Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death

Remember, remember the 11th of September: painful, murderous plot. I see no reason why the brave souls of this season should ever be forgot.

I don't have family or friends who died in the tragic events of September 11, 2001. I didn't understand what was going on at the time when I was a child. I saw some people jumping from some buildings and complete chaos ensuing from the sky to the ground. I wasn't sure what was going on and I didn't even know what the Twin Towers were, much less who these scary men in planes were. 

Sometimes, I think happiness is bliss. Maybe if I would have stayed confused and never understood what was actually happening, it wouldn't have been so hard to figure it out later on. 

As a child, I was always sheltered from the world. All I knew about was my little corner of the city and Cuba. I didn't really care about much else, really. I never understood the serious things that happened, and no one really explained them to me. Now that I look back at the occurrences of that day, I understand why everyone was panicking and crying and sobbing without control. The teachers were running into the halls and crying out to other teachers and administrations. The parents of everyone came to pick them up. There was a running around of all sorts and an atmosphere of extreme confusion. The PA went on and announced everybody should turn off their TV's and keep students inside the classes. Everyone was petrified that we would be the next ones to be blown up to pieces.

But our bombardment never came. Thank God. However, the shards of fear cut through our skin and made wounds that would never be fully healed. For weeks and months after that, we would have seminars on how to survive a kidnapping, a bombing, a crazy shooter, or any sort of terrorist attack that might come. I had nothing to compare that to as a child, but now it looks a lot to me like the Cold War. The nuclear bomb alerts and drills that everyone did in their classes. The Russians are bombing, the Russians are bombing! Hid under your desk and cover yourself with your hands and hide your face between your knees! The unmistakable siren they played at different times during the day was something out of a 1970's film. But this time, it was The Iraqis are bombing, the Iraqis are bombing!

But, funny thing is, it's not the Iraqis. It's the Afghans. And actually, it's not even the Afghans, because Osama bin Laden is from Saudi Arabia. And why are we not in Saudi Arabia if those are the ones who we seek vengeance against for the pain and agony they caused millions of families that one tragic day? Because last time I checked, there were no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq... just a death toll that was climbing as the days went on. And last time I checked we haven't gotten anywhere in Afghanistan. Sure, we've killed a whole lot of civilians and a large number of our soldiers have perished; but does the building of two or three schools make up for the loss of so many souls? We haven't even found bin Laden, how in the name of Hell and Earth are we going to do that now when no one wants to cooperate. Sure, he could be dead, but if he's not?

I think the one big problem, besides all the other ridiculously large ones we have, is the hate. It's the wanting to destroy you because you destroyed a part of me. Now, I'm going after you to avenge everything you've done to me.

Can't people see the millions of families that have lost mothers, fathers, daughters, sons, sisters, brothers, wives, husbands, friends, and so many more? Your side isn't the only one that's lost loved ones. Everyone's suffered.

Wishing the same pain and agony on someone else is almost as bad as wishing it upon yourself. If you know just how horrible that feels, why would you willingly curse someone with the same terrible bitterness?

They hate you , you hate them, and you hate each other because that's what you're breeded to feel. They manipulate you from the womb to believe the evils of each other and train you in the hate of your earthly brother. Hating each other will just take more souls with each minute that passes. Those souls, plus the ones that have already perished, plus the ones that will perish will do nothing to change the situation. 

Hate isn't going to bring anyone back. If anything, it will take the survivors with it. Revenge will do nothing. If anything, it will make things worse.

Patrick Henry said "Give me liberty, or give me death," in a dramatic demonstration of the American Revolution. His impulsive patriotic heroism is admired by some, but taken too far by others. The way I interpret it, there's nothing to do with physical struggle. Give me liberty from the chains of hate. Give me freedom from the enslavement of prejudicial ignorance. Or give me death of the spiritual and humanitarian spirit I have.  Strip me of my conscience and make me a brute again.

Rest in peace, souls. You gave your life that day without knowing it would turn into a generational struggle to bring you back. We miss you, but knowing you're in a better place lets us sleep at night calmly. Bless your spirits. Bless your memories.