Some thoughts at 3:00 a.m.
I have attempted to write about what I am thinking and feeling a number of times over the past few days. I’ll tap off a sentence or two and then think, “Why am I doing this?” What possible perspective do I have on Tuesday’s events that have not been said a dozen times? I’m determined to make it happen this time. Allow me some room to also reflect on some of the more mundane things that have become part of the conversation and imagery of the events that this country has experienced along with matters way more serious.
It is so frustrating to attempt to analyze and logically deconstruct why the attacks happened. With most newsworthy events, such as the 2000 presidential election, you think about the debates, the differences in approach and agenda, the mood of the country, and so on to reach a conclusion about how the results ended up the way they did. With this I keep
coming to similar places: “What good do they think would come from this? Isn’t murder and suicide against the teachings of the Koran? How does this demonstrate to us our sleazy, secular, decadence? Do you really think this makes Allah happy?”
But we know that all these rational questions do not apply here. It scares me to death to keep hearing that “war has been declared.” My initial reaction has been that we’re acting in a knee-jerk fashion, appealing to cries for revenge, and could potentially be counterproductive. I’ve been reading editorial columns, past articles from the New York Times, listening to our president and other world leaders and trying to play things out… if we move in with crushing force, against identified terrorist cells and the country or countries that harbor them, we could potentially prevent scores from terrorist attacks
in the future. The flipside to that, as is being argued, we risk summoning a thousand more blood-thirsty beasts that otherwise may reserve their hatred for America for the occasional US flag burning but will likely not get the coveted chance to play their
part in the Jihad. My fear is that it almost doesn’t matter. The more you learn about groups like ,
Al-Qaid, the more it sinks in that these fanatics are simply determined to rid the world of the head of the snake, the last superpower, the United States. I recently
read a fascinating account about life inside a militant Pakistani relgious school. The young boys there were of the belief that most Americans are bisexual and that “Westerners engage in sex with anything, anywhere, all the time.”
One can only imagine the lies and conditioning that goes on. As many have stated, it is not a really shocking surprise that these radical groups see us as an enemy of Islam, and one which must be destroyed.
While we’re on the topic of fanatacism, I received in email early this afternoon about comments Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson made, I think today, on the 700 Club. This is what Falwell said:
“I really believe that the pagans, and the abortionists, and the feminists, and the gays and lesbians who are actively trying to make that an alternative lifestyle, the ACLU, People for the American Way – all of them who have tried to secularize America – I point the finger in their face and say, ‘You helped this happen.’”
I knew that it would be a matter of minutes before the Day of Prayer and Remembrance would turn into, “Can you believe what Falwell said!?” I really only heard a few people fuss about it. My first frustration with this is that this guy is not mainstream, not widely respected, not represenative of Christianity, etc. so why get so worked up? I mean, what do you expect? Are we surprised that he is making these kinds of ridiculous comments? Get back to connecting, grieving, laughing, loving, and donating. My second frustration with this is that I think many people are questioning the role (or lack of a role) of spirituality in their life and I am afraid that comments like this, coming at this point in time, could prevent someone from making an important change in their life. We always hear people talk about the various reasons that organized
religion offends them. Maybe thousands of people dying in the blink of an eye will make then rethink the path they’re on. I know I feel more
vulnerable than I ever have in my life.
More to come… gotta go to sleep.