June 2004

What is Grief? What Is Vengeance?

Having lived through the aftermath of the September 11th attacks and having watched the media reports, specials and interviews that continue to this day, I cannot help but be amazed at some of the statements and vicious diatribe that I see regularly reported involving the 9-11 victim’s families. Over three thousand American families were horribly and permanently affected that day.

However, as soon as the immediate shock began to subside a number of Americans and a number of the victim’s family members began pursuing their own versions of vengeance and hatred towards our government and other Americans. This week’s testimony at the 9-11 Commission hearings is only the most recent example. The commission’s investigation was suppose to be for the purpose of determining what happened and what could be done to prevent further attacks of this magnitude. Sadly, it quickly digressed into a partisan political "witch hunt" seemingly more focused with assigning political blame than determining lessons learned.

The commission hearings have only served as a stage for partisan politics and some victim’s families to vent rage and seek vengeance for the benefit of the media. I am not in the habit of discrediting or attempting to diminish anyone’s grief or pain, but I am sickened by the conduct of some of these victim’s families and the media’s desire to capitalize and feed blood lust and a lynch mob mentality. Nineteen individuals and the terrorist leader and organization that financed and controlled them are the ones responsible for this tragedy. President Bush and Rudy Giuliani are not the one’s responsible for this tragic day.

They were just the one’s responsible for dealing with the aftermath. As with any horrific tragedy, hindsight is 20/20. We can learn from our mistakes, but we cannot assign blame for the sake of grief and vengeance or politics. Sadly, we have spawned a generation of Americans that are more concerned with "what’s in it for me" than what they can do to contribute to the general welfare of our society as a whole. Many of the 9-11 victim’s families appear to be more concerned with their collective political agendas and their own financial enhancement than with respecting the memories of their loved ones or supporting their country during a time of war. I am sure that those responsible for the 9-11 attack are currently planning future attacks against Americans and our country.

I am also sure that they revel and enjoy watching the aftermath of their actions and the ability our freedom provides for the misguided and emotionally motivated to assist them in their goals. Are President Bush and former Mayor Guiliani and other elected officials heroes? I doubt they are personally concerned with personal or public assessments of accolades. They are men of character and they are more concerned with preserving our democracy and our freedoms than with pondering their historical legacies.

The heroes of 9-11 were those who sacrificed their lives attempting to save others on that day. The heroes are those who currently serve in our military and who are engaged in preserving our freedom and the freedom of others. Those that attempt to assign blame because of their emotionally driven desire for vengeance wouldn’t recognize heroism if it were standing right next to them. Their actions belittling others, only serves to disrespect the memory of their honored dead. © trickworm 2004