Despite how you feel about Sept. 11 one thing remains constant – it was a terrible day. We have all heard the facts of the matter, we are all capable of recalling where we sat as the news came to us that terrorists attacked our country and all of us struggle with the ramifications of that day. 

  I want to take you to a different place though. One where the events of that day take not only a life-shattering yet mundane approach, but to one that still makes me scratch my head in dumbfounded wonder. 

   I know everyone has wondered what they could do. I took up journalism and the cause of accountability because of it. I have several friends who went to war because of it. I do not condemn nor condone any of them. I want to show you what not to do though. 

   The day’s events are a mystery to everyone; though we would like to pretend we are in the know, the facts are not all in and we cannot jump to conclusions like the ones I will give. 

   Zealots, on virtually every side of the aisle, have come upon different “mystical” overtures of the day. Did you know demonic faces appeared, angels were seen flying away from the towers and the face of god all were featured in the smoke of the Twin Towers?  

   All of that before I even mention Nostradamus’ predictions of 9/11 (funny how we believe a Frenchman hundreds of years ago could predict it, though a memo saying Bin Laden Determined to Attack U.S. does not prove anything), how the bible codex predicted it and finally the cross found in the rubble became an icon for the disaster. 

   You do not have to take my word for it. The research is done. None of us can pretend like we do not have a passing knowledge of the conspiracy theories from that day, but I would like to invite each of you to look through this list of links about the stories and history of 9/11: 

·        http://www.september11news.com/
Far off from reality, religious wackos create myth and superstition to explain the tragedy.

·        http://www.911truth.org/
Left to wonder, conspiracy theorists attempt to find answers in a sea of questions.

·        http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/military_law/1227842.html
Rightly searching for answers, some choose to simply believe what they’re told.

·        http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/12/17/eveningnews/main589137.shtml
Centered in the halls of congress, some truths are revealed. 

   A look at the first link will tell you why I am so … angry about how this has all gone down. Did you not see where I found my life’s passion from 9/11? Did you hear how my friends packed up and shipped off to war because of the ramifications of that day? 

   People lost their loved ones, and all of us lost some part of our innocence that day. I remember looking at my ex-wife’s womb on 9/11 as my oldest son grew and wondering what I would tell him about the world we lived in.  

   People suffered tangible losses that day. Our lives, in all cases, were undeniably altered. Now we have to suffer from politicians making it an election game, religious zealots making it a “find the supernatural creature in the smoke” game and people everywhere seeking truth where none can be found.  

  We search for validation to our beliefs, but that day does not belong to our selfish means. We owe the families of 9/11 the asking of legitimate questions, and they deserve the legitimate answers to them. This anniversary belongs to the victims that lost family that day. The rest of you, by marginalizing through asinine assumptions, are perverts.