I hate 9/11. I hate that it happened, but more than that I hate the way it's remembered.
I hate that the media made it a frenzy of fear and defiance and righteousness and an annual ratings party. I hate that a lot of Americans confused patriotism with arrogance, and that despite the love for our fellow man that was in the air in the days following, our country ended up as divided as I've ever seen it in the years since. I hate that 9/11 gave Bush momentum and got us in a war that has so far claimed the lives of more than:
- 4,330+ American soldiers
- 304 soldiers from other countries
- 1,395 civilian employees
- 423 Iraqi academics
- 139 working journalists
- 100,000+ Iraqi civilians
I hate that still, 8 years later, there is a hole in Lower Manhattan that I will see for the third time in my life in a couple months, a hole that isn't helping that amazing city heal. I hate to think about the horror those people who were on those planes felt before they died. I hate that their fear was transferred to the people who jumped out of the World Trade Center to avoid burning to death. I hate that the workers who swept up that mess are living with a lasting lung disease and god only knows what kind of nightmares. I hate that they still don't have free, unconditional access to comprehensive health care.
Talk about a boot in the ass.
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1 comment:
I completely agree with you. As soon as those buildings came down I said that we should just build them back agian. That, I think, would have shown the world a better example than going to war. That would have also gave a memento to those who had fallen.
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