(U-WIRE) -When I hear the numbers 9/11 I do one of several things: Look for the exit, flip the channel or fight a compelling urge to stuff large wads of cotton in my aching ears. And, if someone yells them in a particularly distressful tone, I suppose I'll call for backup.
This weekend, we will all hear those numbers loud and clear, remembering one fateful day in American history. Yes, that's right. Get ready to run; close this paper before I say it. This weekend marks the third anniversary of 9/11.
We'll remember that tragic day, and the tragedy of it will be beaten even further into our brains than usual. We will, of course, be told how evil terrorism is, and how we must defeat it in all its forms.
Our dubious leader will shake a dusty fist at us and declare that, damn it, We will win this 'War on Terror
' a war that can't truly be won but one that we'll win anyhow if you see what I mean! Some of us will nod our heads and cry; some of us will turn the channel because we know what's coming.
Maybe it's just me, but I'm sick of hearing about 9/11 and all the cliches that come with it. Don't get me wrong, it was a horrible atrocity. But with all the hype, one would think it was the worst thing since the Holocaust. If we were so determined to smite terrorism to the core, why do we ignore so much of it? Because it did not happen on our soil? Because it doesn't fit into our schedule?
While our nation is thinking about terrorism this weekend and we're all caught up in the horrors of death, let's take a look at the current holocaust in Sudan:
--Nearly 2 million people dead; 4 million displaced from their homes.
---Mass starvation.
--Enslavement of women and children.
--Bombing of hospitals and schools.
This is blatant terrorism. According to our claims about humanitarian concerns, we should be all over the Sudanese government, up to our necks in compassion for our fellow human beings. How many troops have we dedicated to this cause? How much real effort have we made in ending this atrocity?
None.
That's 2 million people dead, and we don't act. Why? What do we really care about?
What about those poor children in Russia? Innocent children held hostage, killed, maimed. Terrorism? Definitely. But how many people this Saturday will give them more than a few fleeting thoughts amid the mourning of our own tragedies?
So, come Saturday, when we make to slap our God Bless the USA stickers more firmly on our cars, let's think twice about what that really says. We are selfish. It's true. Just accept it. But realize that we are not alone in our struggles against the evils of this world. And as you observe our leaders on 9/11
just think like Tiny Tim and say to yourself, God bless us
everyone.
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Nick Davidson
