Comments on: The last five years – looking at 9/11 http://pajamasmedia.com/rogerlsimon/2006/09/10/the-last-five-years-looking-at-911/ Just another Pajamasmedia.com weblog Fri, 27 Nov 2009 07:06:12 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: ElMondo http://pajamasmedia.com/rogerlsimon/2006/09/10/the-last-five-years-looking-at-911/#comment-81614 ElMondo Thu, 14 Sep 2006 14:05:57 +0000 http://pajamasmedia.com/rogerlsimon/2006/09/10/the-last-five-years-looking-at-911/#comment-81614 Ah, the self-important voice of "dissent", believing his opinion is so extraordinary that owners of personal forums are obligated to give it space regardless of their own appraisal of it. Kos and DU are perfect forums for that sort of self-inflated opinion of onesself. Perhaps markg8 should go there instead. Ah, the self-important voice of “dissent”, believing his opinion is so extraordinary that owners of personal forums are obligated to give it space regardless of their own appraisal of it.

Kos and DU are perfect forums for that sort of self-inflated opinion of onesself. Perhaps markg8 should go there instead.

]]> By: tjl http://pajamasmedia.com/rogerlsimon/2006/09/10/the-last-five-years-looking-at-911/#comment-81613 tjl Wed, 13 Sep 2006 18:38:20 +0000 http://pajamasmedia.com/rogerlsimon/2006/09/10/the-last-five-years-looking-at-911/#comment-81613 Don't lose hope. There are many others on the path you have taken. It's never easy to reexamine the assumptions and beliefs of a lifetime. Over the past 5 years some have looked at events and concluded that they have no choice -- others find it easier to shield themselves within their old liberal cocoon and say there is no need for anything to change. For those who took the hard road, your writing has been a reminder that common sense and humane values are the best response to what we face. Especially when reading posts by people like markg6 who think they've actually said something incisive when they call you a putz. Don’t lose hope. There are many others on the path you have taken. It’s never easy to reexamine the assumptions and beliefs of a lifetime. Over the past 5 years some have looked at events and concluded that they have no choice — others find it easier to shield themselves within their old liberal cocoon and say there is no need for anything to change.

For those who took the hard road, your writing has been a reminder that common sense and humane values are the best response to what we face. Especially when reading posts by people like markg6 who think they’ve actually said something incisive when they call you a putz.

]]> By: markg8 http://pajamasmedia.com/rogerlsimon/2006/09/10/the-last-five-years-looking-at-911/#comment-81612 markg8 Wed, 13 Sep 2006 05:16:21 +0000 http://pajamasmedia.com/rogerlsimon/2006/09/10/the-last-five-years-looking-at-911/#comment-81612 You don't argue with your political opponents you ban them. In my last post before you banned me I told you the Iraq War and the Bush doctrine isn't good for the Jews. In my first post on your blog I said you were deranged for continuing to pin your hopes on discredited administration ramblings on WMD. You still are Roger, you're just too stubborn to admit it to yourself. Maybe that's what happens when you try to psychoanalyze away your pain and fear. So wallow in your depression. For the rest of your days. It's all you have to give your country. It's all you ever have. Putz. You don’t argue with your political opponents you ban them. In my last post before you banned me I told you the Iraq War and the Bush doctrine isn’t good for the Jews. In my first post on your blog I said you were deranged for continuing to pin your hopes on discredited administration ramblings on WMD. You still are Roger, you’re just too stubborn to admit it to yourself. Maybe that’s what happens when you try to psychoanalyze away your pain and fear. So wallow in your depression. For the rest of your days. It’s all you have to give your country. It’s all you ever have. Putz.

]]> By: ElMondo http://pajamasmedia.com/rogerlsimon/2006/09/10/the-last-five-years-looking-at-911/#comment-81611 ElMondo Tue, 12 Sep 2006 04:22:45 +0000 http://pajamasmedia.com/rogerlsimon/2006/09/10/the-last-five-years-looking-at-911/#comment-81611 Ari Tai's nailed it dead on. Look, I'm as concerned with the splitting off and sheer hostility of the Bush-is-Worse crowd, the America-is-Wrong crowd, and the It's-All-Our-Fault crowd, but the US has faced a much bigger mix of foes from the start of WWII through the end of the Cold War and for much of that time had as many naysayers and detractors as it has today. And too often, those naysayers were unwittingly (or in some cases, all too wittingly) supporting a much better funded and supplied group of enemies than the radical militant islamicists are today. Yet the US didn't break or shudder apart, and in fact still stands today while nearly all of those opponents are already history, and poorly regarded history at that. I'm not going to diminish the difficulties the anti's create, but my point is that the US has overcome such opposition before. This country's been viewed by outsiders as hopelessly divided and painfully self-centered before - that was Hitler's opinion of the average American, wasn't it? - and the common average American still knew how to get it together when it matttered. Do we need a few "on the left"? Of course... and they'll be there. Somewhere. They've been in the past. Ari Tai’s nailed it dead on. Look, I’m as concerned with the splitting off and sheer hostility of the Bush-is-Worse crowd, the America-is-Wrong crowd, and the It’s-All-Our-Fault crowd, but the US has faced a much bigger mix of foes from the start of WWII through the end of the Cold War and for much of that time had as many naysayers and detractors as it has today. And too often, those naysayers were unwittingly (or in some cases, all too wittingly) supporting a much better funded and supplied group of enemies than the radical militant islamicists are today. Yet the US didn’t break or shudder apart, and in fact still stands today while nearly all of those opponents are already history, and poorly regarded history at that.

I’m not going to diminish the difficulties the anti’s create, but my point is that the US has overcome such opposition before. This country’s been viewed by outsiders as hopelessly divided and painfully self-centered before – that was Hitler’s opinion of the average American, wasn’t it? – and the common average American still knew how to get it together when it matttered.

Do we need a few “on the left”? Of course… and they’ll be there. Somewhere. They’ve been in the past.

]]> By: Luther McLeod http://pajamasmedia.com/rogerlsimon/2006/09/10/the-last-five-years-looking-at-911/#comment-81610 Luther McLeod Tue, 12 Sep 2006 01:48:32 +0000 http://pajamasmedia.com/rogerlsimon/2006/09/10/the-last-five-years-looking-at-911/#comment-81610 As with most good things in life, I suppose, the quantity of posts on this thread are...not many, but, ah, the quality. I usually do not speak (write) well, as exampled above. But what a stalwart and smart group Roger manages to collect. Names and characters fluid. But message, intent and civility are consistent. There is a reason for that Roger (can you reach your back for a pat?) I cannot even imagine what the last five years would have been like, without the internet. Without many such sites such as Roger's. Actually, I do not want to imagine that scenario. The world would be in much different shape, obviously. All for the worse I am afraid. This is not an original thought, but blogs are like Gutenberg all over again. As with most good things in life, I suppose, the quantity of posts on this thread are…not many, but, ah, the quality.

I usually do not speak (write) well, as exampled above. But what a stalwart and smart group Roger manages to collect. Names and characters fluid. But message, intent and civility are consistent. There is a reason for that Roger (can you reach your back for a pat?)

I cannot even imagine what the last five years would have been like, without the internet. Without many such sites such as Roger’s. Actually, I do not want to imagine that scenario. The world would be in much different shape, obviously. All for the worse I am afraid. This is not an original thought, but blogs are like Gutenberg all over again.

]]> By: Ari Tai http://pajamasmedia.com/rogerlsimon/2006/09/10/the-last-five-years-looking-at-911/#comment-81609 Ari Tai Tue, 12 Sep 2006 01:22:31 +0000 http://pajamasmedia.com/rogerlsimon/2006/09/10/the-last-five-years-looking-at-911/#comment-81609 re: needing at least a few on the left. Perhaps, but who we really need are the independent third. In the revolutionary war a third wanted free of King George, a third loved Britain and thought we were nuts (and some fraction of these went to Canada or back to England), and a third were too busy making a life for themselves and their families to care. What matters is our own commitment, not others. Some call us (including those that have served and sacrificed) chicken hawks. Well, even the least of us have an opportunity at the ballot box to choose the hard road over the easy path. The Left has yet to learn that we (humankind) are wired to understand that little good comes easy, and the more free we live (using our own free-will v. being told what to do and think), the better we understand this. Our system allows these passions to burn themselves out, and we are better for it. Next time we have more (DC) snipers, we'll know the system is working if the Dems do NOT put a "don't shoot me, I'm a Democrat" sticker on their car, the lamentations of Mr. Moore aside. Time for us to have a little faith in the American people (and not demand any more perfection than we do of ourselves). After all if Mr. Rumsfeld, about the most real and well grounded person we have in public view says he trusts in us (in the "centered-ness" of the American people) to do what's right, so can we. re: needing at least a few on the left.

Perhaps, but who we really need are the independent third. In the revolutionary war a third wanted free of King George, a third loved Britain and thought we were nuts (and some fraction of these went to Canada or back to England), and a third were too busy making a life for themselves and their families to care. What matters is our own commitment, not others. Some call us (including those that have served and sacrificed) chicken hawks. Well, even the least of us have an opportunity at the ballot box to choose the hard road over the easy path. The Left has yet to learn that we (humankind) are wired to understand that little good comes easy, and the more free we live (using our own free-will v. being told what to do and think), the better we understand this.

Our system allows these passions to burn themselves out, and we are better for it. Next time we have more (DC) snipers, we’ll know the system is working if the Dems do NOT put a “don’t shoot me, I’m a Democrat” sticker on their car, the lamentations of Mr. Moore aside.

Time for us to have a little faith in the American people (and not demand any more perfection than we do of ourselves). After all if Mr. Rumsfeld, about the most real and well grounded person we have in public view says he trusts in us (in the “centered-ness” of the American people) to do what’s right, so can we.

]]> By: Steven E. Ehrbar http://pajamasmedia.com/rogerlsimon/2006/09/10/the-last-five-years-looking-at-911/#comment-81608 Steven E. Ehrbar Mon, 11 Sep 2006 22:27:51 +0000 http://pajamasmedia.com/rogerlsimon/2006/09/10/the-last-five-years-looking-at-911/#comment-81608 Don't worry about "nuclear winter". The original nuclear winter scenarios required literally thousands of nuclear devices, and were later found to be fatally flawed. You could set off every nuke the world had when the arsenals of both the U.S. and Soviet Union were at their height and the resulting particulate-caused cooldown would only be on the order of the 1816 "Year Without a Summer". Don’t worry about “nuclear winter”.

The original nuclear winter scenarios required literally thousands of nuclear devices, and were later found to be fatally flawed. You could set off every nuke the world had when the arsenals of both the U.S. and Soviet Union were at their height and the resulting particulate-caused cooldown would only be on the order of the 1816 “Year Without a Summer”.

]]> By: Carl Spackler http://pajamasmedia.com/rogerlsimon/2006/09/10/the-last-five-years-looking-at-911/#comment-81607 Carl Spackler Mon, 11 Sep 2006 21:55:07 +0000 http://pajamasmedia.com/rogerlsimon/2006/09/10/the-last-five-years-looking-at-911/#comment-81607 What do you do when mortal danger drifts through twilight of knowledge? You do the right thing, as you can for as long as you must. For most of us it is not much of burden, for a few, everything they have. We should have faith that the soldier, the artisan, the laborer, the physicians, and unmet good men, will in the great-unseen wheel of life deliver us to a better future. Everything need not be reveled to us; we just need to have a little faith and act, as we are able. What do you do when mortal danger drifts through twilight of knowledge? You do the right thing, as you can for as long as you must. For most of us it is not much of burden, for a few, everything they have.

We should have faith that the soldier, the artisan, the laborer, the physicians, and unmet good men, will in the great-unseen wheel of life deliver us to a better future. Everything need not be reveled to us; we just need to have a little faith and act, as we are able.

]]> By: Justin Case http://pajamasmedia.com/rogerlsimon/2006/09/10/the-last-five-years-looking-at-911/#comment-81606 Justin Case Mon, 11 Sep 2006 21:51:21 +0000 http://pajamasmedia.com/rogerlsimon/2006/09/10/the-last-five-years-looking-at-911/#comment-81606 Amen, Old Dad. Outstanding post. Amen, Old Dad. Outstanding post.

]]> By: Sandy P http://pajamasmedia.com/rogerlsimon/2006/09/10/the-last-five-years-looking-at-911/#comment-81605 Sandy P Mon, 11 Sep 2006 20:13:07 +0000 http://pajamasmedia.com/rogerlsimon/2006/09/10/the-last-five-years-looking-at-911/#comment-81605 In addition to PJ's comment, from Wretchard, and in a way Lileks and the rest: ...But the greatest event of all of the past five years has been the slow hardening of the human heart, as each of us sets his face against the unknown, our household goods and gods sheltering pitifully behind; an event undetectable save for the slow, crepitating sound of walls setting solid across the expanse of our global and tribal world..... Whether militarily, holding back aid money like we should do to waziristan (actually, it's convenient they'll be in 1 area for future clean-up) we're slowly getting there. 1 of Sean Penn's worst nightmares is coming true, they're saying Death to America and we're finally listening to and believing them. Like Path to 911 said, OBL was pissed that we weren't paying attention to him. In addition to PJ’s comment, from Wretchard, and in a way Lileks and the rest:

…But the greatest event of all of the past five years has been the slow hardening of the human heart, as each of us sets his face against the unknown, our household goods and gods sheltering pitifully behind; an event undetectable save for the slow, crepitating sound of walls setting solid across the expanse of our global and tribal world…..

Whether militarily, holding back aid money like we should do to waziristan (actually, it’s convenient they’ll be in 1 area for future clean-up) we’re slowly getting there.

1 of Sean Penn’s worst nightmares is coming true, they’re saying Death to America and we’re finally listening to and believing them.

Like Path to 911 said, OBL was pissed that we weren’t paying attention to him.

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