NOWHERE IN THIS POST, ANY OTHER POST OR COMMENT I HAVE WRITTEN IN CD OR ANY OTHER BLOG DO I SAY, IMPLY OR INFER THAT I AM BETTER THAN ANYBODY ELSE. That is an absurd allegation that has no basis in fact or anything I have written. But if you want to distort my truth and perceptions and that’s all anybodies truth is, feel free. It’s kind of cool because I do have self-esteem issues; not massive ones–here I go again–disclaiming my damned life away!
I have been trying to write this post all afternoon with no success. Yesterday at my team political blog, Cranky, Sally and I wrote posts about Karl Rove’s truly sick statement. Somebody commented to me on Sally’s thread.
The commenter actually believes that people in Manhattan Beach CA (for example) were as affected by 9/11 as the people of Manhattan. I’m speechless for one of the few times in my life.
This person didn’t wake up late at 8:50 AM, recently began working at home, turn on the radio where the disc jockey said turn on the TV. I did without even thinking how odd that was. Called Lucia; we had a big argument because I knew from the first second that this was a terrorist attack. A plane in trouble would have diverted itself or been diverted to the water, which was right there. Lucia and I were cut off.
Little Luce had just begun middle school. I ran there. Lucia and another friend work in two of the next tallest buildings in Manhattan. They’re next to each other. They found each other and walked home–in heels; no time to put on sneakers.
How do you tell ten year olds when they ask about people they know who worked in the Towers, that you don’t know? How do you explain that the buildings they equated with good times were gone, but the world goes on, when you’re not sure it will? How do you sleep at night knowing that your services aren’t yet required? There is nothing you can do but buy supplies.
I could go on and on about that day, and the days and months afterwards and how strange it was to see no traffic on the streets. For some reason that’s a big thing to me–remember it like a Coen Brothers movie.
Since Warren Zevon’s “The Wind” came out I have been obsessed with it. It’s a fatalist’s love song CD. I listen to it often, and always find something new and enticing in the lyrics. It’s great on about 8,000 levels.
The first time I saw Al Franken’s little old lady with the PBS bag and “the progroms, the progroms, they’re happening again,” I couldn’t stop laughing. That was me; except I’m not little, old, don’t have a PBS bag, and only whine on my blog. It’s an effective tool that’s brought Al Franken much money and success and me…tsouris (pain), and some Internet interest. Think I spelt that right. My Yiddish vocabulary is limited to about eight pivotal words.
Lucia who is of Puerto Rican Catholic and Baptist ancestry has to teach me Yiddish phrases. When we would go out BLL (before Little Luce) people would think she was the Jew and I was the Puerto Rican, we’re both very pale skinned though mine has a slightly more olive cast. As New York women who were children of the boroughs we don’t trust people who don’t acknowledge their heritages.
My culture is Jewish; my grand mothers never talked about the world they left; they only looked forward. Do know that my maternal grandmother, at 11, was terrorized by a group of Cossaks and had to hide in a friendly Christian family’s house for a week while her family didn’t know if she was alive or dead. There has been talk that she was gang raped; we don’t know.
While I think my life has been a Woody Allen film; I think more in the vein of Annie Hall andHannah and her Sisters–the greatest film about the Savage family ever made than Radio Days or Broadway Days. Never used to watch Seinfeld as it was too close to home; am watching it now. I am Grace on Will & Grace in college when on again, off again where off, I turned them. Oh god what an admission. There was even a famous campus saying about how X made them go straight, and I made them gay. I thought I just liked sensitive men. There were a few besides on again, off again who remained straight but does anybody remember? Hell no.
This is one of my truly non-linear posts. I need to let off steam and learned that exercise doesn’t get the anger out when I’m in hate the government and all non-moderate Repubs. Can’t believe that they will all fall into line.
I’m writing a memoir, and a novel, but the memoir can be finished much sooner and I have a good chance of selling it. But I can’t stop writing about politics. I have no desire to comment on any Conservative blog nor even comment on my own team blog. Was going to take the summer off from all things Bring it On! related. Still might; it might be the only way I can get away from truly stupid Fundamentalists who think that they’re morally and intellectually superior. Why? Beats me. I was brought up to believe in questioning everything, and have spent my entire adulthood around people who never accepted the status quo.
Can’t read their blogs anymore. Too stupid. They’re getting scared whether they see it or not, and thus exceptionally. Before I go spend the rest of the night watching mindless TV, I leave you with two quotes.
enjoy every sandwich
Warren Zevon
may all your teeth fall out except for one, and may that one cause you much pain
old Yiddish curse
I’m going to have to agree with you about how far reaching the repurcussions of 9-11. Yes is was felt the country , and even the world over but NOONE experienced loss and pain at the same level as those who were closest to it. 9-11, while it meant on a larger scale that the country might not be as safe as we would have liked to think, those of you who were there felt the largest impact and you WERE NOT safe. You were actually in harms way, we were not. You were, and probably still are reminded on a daily basis of this event because you also watched the clean up take place and were more personally touched by having friends and family working in those buildings. I don’t know how anyone can deny that New Yorkers were the hardest hit by this.
I know it’s bad to talk politics amongst friends so I will keep this short and simple. I believe the war in Iraq is a good thing. I DO NOT believe that the death of innocent people ,both ours and theirs, is a good thing, but such is the repercussions of war.I don’t say this as a person who has not been affected personally by this war either. My own husband was there for 14 months, one of my best friends was there for 2 years and is now in a military hospital in Washington D.C. being treated for post traumatic stress and I personally know 2 families who suffered the death of a loved one in this war.
But look at the people who we are fighting over there. These are the EXACT same people who caused 9-11. These are the people who kill their own people, women and children as well, in the name of the church or -whatever- and they are the people who send out their own people as suicide bombers, the exact same type of people who carried out the attacks of 9-11.
While there have been no weapons
of mass destruction found, there were MANY terrorist training camps destryoed. I do believe that we are safer as a nation to fight these people on their own land then to wait until they come to ours to attack us. War was declared within weeks of the 9-11 attacks and was warranted. As a result of our swift counter attacks there has not been one attack on American soil since 9-11. That’s not a coincidence. That’s a direct result of America having taken action. America NOT declaring war would have been an invitation for more attacks. I’d rather do it in their yard instead of ours.
Dawn, Iraq and Afghanistan are two separate issues, always have been. When and if you understand this through your own research, you will understand how badly this war has been bungled, and why the Bush people should be held accountable.
I mean no ill will towards you at all. Don’t take my word for it, do the research yourself. Read the 9-11-commission report. You can get it for about 6 bucks, and It’s a great read. Read the Downing Street memos, and look at what they did.
Meanwhile, the war in Afghanistan did not produce UBL, and we do have Khalid Sheik Muhammad in custody. He was the person who planned it all out. He still isn’t indicted, and the GOP acts as though that is something to be proud of. The whole country has been turned upside down. They have half of us thinking good is bad, war is peace, etc….
Do the research yourself, don’t take my word for it.
I understand what you’re saying about not being able to read certain blogs. I also totally love your non-linear style of writing, though it makes it hard picking out things to comment on, as - lets face it - I could write a post as long as yours in order to comment on everything. As it is, I’ll keep this a stylistic comment, and ask: I wonder why - even in this medium - we need the need to write a narrative, every post being a complete fiction in itself, whole and contained. We have this wonderful new medium and yet we still apply the “old rules” about narrative.. just a thought…
Thanks Trine–that’s something I have been thinking about a lot as I know many people do read my blog, and I write “comment unfriendly,”
Dawn and Steve–I usually try to keep the political wars out of here–have Bring it on! for that
I appreciate your stance Dawn I really do.
Gotcha.
)
No offense taken Steve, that’s why I was hesitant to post this, we all share different views and words can be read with different conjecture.
Love your site Pia, Sorry for the long post.
Dawn
When a great leader or otherwise famous and popular person passes, we can feel a loss. Nothing as close as immediate family and friends, but, a loss just the same.
Unless meant symbolically, meaning that as a nation, we all suffered alike and as one united, I would think that most people in Manhattan, Ca, were not even awake at 5:50 am. But, with instant media coverage and the fact that it was all played out over and over again, just being there live does not bring the devastation closer to home. There were thousands of people lost there, at the Pentagon, and in the air that fateful morning, from all walks of life. I’m sure they had dear relatives and friends who felt a closer and more painful loss than just those who lived nearby. Many victims left us without a trace. What are those families still feeling, whether in Idaho or Budapest?
COMMENTATOR, COMMENTATOR…there’s no such word as Commenter
Hello! 1) I was talking about a civilian terrorist attack; the Pentagon–though my heart goes out to the families–wasn’t.
2)Did people in Manhattan Beach–just used that as a random CA example–walk out of their apartments to see people covered with a dust unlike any other?
3) Did the smoke come into their homes?
I could go on with the ways our daily lives were affected for many months in so many ways.
I’m not denying that this was America’s tragedy. I’m saying that this was a tragedy that directly affected the people of New York much more than it affected the people of Manhattan Beach CA–unless they lost a family or friend.
This isn’t a contest. Yes instant media coverage does bring things into a person’s home.
However watching something on TV, and being in the immediate area are two very different things.
Sorry being in Manhattan that day did bring it much closer to home, and if you don’t understand that, then I feel very sorry for you.
How can you even say that? Do you understand what the people of my city went through?
You’re not being reasoned or nuanced and I have no idea why I was trying to answer your comment with any degree of civility.
Robotnik thanks for correcting my English. Truly appreciate it.
actually many people in the blogoshpere have been using the word “commenter” as I guess an abbreviated version of your corrections.
Again I thank you
Great post Pia, and replies to various comments. Blog on sister
Thanks Windspike. Don’t usually pump up my own comments but I’m in one weird mood as evidenced by the post I put up today!
Dearest Pia,
I’m a Californian & for some strange reason, was awaken right before the 2nd plane hit & turned on the t.v. in time to see it.
There is no way we were minutely affected the way anybody on the EastCoast was. It’s just impossible. Even if we were related to someone, still impossible.
We aren’t missing landmarks. We didn’t have the smoke, the smells, the funerals, the never-ending grief.
I’m sure whoever said we did meant well, but its just not true.
My heart goes out to all who were so deeply affected.
Of course, I understand that the people of New York City saw the tragedy unfold before their very eyes. I’d been up in one of those towers before. More than once. Absolutely, to witness firsthand the devastation of that day was pure horror. I could imagine it being similar to watching a neighbor’s home going up in flames while they are trapped inside. You’ll never feel the same as you look out your window that way. No matter what, you will always remember what happened there. I just meant to say that the relatives feel an anguish that is just unbearable and they can live anywhere in the world.
“The commenter actually believes that people in Manhattan Beach CA (for example) were as affected by 9/11 as the people of Manhattan. I’m speechless for one of the few times in my life.”
Way to take it out of context…
I never, ever said “equally affected”, those are your words. I merely pointed out how you “thought” you were “better” with that experience of living in New York and having 1st hand experience compared to the rest of us. (Look it up, it’s your blog!) Also, if you notice, I merely gave an example of what I saw at a gas station AFTER 9/11 Big DIFFERENCE…
For Example, my grandfather was so pissed on December 7th, 1941 that he enlisted, in the Navy the next day in Nebraska!!! Are the Hawaiians in Oahu, “better” because they were there? Heck no…
I apologize for looking like a big idiot in your mind and I thank your readers in advance, for granting me respect for defending my actions.
I thought I was better….than what?
Never said that anywhere, never would. Said that we went through the experience and that it’s different to go through one than to watch it on TV
This is what you wrote on Bring it on!
Pia…. There you go. So what you live in New York. Like being closer to the incident is better than what I see 3000 miles away.
Your words exactly. Left out the part about the Muslim family waving flags and the rest, as this is what I was reacting to.
Am not a better person for having gone through that.
Bit too old to enter the armed forces as were most of my friends; our help wasn’t needed.
By the time my professional services were neeeded the next month my mother had suddenly died and I couldn’t do anything
Have no idea what respect you’re looking for when all I was doing was repeating your words–used Manhattan Beach as a random California city
Here’s a link to the comments at Bring it on! They were in answer to a special weekend post Sally put up.
I’m really trying to keep Courting a non political blog. It’s hard and I back track at times being a political junkie and needing my political fix.
Oh yes, those of us of NY and DC (and I’m from NY, born and raised and now live a mile or two from the Pentagon) feel morally smug and superior because we were there in person and you weren’t! Aren’t we lucky!
Well, you can have it, baby. You can have the fun of watching the Twin Towers fall and knowing that your brother and several in-laws all work in or near the towers.It’s just loads of fun frantically trying to call and see if everyone’s okay–especially if the phone lines are out.
And the sheer bliss of having to smell the smoke from the Pentagon near your house for a week–and cringing every time you hear a plane overhead!
Oh mercy me yes,now, nearly 4 years later, I still feel smugger than smug when I drive by the Pentagon where the reconstruction work still goes on and I have to remember having to drive other routes for months so my 6 year old wouldn’t have to see the destruction first hand!
And it’s even more fun to celebrate Christmas hearing your sister-in-law recall standing on the Promenade in Brooklyn with her baby in her arms watching it happen–and having to have her house windows closed for days afterwards because of the smoke coming across the East River. Oh, it’s FUN having to make sure your little girl is out of earshot when your brother-in-law recounts seeing people jumping out of the buildings. It really just makes it a merry, merry Christmas.
Oh, yes, it’s all so much fun and we feel so morally superior for having experienced it.
It ought to be obvious that we HAVE to feel different about it. You can sympathize, you can feel patriotic, you can feel whatever you want. But it wasn’t YOUR home that was violated, your childrens’ safety that was DIRECTLY compromised.
It was ours………………..
So again, that makes you “better” than me?
Get real!!!!
Steve I never stated or implied that I or anybody who lived near a terrorist attack is better than anybody else.
You come onto my site and tell me that I misinterperted you. I simply pointed out that I hadn’t.
Nobody is “better” than anybody else as far as I am concerned. We simply had (and are having)a first hand experience while you are watching it on TV. It’s DIRECTLY effected our lives–and it still does, EVERY SINGLE DAY.
That’s what we’re trying to explain to you, but all you can do is bluster about how we feel as if we’re superior.