By Macio

In light of the recent decision by Mayor Michael Bloomberg to allow the families of the 9/11 World Trade Center attacks to hold ceremonies at Ground Zero, I’m wondering, Why the hell can’t they trade off and, in the words of pop superstar Beyoncé, move “To the left…to the left”?

The first thing your priest, pastor, rabbi or cult leader explains to surviving loved ones at funerals is the importance of moving on. Death is a part of life, it has been since the beginning of time. Sometimes you gotta let little things go and move on—especially when you’re about to get the keys to your own personal mausoleum, complete with waterfalls, light show, Starbucks and newsstands controlled by non other than…Well, let’s just say, how much do you really wanna remember?

When my grandfather died, my family buried him at Evergreen cemetery in Brooklyn—his final resting place. Admittedly, I don’t visit the grave site as often as I’d like but, if I had the inclination to visit every year, and on the day of my visit there was a big crane hovering over his grave—I’d come back when they moved, or I’d take a picture of myself, fold it into a paper airplane and do my best to make it land near the gravesite. I’m sure Papa would understand.

The victims’ families are getting a multi-million dollar memorial built at Ground Zero, but my favorite rappers are killed on the streets every day: “Streets” being the operative word here. Should I call up Mayor Bloomy and ask him to shut down the Brooklyn Bridge for just one day so me and my misogynistic music-loving friends can honor our fallen lyrical heroes? No! That would be ridiculous and cost money. Of course, money is not the issue here, right? Wrong! That nearly billion-dollar price tag for the memorial says otherwise. And dammit, my little tax dollars figure in there somewhere.

You know, Bloomberg didn’t change his mind on his own. He’s as impersonal as they come, and, like many incumbent politicians, he’s only thinking about his legacy and how people will view him. Perhaps he thought, “All right, ef them, if a crane or a piece of sheet metal falls on one of them, we can bury their asses there, too. Can’t say I didn’t warn them.”

OK, so by now you think I’ve trivialized the importance of honoring the dead by the surviving family members. It’s your right to criticize me. I’m totally cool with that. After having many people die in my family from gunshot wounds in the streets, to cancer, suicide and long marriages, I’ve decided that the biggest memorial is right in my head. No one could ever take that away or propose how I should celebrate in their honor. I don’t care where you moved the gravesite.

No, my intention is not to disrespect the family members of the victims of 9/11 at all. They simply want to honor their loved ones. But let’s not forget that this affected everyone, not just them, and last I looked, no one asked me, or anyone in my community, about our opinions. This is a small group that’s getting the biggest memorial money can buy and, as far as I’m concerned, it’s my memorial, too. I hope families who were affected by the WTC attacks can preserve that special place in their own hearts and minds just like I do.

Finally, I’m most afraid of what the experience of visiting the memorial will be like. Trying to get on a flight at the airport has become a burden already. Will the family members protest as strongly when they find out profiling is taking place at the visitors’ gate? And you know there will be: no baggy jeans, no iPods® or iPhones®, no funny looking brown people and, of course, no talking.

It seems to me that the family members already wield great power, and they’re showing that their influence and muscle will continue to grow. Although he’s already given in, I say the mayor shouldn’t go along with this. He should hold the memorial down at the courthouse as he originally stated. Maybe then we could remember more people at one time. It also saves money, time and face—which is always a good thing if you’re running for something.

Macio is a NY-based comedian, visit his website at www.MacioTV.com.