9/11...

Momentarily putting aside the politics that have since torn us all apart on EVERY issue, Americans are all mourning the events of September 11th, events that have left an indelible impression in our hearts and minds no matter our race, class, religious affiliation or political position.  This has all been said before and it's been readdressed over and over again the type of citizens we were on September 12th, as in "unified."

I spent that day at work, hearing news updates as they happened, but trying to keep my mind off of it.  The second plane hit maybe two minutes after I began watching the news and the burst of flame that shot across the New York skyline from the south Tower's side has stayed with me.  I kept myself occupied until well after 5PM that day, driving home in a daze and then meeting up with a few friends at the neighborhood bar so we could sort of ponder what had happened and really consider the weight of America's attack.  I'd be lying if I said that the subsequent appropriation of 9/11 as a political tool didn't activate in me a rather bitter and cynical outlook and reaction to the event, but in its essence this is about people: The people who died, the people who've lost loved ones, the people that sacrificed themselves to save others and the people who stood up and did the best they could to help.  Anyone that's taken this event and twisted it into a reason to hate or exploited it so as to discriminate, harass, kill or promote some lucrative ideology to better suit one's philosophies (political, religious or otherwise) is no better than the tragedy's architects.  Hatred, for any reason, leads to destruction and I believe this to be the lesson of 9/11.

Yo-Yo Ma performed Bach's "Sarabande" during today's memorial ceremony and I find this piece of music much more fitting than anything Toby Keith or Darryl Worley had to contribute.  The only way we can work through chaos, is to find enough serenity to approach every problem with a clear head, observe the situation and try and work together to solve problems.  This is of course just my opinion. 

Ten years.  Unreal.



Sincerely,
Letters From A Tapehead

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