The Invisible Hand

9/11 Neutrality Watch

The Metropolitan Transit Authority is currently sponsoring an art exhibit at Grand Central Station called "Seen From Above.” It consists of large paintings of the view from the World Trade Center done in 1998 when the Port Authority gave 10,000 square feet of vacant office space in Tower One to a bunch of artists.

The exhibit, which is advertised heavily in the subways these days, is described in fluent newspeak as “an environment to reflect on the events of September 11.”

"Events?" Obviously a lot of deliberation preceded the selection of just the right word to describe what happened that day.

Why not "attacks?" Or better yet, "barbaric terrorist attacks on innocent men, women and children?" Exactly who's feelings are they trying to protect behind the word "events?" Why is it better to obfuscate the truth rather than to recognize it?

Indeed, just down the hall from the "Seen From Above" exhibit is a far more authentic artwork: the spontaneous collage of missing persons flyers posted by families and friends of lost terror victims. You see real faces of real people. You learn about them and see why each one was special and you can't help but compare them to your loved ones or even yourself.

I walk by that exhibit every day and it never fails to remind me of the ghastly injustice of the 9/11 attacks and it replenishes my thirst for vengence. Yes, I want the people responsible for these "events" to suffer as their victims did.

That has nothing to do with justice. God can determine what is just. But here on earth we administer vengence.

I can understand strongly held opinions even if they are diametrically opposed to mine. But I can't understand, nor can I respect, neutrality.

You cannot see this and remain neutral.

There is a time for contemplation and introspection . . . but this is not that time.

As we approach the one year anniversary of the September 11 attacks I will list here sort of verbal contortions people and organizations come up with to avoid offending somebody other than me.