I do not think such a cruel cold hearted massacre of human life should ever be forgotten. One ought remember it as a reminder in the potential of human cruelty. One ought to remember it as a lesson that no human deserves to face such loss and violence. Even if one wants to forget, sometimes it is impossible too. How can someone who lost their friend, their spouse, their parent ever forget the moment that robbed the happiness in their life?
However, remembering does not mean not moving on. We need to learn and move on in a positive direction. We need to focus on making things better.
The United States is correct in its war on terrorism. Terrorism is not a war on religion - it is a war against what is wrong. Terrorism is a problem that is plaguing the world and every nation and people of every faith need to join hands and fight the common problem. No real Muslim condones 09/11 or any other terrorist act. In fact every Muslim and every human being is collectively against terrorism. Of course there are some Muslims who celebrated the catastrophe, but they are cowards in the guise of their religion. Anyone who thinks all Muslims are terrorists or evil based on 09/11 have something messed up in the wiring.
The United States was right to declare a war on terror and ought to continue it. However, the way it was executed was wrong. People were afraid and panic stricken, the government exceeded its powers and did many wrongs. I have not watched the film New York, but one need not watch that to know of the discrimination in United States. Hollywood has portrayed the questionable activities through movies like 'Rendition' and extraordinary rendition is an actual CIA practice, movies like Harold & Kumar have portrayed the stereotyping of anyone who looks remotely Middle Eastern/Desi. And almost every South Asian in the United States has experienced that sort of scrutiny. The Bush government was apalling in its foreign policy and many Republicans including John McCain too have criticized their torture tactics, their detaining methods and their general practice. In fact the war on terror has made the Americans pay as much as the Middle East while companies like Blackwater and Halliburton make a killing.
Discrimination and stereotyping are wrong and one should try to hold back on hasty judgments. However, fear is a very difficult emotion to conquer and fear makes people do many stupid things. This widespread sense of fear that causes discrimination does not make Americans bad people. It makes them dumb and stupid. But some are just misguided, unaware and unexposed to the world. This is a country an endless stretch of cornfields (hicks) and mountains (hillbillies) with a few random scattered cities like NYC and stuff people always keep talking about like its the whole country. Their like hobbits and have not stepped out of the shire for their entire lives, and even the well meaning Gandalf is a suspicious trouble making stranger. Ignorance makes them lack better judgment, but they are not evil people.
And its not just Americans who are guilty of stereotyping. There are Muslims around the world who hate all Americans because of the missteps of a few. There are Europeans across Europe who think all Americans are stupid, misguided and evil. I've come across so many white Europeans online who have stereotyped perceptions of America. I've had relatives in India and UK pick fights with me against the Bush regime just because I'm American and even when I say 'I'm on your side, I'm not arguing against you' they still go on. And several American tourists have expressed being mistreated and looked down upon simply because they bore an American Passport.
Americans aint bad c'mon over y'all and we all be fixin some steak and potatoes for you, and lets swap recipes for lamb curry and rack of lamb over pecan pie.
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