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Entry: Tribute to my Fallen Heroes

*** THESE LINKS HAVE BEEN UPDATED after an unwarranted attack on this blog. You can read more about it at Harvey's site.

Letters from New York presents two entries. Firstly Tribute to My Fallen Heroes:

To: Mike, Jack, Tony, Larry, Amy, Rick & Nancy
[my best friends who were murdered on 9/11]

My dear loved ones,
It's soon to be Memorial Day, our most favorite holiday. I know that I used to love Memorial Day because it ushered in our summer antics. Later I grew to honor Memorial Day as a day to celebrate those who served our country, and who died doing so. When thinking about this day during these past few weeks, I've experienced an ebb and flow of unrestrained emotion that has been a long time coming. And in the process of it all, I've missed you all so much more these past 2 years.

It all started just over 2 months ago with Rick's birthday. April 15th is a date that's really hard to forget. For me, Rick's birthday always marks the round of subsequent birthdays, anniversaries or important milestones in our lives that we all celebrated. Now it's a reminder of what will never be. Sighhhhhhhh!

Secondly comes J'accuse:

“The truth, I will say it, for I promised to say it, if justice, uniformly seized, did not do it plainly and fully. My duty is to speak, I do not want to be an accomplice. My nights would be haunted by the ghost of the innocent one, that pays the price, in the most horrible of tortures, for a crime he did not commit.
- Open Letter from Emile Zola to the President of France published in L’Aurore Jan. 13, 1898 [translation my own]

My birthday is a time where I re-evaluate, how I’ve either contributed or harmed society through my personal action or inaction.
In looking back over these past 2 years, I've realized that I allowed my grief, to both rule my life and blind my judgment. I no longer have the luxury, nor do I want to live in that level, of grief stricken ignorance. This re-examination of my life comes at a time when I normally look at where I’ve been, in order to forge the path of where I need to go…

Par conséquent, Je dois appeler la partie responsable. Jai'Accuse Moi!

Yes, I accuse myself, of political indecision and hypocrisy! Of being too afraid, of extremists on the right or the left, to explore what republicanism and conservatism is all about.