Thoughts on 9-11 from a Jersey boy

[DonCoquixote]

I could only comment on this on September 12th. I did my best to avoid the wave of talk, chatter and noise. To quote a Keith Olbermann, a far better man than me: “this is, and always will be personal.” The part of New Jersey I grew up in was the home of many of those who died that day. I could see the Towers from my front porch, and indeed, you saw them throughout Hudson County. The fact is, if you worked, chance are you worked in that building at some point in your life. Many people I grew up with in my high school where among those turned to ash that day, the only reason my brother is still alive is because his boss annoyed him, annoyed him to the point where he skipped out on a lunch at Windows on the World, the restaurant at the top, where you could see Conneticut.
Now, I agree with many who posted here, but I also have a bone to pick. Yes, many of the celebrations have been saccharine and exploitative. There is little doubt that the Republicans exploited it, and sadly, the so called “centrist” democrats have also abused it. Both sides want to seem tough on the terrorists, even though a real reckoning against those responsible would at the very least fall on our so called “allies” like the Saudis, as opposed to Iraqis. Right now we cannot even so much as cheer the Arab Spring for fear that the Arab World will lance the Saudi Royal house like a boil. It is also true that America cannot pretend to be so innocent. Much is done in the name of the American people; too much of it is against the interest of all people, including and especially the American people. Sadly, religion, class and race serve as a means of hiding this from the people who need to realize it. The fact the Tea Party looks set to take 2012 is a sign that we still fall for the same tricks, where everybody find it easier to yell at someone else than to talk. No, I will not say there is equivalence; for all the fury of some fools on the far left, we all know the right is the one that has and spends the billions needed to fuel the fight. If Ted Rall had Koch’s money, maybe he might be the left wing answer, but he cannot come close in his wildest dreams.
Speaking of the far left, this is where I have my bone to pick with some of you. Many have sneered at us and said we need to “get over” feeling sad. There have been people who said we deserved what happened. Go to Ted Rall’s site and you will see tons of snide comments. Now, for those to whom this applies: I understand you are angry about how September 11th was exploited, and yes, I understand that we need to realize that 3000 lives there should not drown out the uncountable other lives lost, ruined or wasted. However, if you think attacking people who were hurt is ok because it fits your political purpose or vanity, then you are every bit as corrupt as the Right Wing you claim to hate so much. When ANY Ideology reduces the value of human life, it becomes toxic, and worthy of scorn and loathing. Note, I am not, repat , not blasting all critics of (/11/011 abuse, just those who seemed to enjoy kicking people in the face without any regard for the fact that there was a legitimate reason to feel loss.

To sum it up, have your political opinions, and by all means, express them. But always be mindful that when you speak of the dead, you are speaking about PEOPLE, and that a reverence for Human life is the only thing that has a hope of producing anything like Justice or peace. Stalin once said that “one death is a tragedy, a million is a statistic.” All of us have to prove Stalin wrong, or else we will all be statistics.

[bklyncowgirl]

1. Great Post. Sums up alot of things I've been trying to say.

I too have been put off by many of the comments here.

[Ohio Joe]

2. Also a Jersey boy who lost friends that day

Some of the comments have been pretty disturbing.

[DonCoquixote]

3. Like I said

I have no problem with people saying the sentiment was abused, just don's feel you have to abuse people that have reason to grieve.

[emilyg]

4. k/r

[shireen]

5. i consider myself far left

Speaking of the far left, this is where I have my bone to pick with some of you. Many have sneered at us and said we need to “get over” feeling sad. There have been people who said we deserved what happened.

the sentimens you describe as coming from the far left are nothing like how i felt.

There were some DU'ers who made insensitive comments. They are not representative of the far left. They're just jerks.

[DonCoquixote]

6. note I said some

I did not want to dignify those people because they claimed to speak for the left. Sadly, in America, they that scream loudest tend to define everything.