As September 11, 2002 loomed, most everyone I knew in New York City was filled with a sense of dread. Not dread of more terrorist attacks—we’d all long since become accustomed to Orange Alerts and armed National Guardsmen in the subways, and no longer jumped every time we heard the words “suspicious package.” (Not much, anyway.) No, our fear was because,… return to article
-
subscribe to print magazine
-
email this article to a friend
-
Reader Comments (13)Page 1 of 1 pagesThis is oneof those stories that illicits both hope, admiration and utter despair at what our country is doing to others in the world. How brave and truly honorable these families are to speak of such a world that stands down from revenge and seeks only understanding and true peace. May they not be drown out by the narrrow minded and unimaginative amoung us.
Posted by Kate on Sep 11, 2003 at 7:38 AM A ray of hope that compassion and justice live on despite the efforts of the evil.
Posted by GA on Sep 11, 2003 at 12:05 PM I am glad to have been able to read a news article this morning that wasn’t sensationalizing the issue. The tactless and heartless approach a majority of the media has taken to the subject is offensive in so many ways.
For one year, I - and lots of people I know who also lost friends and family on that day- were unable to watch anything but the Food Network, because everything else was flooded with images of the towers collapsing and the White House taking it as an opportunity to push entirely unrelated agendas in the name of the people who were no longer around to defend themselves.
I can’t wait until today’s media circus is over, and I hope that this doesn’t become an annual event for them. Having to re-live that day every day is bad enough, without having it shoved down your throat by people who almost seem happy it happened.
Posted by Ben on Sep 11, 2003 at 2:05 PM A thought-provoking article. I will seek the book out and and read it. I am certainly more interested in what these people have to say about the tragedy than almost anyone else.
However, I don’t understand the criticism of the book’s title: “a bit off-putting to see a title that wouldn’t look out of place on a Workers World banner.”
Speaking of titles—“Ending the cycle of terror” should remind us that terror is indeed a cycle and that today is the 30th anniversary of the bloody, American-sponsored military coup in Chile.’
Posted by Dale Fuller on Sep 11, 2003 at 4:46 PM Thank you for such a moving story. I will now visit the website for PeacefulTomorrows and pay my respects. I will not turn on the TV or radio today to listen to yet another year’s worth of exploitation of the tragic events of 9/11.
Posted by C. A. Lodewyks on Sep 11, 2003 at 6:25 PM A beautiful story. It’s like a gust of fresh air to to hear there are people who feel that way. We are not told about them in the daily news so I am thankful for your article. Kelly Campbell’s words are worthy and reminds us all of the possibilities of the human spirit. Thank you.
Posted by Maria L. Etchart on Sep 11, 2003 at 10:16 PM I am still tearing up after David Potori’s “each one the loss of an entire world.”
Those in power don’t want us to connect with people in other countries.
It’s as if only the loss of American lives should matter to us if we are truly patriotic.
I shudder to think what our children in schools are being brain washed with.
There’s too much profit in war as the famous book by Chris Hedges states.
Posted by Dorothy Latour on Sep 11, 2003 at 10:56 PM God bless these families and their collective sentiments. The ultimate honor for their lost familiy members would to be have our American young enlightened over the true horrors of war, irresponsible foreign policy, greed, politicing and men who conjure false stories that could lead a nation to war.
Posted by chet polwin on Sep 12, 2003 at 12:21 AM God bless these families and their collective sentiments. The ultimate honor for their lost familiy members would to be have our American young enlightened over the true horrors of war, irresponsible foreign policy, greed, politicing and men who conjure false stories that could lead a nation to war.
Posted by chet polwin on Sep 12, 2003 at 12:21 AM God reserves the highest place in heaven for those who do not respond to the loss of a loved one with vengeance but with understanding. Those pseudo Christians in office in Washington, who would use these tragedies to get elected or send other’s children to war are destined for the other place!
Posted by james H on Sep 12, 2003 at 4:34 AM Do I know this feeling. My brother was robbed and beaten to death with a baseball bat, left to die bleeding in the street. Some kids came along later and poked his eyes out with sticks, further beat his body, threw his groceries at his dying body then stole his truck and smashed it into a tree.
The media frenzy was sickening. No one cared about his death, just the wrongful accusation of the “lambs” that came along later and found him—the ones who thought they had inflicted so much damage on what they thought was a drunk man, that they had killed him.
I was angry but I asked my family to practice what they had been preached and that was forgiveness. Forgive the two men who were eventually found, tried and sentenced, though only one went to prison and has since served his time. The media was astonished that someone would forgive the people responsible for murder and so they picked and picked and picked at the scab of hurt in my folks’ life until it was old news. And then they went away.
Closure? No, no such thing. It’s something you carry around with you all your life. But I know retaliation and further death and bloodshed will only make the feelings worse. In some way you won’t be able to forgive yourself for your vengence knowing there’s someone on the opposite side greiving for their son or daughter the same way you have.
Do I want to make a memorial out of the area where he was killed or where my 2nd oldest brother was killed 30 years ago in a car accident? No. I’ll remember and go on grieving the way I need to and not how the media think I should. We should leave these people alone with their thoughts and let them deal with this the way they need to and stop telling them we have to avenge these deaths. It’s clear they don’t want it this way.
Posted by neil on Sep 13, 2003 at 1:26 AM Page 1 of 1 pages -
register a new account »Posting Security
Also by Neil deMause
- Elders of the New Left
- School’s Out
New welfare rules could put education out of reach - The Candidates on the Poor
- Ending the Cycle of Terror
- Bad to Worse
Welfare reform is up for reauthorization, but it's only going to get meaner
Popular Discussions
- The 9/11 Faith Movement
Many Americans believe 9/11 was a conspiracy by the U.S. government
1979 posts since Jul 11 06 - What’s the 411 on 9/11?
891 posts since Dec 21 05 - Democrats: It’s the War
659 posts since Nov 1 05 - Was the Presidential Election Stolen?
462 posts since Jun 19 06 - A Fundamental History Lesson
The rise of National Socialism proved politics and religion don't mix
427 posts since Oct 10 05
© 2003 In These Times | Reprint Policy | Privacy Policy | Powered by Expression Engine | RSS Feeds
