Everything And Nothing Changed

Before I say anything else, I’d like to recommend the following:

- This column by Marie Cocco and this column by Hendrik Hertzberg both put this day in the proper historical context as far as I’m concerned.

- This post by DarkSyde at The Daily Kos illustrates the failure of leadership that led to the events from five years ago that we remember today.

- This illustrates that, as with everything else, political considerations trump anything having to do with 9/11 for Bushco and their minions (and don’t think for a minute that you can fool the kids either).

- Both Americablog and Rising Hegemon tell the advertisers and the “merchants of pity” what they can do with their “Where Were You?” ads (I’m not saying that no one should discuss that today – I’m only saying that advertisers, marketers and other various manipulators out there should stay the hell out of the discussion - probably about four different hat tips owed to Atrios for the above)

As far as my own thoughts, feelings and emotions on that day, I got into a lot of that last year.

I have to admit that, slowly over time, this day has come to feel more and more normal to me once again. The first anniversary in 2002 was truly surreal. Nothing seemed to fit and everything felt out of balance, as if I’d continually forgotten to do something and what I did never quite seemed to feel right. More than anything, though, everything felt unresolved, as if I had more to do and I was gradually realizing that the issue of whether or not it actually would get done was out of my hands. I don’t know if that makes one bit of sense, but there you are.

But maybe coming to terms with this day is also balanced by the realization that we have not internalized enough what this day means in a matter that truly lends itself to action. Many of us will take our sense of introspection out of the closet, blow off the dust and parade our pieties everywhere we go today. And then tomorrow, it will be forgotten for a year (what I’d like to hear somebody ask, actually, is where were you on September 12th – how much did the events of that day really affect your family relationships, your relationships with your friends or co-workers, your knowledge of the world around you and your politics; I’m sorry, but I really don’t care about your thoughts and emotions, and they’re personal to you anyway and none of my business - I also don’t know if anyone else has asked that question).

Try this; I’m sure there are people out there who know the individual who was just named to host the Oscars next year and there are others who know how many passes recently acquired Eagles receiver Donté Stallworth caught yesterday in the win over Houston, but how many of those people know the names of their elected officials or the names of the main two factions of Islam vying for control of Iraq?

And here’s another one; how many people are flying flags today as opposed to five years ago?

In short, I’ve seen a lot of internalizing and “hunkering down” in this country (rabidly encouraged by all Repug and some Democratic politicians and political appointees who have a vested interest in keeping the people of this country ignorant), but I haven’t seen nearly enough people stepping back and saying “How the hell did this happen” and then following through and doing their best to make sure it doesn’t happen again.

Update: Speaking of "keeping the people of this country ignorant," I submit this.

George W. Bush neglected the war on terrorism (the real one). George W. Bush fought the formation of the 9/11 Commission. The Republican Congress hasn’t implemented most of the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission. We all know about the Iraq War.

As DarkSyde wondered, is this the leadership we deserve? It’s the leadership people like Cynthia Sneed deserves (I apologizing for staining the memory of this day with her presence), but I absolutely refuse to believe that people like her represent the majority of the people of this county (this poll shows some hope). If so, then we quite simply are doomed.

And once and for all, can we dispel this notion of shared sacrifice as a result of 9/11? That’s an insulting lie. The sacrifice has been borne in as disproportionate a manner as we can imagine by the families, friends and relatives of the victims of the attacks, to say nothing of our service people fighting the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The only other group of individuals I can think of who’ve had to bear a burden at this time (a larger group than our corporate media will ever identify) is those of us who’ve encountered a job loss or any kind of economic downturn which took place after the attacks.

Aside from that, try identifying anyone who has suffered from 9/11 (and the anthrax attacks that followed – will that be commemorated also?). Go ahead – I’ll wait.

As you ponder this, I should point out that Atrios said today that 9/11 “isn’t about (Bush), and unless you were in New York or Washington or were close to people who were directly affected, it's probably not about you either.” I can see where he’s coming from on this. To people like Cynthia Sneed, it is a cultural reference point and nothing more. To the people Atrios describes, it is a flesh-and-blood wound that will never completely heal.

And my eternal hope is that, one day, the former group of people will truly understand that about the latter group.

Update 9/12: I didn't expect Keith Olbermann to top his recent commentary about Rumsfeld, but he definitely managed to do so here.

Update 10/06: I just found this - Sting put things into perspective very well I thought.