Cultural Junk

A visit to Oklahoma City stopped me in my Tracks

I was going to write something completely different.

My idea was to comment on how far America seems to have strayed from those self-evident truths stated so eloquently by our Founding Fathers in the Declaration of Independence. I planned comparisons of the "long train of abuses and usurpations" which the Declaration's signers first recognized as evidence of absolute Despotism and some present-day "abuses and usurpations" that we as Americans find ourselves struggling with.

It was going to be good stuff. But that was before I went to Oklahoma City. A visit to Oklahoma City changed my perspective. It stopped me in my tracks.

The words on the bookend Gates of Time entries to The Oklahoma City National Memorial convey all that needs to be said here. "We come here to remember those who were killed, those who survived and those changed forever. May all who leave here know the impact of violence. May this memorial offer comfort, strength, peace, hope and serenity."

Comfort, strength, peace, hope and serenity aren't necessarily what I expected to find at the site of the most significant act of domestic terrorism on American soil. I didn't expect a lot of what I experienced there.

Like the response to the event it was meant to commemorate, the Oklahoma City National Memorial grabs you and doesn't let go. Nothing is withheld. It's riveting and heartbreaking and angry and hopeful all in the same moment.

On the morning of April 19, 1995, Timothy McVeigh parked a rental truck with explosives in front of The Alfred P. Murrah Federal Buildingand, at 9:02 am, a massive blast  sheared off the entire north side of the building, killing 168 people. 

That's what I knew before visiting the Memorial. With each step I took, there was much more waiting to be learned. 

The lesson begins outside. Across a Reflecting Pool at each end stand twin gates bearing a time-stamped frame of the destruction. The East Gate represents 9:01 am - the last minute of innocence before the attack. The West Gate represents 9:03 am, the time that changed us forever, and the hope and help began.

On the east side of the reflecting pool is The Survivor Wall, built from salvaged pieces of granite from the Murrah Building lobby and inscribed with more than 600 names of those who survived the attack. On the west side stands the The Survivor Tree, an American Elm, which withstood the full force of the attack. All the survivors of the attack are living symbols of resilience. Nearby is The Rescuers' Orchard, smaller trees which surround and protect the Survivor Tree. An inscription encircling the Survivor Tree facing the orchard reads: "To the courageous and caring who responded from near and far, we offer our eternal gratitude, as a thank you to the thousands of rescuers and volunteers who helped."

In the aftermath of the blast, children from around the world sent letters of  encouragement to the people of Oklahoma City, represented at the Memorial by a wall of tiles in the Children's Area. You don't notice at first, but each tile features a small child's hand in brightly-colored paint. It takes your breath away.

A perimeter fence was installed to protect the site of the Murrah Building after the bombing. More than 200 feet of the original Fence still stands and over the years, visitors have left more than 60,000 tokens of love and hope on the Fence, many collected and preserved in Memorial Archives. On the day I visited, church groups, families and motorcycle club members mingled easily together, leaving their own remembrances. The Fence is one of those places we all can come together. 

Moving inside to The Memorial Museum will take you on a chronological tour through the events of  April 19, 1995, and the days, weeks, months and years that followed the bombing. Powerful exhibits entitled like "Confusion," "Chaos," "Rescue and Recovery," "Funerals and Mourning" and "Impact" leave you with a deep sense of the loss suffered here. There's hope too, in a gallery of Origami Cranes, and in the stories of the Survivors and through the work of the people of Oklahoma City who have rebuilt a community and remembered loved ones lost.

The Memorial Museum is powerful in its ability to make you see and remember and feel. No matter where you were on April 19, 1995, you will be immersed in the emotions of Oklahoma City on that day. You will be present at the Oklahoma City Water Board meeting and experience the impact of the explosion through the only known audio recording of the blast. You will hear first-hand Survivor and Rescuer accounts. You will attend funerals and memorial services. During your time at The Memorial Museum, you are a citizen of Oklahoma City.

I found myself returning several times to photos of The Alfred P. Murrah Federal Buildingtaken in the hours and days after the bombing. We've all seen those photos. For the first time in all the times I've seen those same photos, the word "scar" came to mind. The jagged "scar" across the front of the Murrah Building. The anguished "scar" on the faces of victims, survivors, families and rescuers. The terrible angry "scar" on our Nation.

You will feel that same "scar" today when you stand at The Field of Empty Chairs.  They stand in silence, 168 chairs in nine rows to represent each floor of the building, and each chair bears the name of someone killed on that floor. 19 of the chairs are noticeable smaller than the others - one for each of the children killed inside the Day Care Center on the second floor. Those 168 empty chairs stand silent and speak loudly.

The people whose names are inscribed on the chairs are further memorialized inside the Gallery of Honor, where tributes to each are featured along with photos and personal momentos. The impact of the loss is heavy in this place. You know you are standing on sacred ground.

Comfort, Strength, Peace, Hope and Serenity. 

I found them in Oklahoma City. You can too.

If this Country has a Heartland, somewhere to discover our true selves, that place is a 3.3-acre piece of Holy Ground in downtown Oklahoma City. More than ever, right now, America needs to go Oklahoma City.

Oh, and that other piece I was going to write? I had planned to finish with the closing line of the Declaration of Independence. I find its eloquence more in context here, and I offer it in memory of the events of April 19, 1995.

"With a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor."

Get to Work, Mr. President - Really!

Tomorrow Americans elect a new President. Whoever gets the vote, Barack Obama or John McCain, the 44th President of the United States has a lot on his plate.

We're in trouble with a capital T, and we can't wait until January to hear the details about the plan to deal with the issues we're all facing. If ever there was a time to think and act collectively, that time is NOW.

So, Mr. President, here's the TOP TEN List of issues you better start managing as soon as the other side's concession speech begins to air.

1. The War in Iraq: As of September, 58% of Americans say the Iraq war was a mistake. While many Americans believe the United States can win the war in Iraq, only about a third think we actually will win. Surge or No Surge, it's time to begin withdrawing U.S. troops from Iraq. At the same time, we need to hold the Iraqi government accountable for taking control of the situation in their country. Keep Gen. David Petraeus in charge of the boots on the ground. He makes a lot more sense than Nancy Pelosi.

2. It's the Economy, Stupid: Our current economic situation is bad, and it's bad across the board - unless you are one of the lucky former AIG executives who got fired for mismanagement, but are still pulling down $1 million a month as an AIG consultant.  Otherwise, pick your poison - rising costs and inflation, health care, retirement, home foreclosures, debt, college tuition, employment, taxes, gas prices, the federal deficit, etc. We don't trust BIG BUSINESS and Congress isn't much higher on the grid either. Whatever financial model Washington and Wall Street has been using, well, SUCKS. It's time to do things much different and much better.

3. Healthcare: The cost of Healthcare is an issue facing almost every American family - unless you're related to a member of Congress. One recent survey noted costs and access to health care are rated a higher health problem than diseases such as AIDS or cancer. There are various solutions here, including tax deductions, federal assistance, lowering the Medicare age to 55 and even requiring businesses to offer health insurance. A bold early move by the next administration to answer the tough questions here would be a giant leap forward - finally.

4. Education: If we can't do more here than come up with catchy phrases like "No Child Left Behind" we should just fold the tent and start handing out vouchers immediately.  Public schools need to do more to close the achievement gap between students, reduce the number of students per classroom, and the number and quality of teachers. Listen Up, Congress - this means more funding, and more focus on reading writing and arithmetic, and less emphasis on passing state-mandated tests. Stop dumbing down to the lowest common denominator. Throw into the mix charter schools, preschool programs for low-income students and extending the school day, and you've got yourself a great head start.

5. Immigration Policy: Look, this one really is pretty simple. You can't have it both ways - you can't cry about illegal immigrants draining our taxes and public services while at the same time hiring (and in many cases under-paying) the same illegal labor force. No immigration policy that doesn't provide the opportunity for eventual U.S. citizenship is even worth discussing - you know and so does everyone else. Let's also focus substantial effort on securing the border and stem the flow of illegal immigrants into the country.

6. The War on Terror:  Besides sounding like a 1970's Hammer Horror Film starring Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing, our current efforts here have been pretty dismal. Hey, here's an idea - why not actually take the fight against terrorism to the place the terrorists live - like Afghanistan. Then maybe some time we can actually claim "Mission Accomplished" and it mean something. Legislation like the Patriot Act which compromises civil liberties to fight terrorism sounds good, but so did Weapons of Mass Destruction, and what we all wouldn't give to take that one back. And could someone call Tom Clancey and get him to kill Osama bin Laden?

7. A Green Agenda: OK, not high on everyone's Top Ten list, but that doesn't mean it doesn't the problem isn't real. The environment needs attention, at least Teddy Roosevelt thought so and he's on Mount Rushmore, so perhaps he knew a few things his modern-day counterparts don't. Look around - the environment is getting worse, not better. If you can't believe in global warming, can we at least agree to do more to address safe drinking water, curbing toxic waste, and improving overall water and air quality.

8. Energy: Stop wasting time trying to band-aid this issue with talk about opening up the Alaskan Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Energy and fuel prices are a top priority, so regulating the oil industry is a must-have. We need tougher emissions standards for autos, business, and industry, mandatory limits on greenhouse gas emissions, and developing alternate energy sources.

9. Fix the Damn Government:  Americans have had it with their elected representatives in Congress, whose job approval ratings are in the mid-20% range. It's taken a while, but we've finally figured it out - Washington is neither honest or ethical. Mr. President, you better focus more on public opinion and less attention to Congress' personal views. The next election is just four years away and you better believe we're going to be paying attention.

10. The Dixie Chicks: OK, this one is just a personal agenda item, but it's time to let Natalie Maines off the hook. It appears she was right, after all. Even the Republican Party is now ashamed of the President. Also, as previously stated, there still have been no WMD's found anywhere in Iraq, so we did probably jump the gun just a bit. In the interest of fairness, and especially in light of all the right-wing, extremist bullshit they've endured for the past four years, it seems only right to invite the Dixie Chicks to perform at one of the upcoming inaugural balls. I'm Ready to Make Nice.

English Only-Really?

Earlier this month the city council in Lewisville, Texas voted not to change the practice of translating documents into Spanish, a move precipitated by Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Lathan Watts’ motion to make English the city’s official language.

Watts said use of the English language is a "pillar of American unity and identity." Apparently his council colleagues disagree, as his motion failed to get a second.

The former staff assistant for Texas Senator John Cornyn attempted to save face by calling the English-only resolution, "largely symbolic" but emphasized that English has a critical place in American life.

"One of the things that allows that melting pot to melt together is common language. Without it we’re not a melting pot, we’re stir-fry, basically," Watts said. He pointed out that all American founding documents and great speeches were written in English.

REALLY?

Hey, Councilman Watts - do you think things may have changed a bit in the good old USA since 1776? I'm guessing Thomas Jefferson penned the Declaration of Independence in English because, oh I don't know, he spoke English and he was writing it for a mostly English-speaking group of colonial radicals?

You're kidding us, right? Surely as Vice President of the Denton County Young Republicans, you're familiar with the history of the Republic?

English IS the official language of the U.S. - in fact, its spoken widely. Maybe you want to drive outside your gated community once in a while and discover America for yourself.

Using English as the sticking point in the nation’s immigration debate is stupid. If you want to talk about illegal immigration, let's have a serious discussion about the problem. Ask and Answer the tough questions: How did we get here? What are the economic realities? What as an open, democratic society are we willing and able to do now to get the situation under control?

Chafing at Spanish being spoken here or setting limits on document translation is smoke and mirrors politics. The City of Lewisville spends just $475.60 on document translation annually and has an operating budget of nearly $100 million.

Don't waste our time, Mr. Watts. Lighten Up.

Americans don't need a common language to unify us. We don't need elected officials trying to divide us either.

Here's a reality check for you:

Things Change. Time Marches On. Technology Advances. Wake Up and Smell the Coffee.

All those great founding American documents and speeches were originally written in English, but they've been translated into thousands of other languages because the words have meaning beyond borders - even our own. I'm guessing, Mr. Watts, that your Bible has been translated into English, right?

Lucky for you the original Hebrew authors aren't around to object to their words being translated so that we Gentiles could hear those truths.

AIG-Really?

Let's just Cut to the Chase.

American International Group, Inc. (AIG) is a train wreck, a classic example of corporate greed and denial that, while staggering in its stupidity, should come as no surprise.

Less than a week after the federal government offered an $85 billion bailout to AIG, the company held a retreat for its executives at the utlra-fabulous St. Regis Resort in California, running up a tab of $440,000 on rooms, meals, spa and golf. After being hammered by Congress, the press, the public and anyone else with a fourth-grade education, AIG cancelled an additional 160 conferences valued at $8 million.

One sympathises.

AIG has to cut costs somewhere. The House committee wading through the mess at Wall Street firm Lehman Brothers has uncovered some troubling (but not surprising) information among the documents received from AIG.

They include:

AIG lost more than $5 billion in the last quarter of 2007 through its risky financial products division, but when the company's compensation committee met in March 2008, CEO Martin Sullivan convinced the committee to ignore those losses, which of course, would have significantly reduced executive bonuses. Sullivan knows which side of the bread his butter is on - the board agreed with him and gave Sullivan a cash bonus of over $5 million.

The board also approved Sullivan's new compensation contract that covered him with a golden parachute of $15 million. Way to go, Marty!

Joseph Cassano, the executive in charge of the company's troubled financial products division, received more than $280 million over the last eight years. Even after he was terminated in February, he was allowed to keep somewhere in the neighborhood of $34 million in bonuses, and is still receiving a $1 million-a-month retainer from AIG.

REALLY?

All this high-finance, high-jinx had Congressman Waxman perplexed enough to remark, "we will ask whether any of this makes sense."

It makes about as much sense as asking taxpayers to pony up $700 billion BAILOUT BUCKS to Wall Street investment banks grown bold by lack of oversight and a Harvard education where apparently betting that people with the lowest income (and the poorest credit ratings) are going to be able to pay off their mortgages makes some kind of cutting edge economic sense.

I don't know about you, but I'm not in the habit of giving my hard-earned money to people completely incapable of managing their business. I'm even less inclined to do so with a gun to my head.

So, what's the fix?

Send some people directly to jail. No passing GO and no collecting any bonuses. If you are the CEO, CFO or executive of any Wall Street firm receiving the bailout money - you go to jail.

Put someone in charge at the asylum. Self-regulation works about as well as, well, self-regulation. Wall Street is in the business of making money (at least that's what they told us), but they'be blown it BIG TIME. They no longer get to make the rules and ignore the fine print. Certainly in a country as smart as the United States, we can find someone to balance the checkbook and make smart financial decisions.

Finally, wise-up, America! Main Street better start demanding a lot more from Wall Street and from Pennsylvania Avenue too.