Chesler Chronicles

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September 11th, 2008 10:45 am

9/11: Have Seven Years Really Passed?

On September 11, 2001, at about 11 A.M., I walked over to my computer and typed the sentence: “Now, we are all Israelis.”It always begins with the Jews. Osama Bin Laden called the assault on America “blessed attacks” against the “infidel…the new Christian-Jewish crusade.” He explained that the twin towers had fallen because of American support for Israel.

War–and a new kind of anti-Semitism–had been declared.

I was not a direct victim on 9/11. I was at home, transfixed before the TV set, watching it live as it continued to happen, and I did not move from my spot. I knew that when I got up, nothing would ever be the same again. I would no longer feel safe in my native city or country or in the world. I would no longer be able to assume that life as I’d known it, with all its illusions, would continue. How could it?

At 8:45 A.M. and at 9:03 A.M. two planes (American Airlines Flight 11 and United Airlines flight 175) hijacked by Islamic terrorists crashed into the World Trade Center. AT 9:17 A.M. the Federal Aviation Administration shut down all New York City airports and, for the first time in history, all American airports. At 9:30 A.M. President Bush announced that the country had been attacked by terrorists. At 9:43 A.M. a third hijacked plane (American Airlines flight 77) crashed into the Pentagon. At 9:45 A.M. the White House was evacuated. At 10:05 A.M. the south tower collapsed. At 10:10 A.M. a section of the Pentagon collapsed and a fourth hijacked plane (American Airlines flight 93) crashed into a field in Pennsylvania. At 10:13 A.M. the United Nations was evacuated. At 10:28 A.M. the north tower collapsed. At 10:54 A.M. Israel evacuated all Israeli diplomatic missions to the United States. At 12:04 P.M. the Los Angeles airport was evacuated and closed. And at 1:27 P.M. the city of Washington declared a state of emergency.

The twin towers had burst into flames and were tumbling down; firefighters and police officers rushed in. People with horrified eyes and covered with white soot burst out of the building; a tornado of debris whooshed after them as they kept on running. Incredibly tiny people were holding hands as they jumped to their deaths from high floors, and still the towers continued to burn and melt and fall. In my mind, they are falling still, out of heaven, into hell. Falling into eternal memory.

At 4:25 P.M. the American Stock Exchange, the New York Stock Exchange, and the NASDAQ announced that they would remain closed on September 12th. By late afternoon the wind began to carry bits and pieces of charred paper, smoky scraps of metal, and bits of unidentifiable debris into my (old) neighborhood in Park Slope, less than two miles from Ground Zero, and the air smelled of scorched souls, acrid and agonizing. It was a sickening combination of industrial fuels, hate, and human cries; it burned my throat and my eyes and my mind. I will never forget it. Nor will I forget the small impromptu shrine that instantly and instinctively arose nearby: flowers, candles, an American flag, a small umbrella to shield this makeshift memorial from the elements—I paid my respects there almost every day for more than a year.

The firehouse on Union Street was located two blocks from where I lived. They lost twelve firefighters out of twenty-five on that day. For months afterward, the firehouse was ablaze with lit candles and flowers. Wordlessly, tearfully, people brought baked goods and left small donations; bagpipes pierced the Brooklyn air with sonorous grief in funeral after funeral for these suddenly missing firefighters.

They will never come back, not one of them, and we will never see their like again. I survive them, we all do. In their place and for their sakes we must find the courage to stand up to evil as best we can. From now on, we will be pleading their case–and the case of all civilians everywhere who are now hostage to terror.

9/11 has continued for a long time. It is still happening. It is not over yet.

9/11 was a direct hit on democracy, modernity, religious pluralism, and women’s rights. When Islamofascist terrorists are attacking my country, my culture, and my people, I choose to oppose them. Americans must understand that a new kind of war has been declared upon our civilization and we must find effective ways of stopping those who wish to destroy Western civilization and individual freedom.

Do I dare to defend America from its critics who simplistically charge it with racism, capitalism, imperialism? Yes, with pleasure, I so dare. As imperfect as American democracy might be, what we have achieved here would constitute a revolution in any Arab or Muslim country

Friends: I wrote the above in 2002 and published it in 2003 at the very beginning of my book The New Anti-Semitism. I needed to create a verbal snapshot of that day, a memorial marking that moment in time when the Death Artists tore all asunder, ripped a huge and gaping hole into the fabric of our civilization.

Since then, so many people have lost so much: Some have lost their lives and their dearest relatives; many rescuers have lost their health. I have a friend who believes that New Yorkers have gotten sicker more often since 9/11. (Imagine what Israelis must feel–some of whom have personally survived pogroms, the Holocaust, five wars of self-defense, and then the equivalent of 9/11 every month for a few years. These frequent attacks stopped only after Israel built the Security Fence aka the “Apartheid” Wall.)

9/11 has changed our lives as travelers. Now, we all have to wait on long lines at the airport, remove our shoes, have our small bottles of water confiscated. I do not hear people cursing Richard Reid, the Shoe Bomber, (he’s the reason we have to take off our shoes) or the three London terrorists who were just convicted of belonging to an Islamist cell and plotting to smuggle explosives in soft drink bottles on board aircraft flying from London to America. (They’re the reason we cannot bring any liquids on board with us).

I do hear Americans cursing America for the excesses of Abu Ghraib; the alleged “torture” and the absence of lawyering at Gitmo for enemy combatants; the suspicion shown towards Arabs, Muslims, and Middle Easterners at airports which, in their view, amounts to a high civil rights crime. I do have Muslim friends who are stopped too frequently and questioned too closely at airports but what else can America do? All the terrorists who have attacked America, both here and abroad, are Arabs and Muslims–Islamists if you insist, because this distinction allows us to believe that there are many “good” Muslims with whom we may work.

I no longer live in Brooklyn, I’m back in Manhattan. Now, when I pass the ground upon which the Twin Towers stood, I usually look away. But sometimes, I gaze, silently, as sadness washes over me but the sadness strengthens my resolve never to forget, never to forgive, and to never give up.

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15 Comments

1. Lauren:

I am here today at the site, not by choice. It is saddening. I can feel the sadness from those around me and I have to walk away. This afternoon while on my lunch hour I was not allowed to walk back to where I work. I had to take another route. I made my way around and saw the reason for the barring was a large protest. The conspiracy theory wackjobs. It breaks my heart. All young. I could not stop thinking about why they aren’t at their jobs. How do they have the time for this? They have no regard for the feelings and emotions of others. They shout hate at the spot where thousands were innocently murdered. I feel just as you do, just sad.

Sep 11, 2008 - 11:39 am 2. George Jochnowitz:

The people who say it was an evil act committed by the Jews are also the people who say it was a great and glorious moment for Islam. To them, there is no contradiction. Bad things are done by Jews, and heroic acts are done by Muslims. All one needs is faith to understand how both explanations can be true at once.

Sep 11, 2008 - 12:24 pm 3. BBloom:

How is it that no matter what Muslims do they are always absolved of culpability ? I will never forget the day the United States was attacked. It should have been the beginning of a relentless search for those who did, and will continue to do harm to our county.
Had Saudi assets been frozen, it would not have been so easy for a “prince” to come and dangle money for the US to change our Middle East policy. Sadly the tragedy of 9/11 and our government’s response made clear the choke hold that Saudi Arabia has on the United States. I think that the offer had a lot to do with Jews being blamed (the fact that we have been blamed for any and every misfortune since HaShem sent plagues on Egypt probably has more to do with it).
Unfortunately, our unwillingness as a nation to single anyone out for greater scrutiny will only work against us. Our freedoms will be used against us to open doors for more devastating attacks (we are dealing with a culture of death that only sees our acceptance as a weakness). We must be willing to search behind the scarfs and confront the dangers of Islam. Make no mistake, Western Civilization is under attack. Ignoring this fact only makes us more vulnerable.

Sep 11, 2008 - 5:32 pm 4. cedarford:

BBloom –

If we had frozen Saudi assets, with no culpability of the Saudi Government in the 9/11 attacks, how would that have blackmailed them to bend to our wishes? It would have been seen by the international community as a unprovoked assault on another nation…using 9/11 as an excuse.

Moreover, as an attack, it would have not been without great retaliation. OPEC would have met on the seizure of Saudi investments and possibly slapped America with a oil embargo, or worked with nations not just to pull the flow of recycled petrodollars. Out of America to London, Dubai, and Shanghai, financially devestating NYC. It would also make the case to other major investors that the US just became as risky a place for international investing as Zimbabwe. Saudi Arabia would have made an excellent case to other foreign investors and OPEC exporters that the seizure of their assets had nothing to do with the nation of Saudi Arabia having any involvement in 9/11, and everything to do with Zionists in control of some levers of influence on the US government extorting them. And, Saudi Arabia could justly say that in other matters, over the years, it had been a dependable Cold War and economic ally of the USA – now suddenly betrayed by them – and all other nations may be in high risk of asset theft by Americans acting like 3rd world kleptocrats.
It wouldn’t exactly be a great PR move for Jews, either…if they were pegged as the prime movers of the extortion or seen as the direct financial beneficiaries of seized assets (who would take over court-appointed managment Saudi real estate investments in NYC, LA, Florida and get hefty fees?)

And such actions directed against KSA for not bending to US wishes could also boomerang on Israel and it’s Jewish supporters. What if Israel remains intransigent on some element of a ME Peace Plan? What if we then extort them by seizing all Israeli assets here, and declare all Jews in AIPAC as now to be registered foreign lobbying agents and their assets seized or closely monitored.

Good for the goose, good for the gander?

Besides that, such action on KSA ignores that the Strange Kingdom has made a real turnaround since 2004, like Jordan, and is vigorously going after terrorists and financiers. Yes they are still Wahabbis and being in KSA is misery for most non-Muslim workers and even foreign Muslims are not
treated well – but the Saudis do not want extremism causing trouble to come to them – and have rolled up both cells and Saudis serving as financial backers to terrorists – more bad folks than all Europe has in the last 5 years, combined.

Sep 11, 2008 - 11:48 pm 5. Lusitanus:

I have heard from Arab diplomats in Brazil that the Zionists and CIA were responsible for the attack on the twin towers. That can be understood both as an acknowledgement that they did it (”Look what happened, because they back up Israel. They deserved it.”), or a downright denial, of something they did, but now use the old way of accusing others of something which one has done. It is a dastardly behavior, in any way.

Sep 12, 2008 - 5:59 am 6. Deb:

While Cedarford makes cogent and rational points with regard to our precarious relationship with the oil-rich Arab countries the consequences of freezing assets, there are some solutions. I don’t think we should be reactive – we should be keep with us the knowledge that we will be attacked again and operate accordingly.

I’m sure there are consequences and scenarios I haven’t thought of for what I’m about to propose, but I think this is the direction we need to take.

First, I think for sake of US sovereignty and national security, no one foreign national or no combination of foreign nationals should be allowed to own a controlling percentage of any business or stock. With regard to real estate, I think background checks on foreign nationals who wish to purchase American real estate should be instated and a cap on what they can own should be utilized.

Second, when we are no longer dependent on oil, we will no longer be beholden to monsters and won’t have to behave against our own principles to avoid catastrophes.

The tragic attack of 9/11, beyond being a day of sadness, should serve as a constant reminder of the steps that must be taken to prevent this assault on our country from continuing to happen. On 9/11 they did it with violence, everyday since they’ve been doing it covertly through lawsuits, schools, indoctrination of Americans, and using our freedoms and political correctness against us.

Sep 12, 2008 - 8:15 am 7. Marion L:

Dear Dr. Chesler:

To whom are you referring when you say that you
“hear Americans cursing America for the excesses of Abu Ghraib; the alleged “torture” and the absence of lawyering at Gitmo. . .”

I follow this issue (the copiously documented human rights abuses at Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo) very closely, and I do not know of a single journalist, human rights attorney, human rights organization or civil liberties organization that has “curse[ed] America” in the course of criticizing these abuses.
And Newsflash Dr. Chesler: Even if one, a few, or many persons or organizations had engaged in this distasteful and counterproductive cursing, that does not discredit the efforts of concerned citizens to end these horrific abuses. Please name specific persons or organizations who have “curs[ed] America” in this fashion. If you cannot, then I think you should issue a retraction of this absurd claim. To those who may be inclined to believe Dr. Chesler on this point, please ask yourselves the following questions:

Why would human rights attorneys jeopardize the defense of their clients at Guantanamo (and risk losing their licenses to practice law) by “cursing America” in a courtroom?

Why would a reputable human rights organization undermine its credibility by “cursing America” in its painstaking documentation of human rights abuses?

Why would a reputable journalist risk being fired by newspapers and shunned by TV news programs by “cursing America”?

To quote Barack Obama, we are entering “silly season” if we think that any of the persons or organizations cited in my questions would “curse America” and lose their credibility.

The only cursing that you will see on the websites of reputable human rights organizations are verbatim accounts of innocent victims who have been cursed by their abusers.

Sep 12, 2008 - 9:30 am 8. Marion L:

Dear All:

Dr. Chesler has asked that each time I publish a critical response to one of her articles that I also publish a positive one. OK – Here is my positive response for today:

I commend Dr. Chesler for being an engaged citizen and eloquent writer who is keenly interested in important issues. I follow the Chesler Chronicles closely because Dr. Chesler is a veteran second wave feminist who is sincerely interested in human rights issues. I acknowledge this even though we sometimes have strong disagreements.

I also agree that “9/11 was a direct hit on democracy, modernity, religious pluralism, and women’s rights.”

Sep 12, 2008 - 10:57 am 9. Jeff P.:

Marion L: you see things through a very distorted prism that puts whatever you observe into a predetermined storyline; and you are a prisoner to your own words. Neither are reality, for reality is there for you to see in the words and actions of those who would celebrate the cutting of your throat, your anguished death in their hands.

Sad, very sad.

Sep 12, 2008 - 9:31 pm 10. JFP:

I am curious, Marion L. You agree that 9/11 was a direct hit on, among other things, women’s rights. So what are you doing to stop the relentless pressure on us to accept shari’a? Have you participated in a public demonstration against the plight of women in the Muslim world? Did you get enraged at the murder of Theo van Gogh and write an angry letter to the NY Times about it? Just what exactly are you doing?

Shari’a is something that should be impossible to impose on the West. Conservative Christians don’t want it, for obvious reasons. Libertarians don’t want it, because it is a restriction on people’s liberty. And liberals and leftists ought not to want it, because it is sexist and homophobic and anyway, most of them are secular.

Now the first two groups have given an unambiguous no to shari’a. They will fight to the death to oppose it. But the third group’s answer is in question. They seem to be saying maybe, or even, in a qualified way, yes. All the people you are defending are part of this group. Based on their actions and statements, they just don’t seem like people I can count on to say no to shari’a. And they have much more power than most of the rest of us.

It just seems like shari’a is inevitable (though it may take fifty years before it happens), unless liberals and leftists give us a definite no.

Sep 13, 2008 - 6:44 am 11. Marion L:

Positive response to this article for today:

Isn’t it wonderful that both Jeff P (sometimes posting as JFP) and I both have the freedom to express our different points of view?

Sep 15, 2008 - 2:45 pm 12. Always On Watch:

This 9/11, I taught the first class of the 2008-2009 term for American Government. Our topic of discussion, more a lecture from me: that 9/11 is still impacting us in many ways. I hope to expand upon this theme throughout the term so that these young people can come to a recognition of what we’re up against.

9/11 changed my life! I knew two people in the Pentagon that morning. Both were safe, thank God! But we didn’t know for hours and hours how they were or if there were even alive. Both these individuals had young children, and we all breathed a sigh of relief when we heard from them much later in the day.

Please, America, never forget what happened on 9/11!

Sep 15, 2008 - 3:10 pm 13. Marion L:

Critical response to this article (actually to Jeff P, JFP) for today:

Dear Jeff P, JFP:

I’m an ardent Jewish feminist (and a left/liberal) and would, to put it mildly, notice immediately if anyone (God forbid!) put me under “relentless pressure … to accept sharia.” No one has.

When Salman Rushdie was put under a fatwa for publishing his novel The Satanic Verses, I promptly went out and bought a copy. I’ve bought (and loved reading) Aayan Hirsi Ali’s books too. Ms. Ali and I do not necessarily agree on every point of political philosophy, but she is one of my feminist heros; as is Waris Dirie. I’ve read two of Ms. Dirie’s books too and will, funds permitting, contribute to the Waris Dirie Foundation.

I also earned a master’s degree in anthropology, much of it focused on the ethnography of the Middle East and North Africa; because I think that the best criticisms of a regional practice (in this case, sharia) should be informed by a strong knowledge base of the specific cultures involved. (And I say this with some humility as my professors were and are far more erudite in this area than I.)

My “prism” for looking at post-9/11 events is a commitment to human rights as stated in the United States Constitution; especially the Bill of Rights. In my opinion, the Iraq war, Abu Ghraib, Guantanamo, the Patriot Act, and extraordinary renditions are ample evidence that it is the Bush ministration’s “prism” that has been distorted by deliberate lies,abuses of power and contempt for the Bill of Rights.

Also, as a member of the National Organization for Women, I attended a hearing in support of a New York State law now on the books that prohibits the horrific practice of female genital mutilation in New York State.

Finally, I think that the best way for me (us) to continue our opposition to abusive laws (or abusive violations of laws) in the United States is to support organizations such as Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Equality Now, and the Center for Constitutional Rights. These organizations help a very wide range of individuals all over the world whose human rights have been violated; including victims of human rights abuses that specifically target women.

I could list more examples of what I have done and continue to do. However, while I am certainly not perfect, I’m comfortable with what I do in the realm of tikkun olam – healing, mending and repairing this very flawed and broken world — and tzedek, tzedek tirdof (justice, justice shalt thou persue) and therefore I do not think that I need to justify what I do to you.

Sep 15, 2008 - 3:15 pm 14. br549:

Marion L:

Although you feel you do not have to justify what you do to Jeff P or JFP, (and perhaps anyone else?) I am amused you feel you have to tell everyone about it, and at least harangue Dr. Chesler over her own points of view.

So do you do it for the sake it is the right thing to do, or so everyone will think how wonderful you are, as long as they agree with you?

I , me , mine is what I see.

My hands are clasped together, pressed against my cheek. My eyes are batting, and I am swooning uncontrollably at your greatness.

Sep 16, 2008 - 9:59 am 15. Marion L:

Dear br549:

If I only cared about “I, me, mine,” I would not bother to read Dr. Chesler’s Chronicles. Nor would I contribute time and money to the causes that I believe in. I do this because “it is the right thing to do.”

As for the hands clasped, eyes batting, and “swooning uncontrollaby”, it sounds like a great pose for an artist’s model or an audition for a part in a silent film. Are you auditioning? If so, Best of Luck! Please let all of us know if you get the job.

Sep 16, 2008 - 2:36 pm