Of all the inconsiderate...

[sincere]

What an asshole.

Those two of you who read this thing, you may or may not be acquainted with the renowned Silvermyth on my forum. Well, Myth-san seems to have a school assignment of some sort that requires her to interview someone who was somehow connected to the 9/11 attack. (I refuse to believe she could be doing this because it is that personally important to her; she's much too shallow. Or, if that is why, then it must be the "trendy" thing where she is, to pretend to be really humane.) I am a NY resident and I live only an hour away when I'm at home, and I had a relative who was actually in the World Trade Center, so she IM'd me and asked, without even a hello, what it was like to be in NY on that day.

I decided to humor her, because honestly, I have no qualms talking about it. As Neesama said, "It happened. It sucked. No amount of crying, weeping, mourning, gnashing of teeth or cries of vengeance will bring anybody back." That's more or less my opinion. I can talk about it, because it upsets me -- but more in a pained, personal loss kind of way than anything else. I won't dissolve into tears or mourn for the humanity of it all, etc.

And she insulted me for that.

I told her, in very in-depth detail, what that day was like for me, and what I felt. To inform the uninformed, I felt both a sense of tragedy -- more for the world than the actual event: I knew right away that it would be war, that we would see the world go to hell in a handbasket for this in some way or another -- and a very deep sense of anger.

I've always lived near NYC. I love NYC. One of the things I've always loved about it, one of the most constant, enduring symbols that I have interpreted to represent the city I so love, is its beautiful skyline. Every time I pass it in traveling I watch it, stare at it, memorize it; I could do that for hours. I love that skyline like I love my family and friends. It is, in a way, family and friends. That skyline meant a lot to me. And they destroyed that skyline -- destroyed the beautiful twin towers that shaped it distinctively. I will never be able to look at that skyline again without knowing that part of it is missing, and remembering what happened that day.

I had just finished telling her how angry I was, and I was going on to tell her about how my stepfather's employers tricked him out of being able to say he lost his job on 9/11. But she interrupted me.

She asked, "Don't you think it's a bit selfish to be angry about the skyline being ruined?"

What a fucking asshole.

I was so angry she would ask me that. Is there no MEANING in her pathetic little life? Is there NOTHING so important to her that she feels passionately about it? How can she ask me to relive that kind of dread and fear and then tell me I'm selfish because I was angry that my beloved city skyline was destroyed? The skyline that symbolizes my strong, resilient, uglybeautiful city, and will now always remind me of that day full of dread and fear and hurt?

How can someone like that even CLAIM to be sympathetic?

I went on to try and explain to her that thinking about the tragedy of people dying means nothing to me. Really, it doesn't. People die all the time. People, to boot, are stupid and self-interested and will walk all over you and always put their own interests first. People died, boo-hoo, big fucking deal, people die every single day in the so-called non-war we're not-waging in their countries right now, but you're not calling Dubya selfish for not thinking of them and weeping crystalline tears.

She told me that I was only proving to her that I was one of those stupid, selfish people.

I can't even describe my rage. There are no words for her inconsideration.

Comments

[caillen.livejournal.com]

that's one very close-minded person. @_@

[ayabai.livejournal.com]

HOLY FUCK WHAT A BITCH >:E it makes me mad just having to hear about it. ugh, i'm so sorry you had to deal with someone like that >< maybe she's never lived in a city before, so she wouldn't understand the symbolic resonance a skyline has? or maybe she's just a STUPID WHORE >:E

sorry, i get REALLY pissed when i hear about such closeminded people who apparently have nothing better to do than insult perfectly nice people like you. i mean, you even took time out of your day to actually TALK to her for her stupid fucking assignment (WHAT TEACHER ASSIGNS SOMETHING LIKE THAT?!?!?!) when you could have very well told her that it was something you don't want to talk about.

[sakusha.livejournal.com]

That was a horrid thing to say to you. I can't believe she would actually do that.

Hmm.

[gatafairy.livejournal.com]

That's rude. Even if she thought that inside, it's still rude to just SAY it like that. Isn't that, like, a rule in etiquette? Act cool and respectful despite any strong emotions within?

I happen to understand what you said about the skyline. God knows I get angry when they cut down a tree.

It's almost like... joking around about the death of someone you really love. You just don't do or say things like that. -_-;

[anoniemouse.livejournal.com]

:P Twit <--Says it all

[nekogoesnyaa.livejournal.com]

I can understand what the skyline ment to you! I mean, I've lived near DC all my life and I know if one of DCs main features was destroyed, I'd be majorly upset about it. Specially the Washington Memorial... I love that damn thing. I always visit it when I'm in DC... I've flown kites in the park around it and sat under it's cherry blossom trees.

It's like, these things become part of a person who grew up in the area. So really, I guess it's kinda like if they are destroyed or changed, a part of you is changed or lost. Gah... I'm making no sense...

But yes... Myth... you were doing a favor anyways, so she had no right to criticise you for anything -_- Maybe she's just really really untactful and... not to bright? o___O;;; *hides*

[munkeyju.livejournal.com]

I don’t know… there are some things you can say that age doesn’t matter. Like with grammar and spelling. But when it comes to the big things, like death, disaster, and loss -- kids just don’t understand it.

And before my head is bitten off, just do the math. If Myth’s fifteen now, that means two years ago she was 12 or 13. You honestly don’t have a good grasp on those things. When we’re reminded of events like that, ones that effect ourselves and the people around us so much, we slip back into that mindset. So when Myth was watching those videos in her class, she slipped back into her 12/13 year old mindset. The world’s big, and values and security you were taught in school just seemed to have exploded before your eyes. You can’t comprehend it. How could something like this happen?

She didn’t know about difference in social classes, not so early in a school year. Racial boundaries, intelligence, and wealth -- not really a big concern to the person of that age. So when she’s reliving what you are, she sees you, Kay, at 18 feeling these emotions and seeing the day unravel before you. And she sees herself back in school, back in junior high and hearing similar things over a PA system an hour after you witnessed.

So what she saw was death, loss of life and despair. She was confused. You saw your towers going down. You were worried for you family and friends. And you were of age to hang on to someone, or yourself, and move on.

You don’t have that at 12 or 13 years old. That’s when you fully realize how small you are. And that was probably her first time ever learning that people overseas, across the nation, or next door aren’t always what the sitcoms or cartoons show them to be. It was an awakening for her. It was a concern and loss for you.

Neither of you were right, and neither wrong. You just had, have, and will continue to keep different views on the event. That’s all.

So when she said “aren’t you being selfish” she just didn’t know that you saw the event in a different way than she did, because she thinks it affected everyone the same.

[(Anonymous)]

Well, I'm oh-so-glad that my poem was crap. And Ju's right; that was the first time that I have ever faced any real death or horrible disaster.

Okay, Kay, I'd like to straighten some things out with you. One: I did not do it out of pity, or for an assignment. I was just curious what it was like to be in NY during the attacks, and I didn't know anyone else from NY. Two: The way you said that it was YOUR skyline...it did sound selfish. The way you were phrasing things, it sounded like you didn't even CARE that people were dying, not in the least, just that YOUR skyline had been destroyed. I veiw that as VERY selfish. Three: I don't think that I would understand what a skyline means to you, just for the simple fact that there are no skylines in Wisconsin. I'm sorry that I don't have your prospective on these things. And finally: I'm sorry. Really, I am. I knew that this was something traumatic to talk about for you. I should have really thought more before I typed. But next time, don't bite my head off, and give me at least a chance to explain myself or get a better explaination of things.
~MYTH~
By the way: I do NOT IM you every day with every little detail of my life. I do IM you occasionally when I'm bored, or to show you some of my art to get your opinion, but you aren't even talkative, so I just leave you be. So DON'T think of me as "One of THOSE people."

[yumemisama.livejournal.com]

Jesus Christ, people. Didn't any of you know anybody even remotely near NYC? I somehow managed not to find out about it all day long, but you betcha when I DID, I sat at the computer worrying about telecomm lines and when Kay popped up she got tackled with "Is everyone all right over there?"

It's a skyline. It's a symbol. People die every day. More people have died since the World Trade Center was built than died 9/11/2001. It was an awful thing to have happened, and I don't condone it in any way, but the point is that those towers were a tangible reminder of humanity's accomplishments on Earth. The people who destroyed them knew that they were important, else they wouldn't have been targeted, but there's no possible way they could know why. Their disappearance leaves a scar on a city of millions of people that will never quite go away. That skyline is world-famous as the example of a Big City -- Tokyo-Yokohama is larger population-wise, but I dare you to find anyone in the Western world who wouldn't have recognized the jagged, geometric sky-scape of New York City. It meant something.

All of this is beside the point. It was an insensitive question to ask anyone. And, as Kay does not get stabbity very often, I, as her official ninja, would recommend that anyone who feels they need to debate this further go discuss amongst yourselves, rather than taking it up with her again.

[angrybabble.livejournal.com]

someone like that is a stupid fucktard hoping for crying weepweep sentiment involving flowers, puppies, and small tow-headed children awkwardly reading out the names of the fallen.

the symbolism of a skyline and the disquiet of looking for something that is familiar and represents home only to find it gone, she obviously lacks grasp.

I don't know jack shit about new york.

when someone set the old capitol building (in the center of campus) in my college town on fire and our ancient wooden and gold-leaf dome went up like a flashfire while I watched as I walked to work that morning, and all that was left was a smoldering skeleton I felt sad for days. Not because of the huge tragic loss but because that symbol represents our school and town and it was gone. I felt like there was a hole where there should have been something and poked it for days like a tooth with a cavity.

the loss for new yorkers is so much greater that I can't imagine how someone could not understand what seems to be such a simple fucking concept.

in summary: stupid bitch, don't waste your anger. -_-;

And the kitty jumped into the flames...

[(Anonymous)]

I know Silvermyth, personally. She's not trendy, and yes, sometimes she has troubles dealing with people. In such situations you have to take that into consideration. She's far from shallow. And she shares my belief about materialistic possesions. I believe that she misunderstood why you were angry over the skyline. I don't think she understood that you weren't upset about the single fact that the skyline was gone, but was also upset because of what the skyline ment, in abstract, to you. I would like to appologize on her behalf. Sorry she misunderstood you, or whatever it may have been. Truely, you would have to agree with her if your only anger was simply about the skyline. But as I see, it goes deeper, it goes to the point of what that skyline stood for. Maybe I'm mistaken, who knows, if so, I'm sorry. Have a wonderful life, and please, lives matter, whether you preceive it to be an insignificant one or not. :)