This week’s Village Voice nails on the head what is the third level of 9/11. First was the event, second was the Bush response which killed many more people pointlessly , completely emptying the treasury, causing economic and political upheaval in the US as well as much more untold suffering now and to come. The third is the despicable abuse of 9/11. Sorry to rain on the party today, but to the extent this moves from solemnity to celebration I am not only off the bus but okay about saying that 9/11 has to a great degree become a circus.
9/11, The Winners by Graham Rayman lays it out clearly. From the Port Authority, Rudy Giuliani, museums, merchandisers, phoney charities and private hucksters collect handsomely on the accumulated grief of good people in this city and elsewhere.
Lower manhattan real estate is booming on 9/11 subsidies. Giuliani now has a net worth of $52.2 million. The Sept. 11 Memorial and Museum pays its top employees in the neighborhood of $2-300,000.00 each. The NY Police Commissioner Kelly makes $200,000. Books make millions and there is even one by Jesee “The Body” Ventura. The Lieb Family bottles a 9/11 wine that sells for $9.11.
On this day I want to think and reflect on the lives here and in DC and PA that were lost. To remember where I was on that day and how awful it was. I don’t need Matt Lauer or Piers Morgan or Jimmy Kimmel to help me through this. I don’t need to look at photos, film or any bad art. For me it is a huge hole in the world, where humanity were blown up with part of the city. And then came every possible bad, greedy and stupid decision possible by the sleaziest group of pols in US history; our luck. And then. as the final insult, came an army of very, very rich entertainers.
For me tonight is a good night to be with people I love. Really connect with why I am grateful to be alive and in their company. And maybe, turn to something that does not partake of horrifying bullshit. Maybe John Coltrane.
This spread is opposite the Voice piece. Perhaps the irony is intentional by the editor. Still kind of perfect in any case.
