9/11 Jokes

[Undertoad]

Only because we allowed it to.

That's such crap. I can't believe you're taking this line. I'm furious. Start with the loss of 251 stories of the most prime office space in the country and the devastation of the travel and airline industries. "We allowed it to," I don't think so. In fact "we" prevented the destruction of the White House because passengers onboard Flight 93 were not content to sit back and let their fate be decided for them. That's the attitude you find elsewhere in the world. In most of it, actually.

You want a culture that reacts to that with "Oh well, these things happen!" You want to tell people "Get over it!" And yet you want a culture that makes itself, if not the rest of the world, safe for freedom and democracy. This culture does not and can not exist. The Jacksonian vibrancy of the American people, which made the country what it is, also informs its reaction. When we are hit, the instinct is to react with killing blows. We are the ones that take back Flight 93. Meet that with pride, not cynicism.

[Griff]

Originally Posted by Undertoad

That's such crap. I can't believe you're taking this line. I'm furious. Start with the loss of 251 stories of the most prime office space in the country and the devastation of the travel and airline industries. "We allowed it to," I don't think so. In fact "we" prevented the destruction of the White House because passengers onboard Flight 93 were not content to sit back and let their fate be decided for them. That's the attitude you find elsewhere in the world. In most of it, actually.

You want a culture that reacts to that with "Oh well, these things happen!" You want to tell people "Get over it!" And yet you want a culture that makes itself, if not the rest of the world, safe for freedom and democracy. This culture does not and can not exist. The Jacksonian vibrancy of the American people, which made the country what it is, also informs its reaction. When we are hit, the instinct is to react with killing blows. We are the ones that take back Flight 93. Meet that with pride, not cynicism.

Think through your fury and hit the God-damn enemy next time. If it makes you feel better, your miss-use of the focused bravery of the passengers of Flight 93 makes me furious. The culture you describe is cowering in the back of the plane waiting for someone else to do something. The culture I'm trying to describe acknowleges the tragedy, but doesn't delude itself that it was the worst event ever. It gets back up and gets back to work on America. Fortunately, most Americans have done just that.

[TheMercenary]

Originally Posted by Griff

Think through your fury and hit the God-damn enemy next time.

We did. And we still are. Anywhere, anytime.

[Undertoad]

Originally Posted by Griff

Think through your fury and hit the God-damn enemy next time.

I'm pretty sure we are having different arguments. I'll leave you to yours.

[xoxoxoBruce]

It was a much more traumatic event, worldwide, than the numbers will look like to future historians. It's been topped in casualties and property damage but not in historical importance, before.

We've been attacked before and probably will be again, but we'll survive and endure. I just regret our response was mismanaged and sidetracked.

[TheMercenary]

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

It was a much more traumatic event, worldwide, than the numbers will look like to future historians. It's been topped in casualties and property damage but not in historical importance, before.

We've been attacked before and probably will be again, but we'll survive and endure. I just regret our response was mismanaged and sidetracked.

I don't think our inital response was mismanaged that poorly nor was it incorrect, but we were completely sidetracked by Iraq. That was a fiasco. To late for that. It is our tarbaby for the foreseable future.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Originally Posted by TheMercenary

I don't think our inital response was mismanaged that poorly nor was it incorrect,...

I agree it was correct, but I think the White House should have listened to the Pentagon's assessment of what was needed in men and materiel, instead of Rumsfeld's plan to use a minimal force (and Afghan war lords) to chase the scumbags across the border into Pakistan. I'm convinced that was a huge mistake that has cost us dearly, and will for years to come.