and a little bit of anger
"Where were you when..."
A common question asked throughout the generations. It is most usually asked in reference to tragedies. History is overfull of great tragedies that bring people back to the very place they were standing when it happened. In my Grandfather's generation it was the crash of Wall Street in '29, the attack on Pearl Harbor, the surrender of Japan.
My Father recalls the assassination of JFK as if it were yesterday. He knew where he was, who he was with and what he felt as the news washed over him.
For me, I remember the Nixon resignation, the Challenger disaster, the Oklahoma CIty and first World Trade Center bombing as if it were yesterday. Outrage, anger, horror, dread and general disappointment in the human race have hit me and countless others throughout history and unfortunately this trend will continue. History has shown that just when you think you have seen the worst of people, you will see it trumped by further savagery and inhumanity.
But no event has ever, and I doubt this will be surpassed, been etched into my mind like the events that occurred three years ago today. The scenario of that day has been replayed in my head countless times and the cocktail of emotions that hit me like a Snumami. Disbelief; revulsion at the loss of life; awe at the scale of the destruction; fear for the safety of my two friends who I knew were departing from Logan that morning; nausea from the impact of the carnage; the hard reality of watching a Navy Jet scream over head chasing a small craft that must not have heeded the warnings about landing immediately; and dread for the future. Because at that moment there were so many things I didn't know about the future. But I did know, with the conviction of Moses, that the world would never, ever be the same.
As I begin this final segment of my blog it is exactly 8:46 AM. The moment that the first plane slammed into the North Tower. With a misty eye I write this paragraph, attempting to avoid drama and sentimentality. Because lets face it, we are all a little worn from it after three years. Instead of waxing poetic about the strength of the human spirit. Instead of frenetic flag-waving to stimulate patriotism. Without vitriolic diatribes against the religion that is shared by those who committed the most heinous of crimes; those against the innocent civilian. Instead I will ask of anyone and everyone:
Do you feel today what you did three years ago today?
Are you angry, patriotic, xenophobic, charitable, neurotic, terified or genuinely scared for the future?
I'll tell you what I feel. I feel just as mad, uncertain and disgusted with the capacity for cruelty by humans upon other humans as I did three years ago. And for those who have changed their tune, have lost their passion and generally feel that things will be just fine...may I direct your attention to Russia please?
Wheres the outrage?
May all of the wonderful people who have lost their lives because they were living their lives rest in peace and harmony. May their families and friends make peace with their loss. May the world realize that there are bad people who must be stopped before more peaceful people die. And may any man who sees a man or woman supporting his family; a beautiful six year old child pleading for his mother; or a baby strapped into a car seat on a commercial airliner as a legitimate target to advance your warped political or religious agenda...may that person be handed the ultimate societal or religious punishment. As long as that involves the consequence of painful death.
Some see the world as it should be, I see it as it really is.
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