Six Years On, and September 11th is Politics as Usual

Flaring tempers, big talk about Iraq and another video from Osama bin Laden: It must be September 11th.

Last week, families of those who died six years ago today slammed New York's ABC Channel 7 Eyewitness News with angry e-mails and phone calls, and convinced the station to broadcast all of today's memorial services. Also, Gen. David Petraeus, the head honcho in Iraq, today concludes his assessment of the war to Congress. And the wretched man at the heart of the whole matter, appearing older and fatter in a recent videotape, has called for Americans to "embrace" Islam to stop the war in Iraq. September it is, indeed.

Since I moved into my apartment two years ago, through my living room window I have watched four--count them, four--high-rise buildings shoot skyward. They're luxury apartment buildings, and in seemingly no time, they are massive and fully occupied.

At the same time it has been six years and just finally are the "final" plans for a rebuilt World Trade Center showing up on the evening news. Construction is on, but it has been a long time coming, held up by interests, money and power. Books, literally, have been written on the monstrous egos, collective grief and financial disaster the project has become.

To think it is a coincidence that the White House chooses to present Petraeus on the  Hill this week, as opposed to any other of the 51 this year, would be utter denial. The attack six years ago, which had nothing whatsoever to do with Iraq, is here on public trail again with the same cheap, false associations. Sept. 11 is still peddled as one in the same with the now devastated lands of modern-day Mesopotamia.

Everyone mourns in his or her own way, and if we, as a country, had some class, we wouldn't necessarily have any more memorials, but we would at least leave ceremonies the time and space to take place in peace, free of the slimy banter of politics.

I was surprised the other night when I saw the twin beams of blue light bursting from Ground Zero, piercing a layer of thick clouds above. Watch them closely tonight, because each in our own way and without the callous cacophony to muck up our minds, the "Tribute in Light" allows us to do what a true memorial should: Remember.

(by Andrew Bast, also published in Metro.)

Comments

[joe]

It is utter exhaustion to continue to hear cheap leftist twistings. At no time did the Administration ever claim there was a Saddam- 9/11 Alliance. The anti-war movements’ greatest sin is swindling and perverting the American language. These fabulists are like the cursed girl in the fairy tale: Every time they open their mouth, a toad jumps out.

[Jules W.]

There's a difference between reading back the court transcription and the way that association works when its put forth in large quantities over time.

It doesn't take a psychologist to tell you that if you stick an apple and an orange in someone's face for months and months that eventually the person's brain will begin to associate the two.

So when an orchestrated publicity campaign sticks 9/11 and Iraq in the same sentences and phrases over and over again, that has nothing to do with some leftists, that has to do with manipulation of the public, pure and simple.

[joe]

Jules, When the leftists' and anti-war crowd are the ones sticking 9/11 and Iraq in the same sentences and phrases over and over again, how can you state they are not the liars. You may choose to call it what you may, but when someone lies - it follows that they are liars.

[Jules W.]

Of course you're not suggesting I'm one of these 'leftists.' I'll tell you what I am, I voted for Reagan twice, Bush, Clinton twice, Bush once and John Kerry. And if you want to call me something, it would be libertarian, but anything it wouldn't be leftist.

Unfortunately your argument isn't sound. It's tautological. And as to your 'who started it?' question, take a look at the newspaper. The General is testifying on 9/11 and Bush is giving a war speech this week.

Don't blame this on leftists. On the whole, they aren't capable of this kind of engineering.

[joe]

Jules, are you following this conversation? Are you really paying attention? When did I say, or insinuate "who started it"? or- blame it on he leftists?? I didn't blame anything on them. I did say that the leftists are liars for making the insane connection of Saddam and 9/11. For that they are liars and cursed little girls. I said nothing about you nor question where you stand. Go to moveon.org and google iraq9-11 connection. You might approach a billion hits. Much like the space bar in Starwars.

[benard]

While you are at it, you might want to ask about moveon being in the nyt. although the leftists' go to great lengths to pull honor thru mud, they ignore the obvious corruption. Always reminded me of the crying brownnose bloody nosed students who would tell the returning teacher that
"so and so" hit me back.

[bernard]

I love it when they say Mesopotamia. You know the folks who seem to live way in the past. Like when Charles deGaulle lived in Gaul.