I find it sad that my disgust with those who use "The Lessons Of 9/11" as a blanket justification for any and all political goals, including war, torture, and a general dismissal of Constitutional (and even human) rights so nearly outweighs my desire to mark the anniversary of the tragedy.

But I have to say something, with the caveat that it is colored by the above disgust. It's probably nothing that isn't being posted elsewhere, but it's my blog, and I want to say it.

The bombing of the Twin Towers was a great tragedy. Yes, I do remember exactly where I was when I heard about it and saw the pictures on AOL. Thousands of people died, many of whom were firefighters and police who were doing their damnedest to deal with an ultimately untenable situation. This has had a lasting effect on their respective forces, since so many of those who were killed were the best and the bravest, leaving gaping holes in leadership and experience when they died.

America was shaken, its illusion of invulnerability forever shattered by a hit on its own soil.

Maybe a sense of vulnerability isn't a bad thing. Maybe it should make us more aware that we live in an interconnected world that is made up of all sorts of people and values and dreams and goals and maybe things would be better if we cooperated more than we dicatated. But that's a [somewhat cranky] digression.

Heck, as long as I'm being cranky, I will be honest and say that I'm not convinced that the families of those who were killed in the attack -- especially civilians who happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time -- deserved the huge settlements that so many of them got. I deeply respect those who used the money to set up charitable foundations in the names of those they lost. I think my actual gripe is that I don't think they deserve that scale of renumeration more than the families of those troops who died supposedly fighting terrorism overseas. These men and women volunteered to risk their lives, and I think that, at the very least, we should be allowed to honor their sacrifices. Sure, not allowing photographs of coffins or bodybags helps remove potential ammunition for those who would use the deaths for political reasons -- but it also shows disrespect to both the dead and those they left behind.

*sigh*

Okay, I apologize for the cranky tone. I spent half an hour this morning with a screaming child who wanted to wear the green pants -- no, the grey pants! No, the green pants! No, no, no Mama! No Mama! No s'ool! No s'ool! No shoes! No waffle! No waffle -- Mama! Gimme my waffle! Waaaaaaaa!

so I don't have a whole lot of patience right now.

Maybe I'll be better after another cup of tea.