Remembering the Tragedy

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I’m not one for celebrating tragic days.

Calling those days an anniversary is kinda’ weird, but 9/11 is certainly a day that can’t ever be forgotten. Every second of that morning is easily recalled.

I was listening to Howard Stern talk to Pam Anderson.

I didn’t know Osama Bin Laden from Foghorn Leghorn. 

In fact, most of my life wasn’t consumed with political thoughts. 

I didn’t care much for George W., but I figured that both parties would work together in defense of our Democracy.

Yesterday I heard George W. speak from ground zero, and I thought about how much more compassionate he sounded than anything we’ve heard out of that party in a long while.

Regardless, it was a simpler time.

America hasn’t been the same since, and the sun was shining yesterday and it reminded me a lot of that day 22 years ago.

So, some of those empty feelings and dark thoughts came streaming back.

I recall turning off the television so that the boys wouldn’t see the horror of that day. 

I remember standing with co-workers and listening to the immediate hatred for any and all Muslims, immigrants, and people of color.

I wrote a letter and my over-zealous publisher mailed it to a bunch of newspapers. 

“Don’t Return Hatred.”

Thought about that message I sent that morning.

No one listened to it.

When the letter was published in the USA Today, the Buffalo News and a few other major papers. 

The next morning all hell broke loose as we got a bunch of phone calls, from all over the country.

People calling me all sorts of names.

Should’ve known the world had changed.

And I always think of my brother Jeff who was a chef, trying to serve dinner at Buffalo State. The members of his crew were gathered in the corner of the kitchen, enraged by the news.

“We can’t do anything about it,” Jeff said. “We have to go on with our day.”

“I’m going to go to the desert and fight those towel heads,” one of the men said.

“Dude,” Jeff said, “You can’t even cut up the tomatoes.”

It’s funny what you remember.

May all those who lost a loved one find peace.

I still truly wish that the world didn’t respond with hate, but what can you do?

Pray for peace.


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