Posted on 09/10/2002 11:22:32 AM PDT by American Blood
The horrifying memories are never far away (Filed: 08/09/2002)
America was changed forever by September 11. John McEnroe, who wrote about the attacks for this newspaper a year ago, now hopes that his countrymen will learn that sometimes winning isn't everything.
September 11 is close at hand, but for most New Yorkers it has never been far away. Every time you see a fireman or a policeman you cannot help but reflect upon the enormity of what happened to our city. And I, personally, am still mystified by the thought that somehow someone justified all of that.
The Civil War apart, we Americans have never felt the full horror of war so close to home; Pearl Harbour was too far away to have much impact upon the population. 9/11 was our reality check.
For many countries in the world and for thousands of people, war is something they have to live daily; we thought we didn't have to. In a weird way while at first it may have distanced us from the rest of the world I think - or at least I hope - in time it will bring us closer.
As a boy I grew up believing everything was black and white. It came as a shock to discover that most things in life were grey and the most horrific example of that was the attacks on New York and Washington. You think to yourself, "How could someone justify that?" But they did.
Apportioning blame was not as cut and dried as people liked to think. I mean, didn't we arm Iraq in their war against Iran? And didn't we back that same Osama bin Laden, who wreaked such havoc and misery upon our country, in his fight against the Russians?
If there is any good to come from this act of evil it is that ultimately it may help us to understand what other people in the world are thinking, be they our friends or our enemies. As a nation we've lost sight of that. We have to improve communication, to be more aware of our shortcomings as well as our strengths.
The lack of uniformity in the world's approach to dealing with terrorism is only further proof that we need to find common ground. I think that President Bush has realised he doesn't have the support he thought he had for an attack on Iraq; like all politicians he has just been seeing which way the wind is blowing before he bends with it.
There are very few people who lead in the way Rudolph Giuliani, the former mayor of New York, did during last year's tragedy, who have a set of convictions and don't give a hoot about the next election. In Britain, you had it with Winston Churchill during the Second World War. The world needs more people like them.
It was about a week after September 11 before I visited Ground Zero. Like most people I wanted to help but I didn't want it to be misconstrued as publicity-seeking. Eventually I went down there with a policeman friend and managed to keep a low profile. As it turned out, people more competent than I were already helping.
I have been more proud than ever to be a New Yorker these past 12 months. The way people have responded and pulled together in the face of adversity has been immensely gratifying. It has been a test of their character - and it will continue to be. We flew the American flag outside our apartment for a while - a lot of people did. I don't know why but something about doing it made us feel good, there was something right about it.
I hope they don't build anything on the site of the old World Trade Center, just a memorial. It would be incredibly inappropriate if they did. So you build one 60 storeys high instead of 110? What does that prove? What sort of show of defiance is that? You have to think of those who died there. That's where we've lost our perspective.
Getting back to normality this year has not been easy, since that in itself seemed the wrong thing to do. It took a while before New Yorkers could bring themselves to look each other in the eye, never mind celebrate Christmas in the way most people normally do. You just longed for a sense of calm and continuity. But eventually things do return to normal and I have been as guilty of that as anyone because of a hectic schedule which has involved the promotion of my autobiography, seniors' tennis and television commentary.
However, the US Open, which finishes at Flushing Meadows in New York today, has focused my mind once again on the events of last year. The two are somehow connected for me. Last year's championship ended on September 9 and my thoughts were still on the tennis when the first of those planes struck the World Trade Center. Ever since then it has been hard to get a perspective on anything.
In travelling the world as a tennis player, I have a better appreciation of other countries than most Americans. We could do with being a little less besotted with money, money, money, win, win, win. When I am in England each summer people always ask: "Why don't English players win Wimbledon? They ought to be more like Americans and play to win." To my mind, it's time Americans started being more like the English - or at least learnt to lose with grace.
This comment simply blows my mind. Comments?
New York doesn't give a flying **** how proud ye are, Johnny.
They only become grey when you lose track of your own values and morals...
Normally, I refrain from using profanity. However, if it's comments you're looking for, I can't respond to this statement without using foul language. I can, however, respond civilly to this....
And didn't we back that same Osama bin Laden, who wreaked such havoc and misery upon our country, in his fight against the Russians?
Yes, John, we did. Why? Because we didn't want to go in and do the job ourselves. We should learn something from this about the trustworthiness of some of the "people" we help.
Oh, yeah? Try being a Vietnam veteran returning home some time, Johnny. What did you do in that little war, BTW?...??
In travelling the world as a tennis player, I have a better appreciation of other countries than most Americans.
We could do with being a little less besotted with money, money, money, win, win, win. (now that I have tons of money)
What a self-infatuated moron. It's frightening to hear people talk nowadays. It explains why Jefferson said, at the end of his life, that he could no longer abide politics, and was happy with his Tacitus.
What is this WE stuff? A millionaire former athlete is lecturing ordinary Americans on too much focus on winning and money??
This sounds like a case of 'I've got mine'. And if being more British means relying on words like 'besotted' then I've had enough already.
Perhaps McEnroe should counsel al qaeda on losing with grace!
No, in a contest more meaningful that anything McEnroe has ever done in his life, the United States military is going to kick ass and profit handsomely, just like this perpetually juvenile punk did once upon a time.
Okay, a**hole. Please give your millions to charity and your championship trophies to anybody. Prick!
The patriots who fought in the revolutionary war were potted plants? This guy is an idiot!
Red
Sorry John, that comment was out of bounds. As far as losing with grace, well frankly that comment blows me away. I must say, I thought John was a deeper thinker than this essay reflects.
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