It's Been 4 Years Since 9/11...

[MarkDel]

Yes, I'm back for at least one day. After Hurricane Katrina, I started to wonder whether or not the posters on this forum (which I left long ago and very rarely read anymore) would be so low as to inject partisan politics into a national tragedy, so I spent much of the past week reading many of the threads I missed. While many of you on both sides of the political aisle did the honorable thing and put partisan politics aside in talking about the Hurricane, there were, as expected, the usual vermin who engaged in the political version of looting by attempting to score political points at this time of national tragedy.

So it is today, on the Anniversary of 9/11 when so many of our fellow countrymen, Republicans and Democrats alike, lost their lives, that I appeal to both sides to recapture the sense of patriotism and national unity that briefly guided this nation in the days immediately after 9/11.

Will any of you ever forget where you were that day? In a sad twist of irony, I myself was actually in Montreal, Canada on business that morning. I'll never forget the horrific images on TV. The pain of knowing that our nation had been attacked so viciously on our own soil. The hours of trying to place phone calls to my old college roommates who worked in the North Tower...the constant busy signals...how after 4 hours I finally reached one of my friend's wives only to find out that she had not yet heard from him, and that he had left for work a little late that day (which likely saved his life) because it was his daughter's 4th Birthday. How after 6 hours I finally find out that both of my friends had made it through alive, the one having to WALK all the way to New Jersey in the process. I'll never forget that day, and neither should any of you. Did any of you talk politics on that day? I know I sure as hell didn't.

After 9/11 and the months immediately following, I assumed that we as a nation would NEVER again lose that sense of unity and that people would not lose the resolve that filled us a nation to stamp out terrorism and build a better world in the wake of 9/11.

But here we stand 4 years later and this nation is more divided, more fractured and seemingly closer to civil war (don't laugh) than at any time in nearly 150 years. The behavior of far too many in the wake of Katrina is a sad, profound reminder of how uncivil and hostile the political environment in this nation has become over the past few years.

And so I urge you all to put aside your political ideology for at least the short term and focus on the fact that you are an American, with a responsibility to help your fellow citizens in time of need, and to do everything in your power to aid ALL government entities, local, state and federal by donating your time, money and energy to help the victims of this disaster. And a small part of that is to shut the  up about politics for at least a few months until everyone is safe, and the dead have been dealt with in a respectful manner as possible.

Many of you on this site are quite young and have your whole lives ahead of you, and thus have rarely if ever considered your own mortality or what it's like to lose a child, so you may not view these events in a complete perspective. So I urge you to think before you act or speak, as you don't want to do or say anything that you will regret later in life when the aging process gives you a better sense of decorum and a TRUE sense of empathy rather than the knee jerk, touchy feely, vacuous, bullsh*t empathy that often goes with the college experience.

So in summary, get your act together and contemplate what it means to be a human being, what it means to be an American, and at the risk of sounding corny, try and consider what your responsibilities are within that context rather than merely sounding off about what rights you have to do or say whatever you want.

Sincerely,

Mark D., former poster at US Election Atlas

PS--To my friends here, just an update on what I've been up to the past year. Business has been good. Hurricanes suck, hence I have taken the wife and two daughters and moved to the Metro Atlanta area. I've been very busy for several months designing and building a brand new home in Forsyth County, Georgia, where I have found that I was not nearly as right wing as I thought based on the people in this county! I really love it here, and our new home is what the wacko left wingers derisively refer to as a "McMansion" which has come in very handy over the past week. Unlike Florida, you can actually have a full basement here, and that's enabled us to open our home to a displaced family of 4 (father, mother, son & daughter) from St. Bernard's Parish just outside New Orleans. I thought it was the least anyone can do who has the means, and I encourage all of you who can afford it to do the same. Since the average of posters on this forum appears to be about 19, I realize that few of you have the option, but perhaps you have family or friends who can take such actions. I probably won't be around the forum for more than a day or so since I long ago grew tired of engaging in political debate with 18 year old leftists who know NOTHING about the real world, but it was nice dropping in to say my peace on this special day.

Also, for those of you who are actually interested in the REAL STORY of who is to blame for the failures in dealing with this Hurricane, and a virtual narrative of what went on in D.C. the past two weeks, I've got the non-partisan scoop. As you know, I used to work on Capitol Hill and have outstanding contacts in both parties (remember when I told you all about John Edwards being Kerry's pick 24 hours before it was announced?). While I worked exclusively for Republicans, I actually have an even better "in" with the Democrats because of one personal friend who tells me everything.

[Speed of Sound]

well said MarkDel. I wholeheartedly agree.

[Alcon]

That was an articulate, wonderful post.  Thanks and welcome back, man.

I do wish you'd stick around for a while.  You're missed.

[Keystone Phil]

Welcome back, Mark! It's unfortunate that you come back on such a sad date but still, it's great to see you back. Great advice, too.

[MarkDel]

Thanks guys.

Phil,

When you get a chance, pick up a Pat's Cheesesteak and let me know what I'm missing since I became an adopted Southerner.

Alcon,

I read a lot of posts over the past week. You've done A LOT of growing up while I was gone. You sound a lot older than you used to and have a great deal of wisdom for a 15 year old.

[Keystone Phil]

Phil,

When you get a chance, pick up a Pat's Cheesesteak and let me know what I'm missing since I became an adopted Southerner.

I've never been to either of the legendary spots (Pat's and Gino's) but I might just do that just for you, Mark.

[Max Power]

Well said, Mark, and welcome back!! You obviously don't know who the hell I am, but I am a new poster who joined around March/April, or some time like that. Anyways, welcome back!!

I know how you feel. On 9/11, I had gotten home from school, and I thought my family was watching some action movie, but instead, it was nothing more then disgusting murder.

[Sam Spade]

Wonderful post.  Good luck in all your endeavors, MarkDel.

[12th Doctor]

Very well said, Mark.  I have a professor who is originally from Brooklyn.  He lost a lot of friends that day.  We were giving out rememberance bottons yesterday and he came by the table.  He picked up a botton and started to cry.  I don't know anyone, personally, who died that day, but something like that really brings it home for me, again.

[12th Doctor]

P.S.  I would like to know the real story, BTW.

[MarkDel]

Very well said, Mark.  I have a professor who is originally from Brooklyn.  He lost a lot of friends that day.  We were giving out rememberance bottons yesterday and he came by the table.  He picked up a botton and started to cry.  I don't know anyone, personally, who died that day, but something like that really brings it home for me, again.

Soulty,

I know from our past conversations, both on and off the forum, that there is no better person posting at this site...than you. Good to hear from you my friend. I'll give you the scoop as a private message, but might not get around to it until tomorrow night since it's getting pretty late. I think it's best that I tell you what I know in a private message rather than on the public forum...it could be construed as "political" by some and that would essentially negate the purpose of this thread. What I'd be saying was the straight story from members of both parties (neither side would look good!) but the "cool aid drinkers" would accuse me of being partisan by focusing on aspects of the story rather than the whole picture. I'll tell you in advance that EVERYONE involved from the lowest local officials to the highest federal officials and everyone in between really, really screwed up. Most of it is about "institutional failure" but there is a definite human screwup factor as well.

[opebo]

I have forgotten all about 9/11.  It was a long time ago, and hardly a suprising event, in context.

[MarkDel]

I have forgotten all about 9/11.  It was a long time ago, and hardly a suprising event, in context.

Opebo,

In all honesty, what the hell happened to you? When I first came on this forum a few years ago you were a completely different human being...

[opebo]

I have forgotten all about 9/11.  It was a long time ago, and hardly a suprising event, in context.

How the hell do you "forget" about something like that, you inhuman bastard.

Oh, please, much worse happens on a daily basis in the world (if you are poor), and even worse 'disasters' happen.  I think we can just forget about it, or think of it in the larger context, in which it is neither suprising nor really so bad.

I have forgotten all about 9/11.  It was a long time ago, and hardly a suprising event, in context.

Opebo,

In all honesty, what the hell happened to you? When I first came on this forum a few years ago you were a completely different human being...

You must be logged in to read this quote.

I changed my mind, MarkDel.

[Alcon]

I have forgotten all about 9/11.  It was a long time ago, and hardly a suprising event, in context.

How the hell do you "forget" about something like that, you inhuman bastard.

Sociopathy has a way of shifting your perspective.

[Michael Z]

Hey Mark! Good to see you again. I've also just returned to this forum after a fairly lengthy hiatus (mainly self-enforced - I simply grew sick of the trolls and flame wars, though things seem to have subsided a little on that front (prays) - as well as due to things beyond my control (I recently moved in with my girlfriend and now have to contend with the reality of paying bills and whatnot... it's all downhill from here, lol).  Anyways, good to see you around again. Needless to say, I wholly agree with your post.

[Platypus]

Whilst i'm not an American (I think you left when I was still an Iowan...that was a while ago that was a very good post.

I'm not sure if I miss you or not. You're a cantankerous bloke, but you're also very intelligent. If you come back, welcome home; if not, I think it's a shame.

I still can't type, btw; and I'm still very opposed to the Death penalty and Gun Ownership, but i've moderated quite a bit over my almost two years here.

[Akno21]

Good to see you posting again, MarkDel. Even though you probably thought I was a stupid little liberal teenager, I really enjoy reading your posts.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Nice to see both of you back

[dazzleman]

MarkDel, it's great to hear from you again.

Great post, as always.  You are missed.

[DanielX]

I have forgotten all about 9/11.  It was a long time ago, and hardly a suprising event, in context.

Opebo,

In all honesty, what the hell happened to you? When I first came on this forum a few years ago you were a completely different human being...

As someone with the opposite problem as you (I came on the forum fairly recently - one year ago today, in fact), I can explain: opebo's brain has been infested by Alien Space Bats, which have completely eaten away what passes for a moral center. He's also apparently tried to read Karl Marx while on acid. Or maybe it's just some STD passed on by a Thai hooker. I don't know. He now makes TexasGurl look like a fiscal conservative, PAFlyers (aka IrishDemocrat) like a moral prude, and is best known for wanting to feed Christians to the lions, Muslims to the swine, and 12 year olds to the whims of adults. And he's also following a perverted version of Keynesian economics - which he uses to define massive redistribution of wealth in amounts that would make Franklin Roosevelt sick to his stomach. So, basically, he's now the left's answer to NixonNow (aka Dick Nixon - who has now ben sort-of rehabilitated, and is less trollish then he used to be), a stupider and less moral migrendel, the economic opposite of Bono, and the social opposite of Jake, StatesRights, or Preston.

BTW, <bows for a moment of silence in rememberance of the 3000 dead>.

[J. J.]

We were not contemporaries as it were, but it's good to see you post.  It is an excellent post.

On 9/11, at the time of the attacks, I was gallantly eating a sausage biscuit with egg at the local Micky D's when Flight 77 flew nearly directly over my head and crashed into Pentagon about 3 1/3 miles away.  

As I was driving back to my hotel, I heard a low rumble and thought for a second that it was another attack; I then told myself that I was just being paranoid.  It was the Pentagon wall collapsing, I found out later.

At roughly the same time, Flight 93 flew over my cemetery plot in western PA and crashed next to the house of a sister-in-law of a friend whose campaign I had managed, sending some debris into a lake I have visited.

Ironically, I wrote an article in 1992 on the Emir Abdel Kader, a 19th Century Islamic scholar who was the first Arab nationalist, that unsuccessfully led a jihad against French colonialization in Algeria.  In 1860, while in exile in Damascus, he protected between 12 K and 15 K Christians against rioters.  He confronted the crowd saying, "Wretches, is this how you honor the Prophet!  May his curse be upon you!"  I invoked the same curse that day.

God, has given me a great sense of irony.

[The Duke]

Great stuff, very much in the same vein of my post a few days ago about the insane partisanship by the usual suspects.  I'd love to hear the scoop on what went down on the inside.  Good to see you back on the block.

[The Duke]

Oh, and opebo hasn't cahnged one bit actually.  He's the same selfish bastard he always was, he just has changed his mind on what serves his own self interest.

[bgwah]

After Hurricane Katrina, I started to wonder whether or not the posters on this forum (which I left long ago and very rarely read anymore) would be so low as to inject partisan politics into a national tragedy, so I spent much of the past week reading many of the threads I missed. While many of you on both sides of the political aisle did the honorable thing and put partisan politics aside in talking about the Hurricane, there were, as expected, the usual vermin who engaged in the political version of looting by attempting to score political points at this time of national tragedy.

And so I urge you all to put aside your political ideology for at least the short term and focus on the fact that you are an American

Great!

and our new home is what the wacko left wingers derisively refer to as a "McMansion"

 I probably won't be around the forum for more than a day or so since I long ago grew tired of engaging in political debate with 18 year old leftists who know NOTHING about the real world, but it was nice dropping in to say my peace on this special day.

Oh, nevermind.