h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

The terrorist attacks on 9/11 were terrible, but I really don't see the necessity of this annual breast beating. As far as I can see, all that was accomplished by Saturday's histrionics was to keep the wound open and make it harder to heal, individually and nationally. Why is it so hard to get past this sort of thing?

I don't have a lot of hope that this is going to happen, mind you. We're still fighting the Civil War, after all. I'm constantly amazed at the depth of the animosities that still exist. And look at the Middle East, for Pete's sake. I firmly believe that the reason there will never be peace between all the factions there is because they so enjoy hating each other. Same thing goes for the disputes in other parts of the world that go on for generation after generation.

There is a difference between remembering our history and wallowing in it. There is a point when grief, both personal and collective, becomes self indulgent and counter productive. The only way to make a better world is to go forward, not backward. We can't change one second of 9/11. We can't bring one life back. I'm saddened that we are allowing those people who constantly pour salt into the wound to advance their personal agendas to manipulate public opinion and discourse. Unfortunately, they get the knee-jerk reactions they want.

So, let's have a memorial service next year on the 10th anniversary and then give it a rest. And if you think that makes me a bad American, then so be it.

There seems to be still no understanding in America of why those people attacked the Twin Towers.

I don't think you are a bad American. You can grieve without making a big affair of it. Just as people can grieve without wearing black and running to the cemetery each day.

I've grieved enough. If I never see the footage again it will be too soon. Saturday at the pub one of the TVs was tuned to Faux News and every time my eyes scanned past it I could see the plane strikes or the buildings fall. I had to ask for the remote and changed the channels. Seriously, it was like mental assault.

When I was a kid my Dad used to take me to the Remembrance Day ceremony at the local war memorial each year, and the Festival of Remembrance from the Royal Albert Hall was required viewing the night before. I'd still watch it today if it hadn't gone so lowbrow and schmaltzy in recent years, but the poppies falling from the ceiling still bring a tear to my eye. When such things are done with solemnity they're always impressive and admirable. Although the politicians attend both the ROH event and the Sunday morning observance at the Cenotaph, it's by and for the people who had some involvement, including the Royals which, I think, lends it an air of dignity.

But, I can't abide these constant anniversarial (?) upwellings of sentiment and emotion for various disasters (9/11, the tsunami, Katrina etc) which, as you say, merely keep the wounds open and all too often come across as self-indulgence and self-pity. Are we so disconnected from the fact of death these days that when it happens there must have been an error?

It's not going end any time soon (and next year being the tenth anniversary is going to be wall to wall) because the politicians have to keep it going for fear of being seen to be unfeeling and uncaring. You might be interested to read this, Hyp:
http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/fisk/robert-fisk-nine-years-two-wars-hundreds-of-thousands-dead-ndash-and-nothing-learnt-2076450.html

Gnomon is absolutely correct. The average US citizen doesn't have a clue. To actually investigate the causes and why the perpetrators chose this way to make a statement would require more soul searching than we as a nation are willing to do. I'm not ever sure we're capable of it.

*coughs*

America is still a young nation, time will give maturity

You think so, RJR? It hasn't helped the countries on your side of the pond much.

That's a good article, Gosho. Thanks for the link.

Understanding why an event happens doesn't justify it. The victims were personally innocent.Their deaths are tragic. But the west does have some collective responsibility and not to recognize that and accept it is both arrogant and delusional.

I don't watch tv news as a rule, and there's something wrong with my cable, so I missed all this.

I avoid anniversaries, as a rule, because I have this sort of Quaker superstition that says all days are equally holy, and I hate to be told to feel something according to the calendar.

I'm with you, Hypatia - 9 years is long enough to get over ourselves and learn something. I'm sorry everybody had to watch that.

The reason there is a tendency to Islamism in Middle Eastern countries is exactly the same as the reason why people in 'Middle America' are easily prey to fundamentalists of all stripes: relative deprivation.

You see, when the post-colonial wunderkinder in emerging nations failed to live up to their promise, but started using dodgy means to hold onto power, a rising generation of hopefuls had only one way to distinguish themselves from the competition: play the religion card.

This has been done so much in the US, you'd think people would recognise the symptons. Who started that 'Moral Majority' stuff, anyway? Isn't that misusing religion to get what you want?

Fundamentalist movements bear about as much resemblance to the original religion as a mule does to a horse. These movements are always used simply to stir up political support, and they're always dangerous, nasty, and get out of control easily. Doesn't matter where it is.

In other words - US knee-jerk reactions are predictable, and counter-productive. ALL versions of fundamentalism are counter-productive. But it takes incredible strength to resist.

We 'moderates' have to get organised, and take back the agenda. How can we become radically moderate? Any ideas?

Oh, and thank you, thank you, for the 'Faux News' remark. I needed that.

*cough's again*

Not trying to offend, but when you concider that most country's who are in this state of flux (nice diplomatic touch there Rev) tended to be coloured in pink at one point in their evelovtion, and even then tended to be in a state of flux, been chatting to my mate Ros, her hubby and herself ran the "North west frontier" in the 1920's and she has heaps to say on the issues that face us now!

RJR (being)

A moderate revolution! Now that would be most welcome. Right now the loonies are the only ones getting any publicity.

I'm not offended RJR.

I agree, Hyp, though I have an even deeper heresy to confess--the changes in my life in the last 9 years *have absolutely NOTHING to do with 9/11*

Up the moderate revolution!

Moderation is OK, but only in small amounts.

I know

I'm googling the earth maps and having a look at the America is there any where i should have a butchers at??

Pittsburgh.

Ok but i was looking a interstate 5 a nice looking road, worth a trip on i think

Just avoid I-95, if you can. Unless you *like* eight-lane highways with lots of things whizzing past.

The best way to see things is to stay off the interstate, but it's slower...