No More Turning Away

[Guest]

I didn't want to post in the 9/11 thread because I didn't want to detract from its patriotic nature, but also because I don't agree with the nature of that thread. Why? Well, because, there are no threads dedicated to the acts of pure violence and hatred that plague the rest of the world. 9/11 may have been the greatest terrorist attack against our nation, and we may very well be the mightiest nation in the world at the moment...but what about everyone else? Atrocities are committed by man against man every day. We don't hear about them. Or we don't care, because we have no room for sympathy. I think the lyrics of "On the Turning Away" by Pink Floyd best describe my feelings on the matter.

On the turning away
From the pale and downtrodden
And the words they say
Which we wont understand
Dont accept that whats happening
Is just a case of others suffering
Or youll find that youre joining in
The turning away

Its a sin that somehow
Light is changing to shadow
And casting its shroud
Over all we have known
Unaware how the ranks have grown
Driven on by a heart of stone
We could find that were all alone
In the dream of the proud

On the wings of the night
As the daytime is stirring
Where the speechless unite
In a silent accord
Using words you will find are strange
And mesmerized as they light the flame
Feel the new wind of change
On the wings of the night

No more turning away
From the weak and the weary
No more turning away
From the coldness inside
Just a world that we all must share
Its not enough just to stand and stare
Is it only a dream that therell be
No more turning away?

This line in particular strikes me as quite American (though I trying not to bash here):
Unaware how the ranks have grown
Driven on by a heart of stone
We could find that were all alone
In the dream of the proud

I spent four years in J.R.O.T.C. in high school. I tried being patriotic. I was patriotic, very much so, until I began to realize the flaws of it. While it is in no way a bad thing, being a nationalist means excluding the rest of the world, in one way or another. I will never forget 9/11, because it was an act committed against me, against my home. But I can't let that overshadow what is happening to other people in their own homes every day.

So...how about a moment of silence for them? Is the rest of the world important enough for us American's to care about?

Again, I don't mean to bash anyone's patriotism. I just think we need to open our eyes before we lose sight of our neighbors, and hearts to their plight.

[Guest]

I think it's good to consider things related to 9/11 on 9/11, but to also consider things on a larger, then smaller, scale on the other days.

I suppose that fear of the 'other' usually fuels hatred of the 'other' and once the 'other' becomes familiar and understood, it's less likely to inspire fear. On the other hand, people often go into denial on this to keep their scapegoats. Also, the concept of the 'other' allows us to forget that for our 'other' we also constitute the 'other.'

I also always considered it worthwhile to look at things from the perspective of the other guy rather than just draw in and consider it from my perspective alone; if everyone does that, nothing will ever get solved. And, for the most part, few things ever do because human nature is constant and has not evolved; thus, people's responses to problems, for the most part, have not changed much.

And yes, that's a distilled summation of what years of study at a university, political activism and volunteer work have taught me.

I mean, I consider myself more informed on issues relating to poverty and political problems in the rest of the world than the average bear, but I'm leaving it at a short, almost simplistic comment because I don't like to get into long debates where peener-measuring seems to be the goal rather than any sort of enlightenment.

I will say this much; once you start thinking on the complexities at the ground level of these problems, the simple answers no longer suffice. That's also human nature; the urge to oversimplify the problem and then be surprised when reality foils the oversimplified solutions.

That's all I really intend to say on the issue, though. So I won't respond beyond this one response. Because I'm here to roleplay. I know Silvone understands where I'm coming from here. But if you take nothing else out of what I say, at least take the following:

"For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong." - H.L. Mencken

"The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, but wiser people so full of doubts." - Bertrand Russell

[Eternity]

I agree with you Silvone.

Everything in this world has flaws. There is no perfect way to show patriotism; there is no perfect way to respect the rest of the world either.
I won't sit here and just drag on with my viewpoints, because they are so similar with things shared here.

But also, just as random as this may be.

I am knowing of the tragedy of 9/11. I saw it when it happened. But also, when I saw the first tower beginning to collapse, I received a phone call. My baby brother had been born.

So I always think of 9/11 as a great loss of life on the home front, but also, life is lost everywhere. That very day, hundreds may've died from genocide or racial hate. Somewhere slaves are being run into their graves by uncaring and cruel drivers/owners. Everywhere there is a flaw, but we do not see them all.

And even in death, there is always new life.

[Kalon Ordona II]

*waited one hundred and twenty-two seconds before posting*

You are to be commended, Silvone.
While we do well to remember the tragedies of our own country and mourn those who were lost, we must never lose sight of or turn away from the suffering of others.
We must carry their burdens in our hearts and be mindful of the needs and rights of others--other persons, other places, other peoples--so that, when the time comes, whether today, tomorrow, or years from now, we will be ready to take a stand.

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