Thoughts on the Explosion of History.

It's 1:15 am on the 12th of September 2008 (New Zealand time) , and I've actually just spent the last hour staring at my abestos-strengthened ceiling and thinking about the events of this hour, on this day in 2001. I remember reading an article the week after 9/11. It was called 'The Day History Exploded'. Seven years later, even as the anniversary of the World Trade Center attacks becomes less of a chance for a TV networks to spot ratings opportunities and unveil an all-new, all-sensational, all-American "documentary" and more of a time for quiet reflection, that title still seems apt. History didn't just change that day, it was completely upended in some sort of hideous real-life Jerry Bruckheimer movie and our world, our generation and our future has been dominated, and haunted by the attacks ever since.

I'm not sure if I should even write this. I had an amazing chat with a friend who grew up in New York, and was at school, in eighth grade (Year 8 or Form 2) the day of the attacks. While she was telling me about how there are people, even today who can't look at the Manhattan skyline - and telling me about just worrying and hoping that the people she loved would come home...suddenly my own 9/11 memories, with watching the footage on TV before I went to school, having a special assembly where the principal told us that things may never be the same, didn't just seem inadequate, they seemed downright offensive. I apologise therefore, not just from the poor grammar, spelling and sentence structure that comes from writing in the dark at 1:30 am, but for anyone who I offend, or upset, by trying to address these thoughts that have been swirling around in my head.

I guess one of the many themes, or sub-themes or sub-sub-themes of Paul and I's blog is to come across as two bitter kids, ultimately dissapointed in humanity, its apathy and consistent ability to put individual self-interest ahead of wider social necessities. (with all due respect, of course, to Mr. Adam Smith.) But in the very immediate aftermath of 9/11, those pessimistic assumptions of humanity were proved wrong. Look at the heroes created on that day, the firefighters, the police, the passengers on United 93.

On September 20 2001, John Stewart gave one of the most moving adresses I have ever heard. Since I found it sometime in 2006, I try to watch it every now and then, to remind myself that even in a country with a history as scarred, as contradictory and often, as infuriating as the United States of America's, the fact that they are societies built not on the visions of a tyrant, or a religious orthodoxy, or a theoretical end-point but on the consent of we, the people, and our conception of the good life and civic virtue is something worth cherishing, defending and celebrating. (Thus endeth the longest sentence ever.) Please, watch it, its uberawesome.



Jon Stewart, then a relatively obscure host of a relatively obscure TV show on an obscure Comedy Channel, outlined a vision of America that was defiant but fiercely proud of the values America stands for, and of the ability of humanity to endure. But there was another speech, also delivered on September 20, 2001 that recieved far more attention. This speech outlined an America that was defiant, but fiercely protective of its values, and of the ability of America to exact revenge. This speech was given by President Bush.

I couldn't find a decent video (at what is now 2:30 am, cos putting up that John Stewart video turned into a fucking disaster for a bloggingn00b) of Bush's speech. So, the supercool amongst you will have to be satisfied with the transcript. Both Stewart and Bush talked, and very eloquently, about the power of American ideals. But where the tone of Stewart's speech was 'America is grieving, but the power of the American ideal has already won', Bush's speech focused on 'America is angry, and through our power, the American ideal will win.'


At the crucial juncture in history, the Bush Administration chose to hunt down the masterminds of the attack, but not also consider the root causes behind the attack. The Bush Administration chose not to ask why there were scenes of Palestinians, Pakistanis and Afghanis parading and celebrating in the streets at the fall of the symbols of American capitalism. They chose not to consider the ideals of America, and whether this was indeed the image they projected to the world. The Bush Administration chose to 'confront', to claim the attack happened because of the notion that terrorists 'hate freedom', that the US would hunt down those states who supported terrorists, and would act alone if necessary. More tragically, personal liberty and equal opportunity and justice, the supposed cornerstones of both Stewart and Bush's America became concepts that were politically expedient in the face of 'protecting national security.'

Many of the worst excesses of the post-9/11 period (UN-bashing, American unilateralism, Guantanamo Bay, extraordinary rendition) have now been rejected in American political discourse, either by a chastised and unpopular Bush Administration (led more by moderates like Condi, rather than the aggressive idealogies of say, Cheney) or by both candidates in the 2008 Election. But the damage to the US standing in the world, and the power of the US ideal has been done and is irreperable and will haunt Mr Bush to his grave.

I could have, and should have, made these points far more eloquently. And may have, except its now 3am. I guess Bill Clinton put it best when he said that the world was always more impressed with the power of the US example, than with the example of US power. The greatest tragedy of 9/11 was that this was forgotten, and the US example became not a triumph, but an embarrasment.

NB: I will NEVER write a post this long again.