Commemorative, My Ass

There is a commercial I keep seeing more and more lately that is really bothering me. Or actually – it’s not the commercial that’s bothering me; it’s the product that is being advertised. It’s an ad for a commemorative September 11 coin.

Admittedly, I’m not really into collectibles or “commemorative” items, but even if I were, I think I would still be bothered by this particular one. It’s a gold(ish) coin with little silver(ish) cutout pieces that can be pulled out and “stood up” on the gold coin base. And supposedly, it is made from silver recovered from ground zero. WTF? Why would I want that? First off – where did that silver come from? Or actually, never mind – I don’t even want to know. Regardless of where it came from, I really don’t want a piece of anything pulled out from the site of thousands of horrible deaths.

And all this “commemorative” shit. I’m sure I’d be called unpatriotic by those behind this (or actually, not so much those behind it – they are just insensitive money grubbers, but by those who are actually buying this stuff), but I just don’t feel the need to commemorate 9/11. Or not commemorate it exactly, but commemorate it in this way. I believe that tragedies like this one should be commemorated with meditation or prayer. Or through education, so new generations can learn our country’s history. Or by kindness and good will for our fellow man, so we can move on and be a better human race for it. NOT by opening our wallets and spending money on some bullshit commemorative product. A product possibly made from materials that were looted ”recovered” from the very place where nearly 3,000 human beings were brutally murdered. And if you’re falling for the “approved” and “official” FBI insignia line, then have I ever got a bridge to sell you.

I don’t need a coin to commemorate 9/11. I even watched it all from the safety of my own office and home, 350 miles away and yet almost 10 years later, I can close my eyes and still see those planes crashing into the towers. I can still see the impossible happening and they collapsed in on themselves. I can see the people hanging out the windows in terror.

I can hear it, too. I can still hear the screaming, the crying, the groaning of burning, melting steel getting ready to give in. I can still hear the horrible, unthinkable sound of bodies hitting against nearby rooftops and pavement.

But mostly, I can still feel it. I can feel the way my pulse raced and my stomach churned and my heart broke. I don’t need a coin.

I think the most offensive part of it is that it is a fully “for profit” venture. None of the money is helping families of victims, or memorial funds, or the rescue workers who are suffering with medical problems after giving their time, their blood, their strength, their tears, and now their health to try to save as many lives as they could. No, instead, the company behind this crap is happily fleecing anyone willing to pay $20 for “a piece of history”. Meanwhile, people are carrying on about how building a Muslim-based community center near (not on as the misinformed are wont to believe) Ground Zero is a sacrilege, while this sacrilege is going on right before our eyes. Wake up, America.