledged that some people may have disparate connections to the tragic events of 9/11 and said that while some institutions may not always promote large commemorations, people should still take time to reflect.

“It is important that we continue to reflect on 9/11 both in memory of those who lost their lives as well as to reflect on the choices we made as a society, both good and bad, so that we can be prepared when tragedies inevitably happen again,” Thurber said. “I think formal institutionalized commemorations are an important part of forcing us to have that reflection process.”