On first instance, thanks to the hype machine we all know as ''media'', the September 11 attacks on New York's World Trade Center is probably what first comes to mind. Especially if you happen to be 'akin' to the generally disseminated information of the West, and absolutely if you're a resident/citizen of the USA.
To most Arabs, and all muslims (indeed, the two are very different things), it's a time for celebration, with Eid Al Fitr highlighting the end of the holy month.
In Ethiopia, the entire country is in happy mode, as they dance to a New Year.
For someone like me, a Brit (born and raised), of Islamic faith, Arabic as a mother tongue and the horn of Africa as a motherland (making Ethiopia, a dear neighbour), today means...well...a whole bunch of stuff.
Despite my thoughts, prayers and obvious sadness toward New York's tragedy, I can't help but ask the question: where are those who did it?
One can't be entirely accurate, but according to reports, the US has spent not millions, but billions of dollars in further intelligence schemes. Up to 30,000 national security employees have been hired to literally spy on people's phone calls (really? Yea. Really.) and yet, no one's been caught? After nine years?
How is that? Why is that? Before we pull out our guns and fight for whatever it is we think we represent, shouldn't it (couldn't it, wouldn't it) be a little wiser to ask these questions, first?
If Al Qaeda/the Taliban/''insurgents''/those dirty Arabs/whichever nicely coined 'label' you'd like to use are so dangerous, then why hasn't another attack, remotely close to the world trade atrocities, taken place? Looking at past - and many failed - attempts, it seems the most these ''TERRORISTS'' are capable of doing is train a small number of frustrated idiots on how to make their underwear blow up.
Makes you think. Or at least, it should.
Anyhoo. That's enough thought for the day. Let's leave on a musical note from Teddy Afro, a famous Ethiopian singer, who penned and produced a song dedicated to Bob Marley some years ago. In that song, he follows Marley's ultimate mantra, encouraging peace, love and the unification of Africa.
I think a few of us need to study these key messages: peace, love, unification...perhaps work on raising our own awareness, and one day, apply them a little more, in our overall outlook.
Thoughts & prayers to the families of those who have perished, in New York, Afghanistan and Iraq.
A blessed and beautiful Eid to those celebrating.
A happy new year to those from Ethiopia.
One world. One peace. One love.
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