Three Years Later ... And Still We Don't See

self | September 11, 2004 | Andrew Roman

[andrew roman]

One of the gravest mistakes we, as Americans, can make is to forget how it felt on the morning of September 11, 2001 to witness the catastrophic and barbaric acts of murder and destruction that unfolded before our eyes on television. Sadly, three years after the worst attack in our nation’s history, I think we may already have. To me, it is a disservice of the highest order to those innocent souls savagely slaughtered on that terrible morning, as well as an injustice to a nation at war while her bravest men and women continue to serve in harm’s way, that the very day that forever changed the world has dissolved into our daily lexicon as two numbers spoken in succession: nine, eleven. How desensitized we’ve become to the sheer brutality of the event precisely because it has become a hyphenated four-syllable reference point without visual reinforcement. In this fantastic age of image stimulus, where everything is instant and accessible, I’m afraid that the defining event of this generation – and arguably this nation’s history – has slipped from our ever-shrinking attention spans. Sure, we cannot go a single day - sometimes hours - without hearing those two words in some context: nine, eleven. But do we really hear it and understand it or feel it like we should anymore? Unfortunately, for many, the answer is clearly no.

Why?

Because we don’t see the images of the attacks and subsequent devastation anymore. It’s almost as if it never really happened, or that it happened so long ago as not to be relevant. I fear the same fate awaits the images of unspeakable acts committed recently in Belsan, Russia – which the media still refuse to brand as the terrorism it was – as well as any other senseless acts against innocent men, women and children, wherever they may be.

The sights and sounds of September 11, 2001 are tucked away from the American public now, and have been for some time. I’ve never been entirely clear on why that is. Perhaps it is assumed, by the powers that be, that we have no stomach for such things. Maybe the network news types, in their infinite wisdom, have our best interests at heart. After all, why upset ourselves all over again? The fact of the matter is, unless you own a documentary of the attacks on video or DVD, these graphic pictures remain hidden from view. You will not see them on the broadcast networks nor will you see them on any of the cable news channels. We are simply denied seeing the very circumstances that brought us into war – and that which continues to take the lives of young American and coalition forces fighting for the very freedoms I cherish; ones I would proudly fight for myself, if possible.

Although I did not have the presence of mind to stick a tape into my VCR that morning three years ago, I have since been afforded the opportunity to view, several times, each and every major network’s coverage of the events as they unfolded that day. To see it all happen again, in real time, is bone chilling, to say the least. From the first bulletins on WNYW-TV in New York City at 8:48AM through to the horrific collapse of the second tower at 10:28AM, I have been through these raw broadcast tapes more times than I care to mention. From CNN to the Fox News Channel, and all stops in between, I’ve seen them all, again and again, thanks to the time consuming selection and editing process of making a time-line “as it happened” documentary, which I have recently completed. Just as some can quote lines from famous movies at will, so can I cite the grim narratives of that hideous morning. I know these broadcasts in and out – every gasp, every bulletin, every word, every picture, every angle. Yet, as often as I’ve been through all this footage, I am no less moved by it all, no less angry. I am still immeasurably horrified and shocked. I am deeply saddened and equally enraged. I am not desensitized to it and my heart still falls when I see those once magnificent towers crumble into the streets. I haven’t forgotten.

I fully appreciate that there are many who don’t wish to see the horrific footage of that Tuesday morning ever again – especially those directly affected by the attacks or the aftermath. I sincerely respect that. Indeed, I have a friend who spent many days at Ground Zero in the days following the attacks, digging through the rubble and remains of the pulverized World Trade Center. He’s told me that he personally could go the rest of his life without ever seeing those pictures again. However, he was quick to add that America does needs to revisit that day, even if only once in a while, to remember why this war must be fought. To ignore or to put aside the face of the enemy and the sheer brutality they are capable of is as wrong as wrong can be – and a grave mistake. This nation must be reminded over and over again exactly whom it is we are fighting and what they’ve done to us. The harrowing images of the evil that is terrorism – whether they be those desperate souls leaping from the burning towers into the hands of God or those of massacred children in Russia whose only crime was getting up and going to school that morning - should never leave us. We owe it not only to the victims of the September 11th attacks, but to their families, to ourselves and to future generations to be reminded of the horror and evil that exists in this world. Those who wish to destroy us must be eliminated before they are allowed to do so. The very images of the World Trade Center towers collapsing into the streets of Manhattan three years ago should leave no doubt in anyone’s mind that nothing short of victory is acceptable.

On this third anniversary of the attacks on the United States, I pray for the souls of each and every person who lost their lives on that fateful day … minus nineteen. God shall deal with them personally.

[snooker]

Well, you see, if the LSM showed the images, Bush would win the election. That means the LSM's candidate would lose.

Fox did have a tribute segment with Tony Snow today that was a video chronology of the attack. Very well done.

[silverleaf]

Well you see- every American needs to spend part of every 9-11 reviewing one of the many tributes to victims.

Like this one:
http://attacked911.tripod.com/

And this one:
http://www.fdnylodd.com/BloodofHeroes.html

[Falcon4.0]

Over the past few days I've found it hard to watch videos of that day, because I get angry. Not just angry at those who did it, but angrier at those "American" who just want 9/11 to go away. They want to elect a pseudo clinton type who will tell us that He'll bring those responsible to justice, shoot off a couple of missiles and declare victory so we can all go back to our lives and pretend that there is no longer a threat.

[mathluv]

I saw part of Neil's show, but missed Tony's. I think Fox was the only network to spend any time at all on the meaning of today. The MSM certainly wants to forget, but we won't.

[Countyline]

Thank you for posting the above links ...

[andrew roman]

These tributes are wonderful and poignant.
Thanks for pointing me in their direction.