This week we all pause to reflect on the events of 9/11/2001. Each of us has our own ritual: minutes of silence through the morning. Watching (credible) documentaries. Holding our loved ones close.
I want to speak a little bit today about September 14th: The Friday After.
As I stumbled through a fog of disbelief and pain on the days following 9/11 I remember emails and conversations hinting at a nationwide-level of reaction for Friday. A groundswell of needing to do something -- anything -- to demonstrate to the world, to ourselves, that we would overcome this. That this was not an acceptable act. That we would not back down.
I don't remember official suggestions of demonstrations from the administration or newscasters -- just everyday people talking. And to be honest I didn't give it much credence. I live in Los Angeles: The Land of Not Knowing Your Neighbors. We don't do stuff like that here. It's not that we don't care, it's just that... well... we don't do that here.
On the evening of Friday, September 14th I got off the freeway a few exits before to my normal one to avoid the usual 101/405 mess. It was 6 pm. As I drove, I saw people -- everyday people -- at street corners. Holding signs, waving flags. I rolled down the windows to listen: they were singing "God Bless America". "I Love New York". Horns honking in approval. And this was not on just one street corner: it was several. I counted over five in the less-than-a-mile it took to get to my street.
I walked upstairs to my apartment and set the keys down. And then thought about it and went back outside.
It was growing dark. I walked towards Ventura Blvd. More people. A lot more people. With signs: "God Bless the NYFD and NYPD". "We Love America". "We will not forget". The local fire departments were out in full force, slowly cruising down the street with large flags on the back of their trucks. Huge cheers rose up when they passed. Police cars and CHP motorcycles did the same slow passes, with the same results. Not your usual LA reaction to the police department or highway patrol.
There was a largish group on my corner. A man had brought his guitar and was playing softly. Parents had brought their children down and were holding them tightly, watching the impromptu parade. A local print shop printed American flags on paper by the hundreds, and passed them out. We waved them at the fire trucks and in time to our own singing. Many people had brought candles; I went back and got a few of my own and passed them out to those who didn't have one. You can still see the stains the colored wax made on the pavement, even today.
I walked around a little bit: people had made displays of votive candles, spelling out "We love you". "We won't forget". The corner Starbucks gave away drinks who anyone who had a sign or a candle. People were talking, some for the first time, to the people they lived near for so long.
This wasn't some jingoistic idiotic demonstration for which the other side is justly famous.
No. We were Americans that day. Not Democrats and Republicans. Not liberals and conservatives. Not Blue States and Red States. Not 51% vs. 48%. We were as one. Grieving as one, loving as one.
Five years later, I look back and wonder: can we, as a nation ever get back to that day? We've desperately lost our way. We're running scared, terrorized by a government that chose to use those events and the world-wide support we received as a nation as as an opportunity to enhance their own glory, to line their own pockets, to achieve their own goals. To commit atrocities in our name. To lie, cheat, steal, and confuse. To commit acts that would provoke the founders of this country to righteous indignation.
Rather than keeping a country united, one that had been so horribly torn during the election, they chose to tear it apart further, to the point where I despair of our ability to mend it.
Tomorrow I mourn the fallen. Both those killed on that day and on the days following in the continuing, unjust series of wars and occupations.
And on the 14th, as always, I mourn my country. I mourn my own innocence. And I will continue to fight like hell to get them back.
Breathe. Remember these moments. Gain strength. We are right. We will win.
+
On to the comments.
First: contributions! (remember: you can send in your picks to topcomments at gmail dot com)
From OrangeClouds115:
madaprn's riff on Floja Roja's comment regarding subdivision naming conventions
From Cronesense:
From the diary Russert takes apart Cheney:
- serrano in outline form as to questions that should have been added to the Cheney interview.
- Kayakbiker makes a reference to mixed-up talking points between Cheney and Rice.
- leo joad catches Condi with her Freudian slip showing
From the diary Suing for Libel in Britain, Mogolori about the DoD propaganda initiative as reported in WaPo.
From dkmich's FYI: Moyers Return to Investigative Reporting on PBS in October, means to the ends citing that Moyers return is a hope for the tide turning
From tmaertens' Comments Death Squads in America?
- Mishima on how the USA Patriot Act mirrors repressive laws in Japan and Korea and how that could affect us in the future. Chill factor: 10
- cotterperson about another sneaky authorization by Bush. Chill factor: 10+
- A comment thread started off by Lahdee blows a huge hole through the "if you didn't do anything wrong you don't have anything to fear" meme. Chill factor: 10++
From clammyc's: Hijacking Tragedy, a comment by grassrootsbloggerdtcom about a ray of hope
From Meteor Blades' Just once, the truth?, a comment by Denny in Seattle that we all can relate to. Follow down the thread to read Red Bean's reply too.
And lastly, my picks for the day:
From OrangeClouds155's latest VMD diary, It's the Economy, Stupid, chapel hill guy starts an excellent discussion regarding small family-run organic farms, and CSI Bentonville adds a highly useful list of links to the food issue of The Nation. BeninSC also nominated OC's Tip Jar, and farmerchuck's exceptionally illuminating comment expanding the diary.
semiot expands the discussion on teacherken's A Different Approach to Education
rktect talks about another tipping point in the Open Science Thread.
Buzzer on paradigm shifts. Good discussion in the comments that follow.
Heronymous Cowherd reports back on international travel, and then completely harshes my mellow with a suggestion for BushCo slash fiction. Not for the faint of heart.
This will make you feel better: Tarheel Dem posts the airing schedule for my dream TV channel
deha: it can happen here
Naturegal on national security and the Constitution
bernardpliers reminds us of Jefferson's Kentucky Resolutions
Kagro X on keeping our powder dry
stonemason on the Patriot Act
Clem Yeobright gets amusingly snarky at Hunter
kensa starts a version of The Aristocrats that I'd love to hear.
Prof Dave muses on the universality of stupid
expatjourno replies to Cheney's "emboldening the enemy" meme
Jay Elias makes this cogent response to dougymi's comment about Rove's so-called genius
muledriver on making the world safe for democracy. Or ...not.
How low can Karl Rove go? cmnh knows.
And finally, musing85 offers up this prayer for tomorrow.
Comments by Top Mojo
Without tip jars
1 What' truly ironic is that by DMiller -- 191
2 That's where "time compression" comes in. by Hunter -- 140
3 Don't feel bad. by Robespierrette -- 96
4 Thanks! by webweaver -- 72
5 And all of this is by tjb22 -- 63
6 Media error by daulton -- 62
7 Oh boy, do I feel dumb by autoegocrat -- 61
8 People are saying by Gareth -- 58
9 I want the case heard here so that Murdoch & Co by LondonYank -- 56
10 It reads like a Feingold Committee Report by Dallasdoc -- 56
11 That Churchill quote by litho -- 56
12 "I Disagree" . . . by LieDetector -- 55
13 You heard it too? by Hunter -- 54
14 Oh jesus. by kestrel9000 -- 54
15 (Videos) BRING IT ON !! by Al Rodgers -- 51
16 All you need to do to get such a speech by dmsilev -- 50
17 And Churchill would have said by peeder -- 48
18 Not rude by casperr -- 42
19 Tonight's reading for Mrs. Pastor by Doggie269 -- 41
20 Not so much an attack on Clinton... by DJ Adequate -- 40
21 Meaty it may be, but make sure you... by wonkydonkey -- 40
22 ya bastard by Chinton -- 40
23 Yes, this really is the most important issue by Valtin -- 39
24 Can i get an Amen??? by buhdydharma -- 39
25 And...Doc...Dontcha Just Love... by Steve Singiser -- 39
With tip jars
1 Now, by Hunter -- 522
2 Tip Jar by londonbear -- 296
3 Tip Jar... by xynz -- 268
4 I know it's rude to ask for Recs by hyperbolic pants explosion -- 195
5 What' truly ironic is that by DMiller -- 191
6 That's where "time compression" comes in. by Hunter -- 140
7 Will you help to spread the word? n/t by dkmich -- 135
8 Don't feel bad. by Robespierrette -- 96
9 tips for the Big Dog by ollieb -- 84
10 Thanks! by webweaver -- 72
11 And all of this is by tjb22 -- 63
12 Media error by daulton -- 62
13 Oh boy, do I feel dumb by autoegocrat -- 61
14 Tip Jar.. by Scoopster -- 60
15 hi guys by OrangeClouds115 -- 60
16 People are saying by Gareth -- 58
17 I want the case heard here so that Murdoch & Co by LondonYank -- 56
18 It reads like a Feingold Committee Report by Dallasdoc -- 56
19 That Churchill quote by litho -- 56
20 "I Disagree" . . . by LieDetector -- 55
21 You heard it too? by Hunter -- 54
22 Oh jesus. by kestrel9000 -- 54
23 The Sunday Bulletin: by pastordan -- 51
24 (Videos) BRING IT ON !! by Al Rodgers -- 51
25 All you need to do to get such a speech by dmsilev -- 50
+
That's all for tonight. Blessings to you and yours.