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I can appreciate the sentimentality of today, 9/11. I understand the memorials, the remembrances, the special TV coverage. I also understand the importance of the day in
What I can't stand is to watch the scenes from that day played over and over. I just can't. Maybe I'm a wicked, evil person - but I just cannot make myself watch the television coverage, listen to the radio discussions, or read websites and blogs with dedications on them.
So I don't have a tribute for today. I don't even want to talk about it. And that makes me wonder if I'm a horrible person. Is it awful to want to think of happier things - to block being reminded of such despair? I think I should watch the ceremonies on TV...but I can't. I don't want to. I don't want to offend the people affected by that day, eight years ago. In a way, I think everyone was affected by that day. I just can't deal with the sadness - and don't want to be any part of it. I want to turn on a re-run of Golden Girls. That's much easier on the soul.
I want to know what you think. Does my aversion to things like this - whether it's not wanting to acknowledge or remember 9/11 - or it's my inability to watch one of those commercials put on by Animal Planet, featuring Sarah McLachlan, where they discuss abused animals - make me a bad person? What's your opinion?
21 Royal Responses:
I think acknowledgment is important. Replaying the news stories is much too painful tho. Imagine how the people who survived, and the people whose loved ones perished feel seeing that - over and over.
I am like you in that I cannot bear to watch death and destruction, including that commercial you reference. I have a simple memorial image on my blog today. It is important to me to do that.
No, it doesn't make you a bad person. As long as you remember in whatever way you choose.
I don't think you are a terrible person for not wanting to relive it. Everybody has their own way of dealing with difficult memories. If you would rather watch Golden Girls re-runs I say go for it.
Personally, I'm like you. I don't like watching the coverage over and over and I also cannot watch those Sarah McLachlan ads either. I'd rather remember those who died today in my own way and while I appreciate everyone else who has mentioned it on their blogs, I simply can't. So if you are a horrible person than I must be as well but I know that isn't the case. Everyone has their own way of dealing with these things, this is just ours.
I kind of feel the same way. I don't really like emotional things and all the coverage just makes me so sad. I don't think it is wrong or bad to try to avoid things like that.
I don't think we will ever forget such a horrific happening and I for one do not like watching the coverage over and over it's heartbreaking. Everyone remembers in their own way and that's okay. I also did not mention it on my blog just as I don't mention the Jim Jones massacre, but it doesn't mean I don't remember and hurt for those families and people that lost their life. Have a great weekend and I hope you know you're not alone nor are you a horrible person.
I can't watch it all over again, either. I don't think that I'm not sensitive to the issue--quite the opposite. I think the media just keeps replaying the horrific events to gain from the ratings, but it just makes us de-sensitized in the end. I prefer to raise my flag out in front and say a silent prayer for those who died that day. Nobody should have to explain how they deal with grief.
Everybody deals with it their own way. No way is more right or wrong than any other. Don't beat yourself up about it at all.
You are not a horrible person, you are just coping with what happens in the world in your own way. It is your choice if you wish not to see those images over and over, it doesn't mean you care any less. Suzie. xxx
You are NOT a rotten person.
Everyone deals with these things in their own ways -- even if that way is to try to avoid dealing with it.
It's just not my style to blog about 9/11, just as I don't observe a lot of other holidays or blogging trends. And by talking about your feelings, you're creating a very interesting forum for discussion.
No, not a horrible person. It's a horrible tragedy and it's hard to think about. I haven't turned the TV on all day (well, I'm also supposed to be working) because I don't WANT to see the videos. I haven't forgotten and I'm still passionate about remembering those who died. But I just can't obsess on it. So I understand. :)
No your not a bad person...we have all seen enough of that, although every year on the anniversary we have to see it all over again! Sept 11 is my husbands birthday...so I avoid the news on that date or it just puts the whole day in a real downer mood. Its not that I won't forget the terrible tragedy that happened, but I think we can all remember in our own way.
I agree that watching any re-runs of that day are just too difficult, so I avoided TV all day today. However, in my case, a few moments to reflect on the Past Tense of the day and all the people both impacted AND making a difference going forward seemed like the least I could do. But it's true the whole thing is truly painful, so a distraction is a good thing, to stay "even keeled!" No need to beat yourself up!
Thank you all so much for your understanding and support. It's nice to know that everyone isn't expected to listen/watch/talk about the history today, all day long.
I should have known you guys would get it...I have the best readers - no, friends - in the universe. Sometimes it takes comments like the ones I received to remind me.
I love you all!
I want to remember it as well however, I'm sick of the media they never know when enough is enough. They are always searching for being the most and lament when it's over kill therefore I'm with you how about just giving us the days news and we'll do our own remembering quietly.
Dorothy from grammology
grammology.com
Not a bad person, not at all.
I wouldn't consider you a bad person. When this actually happened 8 years ago, I could only stand about 24 hours worth of the news coverage before I'd had enough. Its not a disrespect to the families that were left behind not to want to watch all that stuff over and over again; to me its more painful than a celebration to see the news footage.
So yesterday, I said a prayer for the families left behind, hoping that they were coping well with their losses, and I moved on. I didn't watch anything on tv about it, and I made no special posts on my blog. These people aren't forgotten to me, and neither is the date, but I don't want to see those planes crashing into the towers anymore.
My son has Autism and he can't stand to watch it over and over again eithere. I don't like it either. It is history, we know what happened, families know what happened, but we don't need to see the horrors played back!
You are not a rotten person. I feel very much the same way. What happened was so horrible, so tragic and so painful that I choose not to relive the horror of it all. It is much like having a tragic happening within a family...how you choose to deal with it in the future is a very personal thing. Do not beat yourself up...there are loads more folks who feel the same way.
I'm the same way. I hate seeing it replayed over and over. Those people who where there repay it in their minds probably every day. We need to remember those lives that were lost, but seeing the tragedy over and over again on the news does not pay them tribute. It just sensationalizes the whole thing. You are not terrible:)
I suddenly feel a huge urge to shower. and throw away my purse with everything in it.
of course you're not a bad person. If we spent all our time feeling bad about stuff in the news we'd all be depressed and useless. .. and we all memorialize things in our own personal way. I think a lot of people (not those who lost loved ones or were affected directly somehow) have a need to recapture that feeling we all had that day over and over because our country came so close together. :)
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