9/11

Some things you don't want to remember and some things you never can forget. September 11th, 2001 fits into the category of what can never be forgotten. I remember that day entirely too well. I was sitting in my car waiting for the traffic light to turn green. I was 22 and attending college; I remember I was switching stations trying to find a song that would satisfy my needs. Suddenly every station stopped in order to break the news that  the twin towers had been attacked, a plane crash, something awful.

I drove to my mother's house and I saw a building collapsing on the TV set. I was shocked when I saw another plane crash into the second tower. It no longer mattered if it was real time or a replay, this was something else. We were one nation under attack by extremism and cowardice. It was the end of feeling secure, and the beginning of understanding that we were now vulnerable. I remember that we all united as a singularly without political preferences.

The days that followed there was no democratic party, republican party, simply americans behind one leader. The word evildoers pretty much served as a universal description of our enemies. Today it's been 13 years since that day and we still live in fear of what may come next. We can never forget the people whose lives ended that day, the heroes that gave their life, their spirit, their emotion to the rescue efforts. We can't forget that day because as big a tragedy as it was it also showed an almost uniquely American trait, united courage. Never Forget!

THERE'S A HUGE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FREE SPEECH AND FUCKING STUPIDITY

I've been following the story of Cameron D'Ambrosio and frankly the whole thing reeks of total shit to me. His arrest sparked an outrage amongst activists for free speech. I believe whole heartedly in free speech. I am a firm believer that free speech is the single right that most symbolizes true American value. I will say that there is an enormous difference between properly using your right to free speech and acting like a total moron.

D'Ambrosio was arrested for posting some lyrics to a rap song that made reference to the Boston bombing. This nimrod basically came off like a terrorist in the making and as a result he was arrested. What bothers me about this is the debate that it sparked. A multitude of rights activists began to cry foul about this moron's rights being violated. Do activists not understand that speech referring to terrorism, or even implying it, is not really something to joke about?  We live in a world were lines were blurred after 9/11. Yes we need to preserve the values that make the US great but caution doesn't hurt.

At first glance this kid looks like a fucking idiot and considering he probably lacks rhythm and talent I am sure he is a less than stellar rapper. I still think that he got what he deserved because terrorism is nothing to really joke about or use for artistic expression. While a few, not all, rappers glorify crime, mistreatment of women, and generally violent behavior, I have yet to hear one talk about committing a terrorist act.

I am not a fan of rap so I can't be cited as an authority and I am not saying that whatever violence, drugs, and abusive behavior mentioned in few rap tracks are any better than terrorism. I do think this moron should have measured his words carefully. There is a point to free speech and that point is often times to open up healthy debates on differing opinions. People use free speech to, for example, talk about religion and atheism or politics and how they more often than not impede progress rather than encourage it.

One of the articles that I read talks about this kid like he is some sort of Larry Flynt figure where free speech is concerned. This punk is not a free speech warrior, he is not a great rapper, this kid is a loudmouth nobody. The reason why the punk is getting attention is because he used a magic word and got more attention than he deserved as a result. Supposedly this jackass could have gotten up to twenty years in prison. The only thing I will say is that the punishment of sending him to a jail for twenty years, or close to it, was too much. Once his background was checked I would have fined him and had him clean toilets in public bathrooms for a year.

Let's assume for a second the kid was a terrorist and he actually was preparing to commit an act of violence, would free speech crusaders be so pissed off then? Let's not defend freedom without first being objective. Just like we want to know why we go to foreign lands to fight wars that don't necessarily have a reason for being, let's also try to understand why people are put in a position where they are singled out and looked at as threats. Terrorism no longer has color, a face, or even a religious preference and we are no longer living in a time where we know whom we can and cannot trust. It's all an unfortunate reality we are now living and have been a part of for over a decade.  

THE BOSTON TRAGEDY

So here we are again, a normal day and another attack in our back yard. This time the attack happened during a joyous occasion that was supposed to make the news for a million reasons non of which included death and injury. The number of deaths and injuries in this bombing pales in comparison to the deaths and injuries in the World Trade Center attacks of 9/11, but it was still a horrible tragedy. Let's break it down briefly and see what it all means.

Two young guys with a belief that the world should be Islam are the presumed guilty. A building came down and we are reminded that there is no longer a safe place and that we are no longer allowed to feel any sort of peace or levity. It was interesting how the venue for this attack was a marathon. The message here was clear and that message is that there is no finish line to cross. Do we blame someone? Do we blame a set of beliefs?

Once the guilty parties have paid for their crimes we are still left asking questions that can never be answered. The ideas and theories are now coming out of the woodwork like they did in 9/11. An aunt of the two suspects said this was "staged" and her angel nephews were framed. These events will cause that rift and idea that all immigrants are bad and that Islam is terrorism. There will be misunderstandings and insecurity, a clear example that the actions of a few misguided fools are enough to judge entire populations.

The ultimate statement is that terrorism no longer has a stereotypical face. Terrorism is no longer limited to an organized group but it could be anyone with a belief so extreme and ardent that that they are willing to kill, injure and die for their so called cause. Yes here we are again and once more the result is confusion, a universal question, and no possible justice or answers. We are living in a world that is no longer easily defined.

This tragedy can never be undone and the people deeply affected can never forget what happened. We as a nation are reminded of dark moments that serve as a definition to our history. The biggest reminder this tragedy is giving us is the reminder that we are a beacon of hope and the defining standard. We as a nation enjoy freedom, opportunity, choice, and many other advantages. While we are not a perfect nation it's our allowance to be imperfect that makes us function the way we do.