nmah220.xml

nmah220.xml

born-digital

story

yes

no

2002-08-19

I was working from my home pc when it happened. I turned on the TV and watched as Katie Couric and Matt Lauher described the situation. I wanted to see a real news caster, I scanned the networks looking for Tom Brokaw, Dan Rather or even Peter Jennings. Peter was the first one I saw so I watched him until Dan Rather came to his network. In this age of the demise of the network news anchor, I am amazed at how comforting it was to have a reliable known conduit for the unfolding tragedy.

Whenever I see a plane in the sky, I think about the horror on board the doomed planes. I am more interested in international events and consider them in the perspective, "how will that incent people to come and kill Americans?" I also feel empathy for the families of the victims and often think of how their broken homes are healing.

Of course the heroism of the moment, although that has been well documented. Maybe perhaps we should ponder the terrible human condition that spawns suicidal fanaticism. Consider human rights. Maybe if we all work to achieve a world where human rights are honored, we will not create people willing to die and kill inocents.

No.
The American flag is a powerful symbol. I cast a watchful eye to those who flash it around. The flag pins sold for profit at the office supply store, the billboards presenting the flag and a message about 0 percent financing, and now the politicians writing their names in stars and bars. I am first suspicious of ideas wrapped up in a flag, they oft times cannot stand scrutiny without it.
Don't confuse Nationalism and a blind thirst for revenge, which are not noble, with patriotism, which is.