The Obligatory 9/11 Post

I actually hadn't planned on doing a 9/11 post, and was leaning against doing so. Not because I don't care... but more for the same reason I dislike Valentine's Day and Christmas - as they have become overly-commercialized, 9/11 has become overly-politicized... well, perhaps it always has been rather than having become.

Shortly after it, in a surprisingly short time really, the Patriot Act was created. The name itself draws criticism to those who would oppose it, so most didn't even bother reading it - the nation was still in shock that we'd been attacked on our own soil. Historically, pretty rare. America has the luxury of only having two major nations nearby, along with a few smaller island nations. So we don't live under the constant threat of attack like many other nations, such as in Europe, the Middle East, or Africa. In parts of the Middle East or Africa, such attacks sometimes seem like an everyday occurrence. Often, we have a part in that fact. Many Americans cheer when they hear it. Then they don't understand how someone else can be pissed at us for it.

The fact is that many of us are ignorant. We don't pay attention to world events. We treat war like a football game - we wear our teams colors and cheer as the other guys get their butts kicked. I'd say that Americans overwhelmingly support Israel, but I'm not sure that one in five could tell you about the six day war, or why the Palestinians would be pissed at them. I guess it's easier to cheer when you don't know the facts. It's much easier to say "bad guys/good guys" than it is to learn actual motives.

That said, 9/11 was definitely a tragedy. A lot of people died who didn't deserve to. I'm not going to play devil's advocate for bin Laden, he doesn't deserve it, and I'm glad he's finally out of the equation. There were a lot of heroes who risked and in many cases sacrificed their lives to save others. They won't be and shouldn't be forgotten.

On that same note though, let's see war and death for what it really is. It's pain, it's death. Those who have the least to lose are the most willing to die... think of the suicide bombers. Seriously, a vague promise of 72 virgins after death really wouldn't seem that appealing to someone enjoying life who isn't seeing death all around anyway. If you're going to die anyway, then why not with glory, right?

We should not surrender to or negotiate with terrorists. But, we also have to accept that people are going to be pissed when we ignorantly and unquestioningly cheer for foreign policy that affects them negatively. Learn the facts, then decide from there.