Katie Doyle, Girl About Town

Sunday, Sept. 12, 2004 - 3:28 a.m.

So, like, I hate when you think you're gonna have all this nifty time off and then that doesn't happen. Work so cramps my style.

Seriously, though, I have come to realize that working in reality television has 100% destroyed my faith in the goodness of man. I used to think people were by and large a good and kind lot. I have since revised that opinion to people thoroughly suck and I want nothing to do with them. Individuals may not be bad, but people? If I were God - and we're all very lucky I'm not - I'd flood the earth and start all over again. Sans humans.

* * * * *

So, coworkers and I were talking tonight, and we were pretty much in agreement (there was one dissenting vote) that proclaiming Sept. 11 "Patriot Day" pretty much cheapens the whole tragedy and turns it into one big, gigantic propaganda fest. Not to mention all the people who were killed weren't even American citizens. But I guess if you were a foreigner there that day, you don't count. Either that, or by your very presence in this country, supporting the American economy with your tourist dollars or paid taxes, you are hereby designated an American patriot. Heck, just for showing up for work that day, 1500 - 2000 people win that sacred designation. Not counting all the police and firemen, who by default are worthy of it. And of course, if you choose NOT to fly a flag at half-mast today, observe a moment of silence, or walk around in mourning for the day, you are most certainly unamerican, unpatriotic, and deserving of banishment from this great country of ours.

I'm not saying we shouldn't remember September 11, nor am I belittling those who died or lost someone, don't read that into this. What I'm saying is, I'm sorry, but I'm a little uncomfortable with canonization. When do we move on? How long do we read the names of the dead on national television on that spot every year? What if there are more attacks? Will we do the same for those? Why do we feel compelled to do this? Wouldn't a better idea be to honor the memory of those who died by striving to make the world a better place and this country more safe? Wouldn't some sort of memorializing resolution be a better idea? Some grand gesture which says these people were here and were taken from us by hate, and this is what we have learned and resolved from it?

While we're at it, perhaps we can ask George W. Bush why, when he insists he invaded Iraq to make this country safer, our southern border remains wide open and easy to enter through, despite the government's knowledge al Qaeda considers it a prime entrance point into this country. Perhaps we can ask why a security company which has consistently cheated on and failed emergency drills is still in charge of security for this nation's power plants and installations. Or why 3 years later, customs still does not check every container coming ashore, and the Coast Guard and Border Patrol are underfunded and undermanned. Why does my bank have better security than train stations? Why are young men and women still dying in Iraq when "major operations" are over? Why are there more troops per capita in the secular country of Iraq, which had no connection to September 11, then there are in extremist Islamic Afghanistan, where we know al Qaeda hangs out?

I think those are pretty good questions, for a start.

Peace out,
Katie

0 comments so far

*HUGS* TOTAL! give katiedoyle more *HUGS*
Get hugs of your own

Yesterday's News - Next Stop

In which Katie shares sad news - Wednesday, Apr. 01, 2015
In which Katie returns after a very long absence - Monday, Jun. 25, 2012
In which Katie pokes her head in and brushes some of the cobwebs away - Thursday, May. 06, 2010
In which Katie asks you to write your congressman again. - Monday, Jun. 02, 2008
In which Katie asks you to please click the link and send the message to protect the rights of artists - Wednesday, May. 21, 2008