Right Condemns “Day of Service.” (No, I’m Not Kidding)
It’s easy to feel sad today, but it’s good to feel as though sadness is being used to create something helpful and worthwhile. This is why, back in April, President Obama declared that 9/11 would be a Day of Service to honor the spirit of those that came together to help each other, and many who lost their own lives in service to others eight years ago today. The idea came from Jay Winuk, whose brother, a corporate lawyer and former volunteer fireman, saw buildings burning and dropped everything to help people out of the tower. His remains were found in the rubble of the South Tower six months later.
Today in Anchorage, hundreds of individuals, families, businesses and schools will join the movement to end hunger and homelessness when they participate in United Way of Anchorage’s 2009 Day of Caring Food Drive . Volunteers are collecting food until 6 p.m. today in the Sears Mall parking lot (near the intersection of Northern Lights Blvd. and the Seward Highway ).
“No family should have to choose between eating and paying rent – that’s why the Day of Caring Food Drive is so important,” said Cindy Curtis, United Way of Anchorage Community Engagement Advisory Council Chair and Community Relations Director at Totem Ocean Trailer Express. “When people participate in the Day of Caring Food Drive — whether giving a generous donation or volunteering to collect food – they are uniting to help Anchorage families find independence and stay off the streets.
Donations of money will also be accepted at the food drive collection area. Believe it or not, $1 can buy up to five pounds of food. It’s not much to some, but it can mean everything to someone who has nothing.
For more on Day of Caring Food Drive, a list of most needed food items, and other general food drive information, visit the “Day of Caring Food Drive” section of LIVEUNITEDANCHORAGE.ORG/volunteer.
<<<Screechy brake noise>>>
Now don’t get too warm and fuzzy, because we’ve just received this breaking news from conservatives! Let the outrage begin.
The day of service has prompted a day of rage on the political right. Some commentators accuse Democrats and liberals of using the occasion to hijack 9/11’s meaning for their own agenda and downplay the anniversary’s implicit reminder of the terrorist threat.
Laura Ingraham, guest-hosting on Fox’s The O’Reilly Factor, said “a smattering of left-wing groups is trying to co-opt 9/11 and make it their day.” Focusing on service, she complained, “blurs the importance of what happened.” Instead, the day should be used to educate young people “on the threats to freedom and liberty … by Islamic jihadists.”
By all means, put down those cans of lentils, and gallons of milk for hungry people and grab some plastic sheets and duct tape and head for your bunker. Better keep those lentils for yourself. Don’t forget the true meaning of 9/11, and what really made it important – not having people around the world standing with us in solidarity, and stories of self-sacrifice that moved us to tears. Not the voices of loved ones telling each other good bye, and America for one shining moment coming together across the lines that normally divide us. Nope it’s them damn islamic jihadists and fear, fear, fear. We should be indoctrinating educating our kids about the evildoers! What Would Jesus Do? He’d be stockpiling dried food and installing a dead bolt on the basement door. He’d be hoarding guns and ammo. He’d be figuring out ways to stick it to those Muslims and anyone who looks like ’em, or has a name like ’em. Right? Or maybe, he might have liked the idea of a day of service, and the thought that something good, and the best of humanity can come from such thoughtless tragedy.
“This isn’t a liberal idea or a conservative idea, a Republican idea or a Democratic idea. It’s a human idea,” [Day of Service spokesman David] Paine says. “The conservative community wound up doing what they accused the Obama administration of doing, which was to use 9/11 to score political points. ”
Nikki Stern, who lost her husband at the Trade Center, says she likes the emphasis on service: “I don’t want my husband’s death to justify an eternal armed-guard mentality. The day is more about the spirit that impelled Jay’s brother to run into that building.”
Amen.
Appalled and silence. There are no words to describe the ways the republicans strive to reach down to their baser selves. A day of service is a wonderful way to create something good out of something so horrible.
My wedding anniversary is September 11, as we have been married 27 years it far preceded the horrific actions of 2002. The rethug party needs to get a grip and grow up.
My husband (a pastor) calls such “Christians” Christianesque. And by spewing such hatred and bile, they give true Christians a bad name. And down here in the Redneck Riviera, there was absolutely no mention of A Day of Service. I live in a town where people wear their ignorance and race hatred with pride.
You would have thought that those who want this to be a day of hate would have talked to the survivors of 9/11 and their families and found out that they were part of this day of service and remembrance but they did not bother to ask those the most affected by this.
Leenie17#65
Not sure how much credit I can take. In 2001, he was an obnoxious teen, spinning his wheels, with no specific plans. That fall after 9/11, he applied and got in to the local firefighting academy. It’s funny, he’s the conservative one of our children and we lock horns frequently; but we also share the funny, exasperating stories that are part of working with the public in emergencies (I’m a RN). He’s given me a special appreciation of what it took for those NY firefighters to run into the towers that day and begin to climb those stairs. Their families are frequently in my thoughts and prayers.
Hannah—what a great statement. I must remember that each and every day.
Yes, by all means, lets “celebrate” 9-11 by cowering in our basements in fear. Forget the sacrifice of the firefighters and police and others who saved so many on that horrible day in 2001. Why should we emulate them by giving to our communities anyway? Just. Be. Afraid. Good grief, those right wingnuts are paranoid.
Speaking of food, I heard an interesting saying recently, which I’ll paraphrase:
Those with food have many problems. Those without have only one.
How true is that? Sorry I can’t remember to whom the quote belongs.
This was the first year that I can remember, since that tragic day, that I did not remember it for days before and days after.
I lived close enough to the Pentagon to have the heck shook out of my house when it was hit and the fuel tanks exploded!! I went through that panic calling to find people, of watching it live on my TV, of seeing the smoke, of worrying about those I love and neighbors. I had a house FULL of people, mostly international, who were caught not being able to travel. We pulled together and helped where needed. We grieved together.
I don’t forever want to dread this day on the calendar, for years to come. I will not hate.
We did not continue for years to use Pearly Harbor Day to bash the Japanese. We can NOT let anyone turn this day into a day of hate.
Let us find the good, let us honor those that lost their lives in ways that CAN HELP a new generation to get along better with those we do not know.
Those who want to spread fear and hate will NOT win, we can’t let them. No matter the party or political lean, they CAN’T win!!
I am thrilled to be with people who want to change things and help others. It is how this world SHOULD be.
And Nick Tucker, too! I’ve since adopted him as my grandfather – there’s another opportunity I would have missed had I not poured my heart into a day of service which turned into many.
Well I couldn’t give a crap anymore what those idiots think, because they don’t. Just a bunch of nasty, disrespectful, ugly hearted fanatics and I hope they find their head lemming to lead them all right off the cliff. I’ll be there with bells and pompoms on.
President Obama’s Day of Service suggestion for Martin Luther King Day is what started a huge group of bloggers here and at Margaret & Helen’s to start sending food to the YK Delta villages. It led us to get to know Ann Strongheart, Victoria Briggs, and since then – more wonderful people behind the scenes. I think it was all meant to be, especially since we lost Segundo (Ann I know you lost him more than anyone!). If Ann’s voice had not been heard, joined and amplified by many others both in and outside of AK – if we had turned our backs like those scuzzy creeps called Righties or Fundies or whoever they are, we would have missed the opportunity of a lifetime to see our giving take hold, help, and grow. And Ann would have missed us, and our support for her grief when she needed it the most. With our help, she has been able to move forward and grow stronger than ever before.
So Righties, Fundies, Jerk Faces – you mean nothing to me! I will stand against you til my last breath. You don’t belong here – sorry, you’ve been voted off the island. Dead weight, the lot of you, and deserving of nothing but pity for your warped minds and stingy hearts. Despair and fear – you’ll never shake them this way, but we’ll sure shake off the lot of you.
Oh, and I want to add something about that 2001 birthday. We did go ahead with dinner and cake, though it was rather quiet and somber. At 9 pm, we got a call from our daughter and son-in-law’s friend who was in NYC that day. He had gone to the east coast to go to school to be an EMT and was riding with on one of the fire trucks that immediately headed for New York City. This kid, at age 20, alone and far from family and friends, spent the day on that bridge where people were coming out, handing out water, and doing whatever he could to help. As the fire chief told him later, he couldn’t go back with them the next day since he wasn’t certified and he really shouldn’t have been there anyway.
He called to talk to us, and I remember thinking that he had been through such a horrible experience for someone so young, and I could hear in his voice that he needed the comfort of friends and family who were 3000 miles away.
Later we learned that there were at least two dozen other young people we knew who were in the area, going to college or sightseeing. Even though we lived so far away, we realized that it wasn’t just a tragedy for those in New York City, but for all of us.
Someone mentioned how flying has changed and we were reminded of it yesterday when we flew home from Tennessee. The little 5 year old girl behind me in the security line said something to her mom about taking off her shoes, and her mother told her she wouldn’t have to and that she’d been watching too many movies. I turned and told the mom that I was pretty sure that everyone had to take off their shoes, no matter the age of the type of shoes. That day has changed all our lives in ways that we never imagined. That’s reminder enough of the hatred that filled our world that day. It’s not something that needs to be taught to anyone.
But we do need to be reminded of the kindness of strangers, like our friend who helped in a small way, and another friend who took in a friend who couldn’t get home to her apartment because it was too close to ground zero. What were people doing? They were serving each other, in any way they could. And that’s the best way to honor the memory and the survivors now – give service to our communities.
I’m with you Irishgirl – feck off to Sarah Palin. I am so dismayed to learn that severalof my friends in AK still support her – saw on FB they “liked” her response to Pres Obama speech on Healthcare, and several are supporters of SP. profound silence………primal scream.
#80 Strangelet Prior to 9/11 flying anywhere made me extremely nervous. I had to fly quite a bit with my job. After 9/11 I was no longer afraid to fly. After seeing the very worst that could happen, I was no longer afraid. I was pi$$ed instead. So I bought an extremely heavy pair of boots to wear when I fly. I figured if a highjacking took place on any of my future flights, I would take off my boots and use them as a weapon to smack the holy he// out of the highjacker before we all died.
They don’t call us Southern gals steel magnolias for nothing!
PS Pat at 83 Happy birthday!
It is all about racism. The fear and hatred involved in being a racist will trump intelligence and logic every time. Corporate America wants to maintain the status quo, and they are using racism to do it. The Republicans in the House and Senate work for the corporations and are willing to use racism as their tool. They are using Rep. politicians and people like Limbaugh and Beck to stir up and spread the fear, hatred, and violence generated by racism. In this way, they hope to maintain control of our country, even though they are in the minority. It is useless to try to use logic or intelligent debate with these people; their fear and hatred of blacks will keep them from listening. They will choose to believe that facts are lies, even when they could personally benefit from the facts. Corporate America has chosen wisely; racism will always beat out facts and logic. Sadly, many Christians have chosen to join in this tactic. And even though the majority of people (Democrats, liberals, whatever) are not moved by this tactic of spreading racist fear and hatred, they may not be able to combat it. Fear is a formidable opponent.
The right are turning out to be the weirdest people alive. I like the idea of a day of service to remember 9/11.
However, it is also my birthday, so for me, it’s a day when I choose not to watch anything on TV or listen to the radio. The terrorists stole my birthday in 2001, and nearly ruined a family trip (we were to fly to LA on Sept 12, but instead flew on one of the first flights out of Seattle on Sept 14). Part of the reason we went ahead with the Disneyland trip was that we weren’t going to allow the terrorists to take any more of our time, ever.
And by only focusing on the fear of the day, that’s exactly what the right keep doing. Out of everything there has to be something good. The good out of that day is hard to find, unless it’s realizing that people stood side by side to help and support others. What better way to carry that forward than to give a day of service?
Once again, I find myself asking, “What are they thinking?” And the answer is, clearly, they are not; they are only capable of knee-jerk reactions to whatever is happening. They conservatives have become a very sad bunch, indeed.
Close enough, Irishgirl… 🙂
@irishgirl: you don’t have to correct incidental misspellings like “minininiized”. We know what you mean.
Now, about “feck off” to Sarah, how do you really feel?
@jojobo1: I immediately knew that the same thing would never happen again. I used to fly quite a lot, and I like living as much as the next guy, so if I had been on a flight that got jacked “back in the day”, I would have undoubtedly been quiet and compliant and hoping for the best.
After 9/11, you must assume that any hijackers intend to kill everyone on the plane, and possibly a bunch of other people as well. That changes one’s whole view of the situation. The folks on Flight 93 figured it out in real time, but I think everyone else who had ever traveled by air came to the same realization almost immediately.
Assuming that the TSA can manage to keep people from bringing fully automatic weapons (and extra clips) onto commercial flights, there will never be another instance of using a jetliner as a bomb. I’m not saying there will never be another attempt, but it will either be neutralized or go into the ground. If you’re already certain to die, you might as well go out in style.
minimized.
264 Crayons Says:
September 11th, 2009 at 5:15 PM
….Obama could fart gold and rainbows and the right would still hate it. Sad they’ve been eaten alive by anger and hatred.
———————————————————————–
Was it always like this? I cannot believe the hate and vitriol directed at the president. I really worry for America……dismayed silence and primal scream….I am with you. What the hell is wrong with the Republican party? McCain should not be re-elected, his part in this awful period of American politics should not be minimised. Sarah Palin…feck off…as we say in Ireland.
My thoughts are with the victims of 9/11 and their families.
Down here in pennsyltucky, “the right” has pushed and pushed to have high school students do compulsory community service as a condition of gaining their high school diploma.
Must be a 10th Amendment issue.
“Focusing on service, she complained, “blurs the importance of what happened.” Instead, the day should be used to educate young people “on the threats to freedom and liberty … by Islamic jihadists.”
How does serving humanity make the day less important. How does wrapping yourself in the flag and preaching hate make it more important. These people are just plain strange. There’s no other word for them.
C’mon up for the Mudflats live chat :
https://themudflats.net/forum/index.php?action=chat
….Obama could fart gold and rainbows and the right would still hate it. Sad they’ve been eaten alive by anger and hatred.
Today..I thought would be a doom and gloom day..news coverage over and over of 7 years ago. I decided not to turn the TV on..didn’t think I could take it…and then I received a phone call from a second cousin of mine whom I have never met. I started searching for my relatives on Facebook and I’m amazed at the number of people who came up. Well this young man, a Sergeant in the Army, found me and emailed me with his phone number. But before I could call him, he called me.
I have never had a phone call from outside the USA. He called me from Korea. He has served several tours of duty in Iraq and several tours in other combat zones.
He trains young recruits and he shared his beliefs with me. He is 37 and I am 67. I have never been so proud of a member of my family (especially one that I have never seen).
When he talked about going to Walmart when on furlough and realizing that he was keeping America safe….I cried.
He was very eloquent and stressed that he strives to get his men to do the very best that they can in whatever task they are assigned to do.
Oh I feel so proud.
I know that many of the thing he relayed to me were a part of the ARMY STRONG mantra…but he said things so eloquently. One of the last things he said to me was this…
HE (GOD) gave you everything you need. And he said…
WHEN I RISE…I CARRY…
I know that he will do well and I know that his beliefs and his effort to train those under him is the reason he survived those tours of duty in combat zones….
Oh.. I am tearing up again…but what a wonderful, inspirational telephone call from Korea…..and a wonderful way for me to face another 911..listening to one who is fighting for all of us.
Well… I let it out, and maybe now I can write more coherently.
Has the Right now truly and completely taken leave of absence from any kind of sane reasoning? To condemn exhortations to students to stay in school, to condemn the idealism of a Day of Service in honor of those who gave their all is beyond the pale.
What to do, what to do… continue serving others… for we have a conscience.
And on the other hand, a positive story from those Hollywood liberal-types:
http://www.latimes.com/features/food/la-fo-gleaners9-2009sep09,0,6033018,full.story
This could be replicated pretty much everywhere.
#20- Writing from Alaska
When you have finished your dismayed silence, may I follow you with a prolonged primal scream?
Have they no shame?
These are the “Christians”, right?
mae lewis we can only hope that the majority of people get turned off before something really bad happensLike I don’t know Beck and Rush L could be tared and feathered.Hows that for the good old days Beck LOL
Actually maybe I am too laid back but I did not fear another attack.I felt that Our armed forces would do the job they were trained for and once it was found out that the reason this happened is because no one knew what the other hand was doing i knew things would be changed and people would listen to each other at least as far as the CIA,DEA and FBI were concerned Cheney and his influence over Bush not so much. I was so against the patriot act because of just what has happened People listening into to others phone calls and readings others e-mails without a court order. WE lost a lot after 9/11 and I really do not see us getting it back. The GOP taliban will make sure of that.
I like calling them RepubliSCUMS, because the hate they spew makes them the scum of the earth. I swear, sometimes I shake my head and think, this has to be a bad joke. Nobody can be this stupid and/or evil. It’s time for the cruel joke to be over.
I’m with you, Sue #62, (it rhymes). Watching KO’s substitute Lawrence O’Donnell, mentioned how many amendments Republicans added to some bill, yet not one Republican voted for it. Credit goes to Obama, ever the gentleman, trying to be inclusive. What he gets in return in more than rudeness. Republicans will say “No,” shout out, act out, and we can only hope that they turn off moderate and independent voters in the process.
First I think we all need to do more; I am always trying to do more for my community in my way. There are 364 days to be paranoid that terrorists are going to target your favorite mall or Starbucks, we can afford one day when some people (not the ones actively fighting said terrorists for real) will go and collect food for people who might not be able afford food.
CO native living in NC Says:
What would they say about my son who decided to become a firefighter because of 9/11– and who’s working today serving his community?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I don’t even want to contemplate what they would say because it would no doubt aggravate me, but I say THANK YOU!
Thank you to HIM for choosing to make a vital contribution to his community.
And thank you to YOU for raising a son who puts others before himself.
Bravo to BOTH of you!
P.S.–Many of these racists call themselves Christians. They do not act as Christians are supposed to, though. They are hate-filled hypocrits.
If you haven’t seen the movie “Shut Up and Sing” – http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0811136/it's a documentary about the Dixie Chicks in 2006. This is just a link to the IMDB site. You need to order from NetFlix or find how ever you get your movies.
The Dixie Chicks, at that point the most popular female group in history, were on a European Tour days before the invasion of Iraq. The women are from Texas and the lead singer, Natalie Maines, said during their performance in London, “they were embarrassed that the President of the United States was from Texas.”
The emotion in the room was entirely in their favor.
The shit storm that rained down on them was beyond belief – death threats, rednecks who drove their giant vehicles over copies of their CDs in mall parking lots, media groups who started a boycott against playing their music on their stations that almost wrecked their careers. Musicians who refused to be part of their appearances. You name it it happened.
It wears me out. When Joe Wilson calls the President a liar it’s OK. When Republicans call the President a Nazi, a Socialist, a Communist (anybody see a problem here?) a Marxist etc. it’s all good. Pallin around with terrorists, ACORN-loving community organizer, Yah hoo.
As I said earlier today, these people are working my last nerve.
I’m sustained by the belief that the President is playing chess while the rest of them are playing checkers. But damn, I don’t know where he get’s his energy.
Conservative, or Republicans, or whatever you want to call them have one agenda: Destroy President Obama (and anything they see as coming from him). It doesn’t matter if the idea is good or bad; if it is Obama’s idea (or perceived by them as such), they will criticize it vigorously, with lies and even violence. In my opinion, this agenda is born of racism, hatred of blacks, and fear that “white power” will end.
Tree House is open
55 Claw Washout Palin Says:
September 11th, 2009 at 3:02 PM
However, if they want me to remember this day in negative connotations; I would remember it as the day our President (Bush) failed to keep us safe; by not responding to the warnings.
Yup. But you won’t hear MSM telling that part.
52 Pepper1939 Says:
September 11th, 2009 at 2:46 PM
Discovered that Rupert Murdoch owns the My Space site. If anyone has kids using this site, they must be cautioned on what they write, I think. Someone with alot more expertise than I probably knows how far one can go to retrieve information from the system. I have no idea if it could affect some future job, etc. I am probably sounding a false alarm. Don’t know. Just a thought.
I don’t know about the tracking part, except the HS and CIA track everybody’s transmissions these days.
The CIA had a Microwave tracking site in Alaska back in the 80’s, that picked up every microwave transmission in the world. No Kidding! So you can guess with super dupper computers and satillites all over the place what they can track these days.
I was in a job hunting help group earlier this year and one of the instructors made a big point that when he gets an applicant, the first research he does in an internet search of that person!
Be careful what you put on Face Book and other sites that can be easily entered and searched.
That’s why so few people use their real names, but that is also why so many sites require your real name, address etc.
I think to call today a “day of service” is appropriate. Those who died and those who tried to assist were servicing their community and country. Personally, i signed up and went through training with the American Red Cross to assist our Country in event of a Disaster.
However, if they want me to remember this day in negative connotations; I would remember it as the day our President (Bush) failed to keep us safe; by not responding to the warnings.
Too many want it to a lock and load “Patriots Day” with ritual Muslim burnings in the town square.
Some people want to make money out of 9/11, some want to make hatred and intolerance, some want to make a goodness be the lesson learned from an evil moment.
Which did the RepoTaliban choose? Which did Obama choose? Who would the average American want as a neighbor?
Wow…just wow. You know, on my way to my 7:30 AM physics lecture was wondering why all the flags were at half-mast. (You see how insular my world is…but at least I’m not paranoid.) You see, today is my daughter’s seventh birthday and it’s been years since I associated 9/11 with anything tragic. I guess should postpone her birthday and get an appropriately itchy trigger finger. Here in Phoenix we have lots of Mexicans and they look just like Iraqis, might be impostors.
BigPete, you have them pegged. It’s about power, not governing.
Discovered that Rupert Murdoch owns the My Space site. If anyone has kids using this site, they must be cautioned on what they write, I think. Someone with alot more expertise than I probably knows how far one can go to retrieve information from the system. I have no idea if it could affect some future job, etc. I am probably sounding a false alarm. Don’t know. Just a thought.
The GOP wingnuts have turned into quite a nasty, grumpy bunch.
They were much happier when they were running the country into the ground, and plunging the whole world into recession, and increasing the number of Americans living below the poverty level, and corrupting the Justice Department, and polluting our environment, and doing God’s work in Middle Eastern oil producing nations, and giving tax cuts to their beleaguered rich friends.
Those were the days!
You mean it wasn’t proposed by the black guy in the white house?
Well, he likes the idea so it must be fascist.
PalinPooPolitics surfaces again.
lettersfromeurope Says:
September 11th, 2009 at 1:28 PM
Truly lovely poem. Everybody pop your blood pressure meds and say a silent prayer for these poor lost souls who have no trust or faith or love in their hearts. They are already in hell on earth.
And Trini #24–
Hope you have good health insurance to pay for that prescription. Because it really looks like our lovely Representatives and Senators don’t have the balls to stand up to the crazies and pass meaningful health care reform.
Lord help us all! They sure aren’t reading the same Bible I read.
When did service become a dirty word?
What would they say about my son who decided to become a firefighter because of 9/11– and who’s working today serving his community?
Leave it to the neo-con wingnuts to think that the only way to commemorate a national tragedy is to spread their hatred and blame around….The Republicans have always (in my memory, anyway) been the party of “I have mine, but you just have to pull yourself up by your bootstraps even if you don’t have shoes.”—but this is beyond ridiculous.
letters from europe!!!! thank you, dear one. i saved ‘If’. it is beautiful…b
@Tina How about christian Lite.
The far right bring narcissism to a new height/depth. Everything’s about them. Give them a break, and *#$& everyone else, (See Palin, Sarah; Sanford, Mark; Bachman, Michelle.)
I refuse to call them “conservatives” they are just reTHUGlicans to me. They are a bunch of low-life thugs who use every excuse to scream socialist, and more WAR WAR WAR.. I am so tired of it.
@ Cathy #35
I read a new term over on Gryphen’s site: Christiianists.
…works for me to call ’em that.
#38 LiladyNY
I don’t believe its overwhelming patriotism either! I am the only Democrat in my office. I’m also the only person wearing red, white and blue today. They don’t even know why I’m doing it!
I could go on, but then my face will also turn red!
#31 lettersfromeurope
Thank you for the poem. If these “hatriots” did not have their fear and hatred, I wonder what they would do? I wonder what really drives them? I do not for a moment believe it is overwhelming patriotism. I wonder what sort of world they really envision when they envision one?
We have to remember that this attitudinal talking point is promulgated than non other than Murdoch, himself.
On behalf of “The Family”, no doubt.
If “The Family” sees themselves as the Borg ~ i am resisting and i don’t think it’s futile.
Forrest Gump’s mom says “Stupid is as stupid does”
It saddens me to see all this hate coming from the rightwing ‘c’hristian republicans.
Will it ever end?
Tremelai–yes, that would be a reasonable guess…
#
15
Aussie Blue Sky Says:
September 11th, 2009 at 12:42 PM
Frankly, I can see an argument for an international day of service.
Ignore the hatriots.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Aussie Blue Sky,
Very astute observation.
9/11 was an more than an attack on NYC or the USA, it was an attack on the International Community as well.
Instead of invading third-world nations and fomenting mutual hatred, with better leadership we may now invite all nations to join together to nurture mutual love and cooperation.
Instead, the day should be used to educate young people “on the threats to freedom and liberty … by Islamic jihadists.”
She wants a national day of “Watch out! Brown people are out to get you!” ??
@LiladyNY and @Bubbles This poem is another IF poem and I would like you to read it all. Here is how it starts:
http://www.kipling.org.uk/poems_if.htm
IF you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies,
Or being hated, don’t give way to hating,
And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise:
Great article. Where is all the garbage from these right-wingers coming from? Don’t they have anything else to do, like work? Complaining about charity? They’re always complaining about “government”, like a certain woman we know, who thinks that it gets in the way. So, now, caring people want to donate, and “progress” a food drive, and they’re still friccken complaining. if government shouldn’t take over, then that leaves individual compassion, and that’s exactly what PO declared the day to be.
Hmmmph!
You know…I was just waiting for this…”a day of service” just sounds too community organizer-ish.
I think the right wing has given up on having any ideas of their own and are just following their leader Rush’s orders, ipso fatso, trying to make sure that nothing constructive happens in the next four years.
I am sooooooooo tired of these people who claim to be Christians, who are voting the way they are because of their Christian values, and who are acting so incredibly un-Christlike with their petty whining and bitching and moaning about absolutely EVERYTHING that absolutely ANYONE does who is not JUST LIKE they are. Anyone who looks different, or thinks differently, or God forbid, worships differently. Whatever happened to be yourself? Or different strokes for different folks? Or love your neighbor as yourself? What about that, huh?
These people are giving my Christ a bad name, and I don’t like it!
missing word… bring
Also from the article that quoted Ingraham:
>>Writing last month in The American Spectator, a conservative political magazine, columnist Matthew Vandum bemoaned attempts to change 9/11 “from a day of reflection and remembrance to a day of activism, food banks and community gardens.”<<
What kind of person can sneer and snarl about food banks and community gardens? ???
Insanity, warped, twisted minds! They incite their followers to actions along the line of their madness. When, not if as there already have been, there are occurrences of violence, these ‘leaders’ say that there is no way that their own words caused such actions and, instead, blame the victims. It’s as if the actual goal of their stated aim of ‘limited government’ is anarchy. The extreme right wing is trying hard enough to create a firestorm which would that about.
hatriots “worshipping their little tin god” is right..
Ingraham, you stoopid twit. It is EXACTLY that kind of ridiculous attitude of hate-mongering against all muslims that fulfills the terrorist’s perceptions of Americans and enrages them so much that they feel their holy war requires them to run planes into buildings and kill off as many of the holy-haters as possible! Take your xenophobia Laura, and leave this country!
Blood pressure medication is not working. I must get a new prescription.
….seems the US has developed its own version of the Taliban…….with a female Mullah..
If I can stop one heart from breaking, I shall not live in vain;
If I can ease one life the aching,
Or cool one pain,
Or help one fainting robin Unto his nest again,
I shall not live in vain.
Emily Dickinson
Obama supports the day of service, so it must be an evil Muslim plot by the citizens of Kenya to use Nazi tactics to turn this country over to the communists. The wing nuts are not capable of thinking. They can only react and they only know that they must say no whenever our president says yes.
– – dismayed silence – –
#4 Buffalo Gal – you took the words right out of my mouth. I was THERE! I HELPED strangers and friends alike! These are the sorts of people that would step over you in the street if you were hit by a car!!!! They have diminished the actions of every person who ran to help from all over the country and the world! My disgust knows no bounds.
A Fan From Chicago–boy, howdy!
Oh, I am sorry, I don’t mean to offend anyone, I was just talking about one particular guy. Zip!
Very sad to hear. Such fear mongering continues to spread fear and despair. That remains me of a baptist preacher I once listened to.
Frankly, I can see an argument for an international day of service.
Ignore the hatriots.
I didn’t think I could be surprised by any more of the far right’s antics until now. And these people call themselves true to their Christian beliefs?! Whatever happened to that basic concept of “love thy neighbor”? What happened to the “helping hand” mentality of churches across the nation? Where did all the selfishness and hatred come from? I really wish Nancy Reagan would publicly rail against the Laura Ingrahams and Glen Becks of the world in the name of her husband. The nutballs that have (been allowed) to high-jack the GOP have destroyed what little good there was in the party and now they plan to destroy the entire country just so they can make the Obama administration fail. They are really not that much different from groups like the Taliban.
These people are workin’ my last nerve.
So far this week, they are aginst staying in school, they are for shouting “liar” at the President even in the face of the facts, and they are against National Service. LEAVE MY COUNTRY IF YOU DONT LIKE IT.
#5
sandra in oregon Says:
September 11th, 2009 at 12:12 PM
I think perhaps the problem is that a lot of people were calling it “Patriot Day.” Changing that to a day of service seems to be slighting the patriots. We all know that patriots have a special understanding of what it means to be an American. Giving service has somehow become equated with communism. I guess unless you are “serving” in the military. How did up become down?
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
When the Patriots became Hatriots.
Without war, the right has NO platform. Without war, the right has no raison d’etre. Without war, the right has rush limpbalz, no sean insanniyt, no laura ingrate. Without war, the right has NOTHING.
Just when you think the anti humans can’t possibly get any more ridiculous, surprise!!! B!tch slaps all the way around!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mr. Paine has a GREAT article at Huffo:
The Politicization of 9/11:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-paine/the-politicization-of-911_b_282907.html
Some of the ignorant and hateful comments he had received at his website 911dayofservice [dot] org are truly embarrassing.
One thing Mr. Paine points out is:
“For the record, the 9/11 Day of Service and Remembrance is widely backed by the Left, Middle and Right and is not, in any way, a government led or funded initiative created by President Obama or any government agency. It was started by the 9/11 community eager to leave a lasting and positive legacy honoring their lost loved ones, and is supported by respected nonprofits such as the Points of Light Institute, founded with the help of former President George Bush Sr., AARP, America’s Promise Alliance, City Year, ServiceNation, and many other wonderful and nonpartisan groups listed on our Web site.”
Seems to me that the fantical Conservatives have hijacked the message of Jesus Christ to serve THEIR own agenda. I grew up hearing “Judge not, lest ye be judged”, or “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” or “Feed my lambs”. I do not acknowledge or worship this little tin god these misguided thugs would put in my Maker’s place!
Whatever happened to : “whatever you do for these the least of these my brethren, you do for me.”
The words of Christ should be followed by those who profess to be Christians. Otherwise they show themselves to be modern-day versions of the Scribes and Pharisees.
A national day of service is an appropriate tribute to those who served their nation, not only on 09/11/2001 but on many days since then.
I think perhaps the problem is that a lot of people were calling it “Patriot Day.” Changing that to a day of service seems to be slighting the patriots. We all know that patriots have a special understanding of what it means to be an American. Giving service has somehow become equated with communism. I guess unless you are “serving” in the military. How did up become down?
Wasn’t 9/11 the absolute ultimate day of service ? On that day didn’t we see Americans put everything else away and come to the aid of others in need ? Isn’t giving unselfishly of ourselves the very best tribute to those who worked tirelessly through the days and nights after 9/11 helping everyone and anyone who needed it ?
I highly doubt you could find even one first responder that would say a day of service is unpatriotic.
Leave it to the conservatives… the only people capable of REALLY understanding the meaning of 9/11 (note my sarcasm). How pathetically sad that even on this day of all days, they can’t lay down their arms, put away their ugly thoughts and try, just TRY, to be the humane, compassionate, caring CHRISTIANS they claim to be.
May all those who lost loved ones find some peace today in the caring and yes, community service of others. God bless all Americans, (even the one’s we can’t stand!)
my eyes rolled back so far in my head after reading this, they just looped right around. It’s hard to believe the right would go so far as they have to make a scene over caring and being good to one another.
Just when you think that they couldn’t possibly find a problem with this, a SERVICE day, they surprise you again. What better memorial to the victims and their families? You can build a building or park, but a day of doing good to counter the Day of Bad is also a fitting tribute.