Links (most recent first) that caught my eye, but did not warrant full-blown blog entries ….
- My Highly Reasoned Critical Analysis of Avatar: Legend of Korra’s Delay to 2013 – Well (to paraphrase), poop.
- It’s a day to remember – Woof!
- Terrorism Expert: Since 9/11, Only 33 Deaths From Muslim Terrorism Vs. 150,000 Deaths From Murders | ThinkProgress – Pssst! Don’t tell Bryan Fischer! His head will explode!
- New York GOP Exploits 9/11 Anniversary, Sends Islamophobic Mailer To Voters In NY Special Election – Stay classy, NY GOP!
- Addicted to Angry Birds? Here’s Help [INFOGRAPHIC] – I’m uncertain that it’s an addiction that requires a radical solution … but it’s certainly a phenomenon that deserves examination.
- The Tax Scam from Heaven – I become more and more convinced that the tax exemption for church housing allowances (et an appallingly increasing al.) should be ended. If the congregation thinks Pastor Jones is the bee’s knees, the should pony up salary to cover his housing allowance as well; and if they have a parsonage for him, he should pay taxes on it as a benefit (and if the congregation wants to compensate him for same, then bless their hearts). Because that gets us out of the discussion of whether a pastor is more important than a teacher, a doctor, a guru, a shrink, a plumber, or any other contributing member of society.
- 9/11 – Kay was with a church group of middle schoolers today, and they talked about 9/11, and it was a bizarre shock to realize that it was an event that was all PAST TENSE to her. She was 1.5 years old. Her memories of it are all what she absorbs around her. And so life goes.
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Growing up with my father, Mr. History, and my grandparents, I got to hear about where they were when things happened like Pearl Harbor and Kennedy’s Assassination. What usually strikes me about there stories is how mundane our everyday lives are when they are interrupted by these events.
And though the remembrances of 9/11 did go on ad nauseum, I think our need to remember these anniversaries is part of our being pattern-seeking animals. Patterns give us a measure of comfort about the world around us, even if all they suggest is we like even numbers.
Not even numbers, I think, so much as round numbers: 10, 25, 50, 100…
Oh, personal / family stories, no question, and nothing wrong with that. I remember where I was on 9/11. I remember where I was when the Challenger blew.
But when it’s an entire society engaging in response and memorium, a decade on, it makes one wonder, what sort of closure is needed? Not to forget, but to let it merge into the background of the national experience.
Is it still a national obsession because there’s something we haven’t done yet to process it as a nation, or because a variety of interests find it of value to have it be a national obsession?