There goes another September 11...

[logansrogue]

I dread this time of year every year. I mean, I'm on the other side of the globe, in Australia, and I know I'll be reminded that 9/11 happened. Words are so trite, I want to say how awful it was but it was beyond awful. It was horrific and frightening and heartbreaking and it just left you sitting there, jaw hanging, wondering how such an awful thing could possibly happen, and how was it that you took security and freedom for granted? (I hate using the word 'freedom' since it was jingoised and thrown about like confetti by the conservative politicians in years afterwards, they made me hate the word).

I remember going through American customs, the thing they worried about being where I was staying and not whether I had vaguely sharp things in my bag or not. Customs was all about making sure diseases and drugs didn't come through. Never a serious thought that someone might hijack the plane and fly it INTO shit.

When I went to see the States, it was a different place. There was such optimism, and brightness and joy. I mean, it had it's problems, but nothing like the ones these days. It hurt, all these years, to see America get pulled down by stupid politics, to see the people hurt by their own government, to see the world shake their head and give up on a nation that had once brought people hope.

Tonight on tv, they showed this documentary that remains one of the most powerful I've ever seen. It's by the two French brothers who went to make a documentary on a young probationary fireman becoming a full-fledged fireman, and ended up catching, well - chaos. It was such an honest and uncluttered portrayal of that day. No jingoism, no bullshit - just what happened. You can't forget that. You can't forget the haunted, lost look on the face of the Chaplain Fireman, who was later pulled out of the rubble dead and was the first listed casualty of the disaster. Or the sounds or the sights of that day (I don't need to repeat them). It's something I think should never be forgotten, but at the same time, it made me realise how people need to really treasure the simple things in life more. I know that sounds fucking twee, but seriously, there are things that people just take for granted and don't realise is special or wonderful or a gift.

Anyway, after that documentary, I was feeling really depressed and crappy about everything, then they put on The Late Show with David Letterman, and the guest that night was Barack Obama.

Now, I know there might be some of you out there that dislike the man. Politics is a dirty, dirty business and I know anyone that gets to the top has to have had some dirty damned dealings to get there. No matter *who* they are. But seeing him talk tonight, after all that horribleness, I felt a bit of hope for America. I felt that maybe it could be that country that sent man to the moon again. Obama seems to be a man that wants to get shit done, and has thought about what shit needs to be done. He might not be the perfect man for the job and, shit, I don't know the intricacies of American politics. What I've heard from Sandy makes my head spin, it's so bloody complicated. All I know is that guy has to be better than either Bush or McCain. He *has* to be.

Of course, all through the 9/11 thing I kept thinking, "Well, something could go wrong with the Large Hadron Collider." Non-sequitir, I know. I have to admit, has been making me fucking paranoid. Someone scientifically minded - can you explain to me how it won't destroy the Earth? That'd be fantastic. Apparently Steven Hawking said it'd be okay, and I usually trust that man on most things, but I have this great esteem in Man's ability to fuck shit up royally.

Comments

[leviathan0999.livejournal.com]

Don't mistake us for our Goverment, and please, please, don't let the loudmouthed half that have let their demons shout down the better angels of their nature mislead you into giving up on us.

We're under an evil yoke, but we're still a great nation, great in our might, great in our aspirations, and with your help and faith, we can re-earn your regard.

One way I hope we'll do it is with Barak Obama. He is imperfect, and there are places I disagree with him, decisions he's made that I will condemn. (FISA.) But he is a man who believes in the American ideal, not just her power and prestige. I was so proud of him yesterday rising above a bogus controversy, and taking the McCain campaign to task for trafficking in phony outrage. If we're smart enough, brave enough, and willing enough to believe in ourselves to elect him, I think you'll see a quick return of the nature you so loved.

And I thank you for that love.

Lastly: Almost the entire world of physics agrees that black holes below a certain, fairly vast, threshhold of mass will quickly produce more energy and radiation than they can swallow, and will evaporate. The guys who claim otherwise, I'm told, are misunderstanding Relativity.

[logansrogue.livejournal.com]

Oh, I could never hate Americans. Never. I went to your wonderful country in 2000 and 2001 and fell in love. Even though I only went to California (LA is a CRAZY place, but I love it!), what I saw wound its way around my heart. And I don't know how, because LA is a terrible ugly place and the food can be so shit sometimes (But pistachio nuts and maple syrup is SO SO cheap there, and they're REALLY FUCKING EXPENSIVE here!) But there's a spirit and an energy in your country that gets right under your skin, it's infectious. I thoroughly enjoy it. And the broad variety of people and places - it's a country you could spend your life exploring and know only a fraction of its wonders. I hope to go to New Orleans, Boston and Chicago one of these days. Oh, and Seattle (I blame Frasier). Austin, Texas too. I really need to win lotto so I can do all that! :D :D Of course, New York, if just to walk down Broadway and breathe the same air as some of my most favourite people!

Anyway, the people are different from the Government, and I've never gotten the two mixed up. When you grow up with a German father who was a kid during WW2, you learn the "People of the country =/= the fuckwits in charge" lesson pretty damned quickly and very very early! I mean, I had kids in school calling me "Nazi Nancy" just cause I was proud that my Dad was German. Crazy!

Okay - THANK YOU. I wanted someone to tell me how creating miniature black holes WASN'T a really fucking stupid thing to do. All I can say is, Einstein better be right, or when I get to heaven, I'll throttle the bastard. "I FINALLY GET A BOYFRIEND WITH MUSCLES THAT I CAN HAVE LOTS OF SEX WITH AND THANKS TO YOU, NO WORLD! 20th of a SECOND, ASSHOLE!"

[alya1989262.livejournal.com]

To create something that can destroy the world that way, we need a thousand times more energy than the LHC already uses.

[logansrogue.livejournal.com]

See, this information calms me down immensely. Thank you! (I watch too much TV. Doctor Who in particular).

[starfyre01.livejournal.com]

Heehee, Nace. I always said that American politics was difficult to get, :-P Hell, there's people in the States that don't get it either, LOL. The only thing that's missing are the knock-out drag-out fights that they have in Taiwan or something like that. At least that'd be more amusing to watch than the BS that's going on here right now.

[logansrogue.livejournal.com]

Oh, man some parlaiments and governments have the best dust-ups. It's better than WWF!!