There will not be a moment of silence on campus this year to commemorate the 10th anniversary of Sept. 11, according to SF State media relations. We agree with this decision because it is a step towards healing the wound that the destruction of the Twin Towers caused.

The loved ones and family members who lost someone on Sept. 11 have, ten years later, likely traversed the stages of grief, and have hopefully reached a place of hope and acceptance.

It is time, as a country, to accept.

We need to accept what happened on Sept. 11 at 8:46 a.m when the first plane hit the North Tower of the World Trade Center. We need to accept the events that followed, however horrific.

It is time, as a country, to move on.

We no longer need to dwell in the pain. Family members of Sept. 11 victims fought through their grief and gained the strength to tell the stories of their fallen loved ones. As a nation, we should embrace this mentality. To forget would do a terrible injustice to the lives lost that day, but we believe that this tenth anniversary offers a chance for healing and advancement not just for the victims’ families but for the entire country.

In almost every tragic recollection of those that witnessed the events that unfolded on that fateful September day, there seems to exist a consistent instance of light and hope. It has been said that amidst the chaos and death and destruction, we were united in our grief. One of the worst tragedies our country has known showed us that no matter color or creed, we were one. We were Americans.

Our country is no stranger to hardship.

The worst naval attack in U.S. history, Pearl Harbor, taught us similar lessons almost 70 years ago.  Although our campus community holds no moment of silence for this event, we can choose to commemorate that day as we see fit.

Like Pearl Harbor, students and faculty will have a chance to reflect on Sept. 11 in their own way this year. It is an opportunity for healing, reconciliation and acceptance. It is a chance to move on. It is not a chance to forget, however, and we should always recognize the way the events of that September morning have changed our lives forever.

And let us certainly not forget the men and women who are in the Middle East continuing to fight for our freedom.