New Tower Symbolizes Lost Freedom

I admit that I get a little bit nostalgic hearing Frank Sinatra's New York, New York. It's a crime living so close to the Big Apple and not visiting more often. It's a great city and I have had many good times there especially drinking until 4:00am in the East Village. Aaaah New York, you know have given us so much.

About five years have passed since that awful day. Thankfully none of those bad predictions came true. New York was dismal for three months, and has been booming ever since. New Yorkers are a hell of breed: tough, resilient, and determined. A couple of assholes taking down a building was not going to stop this city or the people that live, work, and visit here.

So what gives with the delays on the new Freedom Tower? Architect David Childs has unveiled yet another new design. It looks great, but I get the feeling that they are too worried about security details: moving the building to protect it from truck bombs, creating a windowless reinforced base, a super reinforced concrete core to prevent the towers from collapsing if the plane hits it, etc... Yikes! Are we creating a bunker or an artistic work of art?

No doubt the Freedom Tower will symbolize the times in which it was built just like the Empire States Building reminds us of the engineering feats of the 1920s and 1930s. The Freedom Tower was supposed to represent how freedom triumphs over evil not how freedom with strings attached triumphs over evil. Perhaps I'm being nostalgic for the past. I understand there is a need for some security measures, I just worry that the design was compromised. Perhaps the name should be changed to the Paranoia Tower.

Similarly, I feel our own freedoms have been compromised. Prior to 9/11, we didn't worry about the government tapping our phone lines, researching our internet activity, or engaging in warrantless searches. More importantly, we didn't live in a state of fear and paranoia, which has been the biggest infringement on our liberties.

It's ridiculous to believe that you might get killed by terrorists for visiting a major city. You have a better chance getting killed in a plane crash or struck by lightning. Besides if you were to get killed, it really wouldn't matter anyways, you get to hang out with George Burns.

The point is that we should not let fear dictate our actions. Go out and enjoy life, whether it be jumping out of a plane, visiting New York City, or hiking the Appalachian trail. Let the department of Homeland Security handle this paranoia business. Hmmmm... on second thought that raises even more fears.

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* conservative * liberal * congress * entertainment * pop culture * freedom tower * New York * NYC
* Frank Sinatra * paranoia * fear * 9/11 * September 11th * Homeland Security * David Childs
* Empire States Building * Big Apple * politics of fear * architect