Even a few days after the horror of Sept 11 2001, I can hardly
believe it really happened. I am still numb from this event. And
I live in Germany, thousands of miles away.
I was on duty as Shift Supervisor at a security firm where I
work, on a military base, when the MP Desk Sgt called me with
the news. At first I blinked in amazement and thought "No
way.", as I called the gates with the news it slowly sank
in. We have been violated by terrorists, and their cowardice.
Driving down to the MP Station and seeing the pictures of the
disaster on AFN News, burned the reality of the events forever
in my mind.
To further add to the pain, we lost many Police and Fire Fighters,
paying the highest price one can to protect their fellow man.
Words do little to comfort and deaden the pain and disbelief,
words mean very little. Prayers mean less.
The actions taken by the remaining Police and Firemen of the
city, and the general show of concern from the everyday man,
from the trained professional rescue worker to the iron worker
from the local mill, from the food service specialist to the
Red Cross volunteer, from the New Yorker to the American.. Show
more comfort and compassion as they all join together to strengthen
the rescue efforts, than any prayer or words could.
To hear lip services paid to a god that is all loving, and the
protector of the Nation, the great lover of man, and the creator
of us all, again my heart sank. Seeking solace in this god takes
away from the actions and efforts of the people that gave their
lives for others. To evoke a comfort from the heavenly realm
lies to all, and hurts more than it helps. We need each other,
and not a god that was nowhere to be seen on the morning of
Sept 11 2001. Which seems to be there as an afterthought to
our pain, basking in glory ill-deserved. Taking credit for those
that did not die, and shrugging off those that did.
Who was this god? I do not know, and I do not wish to know who
this god was. Would you?