9/11. It needs no year, no further explanation.

    But the instant recognition and raw power of that phrase has made it easy for that terrible event to slide into pop culture. Eight years later, the World Trade Center is still a hole in the ground, but now surrounded by souvenir sellers with 9/11 T-shirts and knick-knacks.

    One problem with rebuilding on the site is that, in these times of recession, there isn't enough commercial demand for the new buildings that would replace the World Trade towers. Spending billions to say "You can't beat us" to terrorists seems foolish to many if the buildings will sit empty.

    There is more agreement on other legacies of 9/11. Much of the goodwill reflected in candelight vigils from London to Jakarta to Teheran （yes, thousands of Iranians took to the streets to mourn that loss of life in the US）. has been lost in the intervening years, and the US is working overtime to reconnect with a global community that has much to fear from more terrorism. The US has often lost the information war, too: Many otherwise sensible people around the world believe "The Jews" were behind the attacks, that the Pentagon was hit by a bomb not a plane, and other nonsense.

    But the energy and national purpose that washed over the US on September 12 has ebbed at home as the threat begins to feel remote there, too. So it's exciting to see today's anniversary take shape as a national day of service.

    "Eight years ago, the tragic events of that Tuesday morning inspired Americans to come together in a remarkable spirit of unity and compassion," said President Barack Obama this week. Many have been quick to blame his predecessor for the evaporation of that spirit, but many in the US will put memory and muscle into community service efforts today: disaster preparedness, neighborhood cleanups, "care packages" for US military in war zones, and other projects.

    The effort began on the first 9/11 anniversary in 2002, but has not taken room in all 50 states until this year.

    It's an effort that brings out the best in Americans.

    9/11.無須指明年份，也不需要進一步解釋。

    但一眼就能知道，而且原始力量使它這個可怕事件輕而易舉地就進入了大眾文化。八年之后，世貿中心仍然只是地上一個洞，但現在則被賣9/11T恤和小玩意的紀念品小販所包圍。

    在此地重建的一個問題是，在當前的衰退時期，對重建世貿中心的商業需求不足。花上數十億美元來向恐怖分子表示"你打不倒我"在許多人看來似乎有點愚蠢，如果建筑仍是空置的話。

    而對9/11的遺產則存在更多一致。從倫敦至雅加達至德黑蘭的燭光守夜（是的，成千上萬的伊朗人走上街頭哀悼那些美國失去的生命）中反映出來的善意已遺失在這些年間，而美國也在加倍努力與全球共同體重建聯系，這個全球共同體還有很多東西需要操心，而不僅是恐怖主義。美國也常常在信息方面打敗仗。世界上許多敏感的人認為"猶太人"才是"9.11襲擊"的募后指使者，他們認為五角大樓是被炸彈炸掉的，而不是飛機。當然還有其它的胡扯。

    但9月12日席卷美國的能量與國家意志已在國內漸漸退潮，因為威脅開始漸漸覺得遠離。因此，看到今天的周年紀念日作為全國服務日很是有點激動。

    "8年前，那個周二早上的悲劇事件鼓舞美國人以一種空前的團結與同情精神聚在一起",本周奧巴馬總統這樣說。許多人很快責怪他的前任讓那種精神蒸發了，但美國許多人將化記憶與力量為社區服務努力：災難準備、社區凈化、到戰區為美國軍隊的"愛心包裹"和其它活動。

    這種努力在2002年第一年9/11周年紀念日就開始了，但直到今年都還沒有在所有50個州占據太據地位。

    這是美國人所能發揮最好的努力。