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[Odler]

http://www.jeanlouie.com/

Osama Bin Laden is an assassin. Granted. He made heroes and martyrs. Granted.

Radio France Internationale dedicated a full 24-hour slot exclusively to a debate on 9/11. BBC World Service mounted a four-part series on the events of the date. If anything, this proves that the first enemy attack ever on American soil by a foreign force (as long as we can consider El-Qaeda as a force) is the biggest news item since the end of WWII.

One can argue that Neil Armstrong setting foot on the moon, on July 20, 1969, held the entire planet breathless. But, Apollo XI did not change our life (at least our perception of it) as Sep 11 did.

Over the last 24 hours, the destruction of the World Trade Center, the symbol of our opulence, the icon of our riches, the pictogram of our arrogance, was relived a million times over. Twenty-three countries had an official commemoration. The world focus killed all celebrations in the Spanish state of Catalan: Sep 11, until now, has been Catalan Day.

The names of the 3,000 who lost their lives in the attacks have been engraved in stone. They will be forever veneered in the gallery of the martyrs of this nation. All day, TV screens and radio waves have been filled with stories and recollections of those who survived these martyrs of civilization.

Everyone remembers. Everyone will forever remember.

The Americans (we are) feel strongly that the death of 3,000 of us is held as the greatest tragedy of the last half-century. This tragedy leaves in the shadow the 51 other Americans who died avenging these deaths in Afghanistan.

It also reduces to insignificant snippets the passing of 5,000 innocent Afghans (not the Talibans, not the bad ones) who died during the time this vengeance was taking place. What are 5,000 Afghans compared to 3,000 Americans? Who will commemorate their passing? Who will recite their names? Who will register their martyrdom?

The 9/11 relieved drama dwarfs the 1994 massacre of 800,000 innocent Tutsi in Rwanda. The Tutsi genocide like the aftermath of 9/11, left orphans who would also benefit from psychological counseling. A post-traumatic depressed Tutsi! Who has ever heard of that? And who cares?

Soon, war will break out in Iraq, in order to root evil Saddam out. An estimated 100,000 Iraqi will be killed or maimed. These citizens of Iraq have nothing to do with Saddam, nothing to do with weapons of mass destruction, nothing to do with the reasons leading to the war.

Cluster bombs will fall and their kids will go orphans and hungry. Their parents will go homeless in the dusk of their lives. There will be no memorial, no picture book, and no flag. Unknown pawns, disposable bystanders, dispensable mortals meeting their destiny.

No one will remember them. No one remembers the Afghans. No one remembers the Tutsi. All lives are created equal. Some lives are more equal than others.

We are proud, lucky, and important Americans. Let?s remember our heroes. Let us make 9/11 into Patriot Day. Let?s thank our leaders for making us safe, for deterring the enemies of our nation, the jealous of our life style. Let?s defend ourselves against aggression, on 9/11, before, and after.

Let?s fancy the day when every life will be equally appraised, equally respected, and equally remembered.

http://www.jeanlouie.com/

(OdlerRobert Jeanlouie, Sep 11, 2002)