The Paris Attacks: Was the Date Symbolic?

I generally try to focus my blog posts on books, poems, stories, and comics, but since the bulk of my reading over the past 10 hours has focused on the tragic events in Paris, I suppose I should share my thoughts.

First off, my thoughts and prayers are with the people of France, the victims, and their families. It pains me to think of what they must be going through.

Next, I would like to point out something that was obvious to me. This attack happened on Friday the 13th. I’m not superstitious, but I also do not believe in coincidences. It would not surprise me if the assaults were orchestrated to happen on this day for symbolic reasons.

If ISIS was behind this attack, and it seems likely that they were, we should consider that they labeled the French as infidels. During the Crusades, France sent the Knights Templar to the Holy Land to fight the Muslims. Afterwards, King Philip, fearing the power of the Templars, orchestrated the arrest and subsequent torture and execution of the Knights Templar on Friday the 13th, 1307. I hate to sound like a conspiracy nut, but the parallel gives me pause. If this was a planned and orchestrated attack, then I can only assume that the perpetrators chose a date that would hold symbolic meaning and would be easily remembered, just as the 9/11 date for the attack on the World Trade Center.

I want to close by reiterating that my thoughts and prayers are with France. My heart goes out to the people there.

George W. Bush’s 9/11 Speech

As I was having my coffee this morning, I wondered what I should read on the anniversary of 9/11. In the past, I had read things like Art Spiegelman’s In the Shadow of No Towers. Today, I opted to read George W. Bush’s speech which he delivered on that evening. There is one part of the speech that struck me:

These acts of mass murder were intended to frighten our nation into chaos and retreat. But they have failed. Our country is strong. A great people has been moved to defend a great nation.

Terrorist attacks can shake the foundations of our biggest buildings, but they cannot touch the foundation of America. These acts shatter steel, but they cannot dent the steel of American resolve.

It’s ironic how just last night my wife and I were discussing how fearful everyone is nowadays and how people’s actions seem motivated by that fear. This fear seems to be fanned by the media. As much as I hate to admit it, 13 years later, it seems the perpetrators of the attack may have been successful in their ultimate goal. We have become a fearful nation.

I wish I knew what the answer was.

I am including the full text of the speech for those who wish to read it.

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Good evening.

Today, our fellow citizens, our way of life, our very freedom came under attack in a series of deliberate and deadly terrorist acts.

The victims were in airplanes or in their offices — secretaries, businessmen and women, military and federal workers. Moms and dads. Friends and neighbors.

Thousands of lives were suddenly ended by evil, despicable acts of terror.

The pictures of airplanes flying into buildings, fires burning, huge structures collapsing, have filled us with disbelief, terrible sadness and a quiet, unyielding anger.

These acts of mass murder were intended to frighten our nation into chaos and retreat. But they have failed. Our country is strong. A great people has been moved to defend a great nation.

Terrorist attacks can shake the foundations of our biggest buildings, but they cannot touch the foundation of America. These acts shatter steel, but they cannot dent the steel of American resolve.

America was targeted for attack because we’re the brightest beacon for freedom and opportunity in the world. And no one will keep that light from shining.

Today, our nation saw evil, the very worst of human nature, and we responded with the best of America, with the daring of our rescue workers, with the caring for strangers and neighbors who came to give blood and help in any way they could.

Immediately following the first attack, I implemented our government’s emergency response plans. Our military is powerful, and it’s prepared. Our emergency teams are working in New York City and Washington, D.C., to help with local rescue efforts.

Our first priority is to get help to those who have been injured and to take every precaution to protect our citizens at home and around the world from further attacks.

The functions of our government continue without interruption. Federal agencies in Washington which had to be evacuated today are reopening for essential personnel tonight and will be open for business tomorrow.

Our financial institutions remain strong, and the American economy will be open for business as well.

The search is underway for those who are behind these evil acts. I’ve directed the full resources for our intelligence and law enforcement communities to find those responsible and bring them to justice. We will make no distinction between the terrorists who committed these acts and those who harbor them.

I appreciate so very much the members of Congress who have joined me in strongly condemning these attacks. And on behalf of the American people, I thank the many world leaders who have called to offer their condolences and assistance.

America and our friends and allies join with all those who want peace and security in the world and we stand together to win the war against terrorism.

Tonight I ask for your prayers for all those who grieve, for the children whose worlds have been shattered, for all whose sense of safety and security has been threatened. And I pray they will be comforted by a power greater than any of us spoken through the ages in Psalm 23: “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me.”

This is a day when all Americans from every walk of life unite in our resolve for justice and peace. America has stood down enemies before, and we will do so this time.

None of us will ever forget this day, yet we go forward to defend freedom and all that is good and just in our world.

Thank you. Good night and God bless America.

“In The Shadow Of No Towers” by Art Spiegelman

On the anniversary of the September 11 attacks, I thought it appropriate to reread Art Spiegelman’s graphic novel In The Shadow Of No Towers. Spiegelman is most famous for his Maus series. Several years ago, I had the privilege of attending a talk where Spiegelman explained his reasons for writing No Towers which made a tremendous impact on me.

The book is not only a personal memoir of his experience of being in New York City during the attack, but it is also a strong social criticism on the US government’s actions following the attacks. He accuses the Bush administration as using the tragedy as a way to justify their agenda.

The structure of the comic strips is intentionally chaotic, creating a sense of confusion in the reader, where one stares at the page, not knowing where to start or where to turn next. Essentially, Spiegelman uses the comic-strip genre as the perfect medium to instill the reader with the sense of anxiety and confusion that he experienced.

There is no question that our world changed after September 11, 2001, and we have adapted to this new world. Many of us, like Spiegelman, have a sense that the world as we know it is coming to an end. So, I suppose it’s apropos to conclude with a quote from Art himself: “I still believe the world is ending, but I concede that it seems to be ending more slowly than I once thought … so I figured I’d make a book.”

Click here to purchase this book from Amazon, or go and visit a local independent bookstore.