9/11: It's Tragic

It's tragic that so many people died a horrible death.

It's tragic that their families have lost people they love.

It's tragic that so many questions remain unanswered.

It's tragic that the promise "to find, to get them running and to hunt them down, those who did this to America" has remained unfulfilled.

It's tragic that so many heroic firefighters and police officers died on 9/11 because their equipment was substandard and outdated.

It's tragic that the events of 9/11 have unleashed a pro-macho, anti-woman fury in the American media.

It's tragic that the events of 9/11 have been used as an excuse to start horrible, bloody wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

It's tragic that soldiers are still dying in those wars.

It's tragic that so many Muslim people suffered persecutions on religious and racial grounds after 9/11.

It's tragic that the American response to 9/11 confirmed all of the worst stereotypes about this country among the people of the globe.

It's tragic that 9/11 was used to strip the American people of their freedoms.
It's tragic that in response to religious fanatics attacking this country on 9/11 we allowed another group of religious fanatics to hijack the White House.

It's tragic that the suffering of the victims of 9/11 and their families is still being used by politicians for ideological manipulation.

It's tragic.

As a tribute to the events of 9/11, I wanted to share with you a poetry by a talented Palestinian poet-song writer Ikhlas ("Yasmin") Jebara. You can find more of her poetry here.

TO SAY OR NOT TO SAY

I wonder whether to say or not to say
To be enthusiastic
to revolve
or to obey
For God or for people to pray
Or like a refugee without home to stay
Or like a child in the streets to play
Or to pass through a narrow or wide way
Or our hopes for future to delay
Or to sit under the red x-ray
Here we are my friend
with no decision
Whether to be or not to be
we do not know
Whether to say or not to say