Six Years Later

Jesus,

Has it been six years? Seems like yesterday in many respects. In many others, it seems longer. Strange how the past can do that to you. I remember waking up and turning on the TV to see a report of a plane hitting the WTC on the morning shows. I, like many others, just assumed some idiot flew a single engine into a building in Manhattan. I turned off the TV and jumped into the shower. I drove to work listening to the CD player. It wasn't until I arrived that we understood what was really going on.

Where's my father?

That was the first thought. He works location scouting for a television show that always shoots in that area of NYC. Something that was driven further home every time I was on location staring at a huge hole in the ground these past couple of years.

Busy signals.

That's all we got that morning. Busy, busy, busy. Like the devil's alarm clock ringing in your ear.

Finally got the call that pop was all right and then I spent the day bartending as people walked in and out the door muttering "how" and "why" and "towel headed bastards” The beer flowed and the shots got poured. People that walked in confused left wasted and numb. I remember standing 20 miles outside NYC in a parking lot of the bar. You could see the sky over Manhattan dark and cloudy. So close.....

I went home and called my recent ex-girlfriend and we made up. The little stuff didn't seem so big that day.

Or any day since for that matter.

I've sat and watched as politicians have run and won campaigns built on fear based on that day. I've seen and heard the victims used and exploited for political gain and corporate stock building. Stood by and watched as people argue and mis- manage funds donated to help the families of the victims. In some cases only 10% of donations ever got to their intended target.

The Nation stood by and allowed that day to become a battle cry. We've sat and watched as over 30,000 of our nations best and brightest have been injured fighting in a country that had nothing to do with that day. Nearly 4,000 killed in the name of "freedom"

Six years later and not much changes. Rudy Giuliani is running a fear campaign. Rudy, who may be the biggest fraud since Bush Jr...... Rudy, who's "leadership" led to New York's Bravest losing countless men that day. Rudy, who has made MILLIONS giving speeches on counter-terrorism while ignoring the facts and exploiting the victims. After all, surviving having a building nearly fall on your head shouldn't qualify as anything more than lucky.

But that doesn't matter.... Keep the population scared. Living in fear and consuming. That's the new American Dream. That's how elections won and people "protected"

Not for me and not today. Turn off the TV and put down the newspaper. Realize today, like six years ago, you still have a better chance of being struck by lightning than blown up by a terrorist. Remember the dead, celebrate the living. Honor our soldiers and pray for their safe returns. Don't allow exploitation to become an accepted political platform... Demand more from our leaders and above all....

Don't sweat the little things.