Today dawned clear and crisp and cool, with a blue, blue sky. Just as it did that terrible day nine years ago when the towers fell. I went to the river to pray and reflect on this tragedy, and I could hardly look at the sky without seeing again those plumes of smoke marring its radiance. Three thousand people -- including many Muslims -- died in those towers, and now, nine years later, the death toll continues to rise. At least a hundred times that number of innocent Iraqis and Afghanis have died in the wars of retribution our country mounted against those people who had nothing to do with the attacks on 9/11. Over five thousand American soldiers have died in those wars that have brought no resolution to any of the issues surrounding the attacks. Ten times that many did not die but will suffer forever from their wounds and the memories of war. May God grant healing and peace. May God forgive us.
Amen, Woodswalker, Amen.
ReplyDeleteHi, Jackie. I searched you out because you left a comment at Northview Diary that I completely agree with re: cows in fields vs. cows in barns.
ReplyDeleteIt appears we've come to the same conclusions about 9/11, as well. Here's the post I did:
http://akagaga.com/2010/09/wfw-overcoming-evil-or-has-islam-won-america.html
Thank you for joining my prayer, Louise, and thank you, akaGaGa, for your support and for directing me to your most interesting website. I usually expect to hear recriminations whenever I express my dismay about war, so your comments are heartening. What is disheartening to me is the lack of prophetic witness against these wars by most of my fellow Christians, whose unquestioning "patriotism" often approaches idolatry.
ReplyDeleteThe day the towers fell I was, by a surreal coincidence, up early and demonstrating outside an arms fair. I will never forget hearing the news. And knowing that those inside were going to profit from this atrocity while those of us outside shook with horror and tears.
ReplyDeleteThe only way to honour the dead is to stop the killing.