Something has to be acknowledged

LeafyMcLeaf writes "Generally, Micky makes these posts, but there's some stuff on this that I think needs to be said, and I'm going to do my best to keep this as a-political as possible, because I think too many people make this an issue of right or left, as opposed to right or wrong.

On September 11th, 2001, the world changed in a way that no one could previously imagined. Two thousand, nine hundred, and ninety-seven people were brutally murdered in the most painfull ways imaginable. Whether it was from the impact of the plane, being trampled on their way out of the towers, the suffocation, falling from the building, the collapse, or just the fires, they were all, grusome, violent deaths.

I think the biggest problem in America today, is about half the country, lets call them Republicans, over reacts, and wants to change the way we live our lives because of a terrorist threat. The other half, lets call them Democrats, doesn't want to learn from the mistakes of the past, that led to this attack. As you may have been able to tell by now, I'm not the biggest fan of politicians.

One thing I would like to point out, is I'd like to commend both Presidential nominees, Senator Obama, and Senator McCain, for taking the day off of campaigning this year. In 2004, if I remember correctly, as hard as they tried, President Bush and Senator Kerry couldn't keep politics away from this unbelievable tragedy. That was wrong of them. This isn't about the parties, and the candidates. This is about 3 000 people, whose families will have to move on without mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, sons, and daughters.

This is about the kid who can't get a ride to practise, because his dad is no longer around. The stay at home mom, whose had to find a job, and manage her family, because her husband was inside the World Trade Center. This is about all the people badly injured, and mamed, and displaced, and who lost their jobs, because of the attacks.

But there's one thing they can't change.

This is the key reason I have been against the Freedom Tower. I apologize if this is getting too political, but the attacks were on the American way of life. The way that America is able to live free, and in the words of Penn Jilette (by the by, his episode of "Bullshit!" on Ground Zero was pretty solid), "do whatever the ***** we want'.

I've always felt the World Trade Center should be exactly rebuilt. While it may be hard for some to see, the great thing about America is that nothing can shake freedom. Whether it was against those who wouldn't give up slavery in the 1800's during the civil war, or against the German expansion 90 years ago during World War 1, or during the rise of the Nazis during World War 2, or the fear of Communism during the Cold War, America has always been able to allow freedom to reign. I don't really care if you're for or against the war, or the Patriot act, or wire tapping, or anything else this current administration has done in response to the September 11th tragedies. America has the ability to stay free.

The World Trade Center is a symbol of that. It was attacked because of the way that, in America, because of their freedom, you have the ability to do whatever you want with your lives, and the World Trade Center symbolizes everything that America stood for. It was an attack on capitalism, and freedom, and the best way to show that America will always keep the values they hold so dearly, is to rebuild the World Trade Center, and continue about their lives.

A couple years ago, for the fifth anniversary of the attacks, I was part of a project where they would find bloggers (I had a blog at the time, that was dedicated to refuting conspiracy theories, and centering around the theories around September 11th), and they would write a tribute to each victim, after doing some research on each one. It was an unbelievable sucess, and every victim was done at least twice, some a third time. I was doing a young man by the name of Jayceryll de Chavez. His dream was to work at the World Trade Center. He realized it, and unfortunately, not even a year after realizing his greatest dream, he was killed inside the World Trade Center.

His dream was to work in those towers. The greatest symbol of freedom, and dreams in the world.

When you change your lives because of the threat of terrorism, you're allowing the terrorists to win. So, I ask you today, to be able to ballance your reaction. Take the time to acknowledge what happened, think about the heroes, and learn the lessons. But also, do your best to move on. Do your best to live free. If you want to abuse your freedom, go ahead and do that. It's what makes America great.

And, if you can, thank a soldier, a fire fighter, a paramedic, or a cop. It's the least you can do.

Thanks for sticking with me for this whole thing, and please, no matter what you do, NEVER FORGET.

*September 11th 2001*
*We Will Never Forget*

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