Last Saturday I spent the day in the "Big Apple" walking around Manhattan, checking out the situation on the East Coast. I have to say, the city is much larger than I had imagined, TV and the movies do it no justice when it comes to relative size. None the less, I finally made it into the city. In all my trips out to the Garden State of NJ, I had never actually ventured into the city. After a few hours of holiday hustle and bustle, taxi's wanting to run my ass over in cross walks, wind burn and sore legs, I realized why hadn't. I am a West Coast, laid back, surfing and drinking kind of guy. Not as high strung as most of the locals I encountered. That's a whole other story in and of itself.
Anyway, as we planned out where we wanted to go and see, Ground Zero came up on our list. Having seen just about every last TV special around 9/11, including documentaries, endless news coverage, etc. I wasn't sure I actually needed to go to the site to "see for myself". I wasn't exactly sure I had any right to do so. Being with my friend who used to take the train in every morning to Tower 1, we went. He wanted to share his history with me, his recounting of that day, his pain. Normally I would say "tough shit, that's what therapy is for" but this time was different, closer to home. So we went.
As you cross the skywalk looking over the huge hole in the ground, it's almost unbelievable to think of what happened there. I felt sick to my stomach as he recounted and pointed out the train tracks that used to drop him off at his building. I was ill. We continued walking, me listening to his stories, feeling worse every step. We came out to the front memorial to the site, to the people who lost their lives. Thousands of people still to this day crying, memorializing and protesting. PROTESTING?? Even the 1st amendment doesn't stop certain clowns in this country from saying what they want to say. Here I stood, ready to vomit with people all around me and two men holding a sign which read, "9/11 was an Inside Job" and "Look at what we did to ourselves". I was shocked, how could anyone stand there and be more selfish to promote such bull shit. Even I don't like George W. but come on now! My sick stomach turned upside down, now I was just mad.
It's like President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran saying that the holocaust never happened! Are these folks completely out of their minds or just so fucked up that we have to just let them be? I'm not a proponent of the death penalty, nor do I think we should go kill anyone. However, there are times when I have to ask, what the hell is wrong with people? Why would anyone find any amusement out of preying on the misery of others? Don't get me wrong now, I'm all for fucking with people as often as possible, but when we are talking about the death of thousands like in NY or Millions in the case of the holocaust.
My dad always told me that as humans, we're not perfect and people will always let you down. I'm very disappointed in people, especially in New Yorkers that can stand there with their agendas and add salt into the wounds of those still grieving. I'm all for freedom of speech, it allows me the freedom to write my thoughts down here, speak freely to you all. This was one of the times where I wished that along with the 1st amendment, I had the right to kick the crap out of these guys. I was very surprised there wasn't an all out riot amongst the mourners and the clowns. I continued my walk and no longer felt sick by the empty crater where the towers used to stand, but sick that people prey on the emotions of those in grief.
With that said, what would you have done? Would you have said something to these guys? Thrown a punch? Let me know, I'm interested in hearing your side.
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Me personally I would have done nothing, there is really no sense in wasting time talking to people who will refuse to listen. I can understand why you would find such a thing offensive when people are taking advantage of a national tragedy. Our counties population is about 70% cattle excepting anything a higher authority tells them, 20% seeking the facts and not taking anything at face value, and the last 10% is occupied by the mentally challenged and conspiracy theorists. Their is nothing wrong with a little bit of maybe paranioa or seeing things differently than others, but do your research if you are going to make claims. Most theorists have no substantial evidence to stand on when it comes to these conspiracies.
Tragedies are just that, but people smell blood(money/fame) whenever something happens and always try to find a way into the lime light.
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