The Betrayal of the 9/11 Victims and the Rest of Us

We stop to honor the victims of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack on Americans and peace loving people all over the world. Tragically, the world is a more dangerous place than it was six years ago as opportunists and charlatans played to our patriotism.

Terrorists grow in an environment of chaos, poverty, and resentment. There were no terrorists in Iraq in 2002; now it is a breeding ground for hatred and murder. It is only a matter of time until Pakistan is thrown into civil war.

The lack of communications and orderly command lead to the tragic deaths of hundreds of firefighters and police officers as well as civilians. Recommendations to install those communication systems made in the 1990's were ignored by New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani.  Even today they are not fully implemented.

Patriotism is not braving the television cameras, strolling  strutting across the deck of an aircraft carrier or wandering about the twisted wreckage.

Patriotism is stewardship, protecting the innocent and the Constitution.

Comments

[nonheroicvet]

Get it right - the little rooster was strutting on the deck of an aircraft carrier!

[Brian]

Everyone even considering voting for Rudy G. should be forced to read Grand Illusions: The Untold Story of Rudy Guiliani and 9/11. Barrett and Collins painstakingly sift the rubble of NYC documents that prove the incompetence of Rudy before, during---yes during, and after 9/11.

This man located his emergency command center so near the top terrorist target that it collapsed from all the surrounding damage. On this basis alone he's disqualified from serious consideration as president. (Oh I forgot, our leader is chosen from television commericals. Darn.)

That Rudy is seen by so many as a leader on the fight against terrorism says much about how the corporate mainstream media constructs the myths they want to believe.

And if I hear that guy start another sentence with, "The reality is..."

Have you noticed that, too?

[rag]

Would that today's politicians could have the wisdom and integrity of Abraham Lincoln whose words really stand out with increased relevance today:

"It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us — that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion — that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain — that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom — and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."

How many times have you heard the Gettysburg Address? How many times did you really stop to think what it means?

Try this on for size: "That this NATION, under God, shall have a NEW BIRTH OF FREEDOM."

Instead of that new birth of freedom, this nation has curtailed freedom which was utterly the wrong response to terrorism:

http://ragdujour.blogspot.com/2007/09/in-many-ways-terrorists-already-won.html