This year, September 11 marked the seventh anniversary of 9/11, a day that will indeed live in infamy—even if in only half of America. When the Berkeley College Republicans invited the Cal Dems to participate in the Young America’s Foundation-sponsored 9/11 Never Forget Project this year, the Democrats at Cal declined.

Now, this may have been for various reasons, not least of which happens to be the fact that these are Democrats and Republicans we’re talking about! But as September 11 rolled on by—relatively uneventful, thank God—one would have to be thick to believe that the memorial of flags outside California Hall was anything but Republican. The Berkeley College Republicans not only were alone at 6:30 am setting up, and later that evening taking down the couple hundred or so flags, short of several thousand, that marked the memorial, they were also alone throughout the day as they tabled at the site (picture a panorama of American flags, table represented by Berkeley College Republicans, no table represented by Democrats), and were alone as well for a candlelight vigil, moment of silence, and recital of God Bless America.

Democrats, this doesn’t sound too conservative, I hope.

You would think that as members of a party that is still so worried about “unity” as far as the upcoming Presidential election is concerned the Democrats would be jumping at the opportunity to follow the head of their ticket’s lead. As a reporter who attended the 9/11 BCR Meeting last Thursday put it, “What does it mean to you that Senator Obama and Senator McCain both attended the memorial at Ground Zero this morning, and that they were seen walking together, side-by-side?” I would again be pointing out the obvious if I told you my response was: On a day such as 9/11 partisan politics do not matter. Seven years ago each of us exemplified that patriotism, despite our political beliefs, and quite simply put our country first.

So why, seven years later, do some at Berkeley, and, sadly, across America, hesitate or even refuse to take part in Patriot Day*? Evidently, Barack Obama has no problem with taking the same stride as John McCain on such a day. But based on the Berkeley Democrats’ absence from any of the activities surrounding Thursday’s memorial, one is forced to conclude one of two things: Either Obama’s attendance at Thursday’s memorial in New York City is part of a shameless ploy to court undecided and Independent voters, or—and this is the one I believe is accurate—his sensibilities vary considerably with the “youth vote” that so many Cal students seem to represent.

Moreover, it was not just students that were neglecting the remembrance of those lost. As I later heard it, it was up to members of the Berkeley College Republicans to remind the University that the American flag flies at half-staff on September 11 after it was noticed that the University had, in either a lapse in judgment or sheer ignorance, neglected to make sure this was done.

In the seventh year of a terror-free America, I am proud of my country. In fact, I am as proud as ever. And with the help of the men and women who defend this country, and a little recognition every now and then from our universities, there should still be an America by next year’s Eleventh of September. We should all take notice of an American flag then, too.

*Reminder: Patriot Day, for those of you who have wittingly or unwittingly forgotten (which is understandable, as it is a fact seldom uttered), is the Eleventh of September, and has been ever since a group of Muslim terrorists hijacked American planes, and flew them into the ground, the Pentagon, and the Twin Towers, taking an estimated 3,000 lives seven years ago.