May we Never Forget
I will apologize in advance for the length of this, and the seriousness of this, but I feel compelled to share my experience and my thoughts on all this. On the one hand, I hope this isn't disturbing, yet on the other hand, maybe it needs to be. (And I hope this all makes sense, since I am still very much a zombie.)
As many of you know, I was in NY last week and I watched the World Trade Center towers burn from the IBI office windows. I watched the first tower fall and then the wind, for just one second, blew the dust and smoke out of the way... and as I stood there and saw only one tower standing...well... a part of me died that day, as it did for many others... knowing that thousands had to still be in that building as it fell. Knowing that the NY skyline and NY itself will never be the same, nor will the rest of us. Knowing that people filled with so much hate and so little regard for human life, do exist. I could not believe my eyes. I could not believe that anyone could do such a thing. I couldn't believe it was real...such horrors, just do not happen in America. It was frightening.
I was in NY for the rest of the week. While I was there, I saw people banding together; talking to each other as friends and neighbors, even though we were strangers. I saw long lines of people wanting to give blood and volunteering to help. I saw the American flag flying everywhere and people chanting "USA" and singing the National Anthem. I didn't realize so many people even KNEW the National Anthem. I saw people, for once putting their families and friends ahead of work and making a buck. I went down to the area where the volunteers were entering and exiting "ground zero" and stood beside total strangers waving flags, cheering and applauding those who are working so hard to rescue whoever they can. I saw trucks full of twisted metal that once was the World Trade Center. I saw candlelight vigils and impromptu shrines all over. I shared a cab with a volunteer who came in from New Jersey on her day off to help out. She is one of many who will be trying to identify the dead using the scraps of clothing, bits of teeth and dental work, and body parts that are found. I saw outpourings of caring like I have never seen before. We are united and we care!
And then it happens...not even 48 hours later, people pose as volunteers, only to loot from the businesses and the people who have already lost so much. A woman went to "ground zero" saying her husband called her from his cell phone to say he was alive and he was with 10-15 others on what used to be the lower level of Tower 1. She sent dozens of rescue workers into a frenzie and had them digging through the rubble, no longer heeding safety precautions. They just wanted to get to the survivors as quickly as possible. It was a hoax. Her husband was not in the debris...she's not even married. People calling senior citizens and posing as a legitimate telemarketing firm, soliciting donations. It's a horrible scam to cheat the elderly and take advantage of people who really care. People calling in bomb threats all over the city...over 70 in one day. One of those was to my office building, and again I cannot describe the terror... 'cuz by this time we knew all too well that it COULD happen. I return to Cincy and I am talking with a guy who is talking about "those rag heads" and "all the foreigners in NY" and "ship 'em all back" etc. I, not so very calmly, educated him on the fact that most of those people he is talking badly about appreciate the freedoms the USA provides them far more than most of us...and they appreciated it before the tragedy on Tuesday. Similarly I hear of people harassing Muslims and Arabs who had nothing to do with this tragedy. Their only crime is their heritage. Yet, people, under the guise of "patriotism" condemn them. These false patriots have already forgotten what America is all about.
So, what's my point? I guess it's this. We're all on the band wagon of patriotism and caring about each other...now. We're all helping out however we can by giving blood and donating food, money, whatever. (My mom told me about a homeless person who gave his cup of coins to the Red Cross.) We are all keeping the wounded; the dead; and the families of the dead in our prayers. And some of us are praying again for the first time in years. In fact it's being encouraged by our leaders...what a change....can you imagine the outrage from some if President Bush had called a "day of prayer" two weeks ago for no reason other than it's a good thing to do? I expect the churches to be full this weekend, as if it were Christmas. This is all very awesome and I hope everyone does give generously and I hope everyone does proudly display the American Flag and I hope everyone does volunteer and go to church. And I hope even more that OUR "resolve" to help, love, care, and pray will last past Halloween.
As I look back to what I saw on Tuesday, I pray that I can some day forget that horrible nightmare. That I can someday see a plane; or a scrap of metal; or my pictures of NY without feeling the pain and crying all over again...to be able to hear a siren or even see a dusty hard hat without a flood of terrifying memories taking over. In my heart I know that time will heal the pain; however I also pray that time will never let any of us forget:
1) The need to pray...no matter what higher power you pray to. (When was the last time you prayed, or took time out to go to church?)
2) The pride for our country. (How many times did you fly your flag last year? Or maybe you didn't even have a flag before this week.)
3) The desire to help those in need. (When was the last time you called the Red Cross to volunteer, or called Hoxworth to give blood?)
4) That all human life is precious, and all humans deserve respect, no matter what their gender, race, religion, etc. (I agree that those responsible should be held accountable for their crimes, but let's make damn sure we're punishing the guilty and not the innocent, or we ourselves become the guilty.)
I am not preaching...I am as guilty as anyone else. However I am asking you to join me in a resolve to truly stay "United" and to continue to pray, care, love, and be proud to be American long after the hype is over.
And in closing, I'd like to quote an editorial from yesterday's New York Times, written by Amos Oz, a Palestinian who is one of "...the vast majority of Muslems or Arabs who are neither accomplices to the crime, nor rejoicing in it." He writes, " Let us remember: neither the West nor Islam nor the Arabs is evil or 'The Great Satan.' 'The Great Satan' is personified in hatred and fanaticism. These two ancient mental failings still plague us. Let us be very careful, not to be infected."
Lori