because every once in a while I talk about news things...
Living here, in this house and in Boston, right now is kinda... weird. Okay, so bin Laden... Yeah, I'm going to talk about it. The reactions in my living quarters have been varied. And I think that's just making me think more. In addition, there was a march here last night around 12:30 am that ended with a gathering of people on the Boston Common. BU students started it. After I heard the news, I couldn't get much info on it because my internet wasn't running properly and I don't have tv. So I just kinda tried to relax and ended up drifting off. Then at 12:30 I start hearing people shouting and cheering in the street, and horns going off. So I get up and open my window and there's this huge crowd marching down the street. People are cheering and the road is shut down to all cars except police vehicles that are following the crowd, and it was insane. You could here people spreading the news on the street and people's reactions and it was... a little surreal.
And... tbh, I was happy. Excited. Because maybe things will start to change and look up. And you kind of can't help but get caught up in a moment like that. And sure, one of my initial reactions was "This is to celebrate someone's death, should I be this happy?" But really? The answer? Yes. I'm not regretful or remorseful about it. Mostly, I think people were celebrating what that death stood for. That maybe things will start to change and look up and, for the people that lost loved ones in 9/11 or were affected first hand, it was a kind of catharsis. (But I'm not speaking for everyone... obviously opinions are going to differ.)
Yes, a part of me is hesitant and worried now, but that's because I'm wondering if there is going to be retaliation. I don't doubt that there will be, in some way, shape, or form. When I was talking to my mom this morning, she said, "I don't know if we've cut off the head of a snake, or a hydra." Which... yes. If you cut off the head of a snake, the snake dies. If you cut off the head of a hydra, more grow in its place. So only time will tell what happens now.
This whole thing, though, in terms of being here, has been strange. There are people living in this house that have only been here in the country for a few months or a few years. And at breakfast this morning some of the girls were sayimg, "I don't know how people can be so excited," or "How can people celebrate someone's death like that?" Which... I can understand. But then you have to look at it from a different perspective. The people saying these things weren't here for 9/11. They didn't live through it. And unless you have (or have lived through something similar), I don't know if those people can really understand it, understand how people can be so happy. And yes, my initial reaction to these comments was a little bit of shock, and a little bit of anger. But I guess I can't blame them. I just don't want them to blame people for actually being relieved and happy.
Anyway, I kind of left the table after that. And when I went into the kitchen for tea there were some of the older girls gathered, the ones who were college or in their senior year of high school when 9/11 happened. And they were talking about 9/11. And it's just... kind of insane and interesting to see the different reactions, the different perceptions on both the news and the celebratory march/gathering last night simply based on the fact of whether or not people were here in the U.S. at the time.
When I heard the news, my mind kind of went blank. That was my initial reaction. Because it's almost been ten years since 9/11. And I think in that time (at least for me) there's been a lull... after everything went down, there was this sense that we weren't going to get results or answers quickly, if at all. And then to have one of the things that was "promised" to us all those years ago? It's kind of... I don't know, strange. And takes a while to sink in.
And I know there are going to be hundreds of different opinions about what happened and how things continue in the next days, weeks, months, etc. And those opinions are going to vary greatly, based on where people live now and where they lived then, and even personal religious beliefs (which is something that's definitely strong here in this house). And it'll be interesting to see what happens, period. I just... hope people can be respectful of different opinions.
So I guess we will see what happens.
And, just for a glimpse of another perspective, here's the short vid I took last night of the march to the Common. You can't see much, because there's a park outside my window (I'm about 6 stories up), and the trees have started to bloom so that blocks a lot of the light my video on my phone can pick up (and yes, it's my phone's video, which is probably shoddy anyway). But you can hear it, which is the strangest part of it anyway.
And... tbh, I was happy. Excited. Because maybe things will start to change and look up. And you kind of can't help but get caught up in a moment like that. And sure, one of my initial reactions was "This is to celebrate someone's death, should I be this happy?" But really? The answer? Yes. I'm not regretful or remorseful about it. Mostly, I think people were celebrating what that death stood for. That maybe things will start to change and look up and, for the people that lost loved ones in 9/11 or were affected first hand, it was a kind of catharsis. (But I'm not speaking for everyone... obviously opinions are going to differ.)
Yes, a part of me is hesitant and worried now, but that's because I'm wondering if there is going to be retaliation. I don't doubt that there will be, in some way, shape, or form. When I was talking to my mom this morning, she said, "I don't know if we've cut off the head of a snake, or a hydra." Which... yes. If you cut off the head of a snake, the snake dies. If you cut off the head of a hydra, more grow in its place. So only time will tell what happens now.
This whole thing, though, in terms of being here, has been strange. There are people living in this house that have only been here in the country for a few months or a few years. And at breakfast this morning some of the girls were sayimg, "I don't know how people can be so excited," or "How can people celebrate someone's death like that?" Which... I can understand. But then you have to look at it from a different perspective. The people saying these things weren't here for 9/11. They didn't live through it. And unless you have (or have lived through something similar), I don't know if those people can really understand it, understand how people can be so happy. And yes, my initial reaction to these comments was a little bit of shock, and a little bit of anger. But I guess I can't blame them. I just don't want them to blame people for actually being relieved and happy.
Anyway, I kind of left the table after that. And when I went into the kitchen for tea there were some of the older girls gathered, the ones who were college or in their senior year of high school when 9/11 happened. And they were talking about 9/11. And it's just... kind of insane and interesting to see the different reactions, the different perceptions on both the news and the celebratory march/gathering last night simply based on the fact of whether or not people were here in the U.S. at the time.
When I heard the news, my mind kind of went blank. That was my initial reaction. Because it's almost been ten years since 9/11. And I think in that time (at least for me) there's been a lull... after everything went down, there was this sense that we weren't going to get results or answers quickly, if at all. And then to have one of the things that was "promised" to us all those years ago? It's kind of... I don't know, strange. And takes a while to sink in.
And I know there are going to be hundreds of different opinions about what happened and how things continue in the next days, weeks, months, etc. And those opinions are going to vary greatly, based on where people live now and where they lived then, and even personal religious beliefs (which is something that's definitely strong here in this house). And it'll be interesting to see what happens, period. I just... hope people can be respectful of different opinions.
So I guess we will see what happens.
And, just for a glimpse of another perspective, here's the short vid I took last night of the march to the Common. You can't see much, because there's a park outside my window (I'm about 6 stories up), and the trees have started to bloom so that blocks a lot of the light my video on my phone can pick up (and yes, it's my phone's video, which is probably shoddy anyway). But you can hear it, which is the strangest part of it anyway.