Let's Not Forget 9-11-No Really Let's Not Ever Forget
by Davey D
As we come upon the 7th anniversary of 9-11 I found myself wanting to run far, far away from all the media pageantry, celebration and fanfare. I don't wanna see another retrospective TV special designed to pull my heartstrings and yet not sooth my soul. It's apparent that the goal of these mass media outlets is to garner ratings and NOT use their vast resources to heal any of the people who were traumatized by that day's events.
I realize that so many of us have forgotten just how shook up we were on September 11th 2001. So many of us forgot how we initially thought up to 50 thousand people have died when those towers collapsed and for the most part the world came to a stand still on that sunny day in September. In many people's minds, what took place was beyond comprehensible. How could this happen? How could this happen on our soil? Those were the questions so many of us asked? I'm still not sure if they've been fully answered to this day.
I remember shortly after 9-11 it led to people going all out and showing compassion to one another as so many of us at least for a brief moment were reminded that no one is promised tomorrow and that it was important to take some time out, be patient and show kindness. For weeks and even months after the tragedy, you could still smell the smoke throughout New York and it wasn't unusual to see somebody just break down and start crying in the middle of the streets. People seemed to understand and would show love and concern.
I remember going down to Ground Zero for the first time in early November. It was at night and seemed so eerie. The pungent oder, the mammoth pieces of twisted metal, the emptiness of that area was something you could never forget. If you were from New York then you really felt it because the WTC was such a fixture not just to our skyline but also to what we many of us envisioned when you said New York.
September 11 was so traumatizing for folks, that I saw hardened thugs sharing kind words and hugging cops who lost many of their own that day.
Even with the ghost of an unarmed Amadou Diallo and 41 shots just two or three years behind them people still reached out and showed love. I saw American flags being waved from rooftops and windows from hood to the burbs and not because we all found some sort xenophobic American pride, but because that flag was the only thing we had that symbolized our collective desire to connect to one another.
I recall shortly after 9-11 the Hip Hop community coming out.
We had Dr Dre donating one million dollars to the victims relief fund.
He and Eminem were working on a song that brought heat to Osama Bin Laden. In fact I recall Dre being on Fox 5 in New York spitting some incendiary lyrics. The song never came out. I'm not quite sure why.
I recall the Hip Hop has a Heart program they had on Hot 97 where all sorts of artists from Wu-Tang on down gave lots of money.
I recall Wu-Tang donating money.
I recall Naughty By Nature doing a fundraiser for the families of slain firefighters at Roseland.
I recall Jay-Z wrapping himself up in the flag and taking a picture while MC Hammer did a song for the troops.
I recall Canibus demanding that he be drafted to go fight. he later went and volunteered. I recall cats wearing red, white and blue doo rags talking about they're thugging for America.
I also recall artists like Mr Lif, J-Live, Jahi and the Life and so many others who sparked off songs about 9-11.
I recall Jermaine Dupri and a number of other artists including Christina Aguliera, Questlove, the Backstreet Boys, Mary J, Blige, Bono, Destiny’s Child, Fred Durst, Eve, Nelly Furtado, Nona Gaye (Marvin’s daughter), Ja Rule, Wyclef Jean, Alicia Keys, Aaron Lewis (of Staind), Lil’ Kim, Jennifer Lopez, Nas, Nelly, NSYNC, P.
Diddy, Britney Spears and Gwen Stefani just to name a few, had did a remake of Marvin Gaye's classic jam song 'What's Going On?'. The song was intended to bring attention to Aids in Africa, and had just been completed a few days before 9-11.
Another verse was added and the song then went out to aid the families of the 9-11
The world poured its heart out to us 7 years ago because back then we realized that ALL of us died on 9-11. It wasn't just the crying suburban housewives wives who lost their husbands that day or chisel jawed all American fire fighters who lost their colleagues who are seemingly the only one's shown and whose stories are told on these manipulative TV networks.
I remember all those undocumented Mexican restaurant workers who perished that day and because they were using fake names their families never got benefits. I recall that there were a number of Muslims who perished but because it was Muslims who were the hijackers we somehow want to keep Muslims dehumanized so they can all be scapegoated.
There were single moms, brothers who were just barely making it, elderly Puerto Ricans, Asian folks, disabled, Native Americans, gays, straights and people from 59 different countries from Cuba to Canada to China and all around the world who all died in those towers and on those jets that crashed into the Pentagon and that field in Pennsylvania. My home boy's elderly Puerto Rican uncle perished that day, unfortunately his tale never makes the TV specials-probably because he didn't work at a fancy law firm nor fit the bill of the type of person who needs to be showcased to satisfy so called Middle American viewers.
Hell, let's be honest-seven years after 9-11, it has become a mass media event designed to satisfy the misguided whims of soccer now turned 'hockey' moms who want us all wearing flag pins. Healing and coming to terms with those real life losses isn't really on the table. Ground Zero is not grave site, which interestingly enough is built upon a slave grave site, but instead its now become a mandated political pit stop for high profile politicians seeking to show the world just how 'American' they are.
Today as we commemorate the 7th anniversary, senators Barack Obama and John McCain will show up to Ground Zero this afternoon and try to look presidential. They're gonna stand there and look all somber and try to show concern when really their visit is just one big photo op.
They say they are putting all politics aside for today, but their visit is nothing but political. Sure they may not snipe at one another, but they are only there to woo the people.
I have to raise the question were any of those men out and about touching lives before today's 9-11 event? Did they show up in years past to this grave site to show their compassion? Have they ever called any of the families outside of today's festivities just to offer a soothing word, a helping hand or to simply say that their concern goes beyond politics or is their appearance designed to satisfy people who weren't really victims but somehow wanna 'own and redefine 9-11?
I guess the word is out that if you play your cards right an appearance at Ground Zero can do wonders for your political career.
Just ask George Bush and former NY Mayor Rudy Giuliani.
I'm still wondering how a day that was so tragic for so many got pimped to the point that an unpopular president who still had people salty at him for stealing an election just 9 months earlier and an even more unpopular mayor who was on his way to his political grave, managed to become the sole faces of it.
When 9-11 comes around I never ever forget how those two uncaring men came around and used their position and influence for political and material gain. The former New York mayor has a popular international consulting firm where he shows other countries like El Salvador the types of steps they need to take to fight terrorism.
In the case of George Bush can we say Iraq? 9-11 was his long awaited excuse to go wage war in the middle east. No matter what the so called media pundits and experts espouse, I am convinced that man at the very least, had prior knowledge.
Like Jadakiss said in his song 'Bush knocked down the towers'.
Am I the only one who recalls then San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown stating during an interview that he had been warned not to fly that day?
Bay Area artists Paris who was among the first to do a song calling out the Bush and his Neo-Con friends within PNAC (Project for the New American Century) for the role they played in 9-11.
He painstakingly noted in his landmark song 'What Would You Do?', how Bush and company were hoping for a Pearl Harbor-like event and used 9-11 to carry out their game plan to exude global military influence around the world. The War in Iraq was first on the list.
We need to remember that when we think of 9-11.
We need to never forget how Bush and his cronies played upon everyone's emotions shortly after 9-11 and took people's desire to connect and our collective anxiousness and flipped it into a political witch hunt. I remember vividly how everyone's patriotism was suddenly called into question especially if you were in media, an artists, a professor or speaking from the pulpit. If you raised questioned there were political attack dogs on you..
If you was in media and you spoke out calls were made and pressure was put on those who owned those outlets to either silence you or let you go.
I know I fell victim to it at Clear Channel, Comedian Bill Maher fell victim to it with his show Politically Incorrect on ABC.
Professor Ward Churchill was fired from his post in Denver just last year because of his remarks around 9-11.
San Francisco Pastor and former SF Supervisor Amos Brown caught all kinds of hell when he dared raise the question 'What did we (America) do that 9-11 happened'?
He and other pastors including senator Barack Obamas' former pastor Jeremiah Wright as recently as April of this year caught hell for speaking out and raising questions about 9-11.
There were two newspaper columnist who were hounded out of their jobs by right wing Bushites when they wrote unfavorable columns.
Hell I even recall the host of Rap City getting mad at Chuck D for raising questions about 9-11. The list is along one for people who caught hell.
We should never forget the viciousness that was directed at Oakland Congresswoman Barbara Lee who days after 9-11 was the only one with enough sense and courage to say 'No' to George Bush when he asked for a what amounted to a blank check to fight the this new War on Terror.
I remember how Boots and the Coup came underfire because their album cover which was released 6 months prior to 9-11 showed the World Trade being blown up.
The pressure to conform and heed Bush's assertion 'either your for us or against us' was hard for many especially those who talked to the masses to stand up to.
I remember attending a rally in Snow Park in Oakland the day after 9-11.
It was put on by the folks from Lets Get Free which was designed to call attention to all the Muslims and Arab brothers and sisters who were suddenly catching hell because of the tragedy.
I remember one of the organizer Jamani raising questions about our foreign policy decisions and whether or not it led to the attacks. I remember the issue was raised about our refusal to attend the racism summit in Durbon South Africa which was just days before the 9-11 tragedy and how that came across as us being arrogant.
I recall Michael Franti and the late poet June Jordan doing heartfelt poems and songs that called upon us to keep our humanity in check. Even though 9-11 had just happened, Franti noted how he could feel the pressure to really morph this into something that would have long term political implications. As for Jordan, it was sadly the last time I would see or hear her do a piece. She died a few months later.
There are lots of things to remember about 9-11. There were a lot of people who needlessly suffered that day. There was alot of political manipulation that took place in the aftermath. There are those who have done their best to make us forget what this day is really about.
By smiling and repeating a lie over and over and over again until it becomes truth, 9-11 went from being a day in which were humbled and came back showing a bit more concern and passion to being a propaganda piece and rallying tool for war mongers. There were lives lost that day, lets not lose sight of that. Lets make sure those who suffered are healed.
by Davey D
As we come upon the 7th anniversary of 9-11 I found myself wanting to run far, far away from all the media pageantry, celebration and fanfare. I don't wanna see another retrospective TV special designed to pull my heartstrings and yet not sooth my soul. It's apparent that the goal of these mass media outlets is to garner ratings and NOT use their vast resources to heal any of the people who were traumatized by that day's events.I realize that so many of us have forgotten just how shook up we were on September 11th 2001. So many of us forgot how we initially thought up to 50 thousand people have died when those towers collapsed and for the most part the world came to a stand still on that sunny day in September. In many people's minds, what took place was beyond comprehensible. How could this happen? How could this happen on our soil? Those were the questions so many of us asked? I'm still not sure if they've been fully answered to this day.
I remember shortly after 9-11 it led to people going all out and showing compassion to one another as so many of us at least for a brief moment were reminded that no one is promised tomorrow and that it was important to take some time out, be patient and show kindness. For weeks and even months after the tragedy, you could still smell the smoke throughout New York and it wasn't unusual to see somebody just break down and start crying in the middle of the streets. People seemed to understand and would show love and concern.
I remember going down to Ground Zero for the first time in early November. It was at night and seemed so eerie. The pungent oder, the mammoth pieces of twisted metal, the emptiness of that area was something you could never forget. If you were from New York then you really felt it because the WTC was such a fixture not just to our skyline but also to what we many of us envisioned when you said New York.September 11 was so traumatizing for folks, that I saw hardened thugs sharing kind words and hugging cops who lost many of their own that day.
Even with the ghost of an unarmed Amadou Diallo and 41 shots just two or three years behind them people still reached out and showed love. I saw American flags being waved from rooftops and windows from hood to the burbs and not because we all found some sort xenophobic American pride, but because that flag was the only thing we had that symbolized our collective desire to connect to one another.
I recall shortly after 9-11 the Hip Hop community coming out.
We had Dr Dre donating one million dollars to the victims relief fund.
He and Eminem were working on a song that brought heat to Osama Bin Laden. In fact I recall Dre being on Fox 5 in New York spitting some incendiary lyrics. The song never came out. I'm not quite sure why.
I recall the Hip Hop has a Heart program they had on Hot 97 where all sorts of artists from Wu-Tang on down gave lots of money.
I recall Wu-Tang donating money.
I recall Naughty By Nature doing a fundraiser for the families of slain firefighters at Roseland.
I recall Jay-Z wrapping himself up in the flag and taking a picture while MC Hammer did a song for the troops.
I recall Canibus demanding that he be drafted to go fight. he later went and volunteered. I recall cats wearing red, white and blue doo rags talking about they're thugging for America.
I also recall artists like Mr Lif, J-Live, Jahi and the Life and so many others who sparked off songs about 9-11.
I recall Jermaine Dupri and a number of other artists including Christina Aguliera, Questlove, the Backstreet Boys, Mary J, Blige, Bono, Destiny’s Child, Fred Durst, Eve, Nelly Furtado, Nona Gaye (Marvin’s daughter), Ja Rule, Wyclef Jean, Alicia Keys, Aaron Lewis (of Staind), Lil’ Kim, Jennifer Lopez, Nas, Nelly, NSYNC, P.
Diddy, Britney Spears and Gwen Stefani just to name a few, had did a remake of Marvin Gaye's classic jam song 'What's Going On?'. The song was intended to bring attention to Aids in Africa, and had just been completed a few days before 9-11.
Another verse was added and the song then went out to aid the families of the 9-11
The world poured its heart out to us 7 years ago because back then we realized that ALL of us died on 9-11. It wasn't just the crying suburban housewives wives who lost their husbands that day or chisel jawed all American fire fighters who lost their colleagues who are seemingly the only one's shown and whose stories are told on these manipulative TV networks.
I remember all those undocumented Mexican restaurant workers who perished that day and because they were using fake names their families never got benefits. I recall that there were a number of Muslims who perished but because it was Muslims who were the hijackers we somehow want to keep Muslims dehumanized so they can all be scapegoated.
There were single moms, brothers who were just barely making it, elderly Puerto Ricans, Asian folks, disabled, Native Americans, gays, straights and people from 59 different countries from Cuba to Canada to China and all around the world who all died in those towers and on those jets that crashed into the Pentagon and that field in Pennsylvania. My home boy's elderly Puerto Rican uncle perished that day, unfortunately his tale never makes the TV specials-probably because he didn't work at a fancy law firm nor fit the bill of the type of person who needs to be showcased to satisfy so called Middle American viewers.
Hell, let's be honest-seven years after 9-11, it has become a mass media event designed to satisfy the misguided whims of soccer now turned 'hockey' moms who want us all wearing flag pins. Healing and coming to terms with those real life losses isn't really on the table. Ground Zero is not grave site, which interestingly enough is built upon a slave grave site, but instead its now become a mandated political pit stop for high profile politicians seeking to show the world just how 'American' they are.
Today as we commemorate the 7th anniversary, senators Barack Obama and John McCain will show up to Ground Zero this afternoon and try to look presidential. They're gonna stand there and look all somber and try to show concern when really their visit is just one big photo op.They say they are putting all politics aside for today, but their visit is nothing but political. Sure they may not snipe at one another, but they are only there to woo the people.
I have to raise the question were any of those men out and about touching lives before today's 9-11 event? Did they show up in years past to this grave site to show their compassion? Have they ever called any of the families outside of today's festivities just to offer a soothing word, a helping hand or to simply say that their concern goes beyond politics or is their appearance designed to satisfy people who weren't really victims but somehow wanna 'own and redefine 9-11?
I guess the word is out that if you play your cards right an appearance at Ground Zero can do wonders for your political career.Just ask George Bush and former NY Mayor Rudy Giuliani.
I'm still wondering how a day that was so tragic for so many got pimped to the point that an unpopular president who still had people salty at him for stealing an election just 9 months earlier and an even more unpopular mayor who was on his way to his political grave, managed to become the sole faces of it.
When 9-11 comes around I never ever forget how those two uncaring men came around and used their position and influence for political and material gain. The former New York mayor has a popular international consulting firm where he shows other countries like El Salvador the types of steps they need to take to fight terrorism.
In the case of George Bush can we say Iraq? 9-11 was his long awaited excuse to go wage war in the middle east. No matter what the so called media pundits and experts espouse, I am convinced that man at the very least, had prior knowledge.
Like Jadakiss said in his song 'Bush knocked down the towers'.
Am I the only one who recalls then San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown stating during an interview that he had been warned not to fly that day?
Bay Area artists Paris who was among the first to do a song calling out the Bush and his Neo-Con friends within PNAC (Project for the New American Century) for the role they played in 9-11.He painstakingly noted in his landmark song 'What Would You Do?', how Bush and company were hoping for a Pearl Harbor-like event and used 9-11 to carry out their game plan to exude global military influence around the world. The War in Iraq was first on the list.
We need to remember that when we think of 9-11.
We need to never forget how Bush and his cronies played upon everyone's emotions shortly after 9-11 and took people's desire to connect and our collective anxiousness and flipped it into a political witch hunt. I remember vividly how everyone's patriotism was suddenly called into question especially if you were in media, an artists, a professor or speaking from the pulpit. If you raised questioned there were political attack dogs on you..
If you was in media and you spoke out calls were made and pressure was put on those who owned those outlets to either silence you or let you go.
I know I fell victim to it at Clear Channel, Comedian Bill Maher fell victim to it with his show Politically Incorrect on ABC.
Professor Ward Churchill was fired from his post in Denver just last year because of his remarks around 9-11.
San Francisco Pastor and former SF Supervisor Amos Brown caught all kinds of hell when he dared raise the question 'What did we (America) do that 9-11 happened'?
He and other pastors including senator Barack Obamas' former pastor Jeremiah Wright as recently as April of this year caught hell for speaking out and raising questions about 9-11.
There were two newspaper columnist who were hounded out of their jobs by right wing Bushites when they wrote unfavorable columns.
Hell I even recall the host of Rap City getting mad at Chuck D for raising questions about 9-11. The list is along one for people who caught hell.
We should never forget the viciousness that was directed at Oakland Congresswoman Barbara Lee who days after 9-11 was the only one with enough sense and courage to say 'No' to George Bush when he asked for a what amounted to a blank check to fight the this new War on Terror.I remember how Boots and the Coup came underfire because their album cover which was released 6 months prior to 9-11 showed the World Trade being blown up.
The pressure to conform and heed Bush's assertion 'either your for us or against us' was hard for many especially those who talked to the masses to stand up to.
I remember attending a rally in Snow Park in Oakland the day after 9-11.
It was put on by the folks from Lets Get Free which was designed to call attention to all the Muslims and Arab brothers and sisters who were suddenly catching hell because of the tragedy.
I remember one of the organizer Jamani raising questions about our foreign policy decisions and whether or not it led to the attacks. I remember the issue was raised about our refusal to attend the racism summit in Durbon South Africa which was just days before the 9-11 tragedy and how that came across as us being arrogant.
I recall Michael Franti and the late poet June Jordan doing heartfelt poems and songs that called upon us to keep our humanity in check. Even though 9-11 had just happened, Franti noted how he could feel the pressure to really morph this into something that would have long term political implications. As for Jordan, it was sadly the last time I would see or hear her do a piece. She died a few months later.There are lots of things to remember about 9-11. There were a lot of people who needlessly suffered that day. There was alot of political manipulation that took place in the aftermath. There are those who have done their best to make us forget what this day is really about.
By smiling and repeating a lie over and over and over again until it becomes truth, 9-11 went from being a day in which were humbled and came back showing a bit more concern and passion to being a propaganda piece and rallying tool for war mongers. There were lives lost that day, lets not lose sight of that. Lets make sure those who suffered are healed.
