PAGAN SPEAK DAY

What the heck does that mean? Way past time to answer the Pagan Speak question of the month. I kept putting it off thinking there was always more time...but time always runs out. Anyhow, for your entertainment, the question.

Topic #1: September 11th


What is your take on September 11th? What are your thoughts on how the world has handled this attack? Is there anything you personally do to remember this? How do you think, we as pagans, handled the attack? Where does the "harm none" (if you follow it) come into your dealing with the attacks, and now the memories, one year later?

Answer:

Not sure I can answer all of these, but I'll do what I can do.

Part 1: How has the world handled this attack. In the best way that it could. It was a pretty HUGE tragedy for everyone. Hard to wrap your mind around all that death in the end.

Part 2: Is there anything you personally do to remember this? I hung a flag outside my door and lit a candle at about 7am, my time. That's when I first woke, which is when my husband woke me on that tragic day last year. I watched both towers fall from my computer, and shared the horror with my online friends across the world. I spent the night before watching informative PBS programs, ones that helped explain things, that showed the images repeatedly (I had been avoiding them.) I cried over a lot, and I had flashbacks, which I found kind of surprising. But it really helped, forcing myself to watch these things. I feel a lot better. And I hope to the goddess I won't flip out next time I watch Harrison Ford in a movie where he's supposedly IN the towers. (Or anyone else for that matter. My entire psyche screams "GET OUT!")

Part 3: How do you think, we as pagans, handled the attack? This is really impossible for me to answer. See, I only know a very small few pagans. Most of them are "part-timers", honestly. They only appear to be pagans in certain lights? Well, this wasn't one of those lights. They returned to their Christian beginnings, to their bible teachings, and to their churches for comfort. Which is all good, we all needed comforting. But it wasn't what I did, so I felt a tad alone. Anyhow, this part of the question, I wouldn't really know.

Part 4: Where does the "harm none" (if you follow it) come into your dealing with the attacks, and now the memories, one year later? And this is the reason why I chose this question. I admit, first and foremost, to having all the same "go kick thier ass" feelings that everyone did on Sept. 11 and beyond. For that first week, like many others, I was immersed in grief and soaked in the need for revenge and retaliation.

Then Rosie (Yap, O'Donnel) came back on the air. She told a story about a conversation with her son, a lovely seven-year-old boy. He couldn't understand what had happened. Rosie explained that these men were raised differently from us. Taught to hate the things we had and the life we live here in the US. That this is why they took their anger and blew up our people. Rosie's son said something along the lines of, "Well, then we should pray for them very hard and send them all the love we can. It seems to me they just don't have enough."

And just like that, my anger was gone. My hatred vanished. My need for revenge dried up and blew away. In the face of this innocent remark made in love and in kindness and with a generosity of spirit, I found I could not be mad. I turned the TV off that day, and it had been running seemingly non-stop. I read a book, and I logged some escapist time in my games. I still lit my candles and I still flew my flag, certainly.

It's a year later and I can finally voice some of my misgivings about the whole "War on Terrorism", which I have felt since the beginning was just unfair and unjust. I see the need for Shrub to do something, of course. There was a mob mentality that couldn't have remained long ignored. However, the declaration is too-encompassing. With it, Shrub can walk through Northern Ireland...and whose side will he choose to uphold? I know, far fetched. But the declaration did give him the right to. Just look at the recent rumblings at Iraq. I must tell you. It's NOT coming as a surprise to ME.

Anyhow...the "harm none" part of being pagan? The "do unto others"? The Karmic law that I love so much? I'm there. I've been there. I'm going to continue to focus my energy on living in peace in all aspects of my thoughts to the best of my ability. And my hope is that sometime, you will too. ;)

Until next time, keep your sword sharp and your bow strung! Herete!