As we remember the events of September 11, 2001...
On this day, as we remember those whose lives ended on September 11 in the World Trade Center, in the Pentagon, in that field in Pennsylvania, and on those four planes, and those military personnel who have continued to die since that time... that those who caused all of this grief aren't trying to just annoy us or even scare the bejeebers out of us...they want to kill us. Why? We're all nice people, right? So you think, "Ridiculous, I didn't do anything to anybody...well, except maybe flash someone 'the bird' on the expressway on the way to work this morning..." While we go on about our business, oblivious to what is going on in the rest of the world, a little reminder...HELLO...WE ARE AT WAR.
I don't know what the answers are...I don't even know the questions. Is it our foreign policy, both now and in the past...trying to impose our values on other societies? While the reasons are being considered, let us hope that a peaceful solution to our differences can be found (but I'm not counting on it)...while we remain poised to kick heinie. It would be nice if there was a simple solution; that if we each did something nice the rest of the world would say, "Those Americans are such nice people, they're our pals." Somehow I don't think this would make a difference to murderers...I don't even want to call them "terrorists". "Terror" means a state of intense fear. "-ist" is one who frightens...and I don't think they're just trying to scare us. "Murderer" is more appropriate because "murder" means to kill, and "-er" is one who does that. Most people have their own agenda, whether it is you, your employer, your elected official, or your neighbor. I don't believe Islamists' agenda includes feelings of jealousy of "our freedom". They hate our guts as much as a "White Supremacist" hates anyone who isn't white. It doesn't have to make sense to us...as long as it makes sense to them.
My dad and I used to get into these heated debates. I told him that if each and every human being would refuse to pick up a weapon or raise a hand in anger to another, then all wars would end. I thought he was cynical when he said that as long as there have been humans on the earth there have been wars and that as long as there are humans, wars will continue. Sadly, now that I'm all/almost (pick one) grown up and have had an opportunity to study history, I see that he was right. While we each strive to be the best human beings we can be, let's wake up and smell the coffee.
I don't know what the answers are...I don't even know the questions. Is it our foreign policy, both now and in the past...trying to impose our values on other societies? While the reasons are being considered, let us hope that a peaceful solution to our differences can be found (but I'm not counting on it)...while we remain poised to kick heinie. It would be nice if there was a simple solution; that if we each did something nice the rest of the world would say, "Those Americans are such nice people, they're our pals." Somehow I don't think this would make a difference to murderers...I don't even want to call them "terrorists". "Terror" means a state of intense fear. "-ist" is one who frightens...and I don't think they're just trying to scare us. "Murderer" is more appropriate because "murder" means to kill, and "-er" is one who does that. Most people have their own agenda, whether it is you, your employer, your elected official, or your neighbor. I don't believe Islamists' agenda includes feelings of jealousy of "our freedom". They hate our guts as much as a "White Supremacist" hates anyone who isn't white. It doesn't have to make sense to us...as long as it makes sense to them.
My dad and I used to get into these heated debates. I told him that if each and every human being would refuse to pick up a weapon or raise a hand in anger to another, then all wars would end. I thought he was cynical when he said that as long as there have been humans on the earth there have been wars and that as long as there are humans, wars will continue. Sadly, now that I'm all/almost (pick one) grown up and have had an opportunity to study history, I see that he was right. While we each strive to be the best human beings we can be, let's wake up and smell the coffee.
posted by Cinnabitch | 7:58 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home