Never Forget
It's the seventh year of the aftermath of September 11th, an event so horrible that you can't imagine using it's memory for anything but improving lives. It was especially horrible for those in the area of the twin towers and the Pentagon. For all of us, there was a horror that we will never shake off entirely. One particular lesson isn't possible, as all our experiences differ.
One memory I have is of the eerie quiet in downtown Dallas, as I stayed in a tall building while most people left, since I wanted to get word from my son in D.C. He had been at National Airport, his flight was canceled and he went home - a route that took him by the Pentagon.
Another memory is from a later date, and one of horror as well. That memory is of Colin Powell testifying at a hearing, that we needed to take the occasion of the hideous attack to go to war with Iraq. His exact words were that this was 'an opportunity' that we should not pass up. I have seen that mindset horribly reinforced ever since that shocking testimony. The occupied White House saw an attack on this country as a booster shot for their military opportunism, and have used it that way ever since. I know that Colin Powell was being honest, and passing on the line he had been fed. The schemers of the Iraq disaster have lied and misinterpreted events in order to twist public opinion their way. It will now be left to the next administration to get out of the mess they've made in the Middle East, and in so many other areas.
Now I watch a campaign show the same cynical attitude toward political aims, that justifies for their minds any twisting of the truth. Public opinion is despised - and the grossest imagery is not beyond them. Accusing Sen. Obama of sexual manipulation of small children is not beyond this group of predators.
The outlandish accusation, combined with other McAyn campaign fabrications, have inspired reactions against their lies.
That was from the Kansas City paper, and is not the only media rejection of these lies. Larry Sabato of UVA and Chuck Todd at NBC earned my respect in last night's news cycle for pointing out the McAyn's campaign is showing their need to obscure actual truths, facts that are against them. A drive for votes gives impetus to political operatives, blinding them to facts. The drive for power leads to this use of despicable tactics. It also shows the nature of person behind it, one that has held power against our public interest for far too long.
The McCain ads here include one that represents the Obama campaign as a pack of wolves for digging up the truth about Palin. The innocent victim under attack that ad would like us to imagine is not there. These protesting lambs have deliberately lied, twisted information, and tried to hide the facts from voters. They know they aren't worthy of public trust, and are trying to divert our attention away from that just as their fellow party members led this country into a disastrous, horribly painful war that will besmirch our country's reputation forever.
Never forget.
One memory I have is of the eerie quiet in downtown Dallas, as I stayed in a tall building while most people left, since I wanted to get word from my son in D.C. He had been at National Airport, his flight was canceled and he went home - a route that took him by the Pentagon.
Another memory is from a later date, and one of horror as well. That memory is of Colin Powell testifying at a hearing, that we needed to take the occasion of the hideous attack to go to war with Iraq. His exact words were that this was 'an opportunity' that we should not pass up. I have seen that mindset horribly reinforced ever since that shocking testimony. The occupied White House saw an attack on this country as a booster shot for their military opportunism, and have used it that way ever since. I know that Colin Powell was being honest, and passing on the line he had been fed. The schemers of the Iraq disaster have lied and misinterpreted events in order to twist public opinion their way. It will now be left to the next administration to get out of the mess they've made in the Middle East, and in so many other areas.
Now I watch a campaign show the same cynical attitude toward political aims, that justifies for their minds any twisting of the truth. Public opinion is despised - and the grossest imagery is not beyond them. Accusing Sen. Obama of sexual manipulation of small children is not beyond this group of predators.
The outlandish accusation, combined with other McAyn campaign fabrications, have inspired reactions against their lies.
What happened: A new 30-second TV ad attacks Barack Obama's record on education, saying that Obama backed legislation to teach " 'comprehensive sex education' to kindergartners." The announcer then says, "Learning about sex before learning to read? Barack Obama. Wrong on education. Wrong for your family."
Why that's wrong: This is a deliberately misleading accusation. It came hours after the Obama campaign released a TV ad critical of McCain's votes on public education. As a state senator in Illinois, Obama did vote for but was not a sponsor of legislation dealing with sex ed for grades K-12.
But the legislation allowed local school boards to teach "age-appropriate" sex education, not comprehensive lessons to kindergartners, and it gave schools the ability to warn young children about inappropriate touching and sexual predators.
Republican Alan Keyes tried to use Obama's vote against him in the 2004 U.S. Senate race. At the time, Obama spoke about wanting to protect young children from abuse. He made clear then that he was not supporting teaching kindergartners about explicit details of sex. (Emphasis added.)
That was from the Kansas City paper, and is not the only media rejection of these lies. Larry Sabato of UVA and Chuck Todd at NBC earned my respect in last night's news cycle for pointing out the McAyn's campaign is showing their need to obscure actual truths, facts that are against them. A drive for votes gives impetus to political operatives, blinding them to facts. The drive for power leads to this use of despicable tactics. It also shows the nature of person behind it, one that has held power against our public interest for far too long.
The McCain ads here include one that represents the Obama campaign as a pack of wolves for digging up the truth about Palin. The innocent victim under attack that ad would like us to imagine is not there. These protesting lambs have deliberately lied, twisted information, and tried to hide the facts from voters. They know they aren't worthy of public trust, and are trying to divert our attention away from that just as their fellow party members led this country into a disastrous, horribly painful war that will besmirch our country's reputation forever.
Never forget.
Labels: Bush Legacy, Dirty Tricks, Disinformation, Election 2008, Republican Lying
posted by Ruth at 4:00 AM
1 Comments:
I work in DC, but on 9/11 i was in our campus near Dulles Airport. I was waiting to my students who were suppose to take the shuttle from downtown DC. Of course, they never showed up. Instead, we were watching downtown NYC on TV.
My two youger ones were at NYU, a short walk from the World Trade Center. Phone and cell phone to NYC were out. My son in Chicago found the solution; he sent them an email. They responded; Gore's Internet was up. It turns out that they both were safe and watching the ongoings from a roof together.
My son in Chicago saw the first plane hit and went to the FAA dynamic map and discovered the other plane on its way to NYC, Later, weeks later the FBI agent came to investigate him. (They analyzed all access to the FAA map.) They asked him what was he looking for his answer was "I was looking for additional plaanes, didn't you?"
Then the war criminal took over the US and started the war in Iraq. Afghanistan was just a training exercise.
Post a Comment
<< Home