On this, the one year anniversary of Sept 11, one would be hard pressed not to think about certain things. For instance, it's hard not to remember the victims of this attack, and for good reason, because they most definately should be remembered. Something else that one almost has no choice but to think about is what is going on in the world. All the violence and hate is enough to make anybody sad and upset at the state of things. These are just two examples of how, on this somber day, there is much thought, and emotion in the air. This is how it should be. My condolences go to the families who lost their loved ones in this attack, as well as to the families of every victim of terror throughout the world. The problem that is affecting me though, is that even as I write this, the amount of people who qualify to recieve my condolences grows exponentially. In the middle east, you have suicide bombers attacking busses and coffee shops, you have tanks bulldozing people's houses, and shootings on the street. In the Afghanistan reigon, there are US bombers overhead, troops in the streets, and explosions all around. In Ireland, you have two political factions attacking eachother in broad daylight with pipebombs. The list goes on. I'm afraid to even guess how many other examples of terrorism there are, that are happening right now.
When those planes hit the WTC, did it make you sad? Or angry? Or both? Who did you get angry against? The purpotrators? Fair enough. Would you describe terrorists as "Groups of people who attack a civilian population with threats or acts of violence to achieve a political (or other such) goal." as 'America's Mayor' did? So would I. That is why I feel I need to bring up some points that I assumed were very obvious, but that many people seem to be overlooking.
Does America commit any acts of terrorism? If you said yes, and yet still support their War On Terrorism, I shouldn't need to point out the contradiction. But if you said no, and support the WOT, then that's even worse.
While at no point in this post do I ever condone the acts taken against the American people on Sept 11, one must understand that these attacks happened for reasons other than "penis envy", an idea that is seemingly supported by a large percentage of NG's flash artists.
It should be obvious that the US likes to get involved internationally in political issues. In fact, I see no scenario in which a person could be ignorant to this fact. And yet, how often do the American people ask themselves if what they're doing is right? Or ethically sound? To get right to the point, in the 1980's, the US was involved in terror promoting activies in Nicaragua. They are the only nation to ever actually be condemed for use of terrorism by the United Nations and the United Nations security council. Unfortunately, the US is actually a part of the council, and as such, can veto some of their power, and this they did. In other words, the US shrugged, and kept right on doing what they were doing.
Another example of how crazy the US foreign policy is took place in the 1970's. In Chile, there was an election held, and a leader by the name of Allende (pronounced A-jen-day) was elected by his people to run the country. He was a socialist, and did wonders for the country. He stopped supplying US big buisness with many minerals at the prices they HAD been recieving before, which infuriated the US largely. They owned or had influence over 50+% of the country's copper mines (which was their chief export), and so with these new trade restrictions (which put the people of Chile first instead of American buisness men) the US lost a lot of their copper imports because they refused to pay the prices. They quickly set up for an overthrow of the Chilian government, and had everybody on staff and involved with the Allende campaign executed, including Allende himself. The US did not actually send US soliders in to do this, but instead financially backed a coup d'etat lead by Allende's enemies in the country. Once the old government was out, the US sent in a team of economists to set up a free market style economy like the US', in which the peasants of Chile would again return to being exploited, and the US would prosper again.
There are many examples of the US proliferating terrorism to suit their own needs, and to exploit civilian populations to achieve political or economic goals. As I recall, even the US defines this as terrorism. It is not simply the US that engages in said activities, but instead large percentages of the First World, and the G8 are all involved. Don't get the wrong idea, they don't sit down and say "Hey, let's proliferate terror"... hmm... well, maybe they do, but regardless, that's the effect.
The US' involvement in this WOT and their comming actions towards Iraq are just the most recent in their long history of black ops, and terrorism. Whenever people are being killed in the name of some political goal, or some religious quest, or something act of vengence, that is terrorism. When Isreali tanks smash people's houses down in the middle of the night. That's terrorism. When the US napalms innocent civilians, many of whoms are kids, in a quest for oil (under the guise of ousting some dictator), that's terrorism. Terrorism must stop, and I give my deepest and most sincere condolences to all it's victims. If the US was serious about stopping terrorism, they'd revise their foreign policy. Instead of taking this momentusly emotional time to change, they've just used it to fuel the fires of hate.
On another note, this is exactly what the purpotrators of last years attack wanted. You think they wanted the US to say "We were attacked, but are going to use this to promote world peace, and set the standard for tolerance and hope."? No! They wanted the US to show itself for the biligerant giant it is and "declare war" on an unknown enemy, and butcher a lot of innocent people in the process. This will not only rally people to the terrorists cause, but will give them a reason to strike again.
I look to the future with uncertainty. I wonder how things will turn out for the poeple's of all nations on this Earth. I hope with my whole heart that peace will eventually reign instead of this sensless bloodshed, and tolerance will replace hatred.
I look to the future with hope, on this somber day.
