misdirection in haze

On the anniversary of the tragic 9/11attacks, we think about just that, the attacks. However, we often fail to acknowledge the aftermath and impact of the events. Since the fateful attack, the U.S. has openly and aggressively started occupation in both Iraq and Afghanistan. What has to be said for this is somewhere near one million deaths in Iraq since the first invasion, at most, and a threefold increase in Taliban foot soldiers in Afghanistan. Moreover, as of 2008, the U.S. has suffered more than 72,000 battlefield casualties since 2001. On the other hand, we have also dethroned Saddam Hussein, preventing yet another million deaths of his own civilians in addition to his tyrannical rule, Provincial reconstruction teams in Afghanistan have opened schools, hospitals and even helped with farming projects. And even those these things are still going on, on the ten year anniversary of 9/11 people practically turn their shoulders these matters, and focus on the opening of the ground zero memorial. What does this actually say about how Americans are viewing the transcending effects of the attack? To me, I see people turning toward the gaping hole, literally, that was the terrorist attack on the trade towers.

 I hate to be the one to talk negatively about what has been done, I really do, but I feel that the way in which American people transformed our memory of the tragic event into physical form is non-favorable, to say the least. The memorial, as seen to the right, while aesthetically decent, think about the larger message is holds. It is, to be blunt, a hole in the ground where one of the world's tallest building stood. As I said earlier, wouldn't it be better to move more productively on wards  and not leave a permanent reminder of the damage the attacks inflicted. If you look at other memorials such as the ones in D.C., there aren't any that  visually display a permanent wound in The United Sates. Take, for example, the

WW2 monument  to the left. it consist off a multitude of pillars and towers in a circle, a very unifying shape, raised on a small hill. None of the structural evidence shows any sort of real damage and hindrance to the American people. Yet, for the 9/11 memorial, we show no signs of rebuilding or moving on, just the permanent  damage from a significantly smaller, not unimportant, but smaller event.

People choose, and the media tells us to, remember the sorrow the attacks brought, and it is because of this that we won't be able to move on. If people really wanted to 'show them' how strong of a nation we are, it is about time we choose more productive ways of remembrance, rebuild the towers even taller, show real compassion for what has been done because of the attacks, and whether we agree on the righteousness of the post-9/11 measures, we must acknowledge their presence as the real effect of 9/11. Why do we as a people remember things in a particular way, and interpret their importance in a certain light? While I do not have all the answers, I invite you to ponder the points that were made during our misdirection in haze.