EDITORIAL
Pearl Harbor sends historic message on

A series of memorial events, lectures and ceremonies beginning today will mark the 62nd anniversary of the Dec. 7 attack on Pearl Harbor.

Most of the events take place tomorrow, beginning with the traditional 7:50 a.m. memorial service aboard the USS Arizona Memorial.

The intensity of the observance, 62 years after the event, is tribute to the historic impact of the attack.

But it is interesting to note that the tone of these services and events is not angry, or even excessively sad.

Rather, the tone is one of somber pride. We remember those who fell that day but we also mark the fact that America and its people rose from the devastation of Pearl Harbor to great success as a global leader and force for democracy.

One is forced to wonder how we will mark the events of Sept. 11 and the epochal war on terrorism a half century from now. Will our memories be tinged with sadness, yes, but also pride that America rose to even greater heights?

How this nation handled the shattering events of Dec. 7 and its aftermath presents important lessons for us as we move into today's uncertain future.