Weblog Entry - 09/11/2002: "9/11/02 Remembrance"

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09/11/2002 Entry: "9/11/02 Remembrance"

There is much talk in the media about "remembrance" on this day, referring to remembering those who died on 9/11. Nothing is said anywhere about the thousands (3500+) of innocent civilians who were killed in Afghanistan. While we (the USA) are going through great pains to compensate the families of the victims of the 9/11 bombings in the USA, we (our government) has been unwilling to consider offering any compensation to the families of innocent civilians who we killed in Afghanistan.

Merriam Webster defines "terrorism" as: "violence (as bombing) committed by groups in order to intimidate a population or government into granting their demands." Think about it, which organization has killed the most innocent civilians "in order to intimidate a population or government into granting their demands?"

A partial accounting of civilian deaths attributable to the USA in recent wars:
Vietnam - Over a million civilian deaths
Iraq - 250,000+
Laos- 250,000+
Cambodia - 250,000+
This does not include WW II (think of the carpet bombing of Dresden, or of Hiroshima & Nagasaki) or Korea's horrors

It is a good day for remembrance. I am doing just that. After remembering, then what? What would be a reasonable thing for a socially conscious citizen to do on this day? Certainly, it would be reasonable to offer a prayer for the victims of the 9/11 bombings, and for the well being of their families. In addition, it would be just as reasonable to offer a prayer for the innocent victims of US bombing in Afghanistan, and their families. Then, I think it would be reasonable to offer a prayer that there are no more deaths of innocent civilians.

Is it enough to offer a prayer, and then go back to one’s ordinary activities? Not for me. It is a question of being awake or asleep. Quite frankly, if you cannot stir yourself enough to address what needs to be addressed, you are asleep. I will add, however, that I can sympathize with feelings of helplessness and irrelevance. Again it is a choice that each of us can make. If you wish to be "helpless and irrelevant," well, God bless you.

If you do not wish to be helpless and irrelevant, there is much to do. I am thinking today, that amongst other things, if there is no one already doing it on a reasonable scale, that it would be good to initiate a fund to alleviate the financial burden of the families of innocent civilians who we killed in Afghanistan. Perhaps aiming for $2500 per family. That may seem like very little (and it is), but it would go a long way in Afghanistan.

I am speaking tonight at a "Our grief is not a cry for war – United for Peace" rally. I will ask Medea Benjamin (the event organizer and founder of Global Exchange) if such a fund exists. If not, I will announce its inception tonight.

How does one become relevant? It begins by asking that question of oneself. If I can be of service to you in your own quest, please call upon me satsantokh@atttbi.com.

May there be peace on this planet
May there be peace in the hearts and minds of all
May all children have secure environments in which to live
May we each awaken, assume our burden, and do our share of the work
May there be peace on this planet