Twin Towers Tragedy: America since the 9-11 Attack
69CLICK PHOTOS TO ENLARGE
Wallstreet Dumps Humpty Dumpty
Americans today, live in perilous times. Our national piggy bank, like Humpty-Dumpty, has broken in pieces. Our pride and joy has been spilled out and all the world is watching.
But this was no mere playground accident. He was pushed off the wall by the greedy, overworked, cunning of Mortgage Bankers; and the sly blindness of fat Politicians who've fallen asleep at the switch.
Now we spend our days curiously watching the Talking Heads. Each one waving his arms wide for the teacher's attention; all vying for OUR attention; trying to explain away the Emperors New Clothes.
The Twin Towers Attacked
America is a different place now. 9-11 broke our hearts. It shattered our sense of security. We saw a President sitting stunned among the school children he was visiting. He continued on; 1,2,3,4,5 minutes... deciding how to react to the news. One of the twin towers had been hit by a commercial airliner, apparently on purpose...probably an act of terrorism. What should we do?
Bombing Baghdad with our Flying Carpets
America had been mugged. We felt ashamed and alone. Our faithful allies understood our fears. They stood beside us. They too, shed tears. But we had never felt this grief so near; not like they had.
So America reared up, in pain and doubts. We gathered our anger. We began to shout.
Our magic carpets flew every night, bombing Baghdad, the bridges, then home.
We spyed Saddam with our night vision sights; like a panther on the back of a bully. We burned his tanks. And playstationed our bombs... to destroy his palaces fully.
And then, when we caught him,
he was haggard and scruffy and small;
we gave him to his enemies;
who hanged him, hanged him high,
and we watched again on CNN
as they hanged him again,
again in front of us all.
All the King's Horses
America debated. Did it matter that Saddam had not flown an airliner that day? He was evil and evil must be done...away.
But the Evil-er Al-Queda got,
the Behinder-we-ran.
And Osama Bin Laden escaped
in Afghanistan.
Now all the King's horses, and all the King's men were stuck in Iraq with just Hope for a plan.
From Camelot to the Moon
America's buoyant sense of optimism
had ridden us to the Moon.
We were carried off
by Camelot;
and the words
and presence
of John and Caroline Kennedy.
They were our very own hearts;
embodied
as our King
and Queen
in a beautiful
American fairy tale.
Up the Lofty Path to The Dream
It was on the wings of a silvery speech
that we heard about The Dream.
We rode up the lofty path with him, the preacher,
and looked into the faroff land.
It stretched out before us, far past the horizon
in its' sweeping grandeur. We too, embraced the dream.
The Tiny Gardeners of Fear
But despite ourselves, and despite our wishes, there was a darkness in America. It was the darkening shadow of hate.
It killed the Dreamer. It snuffed out the light of our shining Knight. America still clung to the memory, still prided their names, their hopes. But their passing brought a new and unfamiliar word into our vocabulary.
And with it came all the seeds of doubt.
Later, there would be Terror.
And there were plenty of lttle minds, like tiny gardeners, to water it.
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This was a nice read. I'm not certain who flew what into the towers. I wish I cold trust our leaders, but they won't take care of small things that matter and tend to fake bigger things that carry huge repercussions. I want to believe, but- not soon.
Hi dahoglund:
I wasn't intending to sound uncaring about the hurts imposed by this recession.
My father was a boy during the Great Depression. Even though the family lived on a farm, with a variety of livestock, they often had corn flakes for dinner. The animals were too precious as a cash crop to allow them to be eaten.
Dad was part of the Great Generation. He fought in WWII; was shot down over Germany; and spent a year in a prisoner of war camp.
My Dad, like most of the Great Generation, had lived through the hard, suffering days of the Depression. I think most will agree, this hardship prepared them. It shaped their hearts to be humble as well as frugal. It accustomed them to act with patience as well as self-denial.
The greatness of America's resolve during the harsh and difficult times of WWII, I believe, came from this preparation of suffering.
As far as the "politicians (who) ignored what was going on". There's plenty of blame to go around. But let's not waste precious wordplay listing who's who. The real question is WHY?
I read a quote about democracy recently. Let me paraphrase it like this: "Democracies will flourish and evolve over time, going through a series of predictable stages...until the end comes. But democracy will inevitably end when the governed discover they can get the governors to open the public coffers to give them what they want. Democracies die an economic death first. Then internal strife, divisions, and eventual external strife leads to the end."
It is this selfishness of the public and the weakness of the leaders they choose and prefer, which destroys the democracy from within.
So I don't make lists of WHO to blame. I agree with the POGO from the funny papers.
"We have seen the enemy. And HE is us."
HubCrafter
As you say in your comment, a recession can be a good thin. A normal recession I think probably does help level things out. However, this one has been pushed beyond that.
You mention in the hub that politicians ignored what was going on. How about those who actively promoted bad policies like lending to folks who could not handle debt?
Hi Tony:
I grew up by a river. They say you can never step in the same river twice...the water's always movin...ain't it?
So I take the long view. And I don't blame this group or that. Cuz WE elected the meatballs, right?
Call me crazy; but the Recession...could be a good thing. Slow down...don't get ahead of me yet.
Recession makes us ALL slow down. Take less for granted. People save more. They think more about what's important.
Hey. I saw a TV ad the other day for insurance. No. Come on. Just listen...Even the insurance companies see this. People in America are takin notice ...people are more important than things. Money and stuff is takin a back seat to...family.
Gotta be good for the long run.
OK. stop by anytime.
HubCrafter
Gotta say we sure have done a nosedive in every area huh ? Our national pride has taken a sever beating in the last decade but I would like to believe that we can brush off the dust and get our bearings back. We could start by removing some of the liberals in office. And maybe get an Independent candidate in there who truly represents the people ! We have been sold down the river by both parties.
HubCrafter Hub Author 2 years ago
Hey Mickey Dee:
People let us down. They have their own agendas, their own PR to put out. Governments and Leaders aren't so different.
What matters to me is what I put my trust in. Or better said...WHO I trust.
I don't control big things. Nobody calls me when there's a world crisis.
But my reactions, my emotions...I don't let them lead when deciding what or who I'm going to believe.
I read history. It helps me sort out the reactions from the facts. History does repeat itself. This Great Recession is a lot like the Great Depression.
Reading history gives me some perspective, some distance from the problem. It helps me see with my memory and my mind. It short-circuits the instant gratification that my feelings sometimes demand.
I believe but am persuaded, that He is faithful, to what I have given. God honors our faith.
Some trust in fast horses. Others trust in popular names and short slogans. The horses age. The slogans fall hollow.
The headlines run. History pulls up a chair. And says, "Come. Let us reason together."
HubCrafter