we're judging things through the prism of the present.
back in 2001 the US just experienced 9/11. the sense of anger and retribution was shared internationally. people were arguing for dropping A-bombs all over the middle east.
back in 2001 the US just experienced 9/11. the sense of anger and retribution was shared internationally. people were arguing for dropping A-bombs all over the middle east.
Speaking from South America, I can asure you that the general opinion of 9/11 was that the US had asked for it and that there are only so many countries you could bomb for oil before one of them decides to fight back.
Sure, our government sent a statement of solidarity and no one was happy that it happened. But I am having a hard time thinking of someone other than the US who was truly, angrily calling for retribution.
It was clear, I mean crystal clear even to US commentators on places like CNN on that very day that this will be used as carte blanche for government to instill control, surveillance and fear among US general population, and basically get away with anything because 'terrorists'. Well, they for sure were right.
Life of Manhattan-based bureaucrat is not worth to me more than some poor civilian blown to pieces on some wedding or tending his field half around the world. You know, equality of human beings and stuff. 3000 means nothing compared to millions, in fact tens of millions if we keep counting.
MANY of us in the US absolutely opposed what was happening. We were horrified by the way the US reacted, and the shit it did. It's just that, as a US citizen, we really don't have any power to affect how the government acts.
I can only think of two times when I was VERY angry with the US, post 9/11 and the way our government reacted to the post George Floyd movement. I saw a video where we had tanks rolling down the street with armed men behind it yelling "get in your house". You then hear one of them yell "light 'em up!" and they start firing rubber bullets at these people who were standing on their BALCONY filming this. These people had no idea the ones yelling were even yelling at them. The very idea that all of the elements of tianmen square was there in the US just boils my blood. And then to see so many video's of police officers TARGETTING media or attacking people with impunity.
Even the death of the officers in Tulsa, OK. The lawyer released an affidavit stating that he had watched the police cams and the police were basically beating the shit out of the guy before he finally reached into this car and pulled out the gun. The affidavit stated that the police lied about several aspects of what happened, most specifically that the shooter never stood over them after the fact and shot multiple times into the downed officers, but that instead the shooter was panic'd and started running away (backwards) when one of the officers tried to pull out his gun and the shooter then fired again at that police officer.
I've said more than I should have, but I'm both extremely angry about this stuff and immensely disappointed that my country isn't better than it is.
I wouldn't wish that on anyone, but there was a bit of schadenfreude along with the horror and sympathy.