A Gunboat in the East River Off Roosevelt Island

A gunboat in the East River, this morning, a blast from an painful past, a reminder of the sad way we were.

Twenty years ago, after the World Trade Center disaster, gunboats in the East River were a daily fixture. Walking from Manhattan Park to the subway, I saw them every morning, idling, turrets fully manned. It was chilling and probably went on too long.

Then, they were security after the terrorist attack, but now, it’s defense during UN Week. And there’s only one, but it’s a reminder.

A gunboat in the East River off Roosevelt Island

And a reminder that we have a long way to go for a peaceful world.

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