Regarding all this
talk of no longer using the phrase "Ground Zero" to describe the
former World Trade Center site: that is not a determination to be made by a
politician or a special interest group.
Once the land is finally fully redeveloped and once again functioning as
a vital social and business center, I'd imagine that the "ground
zero" terminology will naturally depart the local vernacular. As long as it still exists mostly as a
crater, an open wound in lower Manhattan, I can't imagine what else we should
rightly call it.
Regarding the omission
of first responders from the official Manhattan tribute, I don't really
know what to say. The reason that I'm
sure Bloomberg, et al can't officially utter in public probably runs something
along the lines of "but what do we do if, god forbid, something happens
and so many of our trained response personnel are all in one place? What if, given those circumstances, that very
place becomes a prime target?" On
the other hand, I am 100% in agreement with the idea that the first responders
belong there first and foremost, certainly miles ahead of the normal parade of bloviating
politicians. I don't have a good
armchair answer for you; clearly, Mayor of New York is not likely to be part of
my future career path.
The law enforcement
personnel and firemen and -women currently at work, dealing with the endless
cavalcade of false alarms this weekend have my undying respect and sympathy. I cannot imagine how quickly "well, I
just saw one of them Muslim lookin' guys driving a rent-a-truck so he must be a
terrorist" gets old, especially given that the rest of the world, with its
normal weekend incidence of crime and fires, just keeps on spinning like
nothing ever happened.
I downloaded the new Anthrax album, and had
originally planned a review of it for this space. It seemed a great, flippant concept: Here's the new Anthrax! They didn't change their name! Fuck you, terrorists! When I woke up this morning, however, I just
wasn't in the mood to listen to any music at all. Now, well into the evening, I still feel that
way. On the other hand, I still like the
idea, so we'll review Worship Music
tomorrow, the day after. Can I get some
horns up from the congregation?
Speaking of the
congregation, this is the single day of the year when I'm at my most
comfortable with atheism. Generally
speaking, I identify as an agnostic. I'm
certain that organized religion is absolutely not for me, but I'm uncomfortable
with atheism as well, simply because both claim to know, with certainty, the unknowable.
On this day, however, I have a lot of trouble believing in a god that
either sanctioned the attacks (in the extremist Muslim view of things), or was
content to sit back and let them happen (in the less-extremist Judeo-Christian
model). I've no interest in pissing on
the parade of those whose faith helps them through something like this,
especially not today. Speaking solely
for myself, I can find no reason to have faith in a god who was cool with 9/11,
even if just by way of silent consent.
This is a day of
conflict, and internal conflict at that.
Looking back on what I've written so far, I can't get over how many times
I've either used the phrase "on the other hand" or inferred it. That phrase is a cliché, as is "there
are no easy answers." Neither of
those turns of phrase became clichés by being useless.
Napping on the couch
next to me as I write this is my family's Labradoodle, Casey. At just shy of four years old, he doesn't
have any clue why today is different from any other Sunday. He does seem to sense the tension of the day,
and has made with lots of extra cuteness, cuddles and kisses as a result. I don't know that it's the "best"
response - honestly, I'll stick with the idea that there are no wrong responses
- but it's one that I like a whole lot.
Ten years ago, when
the attacks occurred, I didn't yet even know many of the most important people
in my life right now, including my fiancée, Rhea. I had far less stories to tell, and had yet
to tell a single one of them in a public forum such as this. Most of what seemed important at the time
turned out to be little more than a dress rehearsal, a dry run-through before
the real show started. I sit here amazed
by what has happened between then and now, my heart warmed by humanity's
ability to constantly turn the bottom into the beginning.
Lastly, this is the
video for "People Who Died", a 1980 single by the Jim Carroll
Band. Mr. Carroll, a man whose work
has long been a great inspiration to me, died two years ago today. Somehow, it seems just plain wrong that any
sort of New York icon, as he certainly was, should have to be stuck with a date
beginning "9/11" on their tombstone. Were he still alive, Mr. Carroll would have
gladly told you that this song, probably his biggest "hit" as a
musician, was written as a celebration of lives rather than a mourning for
passings, and it is in that spirit that I present it here.
I'll see you all
tomorrow on this blog, when the big, beautiful world keeps on keeping on.
It's always hard to remember that there was a time in my life when I didn't know you yet. I'm glad we met - you make tough days less tough. Smooch.
ReplyDelete