being angry
Have you ever talked to a person that was glad about what happened five years ago? I just did. And it wasn’t like in the news where extremists are burning American flags in a rally in some far off place. I sat in a living room tonight and talked with him about it. He was happy that planes flew into buildings in my country and killed 3,000 people… and he really pissed me off.
In his opinion, we had it coming. It gave us a taste of what he sees his people go through everyday. A couple of buildings were hit and some people were killed so we cry? Look at the landscape of Lebanon right now, he said. Look at the way our unbridled support for Israel creates an image of the evil Palestinian and their illegitimate, savage lust for land. And how we’re prancing around singing about democracy… as long as people elect who we want them to. Look at how we’re ready to open the back door and sweep away any muddy footprints if you’ve got some oil for us. Somehow, we’re allowed to dictate those allowed to research and produce nuclear warheads—regardless of their prior record of war—and those who would violate clear international bounds by developing any sort of nuclear program. Not to mention, we just invaded and toppled a government for reasons still unclear, but all we’ve done is make a bloody mess of it, and we won’t stop. America is a bully and the Middle East is our playground. Why wouldn’t he hate us?
And while everyone else was sitting on their butts cursing America, Osama bin Ladin did something to send a message.
At first I was confused, because he kept referring to the “war” with America. I’m assuming that he meant all Arab people, because I pretty sure that we’re not at war with Egypt. Additionally, Arabs quite often view Israel and America as the same, so whatever grief has been caused by Israel is automatically pinned on us. Unfair? Maybe. Its another issue.
My response to this entire thing wraps up a lot of opinions and views that I’m still trying to work through…perspectives that are definitely challenging and at times, painful, and that are only just beginning to take shape. I could talk on and on about this and probably end up making little sense or settling in any conclusion, so allow me to vent shortly about why I’m proud to get mad for September 11th.
There are many theories to the causes, results, lessons learned and still left unlearned of that day. But stand back, especially on its anniversary, and look at what happened…remember it. I was lifeguarding that morning and heard it on the radio shortly after the first tower of the WTC was hit. I called my mom and told her to turn on the TV and find out what was really going on. For the rest of the day and most of that week, I watched the clips of enormous buildings crumbling to the ground, smoke and dust enveloping New York. I saw people jumping out of buildings and firemen do their duty in the reality of ultimate sacrifice. It was pretty horrifying. I saw Ground Zero just a few weeks ago and it’s a hole in the ground. This is my country, my home, and that security was violated.
All I see in the whole thing is hate and it does nothing but destroy. Its true that many places in the world it is a daily reality and I’m not about to pretend that I know the kind of suffering some people endure because of it. But one tragedy does not permit another. What kind of world is this that we would sit around and tally up our losses so to brush aside the suffering of anyone that might not even out to our own? Destruction fueled by hate leaves behind a wake so painful that it should anger me, whether it be a raped family in Darfur, a cleaned out Palestinian settlement, or a now fatherless family in New York City. Quite often I don’t realize this, or at least view it as such, because of the buffer of politics. Fighting and war are seen as passing headlines, while the value of people is being trampled to hell by comfort of ignorance or the stench of apathy. The difference for me is that the distance disappeared on September 11th and I felt it. I don’t have to apologize for feeling it more, but instead of responding with my own hate, I want to it open my eyes to the other destruction all around me…show me what in the world is happening and make me determined that it not continue.
Listen to me…I’m young and idealistic, huh?
So what? I hope I never change. I know that wars will continue and people will continue to die and suffering will not fade into world peace. Sin and hate will live on until God rescues us from it. But I am learning to live so I fight it…and I think the first step is making sure I can feel it. Hearing those words from my Arab friend give rise to something real inside me. May I direct this passion as a slap in the face, an eye opener, an inspiration to overcome evil with good. May the memory September 11th anger me to action.
In his opinion, we had it coming. It gave us a taste of what he sees his people go through everyday. A couple of buildings were hit and some people were killed so we cry? Look at the landscape of Lebanon right now, he said. Look at the way our unbridled support for Israel creates an image of the evil Palestinian and their illegitimate, savage lust for land. And how we’re prancing around singing about democracy… as long as people elect who we want them to. Look at how we’re ready to open the back door and sweep away any muddy footprints if you’ve got some oil for us. Somehow, we’re allowed to dictate those allowed to research and produce nuclear warheads—regardless of their prior record of war—and those who would violate clear international bounds by developing any sort of nuclear program. Not to mention, we just invaded and toppled a government for reasons still unclear, but all we’ve done is make a bloody mess of it, and we won’t stop. America is a bully and the Middle East is our playground. Why wouldn’t he hate us?
And while everyone else was sitting on their butts cursing America, Osama bin Ladin did something to send a message.
At first I was confused, because he kept referring to the “war” with America. I’m assuming that he meant all Arab people, because I pretty sure that we’re not at war with Egypt. Additionally, Arabs quite often view Israel and America as the same, so whatever grief has been caused by Israel is automatically pinned on us. Unfair? Maybe. Its another issue.
My response to this entire thing wraps up a lot of opinions and views that I’m still trying to work through…perspectives that are definitely challenging and at times, painful, and that are only just beginning to take shape. I could talk on and on about this and probably end up making little sense or settling in any conclusion, so allow me to vent shortly about why I’m proud to get mad for September 11th.
There are many theories to the causes, results, lessons learned and still left unlearned of that day. But stand back, especially on its anniversary, and look at what happened…remember it. I was lifeguarding that morning and heard it on the radio shortly after the first tower of the WTC was hit. I called my mom and told her to turn on the TV and find out what was really going on. For the rest of the day and most of that week, I watched the clips of enormous buildings crumbling to the ground, smoke and dust enveloping New York. I saw people jumping out of buildings and firemen do their duty in the reality of ultimate sacrifice. It was pretty horrifying. I saw Ground Zero just a few weeks ago and it’s a hole in the ground. This is my country, my home, and that security was violated.
All I see in the whole thing is hate and it does nothing but destroy. Its true that many places in the world it is a daily reality and I’m not about to pretend that I know the kind of suffering some people endure because of it. But one tragedy does not permit another. What kind of world is this that we would sit around and tally up our losses so to brush aside the suffering of anyone that might not even out to our own? Destruction fueled by hate leaves behind a wake so painful that it should anger me, whether it be a raped family in Darfur, a cleaned out Palestinian settlement, or a now fatherless family in New York City. Quite often I don’t realize this, or at least view it as such, because of the buffer of politics. Fighting and war are seen as passing headlines, while the value of people is being trampled to hell by comfort of ignorance or the stench of apathy. The difference for me is that the distance disappeared on September 11th and I felt it. I don’t have to apologize for feeling it more, but instead of responding with my own hate, I want to it open my eyes to the other destruction all around me…show me what in the world is happening and make me determined that it not continue.
Listen to me…I’m young and idealistic, huh?
So what? I hope I never change. I know that wars will continue and people will continue to die and suffering will not fade into world peace. Sin and hate will live on until God rescues us from it. But I am learning to live so I fight it…and I think the first step is making sure I can feel it. Hearing those words from my Arab friend give rise to something real inside me. May I direct this passion as a slap in the face, an eye opener, an inspiration to overcome evil with good. May the memory September 11th anger me to action.
posted by matt at 1:12 PM
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