Memorial Service
Man never kills so gleefully, so without remorse
as when he plans to frame God for the murder.
If the Devil is truly at work in the land
then he wears the hard hat and work boots
of just another dedicated believer building God's kingdom,
meeting out divine justice on the wicked.
God does not fly planes into buildings,
any more than he plants bombs in Belfast.
God is not responsible for the torture and murder of the Spanish Inquisition
or the Christians in Africa today who stone little children as witches.
Allah had nothing to do with what happened on September 11th
except as he might have been in the whispered prayers of the Muslims
If the Devil is truly at work in the land
then he wears the hard hat and work boots
of just another dedicated believer building God's kingdom,
meeting out divine justice on the wicked.
God does not fly planes into buildings,
any more than he plants bombs in Belfast.
God is not responsible for the torture and murder of the Spanish Inquisition
or the Christians in Africa today who stone little children as witches.
Allah had nothing to do with what happened on September 11th
except as he might have been in the whispered prayers of the Muslims
who died that day.
Depraved humans commit monstrous acts
and they wrap their murder in a prayer shawl and call it a gift for their god
like a cat dropping a mutilated robin at your feet-
"See the infidel / heretic / abortion doctor I killed for you!"
something no divine creator ever asked for.
something no divine creator ever asked for.
Hate fell from the sky on September 11th.
It was a hate that masqueraded as religion,
called itself patriotism, pretended to be strength
but make no mistake, it was hate-
born of fear of things and people that are different,
Hate refuses to see the common bonds of humanity.
It's a weakness that is threatened by other choices.
It is small and mean, and there is nothing holy about it.
Hate is easy. Anger is a cheap high.
Pointing out differences, closing hearts and locking gates-
that’s simple stuff.
And this is not some WWE steel cage wrestling match:
Pointing out differences, closing hearts and locking gates-
that’s simple stuff.
And this is not some WWE steel cage wrestling match:
"The Amazing God versus the Incredible Allah!
Which awesome God is awesomer? Who has the best beard?"
God does not need you to jump into the ring with a sharp object
or a chair, to hit the other guy over the head
and help him cheat to win the title belt.
God does not need you to jump into the ring with a sharp object
or a chair, to hit the other guy over the head
and help him cheat to win the title belt.
Really.
If you want to pay tribute to victims of hate,
you can only do it through love.
Anger is no fitting memorial.
Walls just give hate a safe, dark place to hide and grow.
All the monuments and the speeches and waving flags cannot defeat hate
the way a simple outstretched hand can.
So if you want to prove that the 9/11 hijackers were wrong,
not just theologically or politically
but wrong in a fundamentally human way…
you can only do it through acts of tolerance and compassion,
by building bridges and accepting differences.
Nature shows us that diversity is strength.
God tells us that love is the only way.
you can only do it through love.
Anger is no fitting memorial.
Walls just give hate a safe, dark place to hide and grow.
All the monuments and the speeches and waving flags cannot defeat hate
the way a simple outstretched hand can.
So if you want to prove that the 9/11 hijackers were wrong,
not just theologically or politically
but wrong in a fundamentally human way…
you can only do it through acts of tolerance and compassion,
by building bridges and accepting differences.
Nature shows us that diversity is strength.
God tells us that love is the only way.
Walk the path of love and you keep the flame alive
and make America the society they didn’t believe it is,
but which we know it can be:
the home of the free and the brave.
and make America the society they didn’t believe it is,
but which we know it can be:
the home of the free and the brave.
See, any old coward can close their fist and hate somebody.
It takes a truly brave soul to open your arms…
but it sets you free.
Tracy Meisky is a poet, writer, singer, songwriter and all-around boat rocker from way back. Feel free to look around, but if you break it, you bought it.