9.11 overkill

I'm willing to bet that I'm one of many that dreads the 9.11 anniversary. I lost no one that day. Plenty changed for me that day, but I was arguably pretty insulated as an individual. In reality, I was lucky in comparison. I offer many thoughts and prayers to those that have been impacted.

That said, there is another side to this whole thing that is rapidly becoming hard to stomach.

From people who clearly have no grasp as to what we really lost—their lives are probably as untouched as mine, and the people capitalizing on this by selling the latest in flag wear to the people that fly the flag, improperly I might add, because it's IN. The whole concept of 9.11 as a trend, fashion, market to sell to and other similar trappings and shock waves bug the fuck out of me. Worst of all: the mass media.

The Onion does a good job of summing up how I feel in a nice, satiric way. For example, I understand that many children will now grow up without fathers due to the tragedy. But how does the world benefit from rounding them all up on a tv special so Diane Sawyer can take a poignant look at their brave lives? How in the hell do the children and their mothers benefit? I can see the gathering being cathartic, but how does televising it help?

The First Lady is telling everyone to turn off their tv's, light a candle and read to their kids. For once I'm with the First Lady. She's telling everyone to do this so the children will not have to deal with the graphic images. I'm saying not to do it to avoid watching the media blackout as it focuses on nothing other than 9.11 for the entire day. Think they have enough material to cover it tastefully? Surely a tragedy of such magnitude merits the time to make a thoughtful tribute to the heros and fallen of the day? If so, why in the hell did Entertainment Tonight do a story on an actress from Everybody Loves Raymond visiting Ground Zero? And it's only Monday. Oy.

Certainly all of the programming will not be bogus. A tribute is in order. Nothing would make me happier than the need for me to eat the words above. But I fear for what we will be confronted with for 24 hours on Wednesday.