Remembering...
I can never write the date September 11th without thinking of that morning six years ago. Just can't do it. Couldn't bring myself to write about anything else for today either. I saw a couple of TV programs over the weekend that have me thinking a lot about 9-11-2001.
GG and I watched SHUT UP AND SING on HBO. It's a documentary about the Dixie Chicks that spans from 2003 to 2006. While I consider myself to be a fan of the Chicks, I wasn't so sure I wanted to watch this documentary since it chronicles what happened to them after lead singer Natalie Maines made her comments about Gee Dub-yah back in 2003. Frankly, I had mixed emotions about what she did and said. Not because I disagreed with her, but maybe the time and place weren't appropriate for those comments. Like I said, mixed emotions.
Even so, I can hardly believe the fall out or how personally people took her remarks. I don't believe her comments were planned or calculated back then. I do think Ms. Maines, contrary to what she'd have people believe, does think twice about what she says now. Ironically, how true her words are today. Many Americans are just as disgusted with Bush and his administration today as she was bold enough to say four years ago.
What is totally preposterous to me is the country western music station owners reaction to it. It's hard not to believe the Bush machine didn't call in some favors and lean on people to ban the Chicks' music. No. I'm not crazy. See what you think when you watch the video. The documentary also puts a face on what it was like for the Chicks to continue to perform when they were receiving hate mail and death threats. Could you stand up on a stage for 2 plus hours exposed to your most vicious enemies and perform? *gulp!* This is why I would never want to be famous. No way, no how. Not that I have to worry about that. : ) People judging you all the time? What you wear. What you say. All day. Every day. No thank you!
The second thing that has me thinking about 9-11 was just a part of a documentary we caught on PBS about conspiracy theories about the two towers and the events relating to the security of the buildings in the weeks before the suicide plane crashes. Pretty freaky stuff. Even parts of the 9-11 report give one pause. Don't you feel like we never REALLY know the facts about stuff like this? I feel like I'm always sifting through information to find some core of truth that speaks to me and makes sense. Surely to God we can do better with all the technology available to us and figure out what really happened? You'd think so, wouldn't you?
I'd like to go to bed at night and believe we have the means to protect our average citizens. I think about the thousands of people who died six years ago whose deaths impacted even thousands more people. Children who lost parents. Parents who lost children. Husbands their wives. Wives their husbands. It's just too huge to comprehend. Do you realize we will soon be surpassing (I didn't check the number today so I'm not sure) the number of people who died on 9-11 with the number of soldiers who've been killed in Iraq? I grieve, grieve, grieve for every family who's lost someone. Five years people, five freaking years of this war. Bring our soldiers home, damn it!
So I'm thinking about a lot of things. Grateful for my life and that my loved ones are safe. But mostly thinking about that day six years ago and remembering...
Posted by Rosie at 12:11 AM
6 Comments:
Hugs Rosie and to all Americans today.
It occured to me yesterday that the number who have died in Iraq is very close to the number who died on Sept 11, 2001.
Being Canadian I agreed with going into Afghanistan and going after terrorist groups but I said from day one that Iraq was Bush thinking he could finish daddy's war (thinking like a historian and putting your name in books).
I do hope and pray that the people of Iraq are leading better lives now but we just can't get the information.
Cindy
I remember that day, 6 years ago. I was in University. I spoke to my dad right away-to see what was going on with Canada's military.
Cindy, thanks for your thoughts. That death statistic is just depressing isn't it? I hope we start bringing troops out of the middle east soon.
Ames, yeah 9-11 is one of those days you ask people "where were you when..." Everybody has a story.
Wholeheartedly agree with you on this post.
Although I must say I'm almost glad that the Chicks were involved in all that nonsense because otherwise I might have never discovered them! I believed all the stereotypes about country music. Thought it was all bout the dog, wife, truck etc. When Natalie opened her mouth I decided to buy all their records to show support and they have since become my fave group of all time :)
About Iraq: I could go on all day about this. Dear hubby was over there for over a year. He was part of the initial invasion. Rosie, I can't tell you what a nightmare that was esp. because neither of us believed in the war from the start. But he had a duty and so he went even though he didn't believe in the mission and to me that's true courage.
BTW even though he's been home for almost three years now I still sometimes freak when the doorbell rings. I had nightmares about that for a whole year. He also didn't come home unscathed for all that he's healthy he still has serious issues with loud noises like fireworks etc. since his base got pounded almost every night while he was there (sometimes I could hear the whistling noise over the phone when he called). So, we hear about all the dead and wounded and rightly so but there's also so many coming back with invisible damage. It's heartbreaking and we'll be paying the price for years to come IMO.
Ok I'm feeling especially chatty. I'll shut my pie hole now :)
Giselle, first of all, thanks so much for sharing your story. No worries on length. I love people who want to share their thoughts and opinions and most of all who just keep coming back and stopping by.
I can't imagine how scared you must have been while your husband was away. Give him a hug for me and tell him "thank you from the bottom of my heart for serving our country with honor and bravery". I mean every word of that too.
I'm a military brat. My dad is a retired fighter pilot who served two remotes during the Vietnam war. One year in Korea and one year in Thailand on bases where they flew missions over North Vietnam. My Dad has over 100 missions and has spoken very little about his experiences except to be disappointed in how his chain of command made most of their decisions.
Every person who serves has an opinion about the war they serve in. It takes so much courage for them to do so with honor and integrity especially when they don't agree with the politics that sent them there.
I went to see the Chicks in concert about a week after Natalies comments. There were protestors and people shouting obscenities at thsoe who attended. This was in Oklahoma City.
A country station organized a cd smashing party. The whole scene was ridiculous but the concert was great.
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