Letter to an Innocent Man

[emprworm]

To the Innocent Man:

Oh innocent man. Do you feel the cruel wind this morning? What steps did you take in life that led you to this point? What questions are you asking right now, as you fall towards the ground?

The fire that raged in the top of the World Trade Center drove you to jump. How much courage...how much fear raced through you as the burning flames neared your skin, and of your own free will, you lept from window, a thousand feet up?

I am sorry that such horror could befall you in the name of anti-capitalism. How could you know that when you woke up that morning, said goodbye to your family, and left for work, that you would be an example of anti-capitalism?

In this moment, as you are falling, could you have believed that millions would look at you and casually shrug their shoulders, thinking that "you get what you deserved?" simply because you lived in America?

How could you have ever known that there would be those out there who would consider your death that morning merely "blind justice".

I am sorry that your family had to live through this pain. I am sorry that your life was considered so worthless by millions all over the world- almost as if your death was deserved. On account of those who hate america, your death is a mere shrug of the shoulders...or even worse...perhaps a source of satisfaction.

People who say that what is happening to you is somehow "just" don't feel even a single tittle of compassion that your death was undeserved. Instead, some look at you with a strange, yet twisted feeling of relief, or even satisfaction. "Yes, America deserved this," they quietly think to themselves. From their mouths they condemn it, but in their hearts they welcomed it.

As you fall to your death, does your life flash before your eyes? Do you look up at the sky and wonder where God is? Do you wonder why this has happened? Can you see the callous, heartless people around the world who consider your death a mere "trade off" for the deaths of others? Your eyes for someone else's eyes. Your teeth for someone else's teeth. They don't care about you. They being not the people who crashed into that building, but those living in Europe, people in South America, in Russia, in China...people all over the world who hate America so much.....they ultimately hate you...they feel that your death today is somehow a measure of "blind justice." Your life a worthy sacrifice to appease their contempt.

I promise you, Innocent Man, God is there, and he sees you. And He has nothing to do with those who killed you, or those who consider your death to be just.

-emprworm

[ordos45]

Hmm, not to be considered Anti-American but I saw more outrage in foreign media over 9/11 than I did in our own. Also, yes people hate Americans, but that forward (I'm assuming its a forward, I think I trashed it when I recieved it) makes it seem as though everyone in the countries and/or continents listed hates America.

Besides, we must recognize that not all terrorists are foreigners, the terrorists could have just as easily been American citizens. (Unabomber, Timothy McVeigh, the Covenant Sword and Arm of the Lord, the Ku Klux Klan, Aryan Nation, etc...)

Now this is just my personal feeling, I don't know about anyone else, but I think that not all words spoken by other countries were just words, I do believe there was heartfelt sentiment behind them, at least in some cases. Since 9/11 we have seen America's friends across the world pay for standing by us: The French Tanker off of Yemen, the suicide bombing in a Finnish Mall, the ricin scare in the UK, the list goes on...

But hey, if you insist on helping Bush wage his "War on Terror" (technically a conflict much like Vietnam, as war as never been declared by the Congress), I leave you with a parting sentiment. Fanatics cannot be stopped, as long as there are men willing to give their lives to take out a target, they will eventually do so, they cannot be stopped. The only way to stop them is to become what you despise, the only way to stop a fanatic is to become one.

[VigilVirus]

Ummm... yeah. It is a nice poem, emprworm, however, how can you consider that all those people in all those countries feel no pity for those people who died in 9/11? How can you globalize your stereotype of hatred for America, so much that you think that the whole world hates the US?

You post your viewpoint, setting up US as the only 'noble' and 'good' country, while the other, 'evil' countries hate it for no reason and hope that everyone in it dies a horrible and violent death. This notion is rediculous. Americans are not hated, except in few places, but it is true, they are quite dislike, but that has very much to do with their own view upon others.

[emprworm]

"But hey, if you insist on helping Bush wage his "War on Terror""

Actually, I insist on helping the UN wage their "war on terror"

Did you know that there were much more than just US troops in the region of Afghanistan?

just an FYI

[DukeLeto]

"But hey, if you insist on helping Bush wage his "War on Terror""

Actually, I insist on helping the UN wage their "war on terror"

Did you know that there were much more than just US troops in the region of Afghanistan?

just an FYI

No, the UN fought a war in AFGAHNASTAN. They don't buy into Bush's "War on Terror" AKA "Let's get more innocent Americans killed in pointless wars." How...Republican. ::)

[GhostHunter]

Not to sound like a pansy here but I will....

Empr that was seriously touching man, I feel bad for that guy...

[emprworm]

Vilgent, that means that you are a moral person. I felt bad for him too and the letter is very honest.

[TMA_1]

I pray he was a christian. He would finally be able to be touched by God's hands. Away from the other people who would only want to torture him. That goes for all christians. Keep the faith. Geesh its hard now days.

[DukeLeto]

Vilgent, that means that you are a moral person. I felt bad for him too and the letter is very honest.

I feel sorry for the people who died in the World Trade Center attacks; I never said I didn't.

But I feel even more sorry for the poor souls on both sides who are dying in Bush's asinine "War on Terror." Obviously you don't.

[VigilVirus]

I pray he was a christian. He would finally be able to be touched by God's hands. Away from the other people who would only want to torture him. That goes for all christians. Keep the faith. Geesh its hard now days.

What if he wasn't??? Does that mean he deserved to die or something?

[Acriku]

Yeah it's sad that he jumped to his death (or was pushed), but he died, it's a tragedy but move on people. Accept death not as a dead (no pun intended) end, but as an ended journey through life.

"Stop spending the day standing over a funeral ceremony, spend it building a home for the homeless." You get the idea.

[emprworm]

so easy to say acriku....until the one that died needlessly is someone you are close to.

[Acriku]

Because society has totally screwed us over with how we treat death, the amish are very accepting towards death, they dress their family that have died themselves! It's society man.

[DukeLeto]

Hey, BOTH of my Grandfathers died about a year ago. Was I sad? Sure! But after a brief period of mourning, you MUST GO ON. Think of it this way: They're either in a better place now, or at least no longer in pain.

[TMA_1]

Yeah I know what you guys mean. When I saw those planes hit on the news on 9 11. My first thought wasnt about the people. It was "This is going to be talked about forever, and we are going to do horrible things because of it". Like the "Homeland security" secritariate and things like the patriot act passed. Also people freaking out about something they cant change.

[Edric O]

And so we arrive to YET ANOTHER RELIGION THREAD... ::)

[Acriku]

I don't see how talking about how society has made us less accepting of death deal with religion? And it is totally relevant to the topic.

[TMA_1]

you go acriku! woooo you turn me on! ..... scratch what I last said.lol ;)

[ordos45]

Yep, knew there were more than US troops in Afghanistan, waging a war to liberate Afghanistan. Canadian troops bombed not too long ago by their friendly allies.

[Edric O]

Acriku, I don't know what planet you've been living on, but humans have never "accepted" death or "dealt with it and just moved on".

At least I'm a Christian. I don't fear death as much as I used to. But in your opinion, death means oblivion... and that's not just something to sneeze at.

[TMA_1]

with regard to edric's post, no pun to sneezer. hehe ahh it was a pun and a good one at that! .... nah.lol

I think that people in america are fixated on death. They fear so much that it becomes apart of everyday life. I once counted like in one sitting of T.V. more than a dozen adds on things related to death and aging. Take these pills to look and feel younger! herbal remedies! get life insurance for yourself and for your children! reports latest drive by killing tonight at 11:00!

So much crap like this. Bowling for Columbine really shows that in america. Heck, most of the evils America has done were out of fear. We are so morbid it is sick.

[Acriku]

Exactly TMA, Edric we are very focused on death, and we cannot accept it. We have open/closed casket ceremonies before burial, as if the dead person would feel better to have all those nice things said about him/her. During those preburial ceremonies, we are only trying to heal ourselves, trying to make it feel better. Take alook at the Amish, our society has not affected theirs, and they accept death as a normal thing. They are not emotionally affected by death, or very little, and keep the dying in their homes till they pass, as we ship our old people to die in a retirement home.

[sneezer3]

I don't fear death as much as I used to. But in your opinion, death means oblivion... and that's not just something to sneeze at.

samething here.

so easy to say acriku....until the one that died needlessly is someone you are close to.

Just wondering. did somebody you know die in the trade center?

[Acriku]

I accept death. Most atheists do. Death means the end of the journey of life, that's it. The end. The end to whatever story you wrote and acted out in your life. I only hope my ending is to a great and beneficial to others story.

[VigilVirus]

What is the end? No living being can possibly understand how it simply can cease to exist.