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« DOEP - Daily Open-Ended Puzzle (one time only): Facing front || Back to Blog | DOEP - Daily Open Ended Puzzle (one time only): Sounds in the wind » September 11, 2006
We're more than halfway through 9/11/06 and I'm feeling like we've fetishized it. Thousands of innocent citizens were murdered, and they deserve remembrance. But listening to the public voices chattering without pause, today seems to have become about something else: Justifying the sacrifice of American ideals and values in the name of our fear. On 9/10/01, if someone had told you that in response to a terrorist attack, a majority of Americans would back preemptive war and torture, would you have believed it? For five minutes forget whether or not we're safer now, five years after the attacks. The question I wish they'd talk about is: Are you proud of how our country has responded? I'm not. Our soldiers are brave and our fire fighters are heroes. We've done some things right. But, overall I'm not proud. And if the authorities weren't out whipping up fear, I think most Americans would answer the same way. [Tags: 9/11 terrorism wtc] Posted
by D. Weinberger at September 11, 2006 03:27 PM
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For the week of 9/11, The Washington Post's PostGlobal and Oxford International Review (OIR) are sponsoring exclusive blog commentary from Baghdad on the security situation in Iraq. Click here http://blog.washingtonpost.com/postglobal/debate/ for comments from Baha al-Araji, primary spokesman for the movement led by Muqtada al-Sadr. Members of the Sadrist Movement eschew contact with western media, but al-Araji agreed to speak exclusively to OIR. Join the conversation and pose questions to our panel. OIR and PostGlobal would love your input.
http://www.oir.org.uk
http://blog.washingtonpost.com/postglobal/
Posted by: Oxford International Review | September 11, 2006 04:14 PM
Well said. I've been waiting for someone to say this.
Posted by: Megan | September 11, 2006 05:53 PM
On 9/10/05, if someone had told you that in response to a terrorist attack, a majority of Americans would back preemptive war and torture, would you have believed it?
I think you mean 9/10/01.
Posted by: Matt Norwood | September 11, 2006 07:57 PM
I do mean that, Matt, and I've fixed the original. Thanks.
Posted by: David Weinberger![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.hyperorg.com/blogger/nav-commenters.gif)
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September 11, 2006 09:56 PM
An amazing stat in the Guardian yesterday morning with the number who have died in terrorist attacks (just over 7000) and the number who have died in the "War on Terror" (over 90,000). Would we have been better not going into war to save 83,000 lives or is it really all worthwhile in the end? Who will ever know?
Posted by: Ewan McIntosh | September 12, 2006 03:20 AM
Justifying the sacrifice of American ideals and values in the name of our fear.
Can I just say 'Brrr'?
Posted by: Phil | September 12, 2006 06:21 AM
"...let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself—nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance."
-- Franklin Delano Roosevelt, First Inaugural Address
Funny, until a few years ago I thought that was only some platitudinous phrase-making.
Posted by: johne | September 12, 2006 04:04 PM
Pity the paragon empire. It could use force to achieve beneficial change, but is rendered impotent by its own principles.
What would you do if you wanted an empire to act, if it can only use force in defence, and can only compromise principle in time of war?
Manufacture an attack by an unassailable foe?
Interesting times...
Posted by: JimT | September 13, 2006 08:47 AM
We bounced back. We liberated Afghanistan and retired a genocidal lunatic. Not bad.
Posted by: Anonymous | September 24, 2006 02:47 PM