Letters from NYC

FACING THE PAST WHILE MOVING TOWARDS THE FUTURE

A friend once told me, "Its important to look back at our history, especially personal history, because it leads to understanding the truth, your place within it and leads to your personal enlightenment." Its the search for the truth which makes me glad to see the film United 93 in theaters shortly.

Unlike most New Yorkers, I welcome the opening of United 93. Whenever I share this point of view with co-workers I get many shocked looks. Most New Yorkers prefer not to look at our past. They say to me with angst in their voice and fear in their eyes “its too soon” or “why revisit the past?” I look at them and know the pain that lurks beneath the surface. It's the same denial people chose in 1993 in order to forget that bombing of the World Trade Center. It's this denial that caused the death and destruction of the WTC 7 years later.

The absolute truth is that its not too soon. In fact, its long overdue and an important film for all to see. Especially as the body count climbs in Iraq and gasoline prices soar in the US and elsewhere, causing many to get angry and look for someone to blame. Not knowing any better they blame our Government and not the oil producers who have held us hostage before. Sadly, an increasing number of people around the world are starting to believe many of the conspiracy . theories . surrounding 9/11 that are being circulated about.

We who lived through the death and destruction of 9/11, who had our lives impacted by the smells of charred flesh and saw the smoldering office furniture and building materials burning for weeks afterwards know differently. Even if most don’t want to take a look at the past, they cannot deny that 9/11 happened.

For others, the showing of United 93 and the upcoming Oliver Stone movie World Trade Center, will force Americans to examine not only their beliefs surrounding 9/11, but also examine their politics and their position on the War in Iraq. I welcome the showing of this movie because it illustrates what happened to all of us on that beautiful clear blue morning. The truth is there, in the words, sounds and images that were taken directly from Emergency 911 recordings, conversations and voice mail messages left for loved ones, and from the FAA recordings of that day. Absent will be the rhetoric, the slants, the spins, of those who would subvert the truth and history for their own purpose.

I hope this film is seen by everyone, as a reminder for those who have forgotten or have placed blame elsewhere for why this war started. As a reminder for Americans especially, who are bitching at the high price of oil, and blaming anyone other than themselves for the current dependency we find ourselves in. A dependency with the very people who have a seething hatred for our way of life and principles, and who have financially supported and exported terrorism to our land and others.

I hope, no I pray United 93 causes movie goers to finally take a look at the facts so they can finally see, that Al Qaeda's multi-phase launch of their war agains us, of which the World Trade Center was the beginning of Phase 2 (with the aim to ultimately eradicating Americans and our culture from the face of the earth), has been successful.

I welcome the opportunity for the truth to be examined - historically, politically and critically. I’m just sorry that it takes a movie to re-awaken American's dormant political and ideological spirit, to the historical facts of what really happened that day.

And if you are unable or unwilling to take a look at the past, then rest assured, "Those who fail to examine history are doomed to repeat it."¹

Posted by Michele at April 29, 2006 10:25 AM | TrackBack