Sept. 11 and the value of ordinary people

[2xx1xy1JD]

Today, I'm not going to talk about Al Queda or Islamic Fundamentalism.

I'm going to talk about a simple lesson learned on 9/11, that fundies of all stripes tend to forget:

America is not an evil, corrupt society. The world outside your particular bubble isn't all depravity.

"America" is not some monolith. The United States may be a big and powerful country, but it's ultimately made up of millions of ordinary people. You can't think that you are attacking America by launching attacks in the cities, without realizing that you are attacking thousands of ordinary people, from all walks of life and all backgrounds and beliefs. [As a non-American, I was sometimes guilty of this prior to 9/11. It was too easy to make anti-American comments. I'll still criticize specific policies, but the jokes and broad anti-American jibes stopped that day.]

Forget what you see on the news or hear in fundie religious circles. Most people out there are good. They are leading ordinary lives. You just don't know about them and all the bits of goodness, until something horrible happens. When you read the accounts of 9/11, the acts of heroism jump out. Civilians who helped others out of the buildings. All those first responders who ran into burning buildings and stayed to rescue others, even coming to the scene when they were off-duty, or not evacuating when there were still people who needed their help. Those on the planes who tried to fight the hijackers.

http://www.slate.com/articles/technolog ... ernet.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Airlines_Flight_93

Thousands of people who were far more than employees of corporations or government: they were husbands, wives, mothers, fathers, siblings, friends, etc. Each one had a life story, and a lot more good to still do in the world when their lives came to a premature, violent end.

[PrairieGirl]

Today, I'm not going to talk about Al Queda or Islamic Fundamentalism.

I'm going to talk about a simple lesson learned on 9/11, that fundies of all stripes tend to forget:

America is not an evil, corrupt society. The world outside your particular bubble isn't all depravity.

"America" is not some monolith. The United States may be a big and powerful country, but it's ultimately made up of millions of ordinary people. You can't think that you are attacking America by launching attacks in the cities, without realizing that you are attacking thousands of ordinary people, from all walks of life and all backgrounds and beliefs. [As a non-American, I was sometimes guilty of this prior to 9/11. It was too easy to make anti-American comments. I'll still criticize specific policies, but the jokes and broad anti-American jibes stopped that day.]

Forget what you see on the news or hear in fundie religious circles. Most people out there are good. They are leading ordinary lives. You just don't know about them and all the bits of goodness, until something horrible happens. When you read the accounts of 9/11, the acts of heroism jump out. Civilians who helped others out of the buildings. All those first responders who ran into burning buildings and stayed to rescue others, even coming to the scene when they were off-duty, or not evacuating when there were still people who needed their help. Those on the planes who tried to fight the hijackers.

http://www.slate.com/articles/technolog ... ernet.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Airlines_Flight_93

Thousands of people who were far more than employees of corporations or government: they were husbands, wives, mothers, fathers, siblings, friends, etc. Each one had a life story, and a lot more good to still do in the world when their lives came to a premature, violent end.

Well said. Thank you. I saw some footage of the attacks this morning, and I cried. It has been years since I cried about these attacks. But the sadness and helplessness and fear I felt on that day 13 years ago hit me today. People from all over the world in all walks of life were affected by this attack. None of us will ever forget.

[Three and Done]

http://cdn.newsday.com/polopoly_fs/1.2670797!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/mugshot_231/image.jpg

This is Brian Terrenzi. He was one of those "ordinary people" that you speak of. He had a great job, a beautiful wife, and his first child was on the way.

He worked for Cantor Fitzgerald on the 101st floor of the North Tower.

His older brother was a friend of mine. His mother was my mother's best friend.

Elizabeth Brian Terrenzi was born 12/9/01.

[OkToBeTakei]

Today, I'm not going to talk about Al Queda or Islamic Fundamentalism.

I'm going to talk about a simple lesson learned on 9/11, that fundies of all stripes tend to forget:

America is not an evil, corrupt society. The world outside your particular bubble isn't all depravity.

"America" is not some monolith. The United States may be a big and powerful country, but it's ultimately made up of millions of ordinary people. You can't think that you are attacking America by launching attacks in the cities, without realizing that you are attacking thousands of ordinary people, from all walks of life and all backgrounds and beliefs. [As a non-American, I was sometimes guilty of this prior to 9/11. It was too easy to make anti-American comments. I'll still criticize specific policies, but the jokes and broad anti-American jibes stopped that day.]

Forget what you see on the news or hear in fundie religious circles. Most people out there are good. They are leading ordinary lives. You just don't know about them and all the bits of goodness, until something horrible happens. When you read the accounts of 9/11, the acts of heroism jump out. Civilians who helped others out of the buildings. All those first responders who ran into burning buildings and stayed to rescue others, even coming to the scene when they were off-duty, or not evacuating when there were still people who needed their help. Those on the planes who tried to fight the hijackers.

http://www.slate.com/articles/technolog ... ernet.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Airlines_Flight_93

Thousands of people who were far more than employees of corporations or government: they were husbands, wives, mothers, fathers, siblings, friends, etc. Each one had a life story, and a lot more good to still do in the world when their lives came to a premature, violent end.

I understand the sentiment and the shock of 9/11.

To the bolded.You may as well have hung lights and hired flashing dancers by even putting that phrase in there. If you do not wish to talk about something...well don't mention it.

Edit. Not sure why quotes did not work. Mine starts with I understand the sentiment....and the bolded I'm referencing is the, I'm not going to talk about...then the pointed talking about it anyway.

[tigerchild]

I believe what was meant by that was that, unlike some of the stuff on FB that i've seen cropping up today, the post was not going to be about how Muslims Want To Kill Us All and We Better Get Them First.

It was the actions of the ordinary people that were mentioned. Not the orientation of the groups involved in the attack. So I disagree that the post is hypocritical. As always, YMMV.

[2xx1xy1JD]

OKTBT - my first sentence was about stuff that is obviously related to 9/11 and that is in the news, but that isn't what this thread is about. For me, it's a day to focus on the victims and the heroes.

Three and Done - I'm sorry for your loss, and that Brian never lived to see his baby girl. I remember reading an issue of People magazine with all the 9/11 babies who were born after their fathers died. I had been 2 days preg on 9/11, and could never read that without sobbing.

[fun2beme]

I'm a government employee who works in DC and was here on 9/11 (one block from the Capitol, which very likely was the target of the 4th plane). I totally agree with the statements about average people being the victims. Yes, I work for the gov't, for a rather unpopular agency, but 99.9999% of my cowrkers are just ordinary people - coming into work each morning and putting in their time to pay their rent/mortgages and support their families. This was the case of most victims at the Pentagon.

I think that's why 9/11 resonates so much with me and a millions of others - all I can think of are ordinary people like us being innocent victims of larger situation that has nothing to do with us personally.

And for each story we hear in the media, there are hundreds ofother stories of heroism and sacrifice that happened that day that we never hear about.

[OkToBeTakei]

OKTBT - my first sentence was about stuff that is obviously related to 9/11 and that is in the news, but that isn't what this thread is about. For me, it's a day to focus on the victims and the heroes.

Three and Done - I'm sorry for your loss, and that Brian never lived to see his baby girl. I remember reading an issue of People magazine with all the 9/11 babies who were born after their fathers died. I had been 2 days preg on 9/11, and could never read that without sobbing.

I do understand and it is nothing personal to yourself. It just is a totally annoying habit people have without maybe realising.

I grew up with a shit ton of bigotry and many years later after wounds are healed, the only people who continue to perpetuate the obvious fuel no change, there is no need to reference the obvious unless you wish to highlight it. I am sure that is/was not your intention. If the focus is a day to focus on victims and heroes then there is no reason to mention or highlight any marginal fringe or name them specifically.

That is all basically.

OH and thanks HA for the techie fix :D