It is time for unity
COMMENTARY
By MICHAEL HINMANSource: SyFy Portal
Sep-13-2001
This is a science fiction news site, I know. This isn't a political site ... this isn't even an American site. But what do you want me to do? Ignore everything that has happened today?
I was so sick Monday, I stayed home from work -- a very rare occurence. So rare, I didn't even know the proper procedure to do it. I was still sick Tuesday morning, at about 9:30 ET, when I sat in front of my computer here in Tampa, Fla., where it's supposed to be "paradise," and woke up suddenly to the news that our world will no longer be the same.
I am not going to rehash what has happened. You have already heard it a thousand times now -- no matter where you are in this world. And you will certainly hear it a thousand more times before we can finally find closure to this devastation.
Lucky me ... I'm a reporter in real life. I have worked hard to separate myself from the events I'm covering, to allow me to stay objective to the things around me. I was able to spend the entire day soaking up as much information as I can, while at the same time, keeping that arm's length distance journalists are supposed to give.
But so much death. So much destruction.
Why? WHY?
SyFy Portal is visited by more than 80 countries around the world. These are people -- exactly like you -- who have found a common love of peace and harmony through the graces of Star Trek and science fiction. Why is it that a select few feel this is the only way to make their point? Why is it so damn important to kill so many innocent lives -- lives that never affected those who would perpetrate such an inhuman act.
I am such a pacifist, probably similar to Capt. Picard. Why get into a fight if there are more plausible alternatives? But right now, all I can think about is taking care of the monsters who call themselves humans who would do this to any country ... to any civilian ... to any innocent life.
This may have been an attack on American soil, but this is not an American problem. This is a world problem. Do we REALLY want some of the bad things predicted in Star Trek to come true? Do we really want the start of World War III? Do we really want to say goodbye to everything we hold dear, no matter what country we call home?
I believe the retaliation for this attack should be swift, and directed solely to those involved -- both directly and indirectly. However, I don't want to see more innocent people die or suffer. We've had enough of that today to last a lifetime.
But we must have cooler heads prevail. We cannot allow anger -- much like what I am going through now -- to cloud our better judgment, to allow these monsters to create a world war.
I was out my coverage area of the newspaper I write for today, and stopped at a blood bank. More than 500 people gathered at this small office, and all of them were willing to stand in line for no matter how long it took to donate blood, and the average wait was at least three hours. But they were out there. They didn't know what else they could do, but they knew they had to help in some form or another.
And it wasn't just your average stereotypical white American, either. It was Americans of all nationalities, of all races, from every walk of life. There, to help those who needed them most.
That is the only ray of light I have seen in what has to be one of the darkest days in the world's history.
It wasn't until I was on my way home at 8:30, listening to the President's speech on the radio, that it hit me. Everything that had happened during the day ... so many people gone ... a country destroyed.
I broke down and cried. I balled my eyes out, it hurt so much. It felt like the pain of the world found where I was, and pounded its weight down on my shoulders. And I am crying now.
But I know that what I am going through is nothing ... absolutely nothing ... compared to what our brothers and sisters are going through right now in grieving the loss of their loved ones, loved ones who never, ever should have died, not like this.
Let's always remember those who lost their lives today, and hope and pray that we never, ever have to witness anything like this again. It's time for peace in our world, and it's time for it now.
Please donate to the American Red Cross. They need both monetary and blood donations from anyone who is able.
To give blood, call 1-800-GIVE-LIFE or call your local hospital or blood bank.
To make a monetary donation to the Red Cross, call 1-800-HELP-NOW.
For more information on how you can help, visit the American Red Cross Web site.
Michael Hinman is news editor and co-owner of SyFy Portal. He can be reached at michael@syfyportal.com.
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