Celebrating September 11

There are many activities which take place in New York during the fall such as the US Open, the New York Marathon, the Thanksgiving Day Parade and to these high profile events; we can now add the commemoration of the September 11 attacks which left over 3000 dead. It having become an annual ritual in New York to perform ceremonies in memory of the September 11 attacks much in the same way as it is also tradition to put up and light the Christmas tree in Rockefeller Plaza. Naturally with every politician who is running for election to try to get in his or her message to the public in between speaking of the real tragedy which was September 11.

As a further personal comment, I can clearly imagine that on this particular day, the occasion will we be used by President Obama to highlight his performance as president which has not exactly fulfilled all the expectations of those who elected him in 2008. Naturally Obama, not leaving out that it was during his administration that Osama Bin Laden was killed though this action by Navy Seals really had nothing to do with his administration apart from its having taking place in the same time period. Of course in all this I do not exclude some republican politicians like Bachman or Perry using the occasion to press their candidatures for next year's presidential election when making political speeches disguised as messages to the American public concerning the tragic events of September 11.

In all this however I do not wish it understood that I am advocating that the tragedy that was September 11 be forgotten along with many others which have taken place through out the world and history. I however do feel there is a difference between having a moment (or many for that matter) to commemorate a tragic event and having these ceremonies which in the eyes of some might even be seen as celebrating it if not blatantly using it for self-serving purposes. These ceremonies having been turned in to (at least in my opinion) nothing more than a way for politicians to make speeches in order to be elected or re-elected while celebrities in the music and film industry use them as a way to get more media exposure.

I, for my part would like to add to all this that I live in Poland where the 1st of September 1939 is just as important (if not more so) to the people of this country; given its smaller size and population along with the magnitude of the tragedy that was on that day than September 11 is to the US. This being a day on which candles are light and prayers are said given that on this particular day Poland was attacked by Germany to start W.W. II (or at least in Europe) with much heavier loss of life resulting in Poland from the war which followed than September 11. It being on this day that many (specially those who are of an age to remember) hold minutes of silence to commemorate what occurred so many years ago yet this day much to the credit of Poland; has not been commercialized in the way that September 11 has in the US. It being in the US that September II to a large extent has been made in to practically another 4th of July.

Of course, in all this I am not saying that I disapprove of such ceremonies (or what ever one wishes to call them) as in being aware of my place, I know it is not for me to either approve or disapprove of them. I also do not wish any to get the idea that I am pretending to tell those who read this what they should or should not do yet I do wish to make it clear that I find such ceremonies as being nothing more than a tasteless way to exploit the tragedy which was. In all this, I am aware that taste (as most people can agree to) is open to interpretation and not guided by facts but personal emotions yet I do which to make it clear that from my point of view; I find such ceremonies to lack not only in taste but consideration for the victims of September 11 along with their loved ones. This being exactly how I would feel if I had lost somebody near or dear to me on September 11 and perhaps more so since I would feel that that person's death was being used by others who simply do not care beyond how much they can gain from it.

My name is Gianni Truvianni, author of many an article to be found on the internet along with the book "New York's Opera Society". My works also include the books "What Should Not Matter", "Love Your Sister" and several others which still remain unpublished though I am presently looking to change this.

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