Tuesday 11 September 2007

I don't usually do this kind of thing, but I know many people are deeply affected by this. We all know what happened, we know when, we even know how and why - supposedly. I'm not going to go into all the conspiracy theories, this isn't the time or place, and its been done too many times. None of that matters. All that matters to me is that over 2,800 people died senselessly, and many thousands more since - in the wars that were started because of it... and for what? Nothing.

Terrorism, war, conflict - it solves nothing, only creates pain and suffering not only for your enemies, but also for yourself. Its ridiculous. Its so stupidly, unfairly pointless that it makes me wanna scream and bang my head on the wall and cry. So now you all know my view on this. I walked home from school with my brother, we were 14/13. When we got in the house, my mother had the TV on and I just stood and stared, for ages. It was like a bad dream, I thought it was a joke or something.

Now I know people, through SL, who were in NYC six years ago, and I have heard their stories - it is beyond comprehension for me. If it was a bad dream for me, it was a hellish nightmare for them, the kind where you wake up afterwards in a cold sweat, wondering if you are still alive at all.

I'm going to be having a moment of silence at 1.46pm GMT, to remember the tragedy and loss. On the first anniversary of 9/11, I was still in school, in the classroom and someone asked my maths teacher why we weren't having a minute's silence. He replied that the only reason we are doing it is because it's America. Nobody held a minute's silence for the 20,000 people killed in an earthquake in Turkey the same year, he said. But the quake in Turkey didn't change the world, change everyone's perceptions of what terrorism could achieve. It didn't put a price - above that of human life - on words like 'security' and 'safety'.

I guess my teacher was right in some ways - he's a very smart guy. But then, if we held a minute of silence for every single tragedy that occurs - we would never speak.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I remember, it was afternoon in vienna and me and some friends sat in an office by chance viewing tv. Suddenly the channel changed its program and in real time we saw unbelievable,horrible pictures.What was going on there was breathtaking, shocking and heartbreaking. At this moment all of us felt, the world never will be as before. We all where so sad about this incredible tragic event, that we could not do anything for a longer time after. We sat in silence till one of us said: "There is only one power, which can help to surmount all and this is love."
Esie, he was right and he still is right: love is the magic word.
hugs and kisses
Mani

Osayo said...

I worked the overnight shift and had just been home for a couple hours watching a morning talk/news program. I went and prepared some food, and when I returned to the TV the first plane had just hit, most thought it was an accident at first, then live on TV the second plane hit, at that moment everyone knew what was happening. I did not get much sleep that day and it changed the way I looked at the world. I wish there was an easy answer to solving the issues that lead to the senseless terror and war and many powerful and intelligent people have tried to make sense of the politics, economics, cultural differences etc... that come in to play and failed. It is very frustrating.

Es, and mani say it best, regarding love, and I do believe that love really is more abundant and powerful and can sustain us, despite the circumstances of the world.

Love you all.

~hugs~

Kaj said...

I was driving to work when I heard the news. I called my parents and asked if they had the news on. They said no and asked why. I told them we were under attack and I remember the fear I felt and somehow knew my world had changed for the worse. While at work we had a TV on and I happened to have walked by when the first tower collapsed. When I drove home that night someone was standing on a bridge waving the American flag. While I have never considered myself to be patriotic, for the obvious reason it really hit me and I started to cry. Seeing the skyline of Minnneapolis still intact brought a sense of relief but also fear that something else was still to come. The actions and reactions since that attack have only fueled those fears of mine, perhaps that is partially why I am on SL so much when I'm not dealing with RL.

We can love our friends and family, hold each other close and tight and continue to realize what's truly important.

Thanks Esmi

Hugs to all reading this.