The Obligatory 9/11 Post

I’ve already weighed in on this anniversary here and here, and though I cannot imagine ever running out of words to say about it, I think I’ve exhausted a lot of points that I’ve already tried to make. And Ezra Klein today here (via Atrios) captured a lot of what I’d had in mind.

The first linked post above was written in 2005, where I recounted a lot of my own remembrances from the day it all happened. The second post is a bunch of “macro” level observations about what I think about this day in general and what people choose to make of it (and I probably was colder than I should have been when I said that I didn’t care about people’s thoughts and emotions; sorry about that, but I was just particularly fed up with the usual pontificating from the usual suspects; I’m sure if Rudy Giuliani could trademark the numbers “9/11,” he would).

And I would just like to reemphasize that I think it is utter crap when people who spend a good part of their time and energy trying to belittle others and ridicule their thoughts and attitudes without bothering to understand them suddenly tell us on this day that “9/11 changed everything, we should all hold hands and get along, fa la la” (and by the way, individuals of an extremely diverse mix of religions and ethnicities perished on this day, not just Christians).

But to return to the positive in this (hard to find, I’ll admit), I also thought this was a good post on the subject from the Daily Kos blogger wiscmass, who captures what really matters the most, and that of course is the victims.

And speaking of dwelling on what really matters, I should point out that I recently visited the 9-11 Garden of Reflection in Lower Makefield, Pa. As I approached eastbound on Woodside Rd. from Lindenhurst, a row of flags atop telephone poles appeared, marking the entrance approach. And as you enter, a garden actually appears off to the right, growing tomatoes, zucchini, and other produce.

After a very slight rise, you approach the circular grass cutout that marks the entrance, with the last I-beam recovered from the World Trade Center mounted in the middle. From there, the circular walkway around the twin fountains appears, permitting a casual stroll past a gray stone marker on the left for the victims (collectively) and one on the right for those who donated their time and money to the project.

The walk on the circular path can be finished in about 15 minutes or so, and at a few points, there are twin sets of metal benches if you want to rest and “turn on the quiet.” There are 17 maple trees dotted along the path, one for each of the victims who came from Bucks County, Pa.

I spoke with a man named Skip who is the chief landscaper for the site, and he told me that plans to develop the garden are ongoing, and will be for some time. A grove of about 150 trees had been planted extending to a berm near the rest area about an eighth of a mile from Woodside Rd., and large patches of grass will be re-sodded shortly.

Eventually, the garden will truly be a park, which it is in parts at this moment. I noted two volleyball courts with young kids getting ready for a game, as well as a man walking a Great Dane around the parking lot. So, in addition to a fine place to contemplate the victims of that day where we can gather our thoughts in respect, the garden is also a place that represents everyday life and normalcy, a sign that we will continue as before.

In a bit of karma, I felt that I had captured in my mind all I could of this place just at the moment the black van with big white letters that spelled “FOX TV NEWS” showed up. At that point, I knew for certain that it was time to leave and “return to the world” once more.

Oh, and by the way, perhaps in another lifetime, Stu Bykofsky will apologize for this.