In just a few days, it will be 10 years since the collapse of the WTC towers in New York. The terrorist attacks managed to strike America harder than any other war, crisis or natural disaster in its entire history.
The images dated Sept. 11, 2011, with the planes crashing, one after the other, into the two skyscrapers, are still as harrowing as ever today. Similarly, the images of the twin towers collapsing torment the soul whenever they are revisited.
In this case there is and will never be “too much.” The terrorists’ attack was so deep it did not reach only the soul of the American people, but its impact ricocheted to all of us. The fact that some people, even among us, stooped so low so as to enjoy the “slap” served to the arrogant Americans is only the expression of pure bestiality within some human specimens.
And, nevertheless, in spite of the blow they received in their very heart when some of the U.S.' symbols were lost forever (and we are not talking only about the two WTC buildings), the American people have proven why they have become and continue to be a global force built almost from scratch during just a few centuries.
It is not their money, their gravity-defying, sky-scraping buildings, nor their economy that globalized the entire worldwide production and turned the U.S. into what it is now. The way the U.S. has reconstructed Ground Zero, and especially the way in which it rewrote its history after 9/11 by placing the Memorial and Museum on the very spot where the Twin Towers rose 10 years ago is the absolute proof of the spirit of this nation. Not even an army of planes full of terrorists could break this spirit, and no matter how many buildings are torn down by the enemies of civilization, this spirit will not be brought down to its knees.
There is, of course, as much propaganda in movies created for commemorating 10 years since the NY terrorist attacks as there is in the American movie industry, media and politics in general. This is true. The classic clichés of the world across the ocean are present in Steven Spielberg’s movie on the 10th anniversary of the collapse of the twin towers. But there is something more besides the classical good versus evil. There is a lesson that the Americans learned for the first time in their short history.
Sept. 11 showed them what it was like to feel pain, to commemorate, to grieve for their victims. But above all, 9/11 taught them what it was like to be mortal. Without ever having been deprived of their most cherished and precious possessions, as Pearl Harbor was a distant pain (literally and figuratively), the terrorist attack that took place in the heart of New York City and the collapse of the WTC towers was a new beginning for the United States of America.
Instead of losing something to the terrorists, the U.S. gained a lot. Now it has a place that is richer in history, meaning and significance than any other: Ground Zero. In the former location of the twin towers, Americans learned to look down as well. It is there that the American spirit rises from the deep. In a way, Ground Zero has now become the most representative and most touching place in America.
The space where the buildings collapsed forms a symbol that is more valuable than anything the U.S. ever imagined having. It is their biggest pride. It is the lesson they can offer to the world. Their message is that no blow, no matter how painful, can take you down forever. No matter for how long it brings you to your knees.
Lectia americana dupa 11 septembrie
Se implinesc peste doar cateva zile 10 ani de la momentul prabusirii turnurilor WTC din New York. Atentatele teroriste au reusit sa loveasca America asa cum niciun alt razboi, criza sau dezastru natural nu reusisera de-a lungul intregii sale istorii.
Imaginile din ziua de 11 septembrie 2001 cu cele doua avioane infigandu-se pe rand in cei doi zgarie nori cutremura la fel de mult si astazi. Asa cum imaginile cu turnurile gemene prabusindu-se rascolesc fiinta umana ori de cate ori sunt revazute.
In acest caz nu exista si nu va exista niciodata "prea mult" - lovitura teroristilor a fost atat de adanca incat ea nu a atins doar sufletul americanilor, ci impactul a ricosat pana la noi toti.
Ca unii chiar si dintre noi au gasit resurse pentru a se bucura de "palma" pe care "arogantii" de americani au incasat-o, asta e doar expresia animalitatii pure din unele specimene umane.
Si, totusi, in ciuda loviturii pe care au primit-o chiar in inima, cateva dintre simbolurile Statelor Unite ale Americii prabusindu-se pentru totdeauna (si aici nu vorbim doar despre cele doua cladiri ale WTC), americanii demonstreaza de ce au devenit ceea ce sunt inca in prezent - o forta mondiala nascuta in doar cateva secole din aproape nimic.
Nu datorita banilor, nu pentru constructiile lor care au sfidat gravitatia si au zgariat norii si nu multumita economiei care a globalizat intreaga productie mondiala au ajuns Statele Unite ceea ce sunt astazi.
Modul in care americanii si-au reconstruit Ground Zero si, mai ales, felul in care si-au rescris istoria de dupa 11 septembrie 2001, amenajand Memorialul si Pavilionul chiar pe locul unde in urma cu 10 ani se inaltau turnurile gemene, e cea mai buna dovada a spiritului care anima aceasta natiune. El nu poate fi infrant nici cu o armata de avioane pline de teroristi si nu poate fi ingenunchiat indiferent cat de multe cladiri vor reusi dusmanii civilizatiei sa doboare.
Exista, desigur, atat de multa propaganda in filmele aniversare realizate de americani cu ocazia aniversarii a 10 ani de la atentatele teroriste din N.Y. pe cat exista in general in industria americana de film, media si in politica. Este adevarat.
Cliseele clasice ale lumii de peste Ocean se pastreaza si in filmul lui Steven Spielberg despre aniversarea a 10 ani de la prabusirea gemenilor WTC. Exista insa ceva, dincolo de clasicul bine care invinge raul. Exista o lectie pe care americanii au invatat-o pentru prima oara in scurta lor istorie.
11/09 i-a invatat pe americani ce inseamna durerea, ce inseamna sa comemorezi, sa iti plangi victimele. Dar, mai presus de orice, 11 septembrie 2001 i-a invatat ce inseamna a fi muritor. Fara a fi loviti cu adevarat vreodata in ceea ce aveau mai drag si scump, Pearl Harbor fiind o prea indepartata durere (la propriu si la figurat), atacul terorist din inima New York-ului si prabusirea cladirilor WTC a reprezentat un nou inceput pentru Statele Unite ale Americii.
Ceea ce teroristii au crezut ca le vor lua americanilor s-a dovedit a fi un castig urias. Doar asa locuitorii Americii au astazi un loc mai incarcat de istorie, de sens si semnificatie - Ground Zero - mai mult decat oricare altul. Pe locul fostelor turnuri gemene, americanii au invatat sa priveasca si in jos. Acolo, spiritul american se inalta acum si in adancime. Intr-un fel, Ground Zero a devenit astazi locul cel mai reprezentativ si mai emotionant al Americii.
Spatiul unde s-au prabusit constructiile formeaza un simbol care este mai valoros decat orice si-au inchipuit americanii ca detin. Este mandria lor cea mai mare. Este lectia pe care o pot oferi lumii. Mesajul lor este ca nicio lovitura, oricat de dureroasa ar fi, nu te poate dobora definitiv. Oricat de mult te-ar ingenunchea.
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Time will tell whether the strategic ambitions of the French-German alliance, including those regarding the European army, will jeopardize the EU's cohesiveness, and especially how much longer they can work together within NATO.