I was gazing longingly at Mr. Clements, the first of my many English-teacher-crushes, as he lectured about how Joseph Campbell's hero/quest motif applied to The Lion King, when I heard the static buzz of the loudspeaker.
"Attention students and faculty. It is with great sorrow that I deliver this announcement..."
Several of my classmates reacted immediately. Tears streamed down their cheeks, they hugged each other. I felt frozen at my desk, searching Mr. Clements’ eyes for some clue as to how I was supposed to respond.
I couldn't process the grief so quickly, couldn't fathom the enormity of the disaster from one solemn loudspeaker announcement. After a few minutes of sitting silently, I left for the makeshift "crisis center" set up in our high school library. I called my father, a professor at City College, which was close enough for me to worry. I was relieved to hear his voice. The librarians gave me fruit punch and pretzels. I didn't understand how fruit punch and pretzels would make anything better.
The news frenzy did not seem real. It took months and a trip to ground zero, before it even somewhat settled in. Meanwhile, in my conservative suburban town, American flags sprung up on every minivan, and study hall conversation turned to war, killing “them,” and later, “killing those Iraqis.” I was sad to see one act of misguided hatred bring on more (both geographically and sentimentally) misguided hatred.
I’d like to think that now we are moving--albeit slowly, to a place of better understanding.
I’d like to think that now we are moving--albeit slowly, to a place of better understanding.
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9 Comments:
That was a great post.
I also was so upset at how so many of us americans turned into "kill all of them" mode. So stupid. Hearing crap like bomb them and wipe all of the iraqi/muslim,etc off the map.
another great post. short and sweet.
i hope we're moving toward that understanding as well, and i'm glad you brought it up.
To begin, I like your blog. I happened upon it by accident some months ago. You would consider me an unlikely fan, I suppose. Your entry today set me off a bit. To write 9-11 off as as a fluky act of "misguided hatred" is naive at best, dangerous at its core. Those 19 were supported by a vast and well-financed network and were the frontline warriors in what they and millions around the world like them feel is a just cause. We fly flags of the USA & they fly banners of resistance and the field of green with the procalamation that there is no god but Allah. They would laugh to see you, an admitted secular Jew (a Zionist to them - born of pigs and apes - I don't feel that, they do) trivialize the Americans that woke up that day to a larger threat than skin cancer, or the fate of their favorite American Idol contestant. They would encourage you to continue to deny what they know to be truth. Unfortunately, intellectually soothing voices like yours have worked so hard to put the average American back to sleep over the last eight years. I have walked the streets of Baghdad and spoken to her people, as have thousands like me. In all my time on the frontline, we never blew up an office building or attacked a school full of children, yet we fought and died with many warriors who would do that without a second thought to propel their cause. They are not insane, or even driven by hatred (for the most part), they are committed to their cause. A cause that the average "Zionist" and "Crusader", including our new Commander in Chief & his Staff, just can't seem to grasp. You so easily grasp the uniqueness of perspective when you wax philosophically about racial diversity the American experience, but then you turn around and assume that "playing nice" works on a global stage because it works for you. The whole world does not share our USA perspective - they laugh at it. You don't have to be crazy to be evil (assuming your secularism allows you to recognize that concept). Your feeling that we are now headed in the right direction is spoken like a true traveller of the world - the First World (like Paris). Next time you visit Europe, take a walk on the wild side and go into the Muslim slums, be bold and show some cleavage - learn a lesson about Sharia Law. The fertility rate of the average French Christian/secular family is 1.8 - the French Muslim family is 8.1. In southern France, once famous for its many beautiful churches, there are now more mosques than churches, and most of those mosques are converted churches. Right now throughout France 30% of folks 20 or younger are Muslim - In Nice, Marseilles and Paris, it's 45%. By 2027, 1 in 5 French citizens will be Islamic. In 39 years, France will be an Islamic Republic. It will be interesting to she what the Imams do with the Louvre when they filter through a Sharia panel of censors. Your world is changing all around you as you sleep. Your new government isn't making friends around the world, it's rolling on the floor like a fat lazy dog and baring it's neck for the taking. But, sleep well and sing the rest of your friends to sleep, while others with a cause you can not seem to understand plan your next grand awakening. - Been There Done That
I'd like to think so too. Nice posting.
@Hannah - Simply expressed, sums things up perfectly.
@Anon - I guess you are the proof that hatred breeds hatred. Whilst I respect your right to an opinion and you even make some decent observations, the truth remains that you clearly see this as some kind of battle between 'them' and 'us' just as they did and continue to do so. Which makes you no better than 'them'.
Hannah, you misunderstand. I never claimed to hate them, nor do I. I simply have a real world understanding of the issue. And I never related anything to make you or your readers think that I felt superior to anyone. I have great respect for my Muslim brothers and their history and various cultures. I even respect the commitment of the roughly 10-percenters who see this as the Third Jihad. We had all better respect their commitment. I will also add this. I had the opportunity to sit and talk with several insurgents in my time in their lands (and don't misread that as some sick Fellow Traveler assumption that this is a codeword for "torture" - it is not). For the most part, they didn't hate me either. They simply saw us to be in the way of what they see as a worldwide Islamic caliphate. They see our society as an affront to Allah - decadent and bloated. Your writings seem to be pretty insightful and introspective, it surprised me that you were so fast to throw the "H"-Bomb on me. Not everyone who isn't afraid to meet an issue, and people, head on as an adversary is a Hater. I can respect my opponent, for he is me. Sorry to upset the tone of your blog, I just read your 9-11 post and felt a need to respond. This will be my last post. Go in peace and stay safe out there. Frankly, I hope your views on the road to peace are right, but my experiences and a 1300 years of history tell me they are not. Signing off. - BTDT
Wow. Usually comments sections aren't so volcanic.
I first read Joseph Campbell during my first cross-atlantic flight. Reading him is a good place to start towards understanding humanity.
Myth and Human Structure are the beginning and we are the Summation.
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