How Can We Forget?

Standing at the media stakeout at the corner of Liberty and Broadway in lower Manhattan as I tried to get a sound byte from family members of the victims of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack, I vividly remembered that unfortunate morning; Minute-by-minute, second-by-second. I could almost hear the screams and smell the smoke.

A big sign was hanging right over my head: “We Will Never Forget.” How can I forget September 11- the day when Al Qaeda hijackers took control of four passenger planes crashing two into the World Trade Center in New York and a third into the Pentagon. A fourth, United Airlines Flight 93, crashed into a field in Pennsylvania after the passengers and crew tried to retake control of the plane.

I can never forget the goose bumps, nightmares, and the soot that had covered my downtown apartment? How can I ever forget that I saw people jumping from the WTC buildings?

 I don’t need to be reminded anymore!

We of course have a choice of either living with the mantra “we will never forget” or we can use this tragic and vile moment of our history to build cultures of unity, peace and prosperity. In remembering the victims of 9/11 we should also strengthen our solidarity with victims of other forms of terrorism and violence around the world. The forms of terrorism that are often difficult to discern and violence that can be difficult ascertain: violence that threatens the future of our planet.

We can resolve to “never forget” or to be mindful of the world’s resources like food, fossil fuel, water, and of course biodiversity.

In the present period of instability and contest over access to food, water, fuel – sometimes enacted in the form of armed hostilities – war and acts of terrorism – our resolution requires careful scrutiny. We must question why some have, in orders of magnitude, more than others? Why inequities within states and around the globe continue to grow? Why we are selective in remembering acts of violence, wars, and torture? Seldom has the urgency of such questions been more critical.

We can resolve to “never forget” and let a few driven by greed continue to wage wars, and perpetrate injustice. On September 12th 2001, my neighbor, a good friend who happens be a republican asked: “why did those hijackers attack us.” I remember telling him that greed and appropriation of other people’s share of the planet’s means are at the root of most conflicts, including the root of terrorism. He was disappointed and gave me a look as if I was condoning terrorism. I was very careful of what I said around my neo-con friends from there on.

When former President George W. Bush declared that the goal of the War Against Terror was to defend the American way of life, in effect he had declared war against the planet – its resources; fuel, water, food and of course any unfortunate human souls who got in the way; to protect a way of life for the 20 percent American and Europeans who consume eighty percent of our planet’s resources.

But of course our new president will no longer use the word “terrorism.” Today we are asked by President Obama to “renew our resolve against those who perpetrated this barbaric act and plot against us still. In pursuit of al Qaeda and its extremist allies we will never falter.” It seems Obama has replaced the word ‘terrorism’ with ‘extremism’, but the narrative stays the same. This play on words – can be at best linguistic acrobatics at worst more smoke and mirrors.

But I want to be very clear. We should not absolve Osama bin Laden. We should be constantly reminded that Mullahs like him have a long history of wreaking havoc: Once when they teamed with Americans to “fight communism”; and later when they were ditched by their masters. So we must reject Mullahs and fundamentalists.

We can’t let the extremists, the jehadis, the suicide bombers destroy our lives. These fundamentalists are fighting for the same resources – and just because they are in conflict with the West and America, these Mullahs are not anti-imperialists.

In our loyalty with a nation, community, sect, or religion we should not be blinded to the extent that we are unable to spot extremism. This illness manifests itself everywhere- at your home and school, shops and offices, streets and markets, playgrounds and café.

Reading the reactions of some on this blog reminds me of that erstwhile ‘dulha bhai’. You never know what will upset these hyper sensitive creatures of Allah. You make a cartoon, or take a position they disagree with, or even look at them funny and you will have people threatening to kill you. It used to be that these Mullahs would go to streets to raise fists, burn flags and effigies – but now they can blog from the comfort of their home. We must stay on high alert- learn to be vigilant and denounce injustice in all forms and shapes.