posted
One year ago today I got out of work at six in the morning, tired and wired from another day in the shit-storm that is/was my job. I came home, put on some tunes, switched on the TV to some dull ass news network for background scenery, found my place in "The Lucifer Principle" and prepared to immerse myself in theoritical memetic engineering until I fell asleep.
So, I happened to be occasionally glancing at CNN over pages explaining the dangers of certain virual memes when something happening in New York caught my attention at about eight in the morning, central time...
I believe every human being on planet earth that can access the news media knows the rest of what happened that morning.
It's been a year, folks. I'm not one to sound the call for patriotism, or ask for fake sympathy from a world that general despises this country, for reasons real or imagined. I'm not going to sit here and ask anybody to light a fucking candle or even hold a moment of silence for people they didn't know.
All I know is that a whole lot of people died a year ago today. All I know is that one year ago today I was scared for family and friends in New York City, even though none of them works or lives that close to the WTC.
All I know is that today actually holds a special place in this cynical heart of mine.
Not because of American pride, or any memetically programmed sense of National Unity.
Today is special because a large number of people (nearly equal to the total population of many of the small towns I grew up in) died in a way that nobody of any nation, religion, gender, race, creed or smart-ass attitude should ever have to fear dying like.
And when I start thinking that, I start thinking that maybe Sept. 11th shouldn't just be a day of mourning and rememberance for America. Perhaps, just perhaps, it should be a day of mourning and rememberance for the entire world. To remember the horrors of war, of genocides, of atrocities commited across the slow crawl of history by Evil Men. From the Holocaust to the rape you heard happened two streets over last week, from the suicide bombers to the children who take guns to schools and shoot other kids. Let it encompass the entire lexicon of savage deeds. A day for remembering Terror, Loss, grief, and agony.
I say: Why not? We have days of celebration all the time. Perhaps it is time that we have a day of damnation, damning not only the men who commit heinous acts, but damning the very nature of man that allows these things to occur.
And why not on Sept 11th? It's still fresh...and though there have been things that dwarf it in terms of magnitude, it holds a memetic power that is undenable.
I dunno. Maybe it's a stupid idea. Maybe...
Anyway. Happy September 11th, folks.
Registered: Jan 2001
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posted
Yeah, it's memetic, all right. Two weeks ago at the library, everything was due 11. Sep. I had to start telling people their stuff was due on simply "the eleventh", because saying "September eleventh" didn't sound real. The words "September eleventh" have been used over and over and over so often in the media during the past year to refer specifically to 11. Sep. 2001, that it doesn't sound like a normal date anymore. Fucking media.
Registered: Mar 1999
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posted
Hmmm.....a day to remember and mourn. We could even call it......Rememberance Day
Registered: Mar 1999
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Saltah'na
Chinese Canadian, or 75% Commie Bastard.
Member # 33
posted
I was thinking that 9/11 would be designated a national holiday of sorts. Maybe that wasn't such a great idea.
It's hard not to think about all this going on right now.
Anyways, though there is going to be a lot of mourning in the U.S., there is going to be a measure of celebration. No, not the terrorists (though I am curious on how "the other side" perceives this anniversary), but in places like Gander, Newfoundland, in Canada. If you recall last year, after the attacks, many flights were diverted to Canadian cities after American airspace was cleared. Gander, Newfoundland, got the largest, even though the population was around 10,000 people. Take a look.
It's actually going to be a celebration of unity, and humanity. Not such a bad idea, eh?
One other thing: I hope that the cermonies marking the event do not exclude or ridicule a certain group of people who have been wrongly maligned since last year. And I'm not talking about the terrorists.
RANT: And we didn't get even a thank you from GWB.
-------------------- "And slowly, you come to realize, it's all as it should be, you can only do so much. If you're game enough, you could place your trust in me. For the love of life, there's a tradeoff, we could lose it all but we'll go down fighting...." - David Sylvian FreeSpace 2, the greatest space sim of all time, now remastered!
Registered: Mar 1999
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Shik
Starship database: completed; History of Starfleet: done; website: probably never
Member # 343
posted
They tell us there are only two sides to be on If you are on our side you're right if not you're wrong But are we innocent, paragons of good? Is our guilt erased by the pain that we've endured?
Hey look it's time to pledge allegiance Oh god I love my dirty Uncle Sam Our country's marching in the beat now And we must learn to step in time
Where is the questioning where is the protest song? Since when is skepticism un-American? Dissent's not treason but they talk like it's the same Those who disagree are afraid to show their face
Let's break out our old machines now It sure is good to see them run again Oh gentlemen start your engines And we know where we get the oil from
Are you feeling alright now Paint myself all red white blue Are you singing let's fight now Innocent people die, uh oh There are reason to unite Is this why we unite? If you hate this time Remember we are the time!
Show you love your country go out and spend some cash Red white blue hot pants doing it for Uncle Sam Flex our muscles show them we're stronger than the rest Raise your hands up baby are you sure that we're the best?
We'll come out with our fists raised The good old boys are back on top again And if we let them lead us blindly The past has become the future once again. --"Combat Rock," Sleater-Kinney
-------------------- "The French have a saying: 'mise en place'—keep everything in its fucking place!"
Registered: Jun 2000
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Cartman
just made by the Presbyterian Church
Member # 256
posted
I can only hope this day won't be apprehended to further fertilize the soil hate thrives on. Want to fight terrorism? Then uproot the cause, damn it!
Not that it matters, of course. I'm not unconditionally with you, so I must be against you. And what possible good is my inconsequential contribution anyway? After all, Me == Socialist == Bad == RagHead == CamelFucker == terrorist sympathizer.
Fuck it. Wish I had a stronger command of English. Can't find the right words to express myself.
Besides which, sharing my remaining thoughts would condemn this thread to spend the rest of its existence in the FB. Suffice it to say they concern... sensitive issues surrounding this day of remembrance that I take great affront to.
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted
I don't think its a good idea to make the day a holiday. Kids'll look forward to 9/11 because they get a day off of school! And it will be spent throwing the football around, or commanding fleets or armies in combat.
capped
I WAS IN THE FUTURE, IT WAS TOO LATE TO RSVP
Member # 709
posted
I was going to start a thread last night, but fell asleep early.
The major networks have all decided to be very careful not to re-air film of the events unfolding ad nauseum, for fear of hurting the viewers emotions. I heard that and said 'good'
Then i watched Nova last night, since my grandparents only watch PBS. It was about the construction of the Towers and why they collapsed the way they did. They showed EVERYTHING.. in slo-mo. Purely from a construction standpoint, showing the impacts close up, in slow motion, over and over. It was from a scientific standpoint, analyzing trajectories and locations and the so on, but it was one of the most sobering things ive watched, especially since i wasnt expecting to put myself thruogh viewing it again.
This morning, i was flipping stations while driving, and about 8:40 the Boston top 40 station (which i switched to because the 80s station doesnt come in in northern RI) stopped their bland chatter, and said the anniversary was approaching and said 'and now, here is the President' I EXPECTED to hear one of the many speeches he'll be making today. Instead, they played a string of sound bites from last year when the President was calling for us to band together and fight. If ever the media was used as a tool for an asshole war effort was here. On the aniversary of death, they played PROPAGANDA for WAR. Motherfuckers. Its the most shameful thing I've ever experienced. I switched to a better station, WBRU (local and college oriented), who had a moment of silence and a reminder that things were going to be OK. Thats what i listened to at 8:46. Im still sickened what came out of the large media outlet.
By the way, my grandparents are sickened too. They said last time they had a leader calling for war so voraciously was the 1930s. Yes, they compared Bush to that guy. (and they have firsthand experience.. they were there).
Watching the towers fall, my grandmother said that people would get more used to buildings toppling when they did so every day, like it happened when she was young and the cities of her homeland were bombed by U.S. forces.
Lovely way to start the day.
[ September 11, 2002, 07:19: Message edited by: Capped In Mic ]
Registered: Sep 2001
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capped
I WAS IN THE FUTURE, IT WAS TOO LATE TO RSVP
Member # 709
posted
You didn't really mean to type 'you are' there, did you? its a little more grammer than the possessive term I would have used. To each his own, I'm just saying the apostrophes and extra letters are just more work in the long run.
Registered: Sep 2001
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posted
I'm choosing to spend today not looking at the politics of what's going on. And that's hard considering Dick Cheney is supposed to be on Rush Limbaugh's radio program today, and George Bush will probably be outlining our need to go to war with Iraq again in his speech from the Statue of Liberty. There'll be time to think about the politic aspects tomorrow; today is for the people.
I started today at a memorial service on-campus. I just felt the need to be there in spite of the fact that I am not religious and only know one person who was directly affected by the terrorist attacks. I guess I'm just hoping that whatever little bit of love I can show today might help ease was hate did a year ago.
Since the memorial service and moment of silence, I've been at work, but I've been spending more time thinking back a year ago than sifting through r�sum�s and cleaning up the database. I remember that I woke up just as the first plane hit, and I was showering as the second plane hit. It wasn't until I got to my first class that I learned what was happening. The rest of that was spent in front of the television in the cafeteria or in my dorm room. And I still remember how eery it was to not hear any airplanes flying overheard that night.
For the past couple weeks, I've been watching the September 11th documentaries on The Learning/Discovery/History Channels. Construction histories of the Pentagon and World Trade Center and their destruction. It never fails to stir up the emotions I experienced last year as I think about the thousands who died.
Registered: Mar 1999
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posted
Harry, with pieces of rubble of course... little airplanes.... maybe some GI Joe and Barbie body parts... parts of police cars and fire engines... Things of this nature.
-------------------- "You are a terrible human, Ritten." Magnus "Urgh, you are a sick sick person..." Austin Powers A leek too, pretty much a negi.....
Registered: Sep 2000
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capped
I WAS IN THE FUTURE, IT WAS TOO LATE TO RSVP
Member # 709
posted
I think 9/11 should definitely be a holiday. How would we prevent it from happening again if we don't remember it? What does it matter if kids look forward to a day off school if we make 'em learn what it's about? What if someone has their birthday on 9/11? Are they not supposed to celebrate because it's "disrespectable"?
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