Altered States
Earlier today a colleague mentioned to me a lawyer on the opposing side of a file that I am working on, and he said of him, “He’s very American.” The thing that stuck with me in this remark, is that phrase is never used to describe a good quality but is only used for the negative.
And this got me to thinking about September 11th. I like many other people remember exactly what I was doing when I first turned on the television that morning and that I didn’t leave my home for the rest of the day. I was crushed by what occurred and my feeling of empathy and sympathy for a people has never been so high. A couple of weeks later near the end of September, I went to New York for the very first time.
I was there for a job interview. As I was getting ready to board a plane, an Arab man in his thirties was in the corner praying on a prayer mat just as I was getting on. And I was flooded with emotions of fear. Quite unjustified generally, but justified by the times, I guess. But I thought, “hell, if anyone is going to be thoroughly searched today, it would be him.”
As we flew into New York, the plane circled around Manhatten. As we moved around that island, the passengers almost uniformly stood up to look out the windows on the left hand side to see the smoking crater. It was no longer a television event for me with the air of unreality incumbent with all images on that box, it was a fact in my life.
After my interview I had a few hours before my flight, and being my first time in New York I wanted to check out the place. Typically in a new city, I will just walk around letting the green or red light guide my journey. This was a mistake on that day. I walked around and amidst the overwhelming number of American flags were the walls of posters of people looking for their loved ones who had died that day. And then I came across a fire station. The engine doors were open and a fireman sat on the bumper on the front of the firetruck. His legs were spread and he was hunched over with his elbows on his knees. Lining the doors were cards fro children thanking the firefighters for their work. As I walked by, he looked up and caught my eye. What I saw was a man decimated.
And I couldn’t take. I fled to the airport four hours before my plane and hid there.
And now four and a half years later, everything is changed. The sympathy and empathy have been replaced with a growing sense of disturbance. What is transpiring south f the border concerns me. The path of healing and seeking to protect oneself has transformed into the most aggressive attitude of a democratic government that I have ever witnessed. America was the victim of an aggressor, but is now changed roles. The lies that lead to the invasion and occupation of Iraq are horrendous. It has become a tale of spin.
How could this have happened? How could a country that was not long ago praised for its leadership in the world suddenly plunged itself into a situation where it is regarded as the evil empire. And what frightens me most of all is that the term is not yet even half way through.
But where are the Americans in all of this? I don't see any mass protests about what is going on. Does anyone actually care? Not enough to do anything about it. Give me lies, give me sweet little lies and I'll take what you want. You need to trample over people in the pursuit of terrorists - sounds good to me - who cares whether the people doing the stomping have any real clue if they are targeting the right people and whose to stop them from just "saying" someone is a target if they want to investigate them for something else. People are banned for writing things in personal journals, people's reading habits are scrutinized.
McCarthyism looks like a picnic compared to JuniorBushism.
And just wait, they'll elect his brother to replace him.
And this got me to thinking about September 11th. I like many other people remember exactly what I was doing when I first turned on the television that morning and that I didn’t leave my home for the rest of the day. I was crushed by what occurred and my feeling of empathy and sympathy for a people has never been so high. A couple of weeks later near the end of September, I went to New York for the very first time.
I was there for a job interview. As I was getting ready to board a plane, an Arab man in his thirties was in the corner praying on a prayer mat just as I was getting on. And I was flooded with emotions of fear. Quite unjustified generally, but justified by the times, I guess. But I thought, “hell, if anyone is going to be thoroughly searched today, it would be him.”
As we flew into New York, the plane circled around Manhatten. As we moved around that island, the passengers almost uniformly stood up to look out the windows on the left hand side to see the smoking crater. It was no longer a television event for me with the air of unreality incumbent with all images on that box, it was a fact in my life.
After my interview I had a few hours before my flight, and being my first time in New York I wanted to check out the place. Typically in a new city, I will just walk around letting the green or red light guide my journey. This was a mistake on that day. I walked around and amidst the overwhelming number of American flags were the walls of posters of people looking for their loved ones who had died that day. And then I came across a fire station. The engine doors were open and a fireman sat on the bumper on the front of the firetruck. His legs were spread and he was hunched over with his elbows on his knees. Lining the doors were cards fro children thanking the firefighters for their work. As I walked by, he looked up and caught my eye. What I saw was a man decimated.
And I couldn’t take. I fled to the airport four hours before my plane and hid there.
And now four and a half years later, everything is changed. The sympathy and empathy have been replaced with a growing sense of disturbance. What is transpiring south f the border concerns me. The path of healing and seeking to protect oneself has transformed into the most aggressive attitude of a democratic government that I have ever witnessed. America was the victim of an aggressor, but is now changed roles. The lies that lead to the invasion and occupation of Iraq are horrendous. It has become a tale of spin.
How could this have happened? How could a country that was not long ago praised for its leadership in the world suddenly plunged itself into a situation where it is regarded as the evil empire. And what frightens me most of all is that the term is not yet even half way through.
But where are the Americans in all of this? I don't see any mass protests about what is going on. Does anyone actually care? Not enough to do anything about it. Give me lies, give me sweet little lies and I'll take what you want. You need to trample over people in the pursuit of terrorists - sounds good to me - who cares whether the people doing the stomping have any real clue if they are targeting the right people and whose to stop them from just "saying" someone is a target if they want to investigate them for something else. People are banned for writing things in personal journals, people's reading habits are scrutinized.
McCarthyism looks like a picnic compared to JuniorBushism.
And just wait, they'll elect his brother to replace him.
posted by Rye at 4:20 p.m.
5 Comments:
Oh God, I never thought about that. There is JEB, isn't there.
It's sad to see what has happened to my birthcountry in the last 6 years. Very sad.
The question you ask, where are the protests? is probably no different when we Americans ask where are the protests from moderate Muslims against Islamic terrorists? I guess when you're the victim, you don't really care what others are doing in your name, as long as they are doing something against those who you perceive as your enemy. I sense from my fellow Americans, rightly or wrongly, that at least Bush is doing something to defend us.
Yes, maybe if we sat back and really thought about it - that his actions are making us less secure, we would be out protesting, but I dont think its in our makeup to sit back and accept the world's pity. We would rather do something, anything.
At least it is better than Canada's lack of position!!!!!!
I understand the desrie to do something, anything, in the face of such a life altering state that we live in. My question was just whether it will eventually be seen as the right thing. While that question cannot possibly be answered yet, it seems to be leaning to one side.
And I do acknowledge that it is easier as a Canadian not to have to take a role - one is not expected and our role cannot have any where near the impact of an American one.
No Protests? My friend, where have you been? There have been numerous large protests prior to the war, prior to the 2004 election in which hundreds of thousands of Americans marched in large cities. Earlier this week, hundreds of thousands of Americans marched in Los Angeles to protest Immigration policy. There are more issue important to Americans other than Iraq.
The problem is that when half of the country went insane (and many Americans and the entire administration went insane after 9/11) and the insane win elections, control congress, etc., there is only so much protests can do. The administration is unwilling to listen to any criticism. It isolates itself with yes men. Protests are not what the end all be all of change. American need an effective opposition party, a media which holds the administration accountable, and most importantly, to push these guys out of office in 2006 & 8.
I find it frustrating to hear my friends overseas complain about how Americans don't care, don't do anything, etc. There are many Americans who are doing what they can, it may not be in the world media, but it happens every day.
Finally, I'd like you all to change places with American liberals/moderates. Then after 6 years of defeat, let's see how often you take to the streets in a pointless display of protest.
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