Post 9-11
Letters
from NYC
Post 9-11
Letters from NYC |
Updated (5/8/03)
Greetings –
Events of 9/11 opened a new chapter in modern history, bringing out into the open opposing forces with radically different views of how to shape the world in which we live. There are a number of forces competing in the world today: a right wing Christian fundamentalist elite in the U.S, which through control of the government in this administration is attempting to create a “new world order”; Islamic fundamentalists, who would remodel the modern world according to medieval codes of living; and finally, a yet-unfocused mass of humanity learning to organize for peace through the lightning fast media of internet access. Ultimately, however, these elements focus down into a basic paradigm of what George W. Bush calls “good versus evil”. Of course, which side you are on is entirely political, as nobody sees themselves as the bad one.
In a sense, the Islamicists are correct in seeing current U.S. political imperialism as a religious crusade, for there is a very strong element of millennialism at work. This is the view that the Second Coming of the messiah is at hand, revealed in signs from the creation of Israel to the biblical and even Mayan prophesies. By bringing the war between opposing values into the open, Osama Bin Laden freed the hand of these modern crusaders to use the secular power of the U.S. government to reshape the world into the image it hopes to project into a new age of mankind. The tools for this are naked use of power, both internationally and domestically, and under the guise of compassionate concern is an iron fist that brooks no opposition.
The real paradigm in good versus evil is the true message
behind religious doctrine, which is the opposing forces of Love and Fear. This is where the policies of the Bush
administration and Islamicism mirror each other, for both use fear and
intimidation to try to impose compliance and submission to their will. Love is not hate, and fear is not
strength. Those who have spoken and
acted for peace are not weak, as the warriors for extremism charge, but are
exercising strength of will through compassion and restraint. It takes inner conviction to be able to hold
back the tide of overwhelming emotion so as to be able to act for higher
ideals. Violence only begets violence,
a cycle seen throughout the world, in places like the Middle East, Sri Lanka,
central Africa. As long as extremism
sets the tempo of events, the world will remain a fearful place. It is in the rising consciousness of a
massive worldwide voice for peace that a true change of paradigm will emerge. - 5/8/03
These pages, which began two years ago as a collection of writings first circulated by email, have become something more. The original impetus was Marc Sabin’s heartfelt and thoughtful letters, hence the name for this site. Marc, who lives in lower Manhattan, is an old friend of mine, my first martial arts training partner back in the 1970’s. We went through a lot together, in the arts and in life, and he’s gone on to become a truly amazing Tai Chi Chuan instructor. More than that, he’s a deeply conscious person, a spiritual healer and writer. His latest work is The Tao of Peace, written in late 2002 and currently in development with a publisher. This work has been used as part of the United Nations Gandhi/Martin Luther King Season of Peace events in New York, and has been set to music as part of a play that evolved from this month-long event.
Presented here first is the original collection of letters written by Marc, revealing a progression from existential awareness after the terrorist attacks of 9/11/01 to a search for a new global paradigm. As such, these letters are far more than just historic descriptions of post-traumatic life in New York. Rather they reflect deep philosophical perspectives on the meaning of life in America after this tragedy, with all the global implications implicit therein. I have been astounded at the depth and quality of this work. After urging Marc to share these writings on a wider level, I realized I could help by putting them here for others to read. There is a poignancy to his letters, reflecting an intimacy with the WTC attacks that is deeper for those in NY, living as they are with the sight, sounds, smells and disruption of their daily lives. Others may voice similar perspectives to Marc, but none say it more eloquently.
What has changed on this site are the additions of other essays, some emails circulated by famous writers and others articles culled from mainstream newspapers both here and abroad. There is a progression in these writings, a shift in tone from the soul-searching introspection of those written soon after 9/11 to the harder investigative pieces that have been published in the intervening 2 months. The war in Iraq and domestic changes here in the U.S. have provided the gist of new material. New material is added as events move me to do the updates.
Whether or not the reader agrees with the political views expressed in any of these writings, the debate on the issues is imperative and timely and reflects the delicate interface between democracy, free speech, and the political framework for resolving the issue of global terrorism. This, then, is my gift and my tribute to those who died in the World Trade Center, to provide this space that others can ponder these issues and hopefully participate in a dialogue towards shaping a new and better global reality.
May 8, 2003
A
rock song I wrote in 1979, still current today! Read the lyrics, listen to the music.
Constitutional rights? Just another endangered species
Crisis in Iraq – more
letters from Marc and others
What
this war represents
Marc’s post
9/11 letters from NYC
Marc’s writings, the original reason for this website project. Powerful reading!
Essays
by Fritjof Capra, David Spangler, Barbara Kingsolver, Michael Moore and others
Opinions and investigative articles about the terrorist attacks and our response
Health,
spirituality, old views of and from the World Trade Center towers
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