The destruction of the World Trade Center is a central fact of our time. What does it tell us?

My son’s initial reaction was: “The chickens are coming home to roost.” I thought that a little cruel, at the time. Should we not first mourn those who perished – those who threw themselves from windows, those who were burned alive, those who were crushed?  It was horrible. The images stay with us. But we can no longer avoid asking “why?”. Why are there people out there who hate us so? Is it hard to come up with an answer to this question? What business, really, have we in the Arab world? Can one make a cogent argument for any business other than oil? The western world is, still, utterly dependent on oil. Therefore, anything goes, when it comes to ensuring a continuing supply. Until such time as we can create and/or find an oil supply independent of the Arab world, it requires of us that we remain a colonizing force. And, if some of us don’t wish to participate in this colonial endeavor, what can we as citizens do to redirect this country? Can it be done? Is this country still under the control of the people?

This last question brings up another very troubling aspect of the World Trade Center business. It is the fact that our government has not told us the whole story (see post of Nov. 24, 2013), or that the government was, in some sinister way, involved with that act of destruction. Again, it was my son Ethan that raised that possibility, soon after 9/11. And then, as recounted in the above-cited blog, it was recently brought forcibly to my attention. For the moment, all I have is questions regarding the government’s role in the matter. But, I am very uneasy.

Finally, the destruction of the World Trade Center symbolizes, to me, the likely fate of our much-vaunted “civilization”. It will all go up in smoke.

Here, again, are the photos I took, both before and after the destruction of the WTC. The first series was taken in 1983, when the American Dream was still somewhat intact. The second series was taken in the years 2001, 2002 and 2003. I haven’t been back since.

1983

The lobby, 1983

The lobby, 1983

Joan Miro wall hanging, 1983

George Willig signature. He climbed the building in 1977. 1983

“The closest some of us will ever get to Heaven:”. Kathy, 1983

2001

Still smoking wreckage of the World Trade Center, 2001

Draped building, 2001

Trinity Church remembrances, 2001

Trinity Church remembrances, 2001

Trinity Church remembrances, 2001

Trinity Church “missing” notice, 2001

Trinity Church “missing” notice, 2001

“Joe’s Gourmet is Open”, near Ground Zero, 2001

Workmen and police, 2001

Portable toilets, 2001

Truck cleaning, 2001

Battery Park and the Statue of Liberty, 2001

View towards Ground Zero from the Hudson River, 2001

2002

NYPD, 2002

WTC Station, 2002

Tribute in Light, 2002

Tribute in Light, 2002

2003

“SUBWAY COLLAPSE ZONE …”, 2003

Orchids, 2003