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News & ArtsSaturday, September 10, 2011
Death / Comedy / News / Life I Have To Say...
Posted by Dan Savage on Sat, Sep 10, 2011 at 11:41 AM
...that I agree with Dick Cavett:
Have you, perchance, decided—as I have—not to spend the weekend re-wallowing in 9/11 with the media? Aside from allowing Saint Rudolph, former tenant of Gracie Mansion, to trumpet once again his self-inflated heroism on that nightmare day, the worst feature of this relentlessly repeated carnival of bitter sights and memories is that it glamorizes the terrorists. How they must enjoy tuning into our festival of their spectacular accomplishments, cheering when the second plane hits and high-fiving when the falling towers are given full-color international showcasing for the tenth time.
Who wants this? Surveys show people want to forget it, or at least not have it thrust down their throats from all over the dial annually. It can’t have to do with that nauseating buzz-word “closure.” There is no closure to great tragedies. Ask the woman on a call-in show who said how she resents all this ballyhooing every year of the worst day of her life: “My mother died there that day. I’m forced to go through her funeral again every year.”
Is all this stuff a ratings bonanza? Who in the media could be that heartless?
I agree—even though Christopher's 9/11 feature is excellent—and Cavett goes on to suggest a change of subject: Comedy! Then to clear our beautiful minds of all this 9/11 wallowing Cavett recounts a bit that Mel Brooks wrote for Carl Reiner and Sid Caesar about, um, what a person plummeting to earth from a great height should do...
[Caesar:] “Scream and keep screaming all the way down... This way they’ll know where to find you. [Or] spread your arms and begin to fly.
Reiner: But humans can’t fly.
Caesar: How do you know? You might be the first one. Anyway, you can always go back to screaming.
Um, gee. Not the best choice of comic anecdote there, Dick, considering. It instantly called forth bitter mental images of that nightmare day.
1
I agree with Cavitt's sentiment, but a) if people didn't want it "thrust down their throats," the networks wouldn't show them; and b) the terrorists have many more substantial things to be proud of than this; namely, the sorry state of our economy after needless wars, the rattled sense of national security, the ever widening divide between American political factions, and (if they really give a crap about our freedoms) the erosion of our civil liberties. 9/11 replays aren't shit compared to that.
3
Yes, be that as it may, the sheer fact that 9/11 is perhaps one of the awesome spectacles of desctrucion in world history makes it continuusoly compelling and watchable in is own right - regardless of the reverberating chicken and egg punditry of the role of the media, society, and terrorism. These two, are essentially, orthogonal.
4
Yeah, I was at a bar last night, sitting in a booth facing a big TV that was playing NBC's 9/11 special. I mean, come on. I no longer feel the need to re-live it over and over again, especially when I'm out at a bar... I had to switch sides of the booth.
On the first anniversary of 9/11, one of the networks (NBC again?) re-aired their coverage from that day, as it aired live. I decided to watch it, with the justification that I had missed an hour of the coverage on 9/11, after my work was evacuated and before I got home. I can't really say whether it brought me any more "closure" or not, but I can say I was way more of a wreck watching it the second time around than I was on the actual day the year before. Not the best decision, probably...
On the first anniversary of 9/11, one of the networks (NBC again?) re-aired their coverage from that day, as it aired live. I decided to watch it, with the justification that I had missed an hour of the coverage on 9/11, after my work was evacuated and before I got home. I can't really say whether it brought me any more "closure" or not, but I can say I was way more of a wreck watching it the second time around than I was on the actual day the year before. Not the best decision, probably...
5
I read and enjoyed Frizzelle's piece mostly because it wasn't a rehashing of stats, timelines and images from that day. I do not wish to relive it in the manner that TV and the news media seem to want to force upon us.
But Chris' piece was more about how it affects me, and all of us, since. The way our day to day has been affected. I find this helpful. Seeing the images from 10 days ago tomorrow won't do anything for me except make me feel depressed and disgusted. I will not be turning on the TV tomorrow.
But Chris' piece was more about how it affects me, and all of us, since. The way our day to day has been affected. I find this helpful. Seeing the images from 10 days ago tomorrow won't do anything for me except make me feel depressed and disgusted. I will not be turning on the TV tomorrow.
8
well its good to hear they aren't giving you any influence over anything
http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Cover…
what a stupid post, even for you
http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Cover…
what a stupid post, even for you
9
I'm not sure when the last time I turned the teevee on was. March, maybe? Needless to say, I won't be tempted to flip it on this weekend.
10
@7 It's true! I got home and hurriedly put on Maddow to realize it was a THREE HOUR special on the tenth anniversary. TV went back off.
11
if people didn't want it "thrust down their throats," the networks wouldn't show them;
Do you _seriously_ believe that? That the networks are just slavishly providing for the masses what it demands? I find that attitude naive, to say the least.
And Phoebe, love, instead of "in world history," it would be more accurate to say "it was the most awesome spectacles of destruction provided for me on the television screen in full color and pleasing camera angles." Even the fire-bombing of Dresden was caught on film, albeit from the bomber's perspective & in shitty b&w. I'd suggest that there are plenty acts of destruction in mankind's history that will only be left to our imagination, that far outweigh 9/11's "awesomeness."
12
I bet after the TV gets done with their 9/11 anniversary bonanza, they will follow it with days of wall to wall self-reflection on whether they should have had a 9/11 anniversary bonanza. Perhaps they'll note that their own exploitative coverage wasn't as awful as a few others they could name. Even their own crassness is fodder to exploit for more content.
The Stranger isn't like that though. Because.
The Stranger isn't like that though. Because.
13
The Onion has some great articles this week, It is comic relief at the expense of the cable news networks & politicians and a real retreat from what is going on this weekend.
http://www.theonion.com/video/rememberin…
http://www.theonion.com/articles/respons…
http://www.theonion.com/video/rememberin…
http://www.theonion.com/articles/respons…
14
I think a society like ours needs reminders. The great tragedies and triumphs unite us in ways few other things do. We can disagree about everything else but we have a great deal of love for America. I remember thinking as the towers fell that I was grateful beyond words that I lived in the greatest country in the world and she was wounded, bleeding, burning. That's perhaps the trauma of a lifetime and that needs ceremony and grieving to heal.
15
@8: I actually don't see the covers, typically, until after they're out. I'm not the editor these days, you see. If I had been, I probably would've pushed for some 9/11palooza counter programming on the cover this week. But I like the cover, and love Frizzelle's feature.
And now I'm going for a commemorative bike ride. And, hey, I'M FLYING TOMORROW. Seattle-DFW-SomeOtherDamnPlace. Wish me luck.
And now I'm going for a commemorative bike ride. And, hey, I'M FLYING TOMORROW. Seattle-DFW-SomeOtherDamnPlace. Wish me luck.
16
Luck. I have friends who are flying tomorrow also. I told them that would probably be the safest place in the whole fucking country. I meant it, too.
17
Terrorism doesn't work unless media spreads the terror for them.
Osama keeps winning, and we keep helping: http://aljazeera.com/indepth/spotlight/t…
Osama keeps winning, and we keep helping: http://aljazeera.com/indepth/spotlight/t…
19
Don't blame Cavett for the mountain climbing joke. He didn't go there. You did, and by framing it without his setup you helped us follow you there. Thanks, I guess.
20
@15 Good luck. Bon voyage. I hope you have as nice weather where you're going as we are. And don't forget, never, ever slap the stewardess when she's too slow with your drink.
24
We have to watch the commemoration to replenish our fear reservoirs so that we can stomach another decade of the USA's "Endless War" policies, at home and abroad.
Turn it off. Put on something about life and love. Read a book. Go outside and frolic with animals.
Turn it off. Put on something about life and love. Read a book. Go outside and frolic with animals.
25
@ 11, you think networks don't supply what the public demands? Maybe you should come down from Capitol Hill and see what most of America is doing sometime.
26
I didn't even watch the news coverage 10 years ago. I figured there was nothing I needed to see. The facts were horrific; I didn't need the sensationalism and sentimentalism that would have accompanied them on tv.
I guess this is just too big an opportunity for ratings at the expense of the victims and their families for the networks to pass up, but it makes me kind of sick. And to make tasteless jokes is equally sickening.
Can't we just each of us quietly remember/mourn/commemorate in our own ways? Is that too much to ask? Must we share in some sort of communal grief wallow-fest to prove we're real Americans?
I guess this is just too big an opportunity for ratings at the expense of the victims and their families for the networks to pass up, but it makes me kind of sick. And to make tasteless jokes is equally sickening.
Can't we just each of us quietly remember/mourn/commemorate in our own ways? Is that too much to ask? Must we share in some sort of communal grief wallow-fest to prove we're real Americans?
29
I dropped my cable months ago and given what I have been hearing it was the best decision I ever made.
31
It is days like this that make me especially happy I no longer own a TV. I can think of dozens of things I'd rather do than watch relentless reruns of towers coming down all weekend. It's beautiful and sunny, the best weather we've had all summer in Seattle. I'm going back outside.
32
I'm in New York City, and a lot of people are terrified of taking the subway tomorrow, particularly into Midtown. I'm wondering if this would give me a better chance at getting lotto tickets for Book of Mormon. I think this would be a nice little 'fuck you' to terrorism, fear, etc.
33
I never watched the original coverage either. Way way too sad, horrifying etc. I didn't need to see it then, and I don't today.
Let the dying throw themselves off buildings to their deaths in peace; their deaths were not fodder for the media mill. Humans' need to watch others die is un-quenchable.
Let the dying throw themselves off buildings to their deaths in peace; their deaths were not fodder for the media mill. Humans' need to watch others die is un-quenchable.
34
I'm going to be on the road as well. I hope to see none of it (and maybe Nunavit as well, some day, but not tomorrow).
The stupid thing about "Never Forget" is that with an event as shocking and dramatic as 9/11, and as endlessly played in the media, not forgetting is not a very impressive achievement, is it? It's like saying "never forget that day you got your leg cut off by that maniac with the chain saw in the mall". You wouldn't, would you? Whereas, for instance, remembering every single lie told by the Bush Administration in the runup to the Iraq War -- now THAT'S hard.
The stupid thing about "Never Forget" is that with an event as shocking and dramatic as 9/11, and as endlessly played in the media, not forgetting is not a very impressive achievement, is it? It's like saying "never forget that day you got your leg cut off by that maniac with the chain saw in the mall". You wouldn't, would you? Whereas, for instance, remembering every single lie told by the Bush Administration in the runup to the Iraq War -- now THAT'S hard.
35
I disagree totally...I think 9/11 -- for all the media coverage, is still not resolved in the American mindset.
Conspiracists get all the facts wrong.
Liberals insist that we shouldn't have gone to war.
Conservatives have shunned Bush...probably one of the great Presidents of history.
No one on any side is willing to recognize the case of the rest and to accept the facts as they are...it may really take decades...and a lot more documentaries and books...before we all come to an agreement!
For myself, I lapped up the coverage of NBC's Dateline last night. 2 Hours...but afterwards I did more research and found answers (like the AVR recordings from flight 93) informative and answering questions in my own mind.
We have to digest 9/11. It is the ostrich egg in the Python. We're still eating...
Conspiracists get all the facts wrong.
Liberals insist that we shouldn't have gone to war.
Conservatives have shunned Bush...probably one of the great Presidents of history.
No one on any side is willing to recognize the case of the rest and to accept the facts as they are...it may really take decades...and a lot more documentaries and books...before we all come to an agreement!
For myself, I lapped up the coverage of NBC's Dateline last night. 2 Hours...but afterwards I did more research and found answers (like the AVR recordings from flight 93) informative and answering questions in my own mind.
We have to digest 9/11. It is the ostrich egg in the Python. We're still eating...
37
Zenophobic masturbation on a national scale.
@35, Though it's most likely you're just trying to jerk chains around here, if you really believe that shit, you're in a very lonely percentile.
@35, Though it's most likely you're just trying to jerk chains around here, if you really believe that shit, you're in a very lonely percentile.
38
you're in a very lonely percentile
Only so many square feet in a rubber room...hey, watch the end table!
39
@11 I used to have those new-fangled Nielsen boxes attached to all the televisions in my home. They tracked every channel anyone in the house spent more than 30 seconds on--and all that data got dumped to Nielsen at 4 am every morning. It was like Big Brother was watching TV with me and my roommate.
Television advertising revenue is based on those statistics, and television programming decisions naturally follow from that. To assume otherwise is naive. After nine anniversaries the programmers have reams of data on what draws eyeballs on and around 9/11 anniversaries, just as they have reams of data about all non-unique programming.
As to Dresden, or other disasters that exceed 9/11's death count, there's one crucial difference: 9/11 happened live and unedited in front of millions of viewers. Millions more who missed it live, had the 'pleasure' of watching the endless replays of the most shocking footage for the next week. Dresden, Hiroshima, Auschwitz--sorry, truly, but the wealth of live color footage puts 9/11 in a different category--not for the immediate victims, but for the huge audience of semi-traumatized viewers, the indirect victims.
Television advertising revenue is based on those statistics, and television programming decisions naturally follow from that. To assume otherwise is naive. After nine anniversaries the programmers have reams of data on what draws eyeballs on and around 9/11 anniversaries, just as they have reams of data about all non-unique programming.
As to Dresden, or other disasters that exceed 9/11's death count, there's one crucial difference: 9/11 happened live and unedited in front of millions of viewers. Millions more who missed it live, had the 'pleasure' of watching the endless replays of the most shocking footage for the next week. Dresden, Hiroshima, Auschwitz--sorry, truly, but the wealth of live color footage puts 9/11 in a different category--not for the immediate victims, but for the huge audience of semi-traumatized viewers, the indirect victims.
40
What about dick caveat? If a guy has a tendency to lose his hard-on during sex, should he inform his new partner of that?
41
Even NPfreakingR is devoting their ENTIRE DAY of programming to 9/11 reflection & rememberance. Christ. I was living & working in DC on that day and actually wound up going up to New York in a comically ill-conceived effort to "help out" on the 12th (there was nothing whatsoever to be done by then and we basically wound up hitting up some bars & feeling kinda stupid.)
Yeah -- the whole "closure" thing seems really dubious as well. Is there anything to it really? Is there evidence to suggest that if my beloved mother was killed by some asshole monster I'd be better off by attending said asshole's execution? Genuinely curious.
NPR best not preempt Will Shortz tomorrow.
Yeah -- the whole "closure" thing seems really dubious as well. Is there anything to it really? Is there evidence to suggest that if my beloved mother was killed by some asshole monster I'd be better off by attending said asshole's execution? Genuinely curious.
NPR best not preempt Will Shortz tomorrow.
42
we all have said we'll never forget, yet we resent those that impose on our oh so important lives that make us remember. I
'm not asking you to watch the evil TV, but the fact remains that 10 years ago "IT" did happen. Don't kill the messenger.
And, yeah, every one of those bloggers, newpeople types, and stations need numbers, but in this case, they get 'em, cuz we swore we'd never forget. They're holding us to that.
'm not asking you to watch the evil TV, but the fact remains that 10 years ago "IT" did happen. Don't kill the messenger.
And, yeah, every one of those bloggers, newpeople types, and stations need numbers, but in this case, they get 'em, cuz we swore we'd never forget. They're holding us to that.
44
Too late. I'm in full wallow. The Ted Olsen I love, the guy who is fighting for *my* marriage equality, lost his wife 10 years ago today when her airplane hit the Pentagon. So I grieve for Ted Olsen.
45
Well, if it makes you all feel better, we out two Americans flags out. One to remember why I love America, one to piss off the two dykes next door.
46
CBS has finished with its annual interview of 9/11 d-bags: Rudy and Rummy, and has now switched to Football! Hallelujah!!!
47
Wow, be careful before you click. I can't believe I was that stupid. I should have seen it coming. I just read Cavett's piece and Savage's response and then clicked on "considering." Absolutely heartbreaking and frightening. (And here come a bunch of slams from other posters here.) Although I was in New Jersey vacationing with my and my partner's family there on 9/11 and watched a fair amount of tv coverage I never actually saw any of the people who jumped on 9/11. I don't have a tv so I didn't see images of them when I returned to Seattle. Jesus fucking Christ. Cry or puke? Not sure. Maybe both.
48
Ehh I just hope this is the last of we hear of Christopher's hopeless family.
We get it.
Move on.
We get it.
Move on.
49
"Never forgetting" isn't the same thing as having the images of people making the worst, most awful decision one can imagine shoved down your throat.
50
Uh oh I posted on September 11 and his birthday! Existentially, that is supposed to be a big deal and matter to a lot of people and feel sorry for him, right? Somebody call in a New Yorker and some humiliation and complete the story, PLEASE!.
51
People getting all reverential about the 10th anniversary seem to be almost glorifying what happened. All the "never forget" sentiment. Of course we haven't forgotten. The world changed on 9/11 and we've been living in it every day since then, so I don't understand the big hoopla over today. And I don't have a TV, so I won't be watching the coverage.
52
I'm watching some of the memorial now -- I tuned in late so as not to have to watch the whole thing -- but I don't want to be inundated with this stuff all day. I don't think we should forget, or try to forget, or want to forget 9/11. But the continual parade of grief is not something I need all day. After the memorial I plan to tune out -- I don't know, maybe watch some porn, something funny, read. Whatever is the opposite of sadness.
53
It's really shitty that even the Stranger fell for the bullshit existential crap...despite how, what, painfully? This big expose that Frizzelle has been pushing out about his poor, poor Californian freeway for years now. OH ITZ NINE ELEVEN. Time to be subjected to brothers and mothers and fathers and oooo heart ache like nobody has ever had family secrets!
Stamp out the burning pained cigarette, Keck. Nobody gives a shit.
Stamp out the burning pained cigarette, Keck. Nobody gives a shit.
54
@11 Some old no....., is quite accurate, of course. How anyone is clueless about the American myth-media, now essentially controlled by two mega-corporations, completely in collusion with one another, while when I was a kid delivering the AM and PM newspapers, over 1,000 companies owned and operated the mass media.
But, Dano, I would strongly suggest that you and the staff at The Stranger take a moment to listen to some survivor's tales from the attack on the Pentagon.
It's by an NPR producer, and former staff member of pro-oil, anti-enviro, Murchowski of Alaska ('natch, aren't all NPR types always former R-CON staff members????).
http://soundprint.org:8080/ramgen/docume…
The very few surviving DIA financial managers are interviewed, while I believe there was only one not horribly injured who went unscathed that day --- she was running late and therefore didn't access her e-mail about the meeting that all (including many off-site) DIA financial managers should attend that morning (9:00 - 10:30 AM) at the financial systems area (that would be directly by the west side which was attacked by the airliner that day).
The great thing about this is that the military people never once mention the irony that all the DIA (Defense Intelligence Agency) financial managers were to attend a last minute meeting during the exact time of the airliner crash.
I think of this as Hedge Funds Celebration Day, since shortly after 9/11/01, trillions of dollars seem to magically flow into offshore hedge funds --- with a dramatic explosion in hedge fund growth first noted in 2002.
I believe this was the 1,002 second miraculous coincidence of that day, taken with some of those other infinitely improbable coindences on that day, during that exact timeframe:
(C) the evacuation of NRO facility in Reston, VA, during a simulated exercise of several hijacked planes crashing into that facility --- this negating the possibility of manually tasking one or more recon satellites to monitor the airspace above NYC and the Pentagon on that morning;
(C) a unique record set for the number of federal and military exercises during that timeframe;
(C) forward positioning of majority of USAF interceptors in Alaska, northern Canada and Greenland during that time;
(C) the scheduled NORAD center stand-down (at their HQ at Cheyenne Mountain, Colorado Springs, CO);
(C) the extra-extra-extraordinary coincidence of the make-up of some of those passengers spread among those four airliners that day;
(C) the incredible coincidence that two of those four airliners were DoD special charter (which was why only two of them appeared on the FAA registry, a recondite fact most are still unaware of as few have experience at the highest level at either DoD, the FAA, or speaking for my own situation, Special Airlift Missions Command Post (SAAM) at Andrews AFB);
and about one thousand other infinitely improbable coindences on that day (note the above all emanated from either the office of the VP, or the office of the Secretary of Defense).
Good day!
More...
But, Dano, I would strongly suggest that you and the staff at The Stranger take a moment to listen to some survivor's tales from the attack on the Pentagon.
It's by an NPR producer, and former staff member of pro-oil, anti-enviro, Murchowski of Alaska ('natch, aren't all NPR types always former R-CON staff members????).
http://soundprint.org:8080/ramgen/docume…
The very few surviving DIA financial managers are interviewed, while I believe there was only one not horribly injured who went unscathed that day --- she was running late and therefore didn't access her e-mail about the meeting that all (including many off-site) DIA financial managers should attend that morning (9:00 - 10:30 AM) at the financial systems area (that would be directly by the west side which was attacked by the airliner that day).
The great thing about this is that the military people never once mention the irony that all the DIA (Defense Intelligence Agency) financial managers were to attend a last minute meeting during the exact time of the airliner crash.
I think of this as Hedge Funds Celebration Day, since shortly after 9/11/01, trillions of dollars seem to magically flow into offshore hedge funds --- with a dramatic explosion in hedge fund growth first noted in 2002.
I believe this was the 1,002 second miraculous coincidence of that day, taken with some of those other infinitely improbable coindences on that day, during that exact timeframe:
(C) the evacuation of NRO facility in Reston, VA, during a simulated exercise of several hijacked planes crashing into that facility --- this negating the possibility of manually tasking one or more recon satellites to monitor the airspace above NYC and the Pentagon on that morning;
(C) a unique record set for the number of federal and military exercises during that timeframe;
(C) forward positioning of majority of USAF interceptors in Alaska, northern Canada and Greenland during that time;
(C) the scheduled NORAD center stand-down (at their HQ at Cheyenne Mountain, Colorado Springs, CO);
(C) the extra-extra-extraordinary coincidence of the make-up of some of those passengers spread among those four airliners that day;
(C) the incredible coincidence that two of those four airliners were DoD special charter (which was why only two of them appeared on the FAA registry, a recondite fact most are still unaware of as few have experience at the highest level at either DoD, the FAA, or speaking for my own situation, Special Airlift Missions Command Post (SAAM) at Andrews AFB);
and about one thousand other infinitely improbable coindences on that day (note the above all emanated from either the office of the VP, or the office of the Secretary of Defense).
Good day!
55
@44, milemarker, wowee, it is very cool that Ted Olsen repositioned himself, so to speak, after his wife number three (highly insured and quite the payout day to Teddy) was horribly killed, but not too fret, milemarker, as Ted quickly moved on to wife number four without almost no delay!
Facts are nasty things, but sometimes they are important to actually comprehend......
Facts are nasty things, but sometimes they are important to actually comprehend......
56
@41, mikethehammer, "Even NPfreakingR is devoting their ENTIRE DAY .."
I believe they've been devoting the entire week as last week NPR did a heroic portrayal of Dick Cheney (glad they told me, I just thought he was simply a psycho draft-dodger), then later they did a wunnerful portrayal of chief of staff, Andrew Card, who would later leave and become a director at Union Pacific Railroad, will later they would be fined by the DOJ to the tune of $39 million for smuggling drugs across the US-Mexican border.
Ain't drug smugglers and psychos wonderful? (Evidently rightwing NPR believes so.)
And be sure to listen to:
http://soundprint.org:8080/ramgen/docume…
I believe they've been devoting the entire week as last week NPR did a heroic portrayal of Dick Cheney (glad they told me, I just thought he was simply a psycho draft-dodger), then later they did a wunnerful portrayal of chief of staff, Andrew Card, who would later leave and become a director at Union Pacific Railroad, will later they would be fined by the DOJ to the tune of $39 million for smuggling drugs across the US-Mexican border.
Ain't drug smugglers and psychos wonderful? (Evidently rightwing NPR believes so.)
And be sure to listen to:
http://soundprint.org:8080/ramgen/docume…
57
As I suspected, this is just another excuse to do the whole Us Versus Them bash-a-thon between political party lines. Moving on .....
58
@35, Supreme Ruler of the Universe,
"Conspiracists get all the facts wrong."
You are absolutely right, of course! Why everytime I turn on rightwing NPR (I never listen to ultra-rightwing Foxtard, CNN, AP, ABC, CBS, etc.) I seem to hear this guy who exactly shares your opinion, an author named Jonathan Kay, whom NPR appears to give unlimited time to as I really don't listen to them very often anymore.
Michael Enright, the CBC Public Radio stooge was "interviewing" Kay -- actually appears to follow the same exact script whether Kay's on the Diane Rehm show, Enright's show, or a number of NPR specials which have featured him.
First Kay does his character assassinations against the "truthers" -- mixing them in with the anti-Obama "birthers" and the Tea Party types (guilt by false association, 'natch) -- and continues making ad hominem attacks on them as individuals, then Enright (the stooge) responds:
You've established that they're cranks.
WTF???? What the Bloody Eff????? Mentioning ZERO facts, no data, Kay simply hurls epithet after epithet, and occasionally adds the word "science" without ever sourcing and stating anything scientific (kinda reminds me of Goldie at The Stranger).
They usually forget to mention that Jonathan Kay, godawful hackster of Among the Truthers, is a fellow at the neocon, ultra-rightwing Foundations in Defense of Democracy (R. James Woolsey, Michael Ledeen, Richard Perle, Joe Lieberman, Eric Cantor, Gary Bauer, Charles Krauthammer, Bill Kristol, Steve Forbes, etc.)
Yup, you're in good company, chief!
"Conspiracists get all the facts wrong."
You are absolutely right, of course! Why everytime I turn on rightwing NPR (I never listen to ultra-rightwing Foxtard, CNN, AP, ABC, CBS, etc.) I seem to hear this guy who exactly shares your opinion, an author named Jonathan Kay, whom NPR appears to give unlimited time to as I really don't listen to them very often anymore.
Michael Enright, the CBC Public Radio stooge was "interviewing" Kay -- actually appears to follow the same exact script whether Kay's on the Diane Rehm show, Enright's show, or a number of NPR specials which have featured him.
First Kay does his character assassinations against the "truthers" -- mixing them in with the anti-Obama "birthers" and the Tea Party types (guilt by false association, 'natch) -- and continues making ad hominem attacks on them as individuals, then Enright (the stooge) responds:
You've established that they're cranks.
WTF???? What the Bloody Eff????? Mentioning ZERO facts, no data, Kay simply hurls epithet after epithet, and occasionally adds the word "science" without ever sourcing and stating anything scientific (kinda reminds me of Goldie at The Stranger).
They usually forget to mention that Jonathan Kay, godawful hackster of Among the Truthers, is a fellow at the neocon, ultra-rightwing Foundations in Defense of Democracy (R. James Woolsey, Michael Ledeen, Richard Perle, Joe Lieberman, Eric Cantor, Gary Bauer, Charles Krauthammer, Bill Kristol, Steve Forbes, etc.)
Yup, you're in good company, chief!
59
sgt_doom: formatting and bolding and italicizing your work doesn't make any of your thoughts any more important than you think that your thoughts are.
60
We should call it National Emergency Workers' Day and be done with it. Anyone who personally lost someone or something in the attacks should mourn as long as he or she sees fit, but as a society, we should put it into our history where it belongs. No more damned bloody shirt.
61
Watching the NFL today, I couldn't believe how many callous corporation execs thought it was a good idea to shamelessly exploit 9/11 to try and sell their products--Verizon, Budweiser, Southwest Airlines and State Farm, to name but a few. I was especially disgusted by State Farm, after the way they did everything they could to try and screw Katrina victims.
62
@1: "a) if people didn't want it "thrust down their throats," the networks wouldn't show them;"
I disagree. The networks sell a narrative. At best, the people convince themselves that they want it, they defer to the newsmedia.
I disagree. The networks sell a narrative. At best, the people convince themselves that they want it, they defer to the newsmedia.
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