Two nights ago, Keith Olbermann gave a special televised speech about the five-year anniversary of 9/11.
Click here to watch the video of his speech. Here’s an excerpt of his speech, the full transcript can be found here.
When those who dissent are told time and time again — as we will be, if not tonight by the President, then tomorrow by his portable public chorus — that he is preserving our freedom, but that if we use any of it, we are somehow un-American…When we are scolded, that if we merely question, we have “forgotten the lessons of 9/11″… look into this empty space behind me and the bi-partisanship upon which this administration also did not build, and tell me:
You’re not supposed to be so blind with patriotism that you can’t face reality. Wrong is wrong no matter who does it or who says it. ~Malcolm X
In less than two hours, another September 11th will be upon us.
Are we as nation better off than we were pre 9/11/01? That’s hard to say.
Are we as a nation safer? According to the Bush administration, the billions we’ve spent on homeland security has made us “safer, but not yet safe.”
Is the world better off? With secret interrogation prisons scattered around the world, thousands of U.S. soldiers killed in action, thousands upon thousands of innocent world citizens killed, increased bombings in a rising number of locations, it’s easy to see that right now, the world is not better off.
Are we more paranoid? Yes.
Have we as U.S. citizens given up more of our liberties than are necessary? I’d wager to say yes.
Republicans (and some Democrats, but more Republicans that I’ve seen) continue to exploit 9/11 like never before. The ABC two-night series about the events leading up to 9/11 aired tonight, and will continue tomorrow, has been protested by even the bipartisan 9/11 Commission. The Commission has urged the TV network to not air the documentary due to it’s glaring inacurracies.
This 9/11, let’s try to vow to examine the facts and tell the pundits and talking heads to take their pre-produced, slanted “facts” and clever catch phrases and put them to rest. As Malcolm X said, wrong is wrong, no matter who does it.
I wanted to post something but didn’t know what. I’m in the midst of a terrible bout of writer’s block. So I figured a good way to stay in the posting routine would be to do a Friday Feast.
Appetizer
Name 3 things that you are wearing today.
Pink Floyd boxers
wedding ring
Tokyo Giants shirt my buddy gave me
Soup
Who was the last person you hugged?
My son
Salad
What do you like to order from your favorite fast food place?
Depends on my mood. Somedays you feel more in the mood for taco bell, others you crave Carl’s Jr.
Main Course
What time of day do you usually feel most energized?
I’m still adjusting to working in the daylight, so my energy levels go up and down. My new boss is really motivating and energetic so I’m pretty pumped up while I’m working. Then my 1,223,545,203th wind kicks in usually after the kids are in bed.
Dessert
Using the letters in your first name, write a sentence. (Example: Sweet unusual spaniels are nice.)