It's been a while

A little bit less than 10 years ago, I stood in my backyard, with a newspaper in my hands. I stared at the front page for probably a full three minutes before taking inside and showing my parents.

Looking back, I'm actually quite astounded at how I knew, or at least felt, that the bombing of the World Trade Centre, what was to become known as the September 11 attacks, was going to have a massive effect.

It has. In so many ways. Economically. Culturally. Politically. Spiritually, even.

I can't say I felt sad right then. That would be a lie. Probably because I'm not American, and those weren't my people. I do feel really sorry for those that died, as well as their families. Having said that, I also feel sorry for people that die in war, and their families.

I can only imagine what I would be like if something like that happened in Melbourne (touchwood that it never does). I would be angry. Even if nobody I knew was affected, I'd still be angry beyond belief.

That's what sucks about terrorist attacks. And, I guess, any kind of attack. I'd be angry because I, and 99.99% of the people in Australia, have no beef with any country, or any race. We're just trying to mind our own business, and do things. The same goes for the guys living in Iraq, or in Afghanistan. Most of them are just trying to take care of their families.

They want enough rice. They don’t want to be shot at. They want one day to be much the same as another. They don’t want our white skins around telling them what they want. 

- Graham Greene, The Quiet American

While the novel is about the American invasion of Vietnam, I find it interesting, and poignant, that the same could be said for the people on the other side of the proverbial fence. Except maybe substitute 'rice' with just 'food'.  

So, in summary, I think war just sucks. In so many ways. No matter which side you're on.

On a slight tangent, this also made me realise how much times have changed. I would've been in about Year 7 then, and I don't think I'd even contemplated the existence of online news. Probably not disimilar to most of the citizens of the world at the time. Now that's my primary source of news. Truly amazing, when you think about it. The leaps and bounds that we can make in 10 years. 

Rest in peace, victims of war. 

Word of the Day: September