One Flag-Draped Coffin
By Debbie Daniel (03/16/04)
It didn’t last longer than a full second, but yes, I saw a flag-draped coffin carried out of the rubble as was shown in a George Bush re-election message. The full 30 second video had been sent to me via e-mail and I watched it over and over trying to feel utter disdain for our president using that image. But, for the life of me, I couldn’t.
If you’re going to call our president negative or exploitative for using the image of a flag- draped coffin, I’d like to share with you what that coffin means to me.
I listened to all the loved ones of the Twin Towers’ horror go on all the talk shows and express their contempt for our president showing this single split-second image of a coffin. And I vicariously tried to put myself in their position, so I gave it a 100% effort to be on their side.
As I listened, I noticed a common thread running through all the words being used by them. They were parroting each other word for word: “disgraceful . . . disgusting,” and I found this coincidental “exact-expression” presentation to be questionable. My heart ceased to be involved when it sounded more like a “special interest group” upset that George Bush had been remiss in his involvement with the WTC Commission – more upset over that than the image itself. So, as I heard more and more emphasis on the “Commission,” my empathy began to subside.
I also learned later that these same “loved ones” were part of an organization called “Peaceful Tomorrows” which has been financed to the tune of nearly $5 million by Teresa “Heinz-Ketchup” Kerry. Well, I guess I’d protest that coffin, too. For that much money, I’m sure they were willing participants in whatever protest needed to be made.
Now that’s not to take away from the pain of seeing the image of that coffin. Even the sight of Ground Zero is painful to me. I was there two months after the disaster and it hurt deeply.
Of course, a friend to all liberals – and I’m sure to even these loved ones upset at the sight of that coffin – Mr. Alec “Hollywood” Baldwin has declared, "The new Yankee stadium should be built at the WTC site."
Well, that will certainly put the image of a coffin out of your mind. You might see a stretcher carrying an injured player, but aren’t we thankful . . . no more coffins?
So, it’s all starting to sound political to me. Are they really angry at Bush, or do they need to make Teresa “Heinz-Ketchup” Kerry happy? Her man’s running for president, and every protest helps. And this one would certainly hit at the heartstrings of sensitivity. It did mine.
. . . but not enough to accuse George Bush of being insensitive. “Why, the man should be ashamed . . . showing an image of a COFFIN,” many protested.
EXCUSE ME . . . .
I believe what happened on that fateful day was “people were killed.” They died. Three thousand and counting. Just like that.
It’s not the brick and mortar we remember, it’s the fact we lost part of our American family, and we can never forget that.
And to remind us of those 3,000 who are forever gone by this quick flash of imagery – showing a single coffin with an American flag draped over it, carried out by firemen – is not so bad.
There was a reverence . . . a calming in that single flag-draped coffin. It was over. No more buildings would come crashing down – not knowing who would be hurt below.
No more people flailing through the air as they jumped from buildings – not knowing where they would land. No more sounds of thud, thud, thud, as bodies hit the ground. No more people running – not knowing where they were going. And no more billowing smoke – not allowing you to know where you were.
It had ended. And then came one flag-draped coffin.
We saw documentaries for months of some of those very scenes, and we didn’t hear the rallying cry from loved ones. You might say, “But that wasn’t a 30 second election commercial.” No, it wasn’t. It was an absolute race of the networks to get your attention and boost their ratings for commercial dollars – night after night, month after month. And oh, yes, it was to help us “REMEMBER”, but don’t think for a moment that someone wasn’t capitalizing on “jogging our memory.”
And now, nearly 3 years later, we’re going to cry “foul?” I don’t think so.
Personally, I want to be reminded every single day of what was done to 3,000 of our comrades, colleagues, friends, and loved ones. I don’t EVER want to forget that day . . . remind me often.
So, you see . . . a single coffin only galvanizes my resolve for us to take care of business in this terrorist-infested world. We have a mission to see that this never happens again.
It was the ever-present picture of a fireman holding a bloody, broken, and burned baby outside the “bombed-out” Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City . . . an image that will forever be embedded in our memory. Why did we use that image – that precious innocent child who didn’t have a chance?
Why didn’t they show pictures of debris – it would have certainly told the story of what happened? But a dead baby . . . every network, every magazine, even the cover of Newsweek . . . why?
It was the vulnerability of the child – a child mangled by the blast. That’s what we would remember – not a pile of rubble.
And for those who want to chastise George Bush for – more than tastefully – showing a coffin, I ask you, “What’s wrong with that?” It’s a part of who he is . . . it’s a part of who I am. We are Americans in this war on terror – together.
The only reason this president is consumed everyday with the agony of finding those who killed your loved one is the image he still sees of dead body after dead body being dragged out of that wreckage. It still hurts, and it should still make us angry, and it’s still part of who George Bush became during that tragedy – the worst attack EVER on American soil.
I’ll never forget the president’s response as he told the story of a big ol’ burly fireman getting hold of him at Ground Zero with a finger pointed in his face saying, “Mr. President, don’t you ever forget this.” And with tears running down his face, George Bush answered: “I won’t. I’ll never forget it.”
And if it hurts too much to see that one coffin . . . then we need to take a look at ourselves. That one coffin is why George Bush wants to be your president these next four years. That one coffin is what drives and motivates him to protect the rest of us at whatever cost. That one coffin represents 3,000 innocent people, my friend.
So, if you think that one coffin is painful, just wait till it happens again. Then it will really hurt.
And it’s not a matter of whether it will happen again – it’s a matter of WHEN. We’ve heard recently that the terrorists are about 90% ready to make another “big” attack.
George Bush is unwavering. We should thank the good Lord that this president wakes up every single day determined to keep us safe.
Thank you, Mr. President.
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