Haply I may remember and haply may forget
I have mixed feelings about remembering the tragedies of five years ago, or rather, how we remember September 11. While part of me sobs (literally) for the losses, for the devastation, for the ruin of that day, another part is so angry about how it has been used and that part hates that we are using the memory of these people, these ordinary people, to justify going to war. My stomach roils when George W. Bush delivers his pasty platitudes of sorrow, solidarity and Christian (ha!) righteousness. I listened to coverage of the ceremony at ground zero this morning on my way back from driving Daniel to school and was tossed like a used handkerchief from feeling honest sorrow in the moment of silence while the bells tolled to mark the moment the first plane crashed to such infuriated revulsion at George Bush that I nearly lost control of the car and had to guiltily switch the radio off.
Of course we must remember those who lost their lives this day. But we must also remember all those who have lost their lives since this day, in Iraq and in Darfur and throughout the world as our human inhumanity rakes claws across the surface of this our earth and leaves deep, deathly trenches. I cry for the destruction wrought by the hijackers and for the collapse of a piece of my childhood city, but I cry as well for that which created people who could do this.
I think we remember best by trying to live best, by steeling ourselves to meet whatever comes with kindness and peace. I hope we remember by teaching our children tolerance and love. I hope we remember by being a tiny piece of what will make the world better.
Awesome Stuntmother. I couldn’t have said it better myself.
This, along with Twitches poems on the subject (see the Twitching Line), should be on the desk of every member of Congress, the House, the Senate, and nailed to the White House door.
Wow. Over breakfast this morning, I was having exactly that conversation, minus the uplifting ending. That was exactly what I needed for some feeling of resolution. Thanks.
You might like the song “If I Give Your Name” by Emma’s Revolution–as well as all their music. This song won the Pete Seegar award and lots of others. It is about illegal immigrant workers killed in the towers. Very powerful song. You can hear parts on Amazon–and you can listen to all of it from their website:
http://emmasrevolution.com/music.cfm?area=one
You are a better, stronger woman than I–I avoided listening to any of the president’s speechifying yesterday.
I felt the same way. It’s like being marketed at, for lack of your way with words. I went about my day without watching or listening to a single thing said by news or especially political machines. I remember how I felt that day. I don’t need them to try to use those feelings to justify their ends – those ends which are unjustifiable.
Very well put. It is difficult to reconcile the raw, true feelings I have for the events of 9/11 with the feelings I have whenever a member of our current regime talks about 9/11, or terrorism, or anything else that they have found to link to the attacks.