Nine years gone by and it's still at the front of everyone's mind when we hear a plane flying lower than normal. 108 months we have spent worrying about al-Qaeda, anthrax, Abu Ghraib, enemy combatants in Guantanamo, the cost and supply of oil, and the safety of our friends and loved ones deployed in military service. 468 weeks we have spent planning, executing and analyzing our military actions in Afghanistan and, unfortunately, Iraq. 3285 days in which we have had the opportunity to make researched, educated decisions for our own protection and to benefit the global community.
Yet even after all that time, the ignorance and knee-jerk reactions to Muslim people, people who are simply of Middle Eastern descent, and people who may just look like they are from that part of the world has probably increased. Prior to September 11th, I think that most people thought little to nothing about the Middle East. Our first war in Iraq was a distant, hazy memory to the general public and only a small percentage of the population had ever heard of Osama bin Laden. Now all of this is common knowledge, but the spread of misinformation, truth tainted by emotion and outright lies has dominated the headlines and airwaves and the hearts and minds of the majority of our citizens.
Take, for example just the last few months and weeks. Terry Jones (who I refused to dignify with the title of Reverend) and his dingbat church in Florida love America so much that they want to burn 200 copies of the Qur'an on 9.11, despite being warned by the military and by the secretary of state and the President that this will result in retaliation against Americans abroad. Way to go, numb-nuts. That is some true patriotism if ever I saw it. Now this class "A"
loon is in NYC to see what he can do to influence that particular situation.
Could we remember that it was a perception of us as intolerant that lead the Islamic extremists (some need reminding that these were not your average, everyday Muslims that perpetrated the attacks) to careen into Manhattan. Could we look back on this tragic day and use it as an opportunity to heal wounds and remember that we are all human beings who need to treat each other with respect and understanding? Could we possibly, just for once, take the high road and not stoop to the same reactionary bullshit that facilitated this event in the first place? No no no no no. Instead, we are going to look like a bunch of ignoramuses who are unable to embrace anything outside our own experience.
With that in mind, we here at I Hope You're not Squeamish say build mosques in NYC. Build them 100 stories tall and thirty city blocks wide. What better way to say to the world, "We know that the individuals associated with 9/11 are not representative of the Muslim world in general." There is no doubt that this will not sit well with some survivors of the September 11th attacks or their families or their friends. There will be some hostility and some deeply hurt feelings and all those feelings are perfectly justified. No one, not President Obama, not Mayor Bloomberg, not ol' Mikey Squeamish wants to do anything to diminish or tarnish the memories of those who died in New York, Washington DC and Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
But I can think of no fate better for Ground Zero than to be shrine, a beacon that shines throughout the United States and the world, for tolerance, understanding and peace. Despite the fact that our President and most of our government urge the American public to use today to reflect on the tragedy of September 11th, 2001, and to use those feelings to try to rekindle the spirit of unity we all felt that afternoon, we are only as strong as our weakest parts. If what the world sees are a group of Americans that are united by a blind hatred of Islam, a slice of the citizenry that uses 9/11 to perpetuate racism and bigotry,
that will continue to be our legacy. Is that how we want our children and our children's children to remember us?
I would argue that in the course of American history, September 11th may go down as a more influential event than Pearl Harbor, the two of which it is almost impossible not to compare. However, following Pearl Harbor, the United States entered into the already on going World War II, with the full support of its citizens and the approval of most of our allies. 9/11 has only seen the country more deeply divided than ever--Tea Party versus bleeding heart, red state versus blue state, the richest of the rich versus the the poorest of the poor. George W. Bush and Barack Obama will both be remembered as controversial Presidents that were detested by half the country.
We must, must, must move
forward from here. When the 10th anniversary comes around next year, the whole world will be watching. We must choose our words and actions wisely and be an example for people everywhere that from the ashes of tragedy can come true unity, and that patriotism is not an excuse for hatred and ignorance, but a path that leads to the benefit of all.
Night Birds
