posted by Odog

The Fifth Anniversary of September 11

As I am sure many are aware, today is the fifth anniversary of the September 11 attacks to which some comment is worthy. Given America's violent response, the ensuing war on terror and they way the event has been manipulated for political ends, talking about the September 11 can be difficult.

An understandable reponse by many who suffer the consequences of American foreign policy is to minimise the event. Considering the death toll in Iraq or the atrocities perpetrated by Israel at the bequest of the US, the casualties America suffered back in 2001 is nothing in comparison.

However, all of this I think misses the point. If one can strip away the political rhetoric, human tradgedy is human tradgedy. Seeing two pillars of American capitalism crumble before your eyes might fill your heart with ecstasy or even the feeling that just retribution has finally reached the shores of America, but people were in those buildings all the same, people like you and me.

While the anniversary will inevitably be exploited by Bush and Co. to further thier case for more bloodshed in the name of "freedom", September 11 can also be a means to send an alternative messege; a message in support of our universal humanity. As humans we are all equal and deserving of our freedoms. If one genuinly accepts this premise and not the view that "some are more equal than others", then the finacial and political systems which entrech exploitation and oppression fundamentally come into question.