9/11/11 Ten Years After

[JeanInMontana]

No one old enough to tie their own shoes on 9/11/01 will ever forget where they were and what they were doing when they heard the news that day.
No one in the modern world from that day forward will ever forget that day and what happened. The entire world changed that day in ways impossible to foresee or control. I can't think of one change that has been positive or better for any of us. Maybe I'm missing what was good about the changes since that day. I am biased I have to admit, I see through my personal lens and my ideals and beliefs. Of course I think I have valid points of view and solid reasons for those views.

What could be a positive is the creation of Patriot Day. For me it's a reminder of the Patriot Act and how that is a ruse to spy on anyone deemed a threat to American security. Patriot Day would be better named something to signify a unification of all Americans. A tossing aside of the differences instead of a juvenile attitude of who is a true American and those who are here through the grace of those before them. The only true Americans were the Native inhabitants and they had no say what so ever in what happened once the deluge of primarily European immigrants began.

The very root of the word Patriot seems to make this word a wrong choice. Via French from Late Latin patriōta, from Greek patriotēs, from patris native land; related to Greek patēr father; compare Latin pater father, patria fatherland; n. One who loves, supports, and defends one's country. The average American does not defend the country in any way other than perhaps verbally should they encounter another making comments against America. Fathers, no Mothers, Sons, or Daughters? See how this word segregates rather than unites. A fatherland is not what America is to any but those initial inhabitants. In the most basic definition a Patriot is someone who defends a fatherland, what a mess that would be. Or is. That just might be the root of what tears this nation apart, people need to let go of where they came from and be here in the present in the new home, not the original gene pool.

Give up supporting how Daddy did it for how we will do it. Blend how all the Daddies did it into a nice thick soup with some yummy bread and butter and pass it all around so everyone gets a good belly full of everyone, and we all get that recipe to have over and over and to add new ingredients when we get them. Let go of the suspicions, and fear of the other the one not like you, investigate those differences and embrace them. This is true of gender and lifestyles also. We are not so different once you see how much we are alike. What things are different make life interesting, it's not something to fear and try to be rid of. It's the wonder of space and the deep sea, not the fear of a man in a turban, a woman behind a veil. Brown skin is beautiful and almond shaped eyes see the same sunset you do. The man who loves the other man loves just as you love in the heart and mind, those two women in love feel just like you do when your afraid or angry, so do those two men. Show them compassion when you see them hurting, you have nothing to fear they don't want to harm you or make you into anything you are not.

You don't need to make anyone like you, your good just how you are and unique is how we all like you, we don't want another you, but we see how we are like you and you are like us at the same time. If you don't like something about me, that is fine by me, maybe I don't like it either. Because you don't like it doesn't mean you need to try and change it. It's up to me to change what I don't like about me, and if you want to help me all the better, but you cannot force change on anyone. We don't need to dominate we need to share and compromise.
This day we remember should be about understanding the reasons behind the tragedy as much as anything. Yes we honor our dead, and our heroes, but sometimes I think we dwell too much on the injustice that was done to the innocents. What if we concentrated on how to heal and forge bonds, not stronger boundaries.

Before I am accused of being a sap with no sense of how the world really is, let me assure you I do know there are evils and enemies. In this country at this time we are so divided when we should be united and this is a far greater danger than most see. In this country we need to get past who is of a certain political party and look at how to heal our people. People are sick, starving, and homeless, while fools in places of power argue over issues that do not matter in the big picture. The ideals this country was founded on are being forgotten for the power of a few. This division and distraction from the real issues of life will be our demise. The real enemy will use this division and take advantage of it.

The enemy is not of a certain faith or skin color or lifestyle it is the lack of tolerance of others. Our enemy is lack of tolerance for anything not as it has always been for me. The inability to see through the eyes of another and accept that view as valid will be what kills this nation. The lack of healing and feeding and housing our poor, sick and homeless will tear down this nation even more. We cannot blame a person for being poor or sick, it is not to be punished. This day should be for loving one another rather than reopening old wounds and anger at a faceless enemy.

True healing is losing the hate. This is what I would wish for every living thing on this day, not just Americans.