Supporting Civil Rights for Atheists and the Separation of Church and State

10
Sep
2011

The Fallen - Ten Years After

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Author: admin /

Beyond Politics And Ideology - Remembering People

There is a lot of controversy surrounding many things associated with the September 11th, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States.  We debate, discuss and argue over some very important issues, and most of us can pinpoint what we were doing when the towers fell, when a large part of the Pentagon was destroyed and another entire planeload of people perished in Pennsylvania.  We form our opinions, deal with our anger and grief, shake our fists at ideologies and examine how these events have affected our politics.   With good reason we try to make sense of the lives lost and freedoms eroded in the aftermath.

But there is one thing that we should never forget, and that is the fact that at the core of these attacks were individuals much like you and me who went to work that morning with thoughts, plans, hopes and dreams that will never be realized.

As we reflect on how our lives have all been changed to one degree or another, let us not forget that the group we usually refer to as "victims" have names.  Below is a link to a page where I have compiled a list of the names of every single individual that perished in the attacks, separated by location and designation where available.  I urge each and every one of you to click the link and spend a few minutes scrolling through the names, understanding the sheer magnitude of the number of lives lost.

The purpose of a monument and memorial should not be the promotion of a political platform, nor should it be the promotion of an ideology or religious belief.  It should be for the purpose of honoring those who gave their lives to save their fellow human beings, and to remember the lives of those who died.   It's about people, no more, no less.

Here is your link:
THE FALLEN - REMEMBERING THOSE WE LOST ON SEPTEMBER 11, 2001
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Al Stefanelli - Georgia State Director, American Atheists, Inc.

Comments

Anonymous's picture
Anonymous (not verified) / Tue, 09/13/2011 - 09:57

Actually the purpose of a memorial is to not only those who perished, but to let the greiving come to terms with and cope with their losses.
All truely human, persons are quite capable of grief and the feelings of loss. It is a very healthy practice to grieve and to feel a sense of loss.

Some express it in a very constructive way, while others bottle it up, and still others get angry and violent to name a few of the responses we can show as human beings.

If you think that politicians and other human beings should not feel the pain of others when even they themsleves lost loved ones, you might be considered a very calloused individual.

While it appears you are not one of those, it does seem that you appear to be (from what you've shared) at least partially biased against those of us who have a political, idealogical or religious view that is different from your own.

That in itself is tantamount to intolerance and is convincingly a form of discrimination which while it does allow you to voice your own opinion. It apparenlty leaves little room for true discussion, or even the injection of new ideas into the discussion.

All of us share this planet together, yet none of us wants to admit we need to be interdependent on each other, but we are.

Imagine how you'd get to work if there was no gas? Imagine how you would cook a dinner for your family if there were no pots, pans, utensils, plates, etc? Imagine how you would shower if there was no electricity to pump the water? Imagine how you would earn a living if there was no government to set up a currency? Imagine how your rights would be protected if there were no laws or no enforecement of said laws?

Taking this to a small degeee as a point only and not to create an argument on these topics.

Imagine....a life where only athiests ruled the world? There would not be peace because there would be no laws. There would be no currency because there would be no government to mint or print it. there would be nno electricity becasue there would be no incentive to make the devices to create, generate, transport, conduct and utilize the power source. There would be no decent paying jobs because there was no money. There would be no gas becasue oince again there would be no incentive to make cars that need gas....

Just a thought....

Anonymous's picture
Anonymous (not verified) / Wed, 09/14/2011 - 06:13

Imagine….a life where only athiests ruled the world? There would not be peace because there would be no laws. There would be no currency because there would be no government to mint or print it. there would be nno electricity becasue there would be no incentive to make the devices to create, generate, transport, conduct and utilize the power source. There would be no decent paying jobs because there was no money. There would be no gas becasue oince again there would be no incentive to make cars that need gas….

This rates among the stupidest extrapolations I've ever read here. Are you high? All of civilization will screech to a halt due to lack of belief in the supernatural?

Just a thought….

I doubt you have any cogent ones.

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