| May 17, 2006 ~ The piece below was, as it says, written shortly after the events of September 11, 2001. Reading it now I realize that it may be a bit obtuse to some of you; but I have decided to let it stand as written since to me to do otherwise would be akin to attempting to rewrite history. At the time, I was obviously in a somewhat philosophical mood, a bit angry, but philosophical; for I was as angry at the reaction of the American public as I was that of the Islamic World. And I was angry at the Islamic World, not just the terrorists. I was angry at the celebrations in the streets of Islamic countries. I was angry at those in this country, as well as others, who seemed to "humm and ahh" and make excuses for an act of mass murder. I was angry at my fellow Americans who, not totally unlike their counterparts in the Islamic World, wrapped themselves in their faith - excluding all others, including their fellow Americans who may not share the same religious beliefs. As a non religious person, I feel on one hand ignored and on the other caught up in some kind of religious war in which I do not understand either side. It is not a comfortable feeling. I was angry at my fellow Americans who wrapped themselves in platitudes and who thought that the world ought to end just because something bad happened - which, of course is just what the bad guys want. I was angry at certain family members of the 911 victims, family members who seemed, and still seem, in my opinion, to be basking in reflected glory.  To put things in perspective: Let us not call everyone "heroes." There were legitimate heroes, of course, people who voluntarily risked their own lives to save others; but most of those who died on that day now over five years ago were simply unfortunate people who happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time and, and because of that, became murder victims. Death is always sad, and murder especially so; but, is the grief felt by the survivors of the 911 murder victims any greater, or deserving of any greater sympathy, than that of any other who has lost a loved one through horrendous circumstances? Right now there are thousands of people in this country who, if not exactly alone in their grief, they do not have any mass outpouring of sympathy, nothing, no memorial beyond a plain gravesite, if that, to let them know that their loved one is remembered. Certainly there has been no "financial compensation" even though most of them probably need it more than the families of the 911 survivors. Working at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, pretty good jobs by most standards. Bet most the victims had good insurance. On the other hand, if you have to work in a convenience store to support yourself and those you love and some nitwit, who should not have been allowed to carry a gun, comes along and shoots you, what are whose you love left with? Memories mostly. Now, I am realistic enough to know that compensation on the order of that which was given to the survivors of 911 is not practical and just isn't going to happen. I just believe we ought to think about these things. |
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