Thursday, September 11, 2008

A Relevant Memorial

Of all the memorials today the one that makes most sense to me because it truly honors the many innocent victims is the one offered by Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH). We are still fighting a war that has nothing to do with the terror of September 11, 2001. The war has everything to do with cynical manipulation of our emotions for geopolitical advantage by an incompetent and yet ruthless administration. I quote Mr. Kucinich:

We suffer in our remembrance of 9/11, because of the terrible loss of innocent lives on that grim day. We also suffer because 9/11 was seized as an opportunity to run a political agenda, which has set America on a course of the destruction of another nation and the destruction of our own Constitution. And we have become less secure as a result of the warped practice of pursing peace through the exercise of preemptive military strength. It is not simply 9/11 that needs to be remembered. We also need to remember the politicization of 9/11 and the polarizing narrative which followed, locking us into endless conflict, a war on terror which has wrought further terror worldwide and which has severely damaged our standing worldwide as an honorable, compassionate nation. As we were all victims of 9/11, so we have become victims of the interpretation of 9/11.

Before the Congress adjourns, I will bring forth a new proposal for the establishment of a National Commission on Truth and Reconciliation, which will have the power to compel testimony and gather official documents to reveal to the American people not only the underlying deception which has divided us, but in that process of truth seeking set our nation on a path of reconciliation.