Tag Archives: 9/11
It’s 9/12
The past week has been heavy. We have been inundated with documentaries, pictures, expert analysis, people’s stories, etc. of 9/11. I didn’t watch any of it. My partner still can’t watch that stuff. Plus, it’s just depressing. 3497 lives lost. Families devastated. I didn’t want to see the twin towers collapsing in a week-long loop on CNN, MSNBC, and FOX.
I don’t know. People might have needed this stuff to help them deal with it, so I’d never begrudge them of that. I just had to hang back.
It’s 9/12. It’s no longer the 10th anniversary of 9/11. It’s time to get back to working on the problems that plague us in 2011. We’re still in 2 wars and bankrupt from them. Our economy is in the toilet, and we’re more divided than ever. These are things that we should be working on. Maybe we can shift our focus from 10 years ago to now.
Prince and The Black Eyed Peas on 9/11
Two songs come to mind when I’m reflect on 9/11. “Where is the Love?” by The Black Eyed Peas and “Cinnamon Girl” by Prince (my musical demigod).
Where is the Love?
What’s wrong with the world mama?
People living like aint got no mamas
I think the whole worlds addicted to the drama
Only attracted to the things that bring you trauma
Overseas yeah we tryin to stop terrorism
But we still got terrorists here livin
In the USA the big CIA the Bloodz and the Crips and the KKK
But if you only have love for your own race
Then you only leave space to discriminate
And to discriminate only generates hate
And if you hatin you’re bound to get irate
Yeah madness is what you demonstrate
And that’s exactly how anger works and operates
You gotta have love just to set it straight
Take control of your mind and meditate
Let your soul gravitate to the love y’all
People killing people dying
Children hurtin you hear them crying
Can you practice what you preach
Would you turn the other cheek?
Father Father Father help us
Send some guidance from above
Cause people got me got me questioning
Where is the love?(where is the lovex3)(the love2x)
It just ain’t the same all ways have changed
New days are strange is the world the insane?
If love and peace so strong
Why are there pieces of love that don’t belong
Nations dropping bombs
Chemical gases filling lungs of little ones
With ongoing suffering
As the youth die young
So ask yourself is the loving really strong?
So I can ask myself really what is going wrong
With this world that we living in
People keep on giving in
Makin wrong decisions
Only visions of them livin and
Not respecting each other
Deny thy brother
The wars’ going on but the reasons’ undercover
The truth is kept secret
Swept under the rug
If you never know truth
Then you never know love
Where’s the love y’all?(I don’t know)
Where’s the truth y’all?(I don’t know)
Where’s the love y’all?
People killing people dying
Children hurtin you hear them crying
Can practice what you preach
Would you turn the other cheek?
Father father father help us
Send some guidance from above
Cause people got me got me questioning
Where is the love?(where is the lovex3)(the lovex2)
I feel the weight of the world on my shoulder
As I’m getting older y’all people get colder
Most of us only care about money makin
Selfishness got us followin the wrong direction
Wrong information always shown by the media
Negative images is the main criteria
Infecting their young minds faster than bacteria
Kids wanna act like what the see in the cinema
Whatever happened to the values of humanity
Whatever happened to the fairness and equality
Instead of spreading love, we’re spreading anomosity
Lack of understanding, leading us away from unity
That’s the reason why sometimes I’m feeling under
That’s the reason why sometimes I’m feeling down
It’s no wonder why sometimes I’m feeling under
I gotta keep my faith alive, until love is found
People killing people dying
Children hurtin you hear them crying
Can you practice what you preach
Would you turn the other cheek?
Father Father Father help us
Send some guidance from above
Cause people got me got me questioning
Where is the love?(fade)
Cinnamon Girl
As war drums beat in Babylon
Cinnamon girl starts 2 pray
Eye’ve never heard a prayer like this 1
Never b4 that day
Tearful words of love 4 people she had never met b4
Asking God 2 grant them mercy in this face of a holy war
Cinnamon Girl
Cinnamon Girl of mixed heritage
Never knew the meaning of color lines
911 turned that all around
When she got accused of this crime
So began the mass illusion, war on terror alibi
What’s the use when the god of confusion keeps on telling the same lie?
Cinnamon Girl
Don’t cry, don’t shed no tears
1 night won’t make us feel
Cause we know how this movie’s ending
Cinnamon Girl
As war drums beat in Babylon
And scorch the blood red sky
Militants bomb the foreign gun
Both sides truly die
Cinnamon girl opens the book she knows will settle all the scores
Then she prays after the war that there will not b anymore
9/11 Memorial: Cross or No Cross?
Atheist Group Sues over Proposed Cross at 9/11 Memorial
After almost 10 years, the 9/11 memorial will be unveiled in September. If they can get settle this cross thing. I say keep the memorial religion-free.
First, for the obvious reason. Separation of church and state. The US government has invested millions in the project. It should be neutral.
Second, not all of those who died in 9/11 were Christian. There were Jewish people, Muslims, Atheists, etc. Naturally, an atheist group filed the suit. Jewish people also joined. Interestingly, even a Protestant joined the suit. Because the cross came from a Catholic church, he feels it doesn’t represent his brother, who is Lutheran. If fellow Christians have a problem with it, just keep anything religious out of it.
Third, one of the greatest things about the United States are religious freedom and tolerance. We are not a Theocracy. You can worship how you want or not worship at all. To keep the memorial religion-free shows our respect for everyone who died there, religious or not.
Whatever is decided, I hope this suit does not push back the opening in September. To me, the fact that it’s taken almost 10 years to build a memorial is disgusting. The people of NYC have had to live almost a decade with gaping holes at Ground Zero, a constant reminder of that horrible day. There should have been a memorial or park years ago. Something beautiful and reverent born out of ugliness and pain. It’s way past time, so I hope this matter is settled soon.
No Potty Mouths on Planes
Children’s Author Ejected from Plane for Bad Language
He said the F word. Maybe twice. A flight attendant who was seated behind him complained, and he was escorted off the plane.
Are you kidding me?
He didn’t yell about bombs, which can land your ass in serious trouble nowadays. He was frustrated that the plane wasn’t taking off. And wondered what was taking so long. I’m pretty sure he said something like, “What the f is taking so long?” It wasn’t like he was yelling at the attendant to f off.
Of course, we should all conduct ourselves in ways that don’t suggest that we were raised by wolves. However, exasperation can wear on even the most polite of us. The crew should have cut this guy some slack.
Avoid Air Hassles: Be Discreet and on Your Best Behavior
Federal rules say that “no one may interfere, intimidate or threaten a crewmember,” said Federal Aviation Administration spokeswoman Alison Duquette. “It’s completely up to the pilot in command if they want to not allow someone to take a flight.” That means air crews have a lot of discretion in deciding what constitutes disruptive behavior.
So basically, an attendant who is having a bad day can get punch drunk with power and boot someone off if they’re getting on their nerves? Oh joy!
Since 9/11, we’ve had to put up with so much crap. Shoes, purses, watches, etc. all go in grey tubs down a conveyor belt so a vigilant TSA agent can declare your hand lotion a threat to our national security. Of course, you can get felt up and not even get dinner first. If you object, you can always opt for the radiation refrigerator. Now, you can’t even wonder out loud about why the plane is still on the f’n tarmac?
I’ve been on 16 hour flights and have had to connect. I am not in the best of moods after those. It’s hard for me to sleep on planes, and I can only watch the in-flight entertainment so many times. If my connecting flight is having issues, and I’ve been begging the Baby Jesus to just get me to my hotel room at my destination, I might get a little super pissy.
From that guy’s experience, I better wonder aloud into my oxygen mask, or do a full body freak out in the privacy of the lavatory. Apparently, “I am quite displeased with this situation” is acceptable. “OMG can we get in the f’n air so I don’t stab myself with a spork?” isn’t.
The joys of post-9/11 travel.
Terrorists, Teens, and Sex
When Osama was killed, and the SEALs were hauling out the treasure trove, I read comments on a number of sites. Osama having a “goat porn” stash was the joke used over and over. Turns out they weren’t too far off. While there was no mention of bestiality titles, he did have a stash.
From the article:
Hours after the news of the porn stash, Christine Fair, a Georgetown University terrorism expert, wrote on her Facebook page, “Of course they found porn! Every damned jihadi loves porn.
The 9/11 hijackers boozed it up and got lap dances before they carried out their mission. The Fort Hood shooter was a regular at the local titty bar. I guess they just couldn’t wait for their 72 virgins.
When I read this article, I wasn’t really surprised. Pornography in Islam is haram, or forbidden. And in Christianity, pornography is about lust, exploitation, and the perverting of the conjugal act. In many religions, porn is a no-no.
Still, the porn industry is a billion dollar business. The nation leading in porn queries on the internet is………Pakistan. Here in the United States, the state that leads in the purchase of online adult entertainment is………Utah. It also happens to be one of the most Conservative states with deeply devout Mormons.
I believe that our society needs to drop the whole pseudo-puritanical BS. People are going to buy porn, “read” Playboy, and go to strip clubs. There will always be customers for the ladies of the evening. They don’t call prostitution the “world’s oldest profession” for nothing. And teenagers will experiment with sex. No matter how much we tell them to keep their legs closed, it’s hard to fight biology. If we teach kids about sex, in a comprehensive way, maybe we won’t have as many teen pregnancies. Abstinence only education doesn’t work.
Forbidden fruit is always the sweetest. Take away that, and it just becomes common. It’s no longer, exciting, dangerous, and illicit. If that factor is taken away, you can look at it more rationally. “He’s hot, we’re probably going to do it. I should get some condoms.” If more teens thought like that instead of, “Crap. I hope we don’t get caught,” I think there would be a lot less pregnancies.
It’s way past time to be more open about sex.
Say Cheese, Osama!
U.S. Says Bin Laden Photo “Gruesome,” Weighs Release
This incident has produced yet another group of conspiracy theorists. We have Birthers Afterbirthers, Truthers, and now, Proofers. The Proofers aren’t buying that he is dead. Even though there was DNA evidence, a positive ID by his wife, and facial recognition, they want photos.
Some victims’ families have requested the photos. I can understand why they want to see them. They want to know for sure that their loved one’s killer is dead.
I don’t need to see them. Ideally, I would like the victims’ families to be privy to them. Proofers want them, but should they be able to see them? I don’t know. When Obama released his long form birth certificate, Birthers Afterbirthers cried, “Fake!!” within hours. I think the only thing that will satisfy them is a Kenyan/Indonesian/Alien birth certificate. Notarized and with a foot print, of course.
Will the Proofers be satisfied? Or will they say, “Nope. Not him. Nice try.” And what proof would they need? A body would have been nice, but since he’s fish food, it doesn’t matter. Would they believed it if there was a body anyway?
Despite the questions, I do think the White House will release the pictures. Just to shut people up. But we all know that won’t last long.
Burn in Hell, Bin Laden
Obama: Al-Qaida Head Bin Laden Dead
I want to see the bastard’s body before I do a happy dance. I am excited, though. Mainly because of the possibilities. Can we finally leave Afghanistan? I know it’s about the Taliban now, but initially, it was about this guy. Since this is a huge development, maybe Obama can use this opportunity to speed up the withdrawal. I don’t know. I should just be happy that the head honcho of terrorists is dead.
My partner is ecstatic and wants his body brought to NYC. She lived there when this happened. One of her friends had a meeting at the WTC and would have been there as the towers fell. He miraculously missed it – it wasn’t his time. To this day, she still can’t watch 9/11 documentaries. This is big for her. She gave me a hug and said, “Good day.”
10 years. It took a decade, but he’s finally gone. This was the justifiable war. He killed 3000 of our people. It was a direct attack on us. The fact that the ring leader is dead is huge.
Thank God for the tip. Thank God for the operation. Thank God for the military operatives that carried out the order. Thank God he is dead. Thank God for justice.
Allahu Akbar.
Muslim Boogeyman Day?
House Panel Delves into Muslims Radicalization
I didn’t know it was a holiday, but Representative Peter King sure made it festive! He had Muslim American speakers, Representative Keith Ellison broke down and cried, and accusations flew. All that was missing were kebabs – halal, of course.
The House Panel was looking into Muslim Radicalization. Representative King accused the Muslim community for not cooperating with law enforcement and that the extremism is being preached in mosques. He had families testify that their kids became radicals and were discouraged by their mosques not to talk to the FBI. I’m sure that happened, but generally speaking? I call bull poo poo.
Michael E. Leiter, director of the National Counterterrorism Center, stated, “Many of our tips to uncover active terrorist plots here in the United States have come from the Muslim community. So we have to make quite clear that the communities are part of the solution and not part of the problem.”
As far as the radicalism being preached in mosques, what exactly is he suggesting we do? Turn off the mics? There is still something called Freedom of Speech in this country. The Westboro Baptist Church can spread their twisted message, and a recent Supreme Court decision reminded us of this freedom. Unless the Imam is instructing people to blow up the next Christian they see, there’s not a whole lot we can do about the message.
I don’t understand the purpose of these hearings. Honestly, radicalization can happen in any group. And accusing them of not cooperating with law enforcement? Giving tips to the FBI about plots and people who they fear are growing more fanatic is the right thing to do, but it is still voluntary. How does pointing out that they’re not cooperating, which is untrue, going to encourage them to do so in the future?
Not only are these hearings a complete waste of time, they’re counterproductive. Instead of gaining the trust of the Muslim community to help the government find the extremists, they are creating distance. Why would you help someone who thinks you are part of the problem? This was not exactly the most effective strategy.
So since March 10 was Muslim Boogeyman Day, can March 11 be Where are the Jobs Day?
Spin the Globe
Spinny Liberal 