Dateline 9-11-2016

9/11 is a weird day.

I was 25 way back when the towers fell which means that I'm old enough to fully grasp the difference in America before and after the events while being young enough to have this be my first major conflict. Though I caught the tail end of the cold war my anxieties about war were more movie based than any close call that I experienced through the news. I did get to witness coverage of the first Gulf War but that felt more like a novelty than a conflict since it was so one-sided.

Two years prior to 9/11 I was laid off from Amazon during the first internet bubble burst. This was the first time that I felt the effects that the economy has on the workforce. To top things off, this was around the time of the first presidential election that I really cared about the outcome because I was genuinely afraid of having Bush at the wheel. 

Up until that election, I feel like I was a pretty patriotic person that didn't even think to question the government. If fact, I only followed politics to be able to keep up with the jokes made by late night talk show host or early morning shock jocks but Bush turned me sour on the whole system.

The funny thing is, I used to joke about wanting what we now seem to have. Back when I was struggling to find work while the internet was still struggling to get back on its feet, I used to say that what we needed was another cold war. I'd emphasize that it needed to remain cold but I felt Americans needed a common enemy to unite us and that there were more advancements in technology in times of war. 

I would then go into a rant about why there were no sequels to Star Wars because everyone got lazy without the Empire to attack. I had Chewbacca joining the world of wrestling entertainment, Han Solo becoming the equivalent of a NASCAR driver, Luke growing a gut as he struggled to find his identity in a world without war, meanwhile other members of the cast would go on to become spokesmen and reality stars, all of who were actually empty inside.

I stopped making that joke as soon as it became a reality and managed, for the most part, to erase the memory from my mind. I think this is because I was half serious about seeing this as a solution and now that I see it playing out, in reality, I don't think it's all that funny. 

Now, every year around this time, I'm reminded of this misguided mindset and wonder how much similar thoughts factor into the minds of those that are profiting off our demise.   

So that's what I'm spending my Sunday thinking about.

Talk to you tomorrow,

- The Wicker Breaker