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I struggled on whether I should post this or not. I don’t like to post things that are controversial, especially on touchy subjects like this, but here we are…

When I see clips from 9/11 on television, whether it’s the news, talk shows, or politicians, I get angry.

I get angry when I hear people talking about it. Everyone has a story. But unless you were in one of the planes, buildings, in the vicinity of downtown Manhattan, the Pentagon or a field in Pennsylvania or were at one of the scenes as a responder you most likely don’t have a story. I lived 45 miles away. I watched it on TV, too.

I hate how politicized it is, and how it gets worse every year.

I hate the politicians who wrap themselves in the flag and beat the 9/11 drum day in and day out but would not step up to offer the first responders the true medical and financial aide that they still need. How is this even an issue? It was a no brainer.

I hate the asshole stores who sell “Never Forget” bumper stickers and t-shirts. Even worse, I hate the people who buy that shit.

I hate the people who flocked to Ground Zero and gawk at it and take pictures in front of it like it’s a fucking tourist attraction.

I hate how some people talk out of both sides of their mouths and say things like “America was attacked” and they are the same people who don’t count New York as “real America”. Whatever that bullshit means.

I hate how we are still fighting two wars in retaliation (wars I even supported at the beginning because I had the naivety to believe what our President told us). I hate how many people have died in these wars.

I hate that all we see this time of year is image after image and video clip after video clip of the destruction and heartbreak.

I hate that pictures of the construction of the new WTC site aren’t more widely shown. (I had no idea that much progress had been made until a few months ago).

I hate that it’s 10 years later, and we’re still a scared nation with many of our liberties still infringed upon.

There was a television on at the restaurant tonight and Headline News was on. Nancy Grace’s show was dedicated to 9/11, and then Dr. Drew’s show after it was too. I imagine whatever is airing now is still about 9/11. I sat there and kept glancing at the television that was muted and got angry every time. But for some reason I couldn’t look away.

So take your ratings grab television specials and “where were you questions” and shove them up your ass.

Go be with your families and loved ones because that’s what matters.

Edit: After Michele wrote her post, I came back to clarify a few things that might have gotten lost in my lack of writing skills.

I don’t think you had to have been directly involved to have a story, and I don’t mean to discount those stories, but I do feel that the vast majority of people don’t have a story. “Someone called and told me to turn on the news and I was sad.” Well no shit.

I think my feelings and anger here stems from living on the east coast when it happened, and now living halfway across the country and seeing and hearing how people talk about it.

I know that this was an attack on America and our way of life, but in a lot of places in this country it’s a political tool. It’s something that happened on TV and I think there are a lot of people out there that don’t realize the true ramifications of what happened, and what downtown Manhattan has been like since the attack. Especially in the wake of the Mosque outrage that occurred across the country.

I don’t know if I made things worse with this edit or not, but that’s how I feel.