Imagine

The air is heavy with sorrow as we remember the great tragedy our country endured six years ago today on this anniversary of 9/11. A tear came to my eye as I observed a moment of silence for all who perished in that heinous act. The radio station that I was listening to played a clip of President Bush addressing the nation after the planes crashed into the World Trade Center. He stated something along the lines that we have been attacked by a faceless coward and that America should rest assured that they will hunt down this enemy and make them pay. When hearing this I was overcome with emotion and wept not only for the countless victims that died that dark day, but also for the countless more that have been willing to give their lives to fulfill this vendetta. Six long years of bloodshed and yet we still live in a world of hatred and fear. What President Bush and so many others fail to realize is that you can't fight violence with violence. By doing so, we have fed into the terror that these radicals so cowardly cling to and have generated an unjustified prejudice towards the Muslim faith in its entirety.

It is an innate characteristic of the human race to fear the unknown, especially when it may pose a threat to our individual system of beliefs or way of life. We tend to simplify and generalize until the stereotypes infest our minds and blacken our hearts to our fellow man. We are a species of self-righteousness and intolerance, with ideals that have spawned from eons of ignorance and trepidation. Lies and propaganda run rampant, while we fail to heed the warnings of the eventual annihilation of mankind.

Unfortunately, both sides of this war feel justified in their rationale of the sacrifice of innocent lives. I however, cannot justify war for any reason. I choose creation over destruction, love over hate, and hope in our future. I believe in a Utopian society where every race, religion and sex can co-exist with an appreciation of each others diversity. I can see a day where people tear down their walls of apprehension, open their minds and try to learn from one another. I await the day when good will transcends evil and peace will reign. In the famous words of John Lennon, "You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one. I hope someday you'll join us and the world can live as one."