TheBanyanTree: Facing 9/11

[trsmith44 trsmith44]

The early morning of September 11, 2001 found me
reporting to the Hall of Justice downtown for
jury selection. In the lounge awaiting panel
assignments there was a lot of interest in
television images of burning World Trade Center
buildings. We jury prospects were dismissed two
hours later, but I continued in my mind to be a
9/11 juror.

Seeing two tall buildings suddenly fall straight
down, as if into holes directly underneath was
astonishing and confusing to me. I saw President
Bush's reaction to the news whispered in his ear
and picked up on some confusion, but not surprise
-he continued reading to a Kindergarten class. It
is common for people to perceive and respond
differently.

The aftermath was ferocious. Wars tied to 9/11 in
Afghanistan and Iraq provided both an oil pipeline
and military seizure of 1/10th of the planet's oil
reserves. Our top two executives had backgrounds in
the oil industry. Federal government power under
them grew rapidly with the establishment of the
Department of Homeland Security controlling our air
travel and the Patriot Act claiming the right to
detain anyone indefinitely, without charges or trial.
In our version of terrorism, a "confession" could be
obtained by torture.

Wisdom compels the investigation of a catastrophe,
especially one of off- chart magnitude like 9/11.
Vice President Cheney opposed any public hearings.
President Bush opposed establishing an independent
commission. The commission eventually created was
a committee of his choosing, stacked with political
functionaries with conflicts of interest, and even
that group, he stonewalled. 70% of the questions
put to the Commission by the 9/11 Family Steering
Committee was not addressed in the final report.
George Bush and Dick Cheney refused to testify under
oath, and testified only to the chairman's questions
in an un transcribed session.

>From a juror's point of view, I found it strange that
accessories to mass-murder would shy away from
perjury. Several lines of evidence, credible to me,
indicated two prime suspects facilitated rather than
prevented the attacks they had foreknowledge of and
profited from. They never went to trial. They got
protection, not prosecution. The victims of 9/11 got
a memorial and a taste of justice. The Memorial
freshened pain and justice was just revenge.

I sought evidence that explained the most and
followed where it led -deep into Pandora's Box.
Powerful institutions kept the lid on, maybe for the
most comfort for the most people. Comfort is good,
but I give it up on 9/11 for the adventure and terror
of being honest.

Tom

"Let go or be dragged." -Zen Proverb