My views on violence
So, in my International Terrorism class I have to do two book reviews. One on a book called “The Cell” by John Miller and Michael Stone with Chris Mitchell. The second one is called “Why America Slept, The Failure To Prevent 9/11” by Gerald Posner. I can’t figure out why I am finding it so hard to read these books. I’ve started on “Why America Slept”, but I’m finding so many places in it that seem to be over my head. I don’t understand much about al Qaeda and those things. But, the book basically explains why 9/11 could have been prevented and all the signs and signals we missed. I think I’m having a hard time with it because it is so upsetting. It makes me sick to my stomach to think that devastating day could have been prevented. It makes these books very hard to read. I think I’m too much of a baby. Maybe I don’t want to know the truth. I can’t even read the news most times. Sometimes I can’t get past the headlines. If it’s an upsetting headline, I skip right over it and pretend I never saw it. I don’t even like violent movies that don’t have a happy ending. There is this movie my husband likes called “Casino”, I think. I cannot watch it. I hate that movie. Every time he tries to watch it, I have to leave the room, or ask him to turn it. Maybe that makes me weak and maybe I want to live in my own little bubble. But I can’t do that forever. If I want to help people and make a difference, I need to get my head out of sand. Especially if I want to educate my children on topics of the world, I need to educate myself first. I want to be able to answer their questions when they ask, and they will. They want to know everything. Most, they will learn in school. I’m sure by the time they get old enough they will learn all about 9/11 in school. I can’t believe they sell pieces of the twin towers. Small, pieces of the rubble that was left is what are sold. I think people will do anything to make a dollar, even if it means sinking that low. Well, such is life. I don’t expect it to get any better. There will always be fights, looters, rapists, burglars, and serial killers. As you can probably tell, I’m stalling. I need to back to reading that depressing book. Maybe I’ll be more the wiser after I finish it. Maybe I’ll be tougher. If I take anything away from these two books, I will at least know more of the truth. Even if it is upsetting, I need to read them. Sometimes the truth hurts, but the truth needs to be known. Perhaps I’ll let you if my views have changed in a few weeks.
I will admit, that I am very much the same. I dislike how action movies are so violent. It just makes me sick. I also feel like it is almost like a "how to get away with murder 101." I know that it is just my personality, and not everyone feels this way, but I definitely live in the same little world as you.
ReplyDeleteJamie,
ReplyDeleteI really want to know what your major is because I didn't even know that there was such a thing as an "International Terrorism Class". That class's title right there just spells out horrific tragedy all over it! Imagine you need this class though, because if you didn't then you probably would not be taking it at all since it is a touchy subject for you. Topics like the 9/11 tragedy are really touchy subject for everyone and, you're right, it does make a person sick to their stomach to think that something like that could be prevented. I think that we Americans have been spoiled and we have forgotten that it's survival of the fittest in this dog eat dog world. I guess that's where sayings like, "You live and you learn" and "What doesn't kill you, makes you tougher" come in. I really believe that God has a plan for us all. We ask why he takes our loved ones from us and we don't get an answer, but the answer is that we need to trust that whatever his plans are for us, things will work out for the better in the end. Besides, things like the 9/11 tragedy are what we learn from. We document things like this and then seek out the mistakes and problems so that we don't let a tragedy like this happen again. We learn how to fix our mistakes to make a better future. I guess to sum it up, it's just one of the many circles of life. I hope you find a way to get through your books you have to read, let alone the entire semester in that class, because it sounds like you will be reading about tragedies for the whole semester. All I gotta say is, read it and learn what you can about it, because the terrorism problem doesn't seem to be going away anytime soon. Good luck chick!