As I am sure most everyone is aware (at least those who live in the United States) the anniversary of the September 11th attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon is quickly approaching.
To refresh your memory (as if anyone could forget that day) on September 11th, 2001, four commercial airliners were hijacked by a number of terrorists. Two of these planes were crashed into the World Trade Center (one for each tower), one dived into the Pentagon, and the forth crashed into the ground in Pennsylvania (I personally believe it was headed for the White House).
It was shocking and terrible to watch as the World Trade Center towers collapsed, one by one, killing thousands (at the time we believed it was tens of thousands) and bringing destruction and misery to the great city of New York (and the rest of America and the civilized world).
In the days and weeks following that day millions of people commiserated on the internet, sharing their emotions and feelings with the entire planet. Some people (myself included) created websites full of graphics and articles, others made flash movies, and still others generated countless graphic images. The burst of activity actually brought many web hosts to their knees, and produced bandwidth bills of staggering amounts.
As with most things in life, time heeled the wounds and people slowly forgot and returned to their daily routine. The United States struck back, with mixed effectiveness, and the various and sundry (and highly predictable) trials, tribunals, and finger-pointing matches began. These continue to this day, to the backdrop of a people who are still wounded, grieving and unhappy, because the obvious enemy (Ben Ladin and Al Quada) was allowed to get away (or escaped) at Tora Bora.
As we get closer to the anniversary of this event, the question comes to mind: what will you do to memorialize this tragedy? Regardless of your views about the United States, the west, the Middle-East or whatever, do you have plans to put up remembrances of those who died and suffered? Or do you just desire to let the whole thing fade from memory?
I am an American and whether or not I agree with my country's response to this event, the event itself was barbaric beyond understanding. Many thousands of people died, tens of thousands more were wounded and/or left homeless, and millions were shocked to the depths of their beings.
Will I put up a memorial to those lost on this terrible day where the insane, hateful, spiteful and criminal animals on this planet proved they could get in a hit to civilized humankind? Of course. Because it was a strike against humankind and civilization - these pitiful creatures picked the WORLD trade center for a reason. They declared war on the world and on all humankind at the same time.
So my memorial will not be about the United States or America or patriotism or anything like that. It's about civilized humans, reeling from an attack by vicious dogs. It will state that civilized beings work out their grievances, make compromises and work together. All humans (except for the insane criminals) can get along, can work with one another to common objectives and can lead fruitful and happy lives. They don't have to kill one another because they are not getting their way.
My memorial will be small and to the point: people died who should not have died that day. People who, in general, were innocent of the geopolitical roots and had nothing to do with anything significant except that they were in the wrong place at the wrong time.
The world was struck by the insane psychiatric rejects on that fateful day. It's time the rational people throughout the world showed their solidarity and stood up to be counted.
Unless otherwise noted, all photos and text is Copyright © Richard G Lowe, Jr.