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Sep. 13th, 2001 10:14 amOpinions are like assholes... everybody's got one.
Even me.
I know I'm going to catch a lot of shit from the Give Peace A Chance folks for what follows, but I just really don't care.
On Tuesday morning, America saw the most destructive and devastating act of terrorism ever. On Tuesday morning, we suffered the greatest loss in any one day since the civil war, or perhaps in our history. On Tuesday morning, our lives, as individuals and as a nation were changed forever.
We realized that the great oceans to either side and our allies to the north and the south don't protect us from those who would do us harm. Now, I'm not the biggest fan of America's foreign policy... in fact, we do a whole lot of things that I don't agree with. However, that doesn't justify an act like that perpetrated on Tuesday morning; an act which cost us thousands of innocent lives and one of New York's most beloved landmarks. And don't pooh-pooh the importance of the WTC towers... New Yorkers will look out their windows for years to come and be stung by their absence.
Now, I'm never one to advocate violence, but though it pains me to think of all the further lives to be lost, something will be done about this. There is no way that I see to resolve this without further violence. America has been shown vulnerable, and we are not in a position to turn the other cheek... it would be percieved, of course, as a sign of deepening vulnerability. On the other side of the coin, resorting to violence, my brother told me, is exactly what the now-deceased hijackers wanted... another reason to vilify America. Unfortunately, we must react... as soon as we know who we're reacting to.
I have to admit, this all scares me. Not in the "omigosh, a plane's gonna hit my house" kinda scared, but a kind of dread which is a response to the fact that America could very well go to war over this. Hopefully that won't happen... hopefully, the events of the next few months will unfold in a way which will involve trials and executions, or carpet bombings, but not an actual war.
I'm also scared because this is all completely foreign to me... watching the fireballs of impact engulf the top of the second tower, I was certain that it was some kind of Hollywood special effects magic. No American of my generation has ever witnessed anything like this. Watching the towers fall, first one, then the other, I was sure I was watching the planned demolition of an old or defunct building. America has never seen the collapse of a building that huge. Watching the footage of the chaos and rubble in the city blocks beneath, I was sure I was watching news footage of some far away and foreign war zone. America has never seen anything like this before... even Pearl Harbor doesn't compare. It's just not something that happens in America.
Until now.
The world lies in shock, and New York tries to pick up the pieces, as they take apart the remains of the WTC and search for bodies and survivors. Six thousand body bags wait... huge trucks wait to haul away the bodies... truckloads of bodies. Reminiscent, though not comparable to the train cars and mass graves from the Holocaust. People try to go on with their lives, try to go to work, spend time with family, cope. After we're done with those who have died and survived, something will have to be done.
For now, we help those in need as best we can. If that means comforting those near you, or donating blood or platelets, then do that. Take joy in this, our healing days. Because my friends, I suspect strongly that the worst is yet to come.
Even me.
I know I'm going to catch a lot of shit from the Give Peace A Chance folks for what follows, but I just really don't care.
On Tuesday morning, America saw the most destructive and devastating act of terrorism ever. On Tuesday morning, we suffered the greatest loss in any one day since the civil war, or perhaps in our history. On Tuesday morning, our lives, as individuals and as a nation were changed forever.
We realized that the great oceans to either side and our allies to the north and the south don't protect us from those who would do us harm. Now, I'm not the biggest fan of America's foreign policy... in fact, we do a whole lot of things that I don't agree with. However, that doesn't justify an act like that perpetrated on Tuesday morning; an act which cost us thousands of innocent lives and one of New York's most beloved landmarks. And don't pooh-pooh the importance of the WTC towers... New Yorkers will look out their windows for years to come and be stung by their absence.
Now, I'm never one to advocate violence, but though it pains me to think of all the further lives to be lost, something will be done about this. There is no way that I see to resolve this without further violence. America has been shown vulnerable, and we are not in a position to turn the other cheek... it would be percieved, of course, as a sign of deepening vulnerability. On the other side of the coin, resorting to violence, my brother told me, is exactly what the now-deceased hijackers wanted... another reason to vilify America. Unfortunately, we must react... as soon as we know who we're reacting to.
I have to admit, this all scares me. Not in the "omigosh, a plane's gonna hit my house" kinda scared, but a kind of dread which is a response to the fact that America could very well go to war over this. Hopefully that won't happen... hopefully, the events of the next few months will unfold in a way which will involve trials and executions, or carpet bombings, but not an actual war.
I'm also scared because this is all completely foreign to me... watching the fireballs of impact engulf the top of the second tower, I was certain that it was some kind of Hollywood special effects magic. No American of my generation has ever witnessed anything like this. Watching the towers fall, first one, then the other, I was sure I was watching the planned demolition of an old or defunct building. America has never seen the collapse of a building that huge. Watching the footage of the chaos and rubble in the city blocks beneath, I was sure I was watching news footage of some far away and foreign war zone. America has never seen anything like this before... even Pearl Harbor doesn't compare. It's just not something that happens in America.
Until now.
The world lies in shock, and New York tries to pick up the pieces, as they take apart the remains of the WTC and search for bodies and survivors. Six thousand body bags wait... huge trucks wait to haul away the bodies... truckloads of bodies. Reminiscent, though not comparable to the train cars and mass graves from the Holocaust. People try to go on with their lives, try to go to work, spend time with family, cope. After we're done with those who have died and survived, something will have to be done.
For now, we help those in need as best we can. If that means comforting those near you, or donating blood or platelets, then do that. Take joy in this, our healing days. Because my friends, I suspect strongly that the worst is yet to come.
