Another 9/11

Twenty-five years have now passed since what may become the defining point of a generation. Sixteen years, almost to the minute as this is being written, terrorists attacked the Pentagon, the World Trade Center, and were overcome by the passengers of an airplane over the hills of Pennsylvania. All that time, and we still cannot make any sense of it.

The trouble is that there is no sense to be made. To be sure, we can understand the reasons for even such terrible actions, in the same way that we can understand the reasons Hitler did what he did. Yet that is not the same as understanding.

How do we, how can we, come to actually understand rape or murder or thievery, mass murder or any any other evil which may be added to such a gruesome list, if we are to be decent human beings ourselves? It is only in a warped mind where such heinous acts may be justified. As such, reasonable people simply cannot understand them. It is beyond their ability; it is, to them, pure nonsense.

So the goal today should be to remember. Remember the victims and their families, remember the countless acts of heroism that day, remember even the perpetrators of such despicable carnage if for no other reason than to remind ourselves that such twisted souls do exist, seeking the ruin of those not in lockstep with them. But hopefully, remember even so that their redemption may be possible. If we are the good people we claim to be, even that shouldn't be so difficult of a task on so difficult of an anniversary.

September 11, 2020

Nineteen years have now passed since what may become the defining point of a generation. Nineteen years, almost to the minute as this is being written, terrorists attacked the Pentagon, the World Trade Center, and were overcome by the passengers of an airplane over the hills of Pennsylvania. All that time, and we still cannot make any sense of it.

The trouble is that there is no sense to be made. To be sure, we can understand the reasons for even such terrible actions, in the same way that we can understand the reasons Hitler did what he did. Yet that is not the same as understanding.

How do we, how can we, come to actually understand rape or murder or thievery, mass murder or any any other evil which may be added to such a gruesome list, if we are to be decent human beings ourselves? It is only in a warped mind where such heinous acts may be justified. As such, reasonable people simply cannot understand them. It is beyond their ability; it is to them pure nonsense. Because, of course, it is pure nonsense.

So the goal today should be to remember. Remember the victims and their families, remember the countless acts of heroism that day, remember even the perpetrators of such despicable carnage if for no other reason than to remind ourselves that such twisted souls do exist, seeking the ruin of those those not in lockstep with their worldview. Remember even so that their redemption may be possible. If we are the good people we claim to be, even that shouldn't be so difficult of a task on so difficult of an anniversary.

Eighteen years

Eighteen years have now passed since what may become the defining point of a generation. Eighteen years, almost to the minute as this is being written, terrorists attacked the Pentagon, the World Trade Center, and were overcome by the passengers of an airplane over the hills of Pennsylvania. All that time, and we still cannot make any sense of it.

The trouble is that there is no sense to be made. To be sure, we can understand the reasons for even such terrible actions, in the same way that we can understand the reasons Hitler did what he did. Yet that is not the same as understanding.

How do we, how can we, come to actually understand rape or murder or thievery, mass murder or any any other evil which may be added to such a gruesome list, if we are to be decent human beings ourselves? It is only in a warped mind where such heinous acts may be justified. As such, reasonable people simply cannot understand them. It is beyond their ability; it is to them pure nonsense.

So the goal today should be to remember. Remember the victims and their families, remember the countless acts of heroism that day, remember even the perpetrators of such despicable carnage if for no other reason than to remind ourselves that such twisted souls do exist, seeking the ruin of those those not in lockstep with them. But hopefully, remember even so that their redemption may be possible. If we are the good people we claim to be, even that shouldn't be so difficult of a task on so difficult of an anniversary.

September 11

Seventeen years have now passed since what may become the defining point of a generation. Sixteen years, almost to the minute as this is being written, terrorists attacked the Pentagon, the World Trade Center, and were overcome by the passengers of an airplane over the hills of Pennsylvania. All that time, and we still cannot make any sense of it.

The trouble is that there is no sense to be made. To be sure, we can understand the reasons for even such terrible actions, in the same way that we can understand the reasons Hitler did what he did. Yet that is not the same as understanding.

How do we, how can we, come to actually understand rape or murder or thievery, mass murder or any any other evil which may be added to such a gruesome list, if we are to be decent human beings ourselves? It is only in a warped mind where such heinous acts may be justified. As such, reasonable people simply cannot understand them. It is beyond their ability; it is to them pure nonsense.

So the goal today should be to remember. Remember the victims and their families, remember the countless acts of heroism that day, remember even the perpetrators of such despicable carnage if for no other reason than to remind ourselves that such twisted souls do exist, seeking the ruin of those those not in lockstep with them. But hopefully, remember even so that their redemption may be possible. If we are the good people we claim to be, even that shouldn't be so difficult of a task on so difficult of an anniversary.

Seeing the sights in New York City

So. Many. People. I've never seen so many people.

Yesterday I saw New York City for the first time. I had my first commuter train then subway ride; I didn't realize it was so hot down on the subway platforms, but maybe that was because it was so hot anyway. And there were so many people. Still, my son assured me that there weren't that many as it was the weekend. Wow. At that, we actually got around town rather easily.

Don't get me wrong. I thoroughly enjoyed the day and left very impressed with New York and wanting to come back to see more. We went to Liberty Island and saw the Statue of Liberty, then Ellis Island to learn more about the history of immigration into the US. I took what I thought were a couple good pictures of the new World Trade Center, and the reflecting pools memorializing the victims of 9/11 were such a sublime, beautiful tribute that I found myself choking up. They are that powerful.

I also experienced my first NSA search, which was required to see Lady Liberty. It wasn't bad, other than having to remove my belt after emptying my pockets. As I has popped the button on my short pants I stood with some small fear waiting as my items went through the metal detector; if those britches gave way I would have faced charges completely unrelated to national security.

But it was a great way to spend a Sunday, and I do intend to come back and see more of Sinatra's kind of town. For today, it's on to Boston to see the Tigers play the Bosox at classic Fenway Park.

That's all for now. This is Charles Martin Cosgriff reporting from Newark, New Jersey.

September 11, 2013

A dozen years have now passed since what may become the defining point of a generation. Ten years, almost to the minute as this is being written, terrorists attacked the Pentagon, the World Trade Center, and were overcome by the passengers of an airplane over the hills of Pennsylvania. Twelve years, and we still cannot make any sense of it.

The trouble is that there is no sense to be made. To be sure, we can understand the reasons for even such terrible actions, in the same way that we can understand the reasons Hitler did what he did. Yet that is not the same as understanding.

How do we, how can we, come to actually understand rape or murder or thievery, mass murder or any any other evil which may be added to such a gruesome list, if we are to be decent human beings ourselves? It is only in a warped mind where such heinous acts may be justified. As such, reasonable people simply cannot understand them. It is beyond their ability; it is, in their minds and as it should be, pure nonsense.

So the goal today should be to remember what does make sense. Remember the victims and their families, remember the countless acts of heroism that day, remember even the perpetrators of such despicable carnage if for no other reason than to remind ourselves that such twisted souls do exist, seeking the ruin of those those not in lockstep with them. But hopefully, remember even so that their redemption may be possible. If we are the good people we claim to be, even that shouldn't be so difficult of a task on so difficult of an anniversary.

The President Fiddles

Can Barack Hussein Obama be James Earl Carter? He's certainly attempting his best imitation. The trouble is that, in this case, it's hardly the sincerest form of flattery. We have chronic unemployment, Muslim terrorists attacking our embassies and consulates, and a lack of domestic and international leadership which the world is freely exploiting. We have an America on the wane with a President blaming everyone except himself; perhaps he does want to create a nation in decline. His vaunted intelligence community, credited so much for the killing Osama Bin Laden, did not see the obviously planned attack on Benghazi coming and appears unwilling to accept that everything happening in Cairo and Yemen and Libya, as well as in at least seven other nations, has anything to do with embarrassing the US on the Anniversary of 9/11 but is only in response to a film which no one seems sure has actually been made. He will not admit that the Muslim world may well be testing America's resolve, a resolve they see weakened after almost four years of pandering. Some people do not understand nice, Mr. President. Yet with all these attacks on the US and US citizens Mitt Romney is the one who has supposedly gone of the deep end. Why is the President so afraid of the free speech of a fellow candidate for the White House when he is so unwilling to support the free speech of Americans who may criticize Islam? Why not try to understand the passions of Mitt Romney as much as you try to understand the passions of those who hate us, Mr. President? Mr. Obama can say what he wants, but he would surely be criticizing Mr. Romney if the shoe were on the other foot. You campaigned in 2008 for your job, Mr. President, and are doing so again for the next term of office. Take the heat. It's essentially what you yourself wanted. We need to remember more than the last four years if we are to make a sound choice for President in November 2012. We need to remember what the America of 1979 looked like. It is strikingly similar to the America of 2012.

9/11 Made No Sense

Ten years have now passed since what may become the defining point of a generation. Ten years, almost to the minute as this is being written, terrorists attacked the Pentagon, the World Trade Center, and were overcome by the passengers of an airplane over the hills of Pennsylvania. Ten years, and we still cannot make any sense of it.

The trouble is that there is no sense to be made. To be sure, we can understand the reasons for even such terrible actions, in the same way that we can understand the reasons Hitler did what he did. Yet that is not the same as understanding.

How do we, how can we, come to actually understand rape or murder or thievery, mass murder or any any other evil which may be added to such a gruesome list, if we are to be decent human beings ourselves? It is only in warped mind where such heinous acts may be justified. As such, reasonable people simply cannot understand them. It is beyond their ability; it is pure nonsense.

So the goal today should be to remember. Remember the victims and their families, remember the countless acts of heroism that day, remember even the perpetrators of such despicable carnage if for no other reason than to remind ourselves that such twisted souls do exist, seeking the ruin of those those not in lockstep with them. But hopefully, remember even so that their redemption may be possible. If we are the good people we claim to be, even that shouldn't be so difficult of a task on so difficult of an anniversary.

Burning Books

A group of folks in Florida are apparently planning on burning copies of the Quran on the ninth anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terror attacks. It is intended as a warning to the Muslim world, whatever that means, according to Terry Jones, the pastor organizing the event. Whatever his meaning, it is not a good idea.

There is no need to potentially incite the entire Muslim world. Burning their holy book is far more likely to make things worse than better. Besides, why stoop to such a level? Why not, as Americans, stay above the fray so much as we can?

The military leadership in Afghanistan rightly fears that it may lead to intense retaliation against the troops there. But more than anything else, it appears to be meant to provoke simply to provoke. That is not the basis for any decent reaction to terrorism. It is merely petulant.

We are better than that.

Charlie Sheen's Inane Bravado

Actor Charlie Sheen thinks that the whole of the September 11th, 2001 terrorist attacks were perpetrated by our own government in an attempt to defraud the people of this country of their rights. Indeed, the basic idea, according to the actor, was to dump our Constitution so that Washington could run roughshod over the populace.

The populace ought to run roughshod over his career. What can such a rant be except a pathetic move to create interest in himself? What could he possibly gain from this except to, perhaps, rev up what has become a disappointing run in Hollywood? We all know that the Left Coast has far more than its share of the lunatic fringe. This kind of allegation is so absurd as to be set alongside the naysayers about the Holocaust. What rational man can actually believe it?

Michael Deacon in the UK Telegraph asks derisively whether Mr. Sheen believes that Osama Bin Laden filmed his missives to the people of the Western World on the same stage where the lunar landings were faked. Aside from the fact that such a humorous reference is indeed funny, it aptly describes the mental attitude which allows inane drivel to become newsworthy. One dose of Hollywood ego, one dose of dumb idea, add eye of newt, and we are left a medical diagnosis of demetia crossed with paranoia.

That's funny, too, but in a more sinister sense. It demonstrates where the anti-American ideal in the film and television industry must ultimately lead: a world of self-satisfied and insipid stars.