My husband and I watched a documentary last night, Memory Box: Echoes of 9/11 on MSNBC. I think it is worth seeing, particularly on the eve of the 20th anniversary of that horrible day. We all certainly remember where we were, what we were doing and what emotions the events evoked in each of us. I cried off and on for weeks; for those who died and the families of those who died. I cried for the devastation in New York and for the sense of security we all lost. I didn’t know anyone who died or had family or friends who died although one of the pilots on the plane that crashed in Pennsylvania was from Littleton, a suburb of Denver. I cried because horrible violence happened in my country. Happened in New York City, at our Pentagon and would have demolished the White House which is where the plane was heading when the brave passengers sacrificed their lives by interfering with the plan. I cried because suddenly uneducated or undereducated persons decided ALL Muslims were bad and responsible and should be eliminated. Distinctions just weren’t made that not all persons of middle Eastern heritage are terrorists. (Just like not all persons of Hispanic descent are drug dealers and rapist.) We had a guy drive his pick up truck through the neighborhood with an American flag on the driver’s side of the cab and a piece of fabric attached to the tailgate that said, in big red letters, “Death to All Ragheads”. It upset me and made me angry. My husband is an Egyptian, after all. He is not, nor has he ever been, a terrorist. Nor are his brothers or sister or parents or anyone else in his family.
Immediately post 9/11, the first notable thing was the absence of airplane noise because all planes were grounded. It was eerily quiet. People in general were friendlier and kinder. It hadn’t just happen to New Yorkers or the people at the Pentagon or the families of those on the flight that crashed in Pennsylvania. It happened to all of us living in America. It affected all of us in one way or another. We got angry or sad. We wanted revenge or to just go to bed and stay there until the threat was gone. We wanted to know why it happened and definitely who did it. Endless questions, few answers.
It was one of the last times I remember our country working together for the common good. As we watched “Memory Box”, I was struck by how everyone pitched in and helped. No one cared about ethnicity, gender or race. It wasn’t political. There was no finger pointing at any political party or trying to place political blame and responsibility. This horrible act had happened to all of us, from sea to shining sea. From the mountains to the prairies. In cities and towns, to the oldest and the youngest of us. Our sense of being safe and secure would never be the same.
I was proud to be an American. We proved we were strong, resilient and could rise above any adversity. No terrorist could bring Americans to their knees. Instead, it brought us together as a nation. We forgot our petty differences, we smiled at each other. We were friendly. The United States of America was still a world leader. People from all the world over grieved with us. World leaders joined in supporting us while we circled the wagons.
America has lost a lot of its stature on the world stage. Other nations don’t automatically look to the USA anymore. Everything is political or politically motivated. And politicians don’t care about the people they represent. They only care about lining their own pockets at the expense of just about everyone. Political office for profit. You may say, “Don’t be naive! It has always been that way!” But I don’t think so. My memory isn’t what it once was but I honestly don’t remember every blue-blasted thing being so—us against them. “Vaccinate, no way, no one can tell Me what to do. So what if I’m putting other people at risk, they probably won’t die because it isn’t as bad as they say it is. I don’t like wearing a mask. My kid is traumatized having to be without their friends and school and sports, etc.” I would think they’d be more traumatized having a parent who puts a political issue ahead of concern for their own child’s health. Does the kid really not want to wear a mask? Or are they just trying to appease an upset parent who rants about something that shouldn’t be political. Fast food restaurants require staff to wear uniforms, no employee complains. Doctors, nurses, dentists—uniforms. It helps to put the patient at ease. Business offices have dress codes. If you work there, you comply or face termination. We wear seatbelts, adhere to traffic signals, enroll our children in school. No one says, you can’t tell me what to do. We do it because it’s the right thing to do.
Since my husband and I first got together we have seen home-grown terrorist devastation in the Oklahoma City bombing, Columbine High School mass shooting, 9/11, Aurora theater mass shooting, Florida, Las Vegas mass shootings, the Sandy Hook massacre, California mass shootings and too many more to itemize. Massive forest fires, hurricanes, floods and tornadoes. Buildings and bridges collapsing. I’m sad to say, while I don’t think I’m becoming unmoved by these events, I am never surprised by even more catastrophic bad news.
After 9/11 I felt sure we would recover as a nation and rebuild. A lot has to change for me to feel the USA can come back from this political mayhem. There seems to be more that divides us than brings us together. For the life of me I don’t understand why so many people want to go back to a time when husbands could hit their wives with no consequences. When women worked outside the home only after their children were grown and then only in acceptable jobs like teacher, nurse or secretary. When children were expected to be seen but not heard. This country is full of diversity and we are richer for it. Men can raise their children and be effective at the office. Women have good ideas, constructive plans and innovative solutions in all disciplines. Young persons care about the environment and global warming, LGBTQ and racial injustice and the passion to effect chance. How sad if they are silenced. My knowledge of American history is woefully sparse. There are so many incredible persons of every ethnicity who have enriched our country in so many ways. I am just learning about them because their stories weren’t taught in school. It’s sad. Get in touch with me, I can tell you the names of documentaries, movies or books to read.
I don’t know what will happen tomorrow but I will pray all of us “Be ever mindful of the needs of others.” Pray for unity instead of division. Pray for more acceptance, faith and hope. Pray to be proud to be an American, again.
Wear a mask and get vaccinated, it won’t kill you but if you don’t, it just might.
Soosey’s Ruminations 