Contact Me
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Too Many Words
There are already too many words floating through cyberspace and permanently (as permanent as permanent can be, which isn't at all) held on paper. Words of agreement, giving credibility and power to a general who says that we are a success at occupying a country that never did anything to warrant it. Then, litanies of accusations and arguments against same man.
And the memories and stories around this date... we can expand upon an experience by adding our own meaning to it and making it fit any belief system we hold.
On this date, six years ago, I cried and cried and felt a chill throughout my being, because I knew that we would use our victim-hood to justify attacking others. I knew that the mentality of "How dare you mess with the U.S.?" would bring our government to do things that I couldn't stand to even think of. Pain and suffering as an excuse to cause more pain and suffering.
But others have seen it differently and are glad that we kill people in other lands so that we can be free to drive anywhere we want any time we want. So that we can buy and vacation and watch television and do all of the things that only Americans deserve. "Those people over there" are the bad guys and we are the benevolent.
There really are no words to describe the sadness that I feel about a country that could be so much more. If my "freedom" can only be bought at the price of another's, I am not really free.
And the memories and stories around this date... we can expand upon an experience by adding our own meaning to it and making it fit any belief system we hold.
On this date, six years ago, I cried and cried and felt a chill throughout my being, because I knew that we would use our victim-hood to justify attacking others. I knew that the mentality of "How dare you mess with the U.S.?" would bring our government to do things that I couldn't stand to even think of. Pain and suffering as an excuse to cause more pain and suffering.
But others have seen it differently and are glad that we kill people in other lands so that we can be free to drive anywhere we want any time we want. So that we can buy and vacation and watch television and do all of the things that only Americans deserve. "Those people over there" are the bad guys and we are the benevolent.
There really are no words to describe the sadness that I feel about a country that could be so much more. If my "freedom" can only be bought at the price of another's, I am not really free.
posted by Carol at 8:26 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home