Put Option On America, Part 2

Dec 17, 2007
Rand Clifford

Investigation of a crime means reading the evidence, first. 9-11 was spectacular crime leaving behind spectacular evidence. Spectacle was the whole thing—give people visions they would never forget, embed fears to shadow them forever. Deep cracks penetrated the American psyche on 9-11, some possibly too deep to heal; therein lies perhaps the greatest ally of 9-11 perpetrators, the collective desperation of Americans for no more damage. We’ve been hurt enough!

“Looking away” might shunt some pain, and clear the way for explanations that help the wound start to heal, but such neutralizing of evidence offers short-term comfort at best, while actually making things worse with its invitation for greater wounds. The looking away, refusal to consider evidence, it could be called religion based on fundamental faith that our government...“OH! They’d Never Do THAT!” The truth that they would do that, and actually did—as virtually all evidence proves—not only represents more pain, but makes our enemy hard to define. The mass emotional steady-state requires an explanation soothing in its finality while providing a clear enemy, a culprit at which victims can focus their rage. The truth of 9-11 rips many people too far from steady-state comfort, presents a dilemma some can’t handle. Thus, the pervasive looking away, which in this case is the worst possible posture. As long as one’s head is buried in comforting sand, the ass kicking inevitably gets worse. &rarr