9/11 Purge

[taerowyn]

OK, I gotta get this outta my system.

I avoid the TV images as much as possible, but sitting down at breakfast this morning the paper confronted me. I read the comics, the editorials and scanned the local and national news. Everywhere was 9/11. There was even a special section soley on 9/11. Just the cover made me tear up.

Into the car. Conveniently started my commute at about 6:45 MT so got the sound clip montage of the attacks, W's speech and the moment of silence. Tears. They played John Lennon's "Love is Real." Tears. They played Sting's "Fragile" and I was brought back to that night when I saw him sing it. Tears. Switched stations. They began to read the names of the victims with a bell tolling for each name. I made it through three. Tears.

Work now. Even the computer is bombarding me with images. Heartfelt sentiments on LJ, heartless products on email, rants against the governemnt, against observances, against grief. Excuse me?!?

Yes, 9/11 has been grossly commercialized and people have been desensitized. Yes, greed has taken over in the hearts of some. Yes, the flag and "United We Stand" have been over-used and over-shown and over-done and become as trite as the golden arches and "Where's the beef?" Yes, this atrocity is being used an excuse to commit more and more atrocities everyday. But to complain that "Everyone was doing their very best to look somber and sad" trivializes something that in most cases is true grief.

I grieve.

No, I wasn't in NY, DC, or PA. I thank my lucky stars that I don't know anybody who was lost in NY, DC, or PA. But you know what? I still grieve!

I grieve for the lives lost that day.

I grieve for the misguided souls who sacrificed themselves for their hatred.

I grieve for the people standing in line to do the same thing.

I grieve for the people who died because of what this country is.

I grieve for the fact that this country isn't what it could/should be.

I grieve for the people who have hijacked the hijackings to support their own misguided goals.

I grieve for the loss of a sense of security since that day.

I grieve for the loss of freedoms since that day.

I grieve for the children who are being raised to hate the US.

I grieve for the children who are being raised to hate Arabs.

I grieve for the children who are being raised to hate.

For countless reasons I grieve. I can hold back the tears for now, but I know they will return and I will grieve.

Comments

rememberance

[eeyorekdm.livejournal.com]

I watched a little TV, more out of respect and rememberance for those who died. Almost like attending a funeral, not a pleasant experience, but you do it for the people left behind, not those who died. I know no one could see me sitting in my kitchen watching the news or listening to the radio, but... I turned it off as soon as it got to the what we could've/would've/should've done, changes in flight sercurity, to fight - not to fight commentaries. I just wanted to have a little bit of quiet to remember those lost. I luckily didn't loose anyone that horrible day either, but I almost did and that made me even sadder and wanted to remember those lost even more. As far as the flag thing, I see it more as a way for people to do something when they really dont' know what else to do. I do agree that some industries are commercializing this too much and that just makes me sick.