Excellent post, Dan!
It was indeed a sad day in American history.
What is even more sad is that the real horror of that day will be lost on future generations. Just as it is with other important days we commemorate in this nation; Christmas for many is just an excuse to have time off from work and exchange gifts; Easter is about candy and egg hunts; Thanksgiving is simply a time to stuff one's self with great food and watch football; the 4th of July is a good reason to drink beer and shoot fireworks, etc..
What gets lost is serious reflection on the sacrifice that is at the core of each of these days, and the real reason we recognize them as special.
Greg