The Impacts of 9/11 Part II – The Spending Burden

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There can be no denying it.  Our reactions to the horrific 9/11 attack allowed certain individuals in this country to carry out a second tragedy. A massive increase in defense spending & a huge expansion of military adventurism have left us on the brink of doing to ourselves what we did to the Soviet Union.

Spending so overly much on defense & the military that the economy falls apart and takes the country itself with it.  Effectively, this would also accomplish the stated mission of the most hated man in the last 20 years. The terrorist garbage Osama bin Laden stated several times his primary goal was to get us to spend ourselves into oblivion.

The cumbersome burden of  $1.46 trillion in unpaid debt from two wars that were  largely mismanaged and of questionable necessity. The total defense budget now exceeds $1 trillion dollars annually. The country with the next highest defense spending is China at roughly $100 billion. We are spending around 10 times that of the only country that poses any real risk to us militarily.

This is a very dangerous path to continue down and because of this burden, Republicans have seized on the lie that what we are over-spending on are social programs that help those Americans who can least help themselves. Meanwhile the idea of getting this dangerous level of military spending under control is demonized as unpatriotic.

If we continue to embrace the lies instead of electing politicians that are in favor of reigning in this dangerous military spending level, then the 9/11 attack will have succeeded in doing what no enemy has been able to do for over 200 years, to end the United States as it is known today.

I’m confident no American wants this.

– “Left of Center”

Related articles

• 9/11 aftermath: Costs still permeate U.S. economy (marketwatch.com)

The Impacts of 9/11 Part I – The Constitution

I think we need to be honest with each other as a country. With the blindly fearful reactionary passing of The Patriot Act following the 9-11 attacks, the 4th Amendment was essentially killed, or left very close to dead.  The constant renewing of the Patriot Act instead of letting it sunset as was originally planned while not making any drastic changes to it has kept that essential Constitutional protection at best on life support.

Some will say George W Bush & his administration is to blame. Others will argue that the Obama administration has continued to renew it. Both are true. Both parties are equally guilty here. Warrant-less searches & wiretaps, gathering private information about American citizens.  Americans that have been suspected of crimes held indefinitely without access to legal counsel, without being informed of the charges against them. The TSA. The list goes on.

We need to come together as a country to elect representatives who will do their proper duty to repeal the Unconstitutional aspects of the Patriot Act. For this issue, we need to forget about Democrat and Republican labels. We need to wake up and work together to fix this using our votes.

– “Left of Center”

I Am Overcome – Looking Back on 9/11

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I still remember being jolted awake by the phone that morning. A friend calling hysterical, crying, emphatic for me to turn on the television. Groggily trying to figure out what could have her so very upset so very early in the morning. Very little surprises me in life. What we witnessed that morning surprised me greatly. Probably the most so in my life. It, quite frankly, also scared the Hell out of me. What was happening? Who was responsible? Why were they doing this? How could this happen within our borders?

None of those thoughts really matter anymore. As I reflect back on the time that has passed I have several thoughts I’d like to share. That can come later however, as those may be topics that generate disagreement. Today we need to remember that spirit of country, of family we had in the weeks following these horrific attacks on our United States. Today we need to remember that despite what is sometimes a number of differences we are one country, free & united together.

Take a moment of silence today for the over 3,000 of our family members, our men & women who were senselessly taken from us that day. We need to remember our neighbors and our loved ones and honor those fallen heroes who put their own lives on the line to save a few of their fellow citizens.  Creed, race, nationality & other meaningless surface differences need to be ignored. We were all attacked that day. We all suffered that day.  Let’s not forget we are all Americans regardless of our differences.

– “Left of Center”

A Quick Thought on 9-11

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Just to make a brief statement here, nothing fancy.  Let’s take a few seconds of silence is not too much to ask for today, as well as few seconds to think about how your world has changed, and how America has changed since 10 years ago.

Touchy subject for some, but an unignorable part of any person who has seen that event, and those who have been directly affected by the event.  We’ll talk about how things have progress/regressed after 09/11 has past, and no earlier.

– Classic Liberal

In Memoriam IX – 9/11/01

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Today marks the anniversary of the murders of nearly 3000 American citizens of all nationalities & faiths.  Today we look back and reflect on both their loss and the sacrifice of dozens of first responders, heroes one and all, both in the collapse of the towers and from related illness in the years that have followed. Just as I did nine years ago, I look back today and wonder.. why? What could possibly have driven 20 people to become so hateful, so despondent, so unhappy with the world and with life that they could do something so monstrous.

I, like many may have done at first, blamed religion. I’ve come to accept that though I may have my disagreements with all religions, that religion is not at fault for this. No, I’ve come to firmly believe that the cause of the 9-11 attacks rests solely in the lack of jobs, education, and overall opportunity that citizens of many other countries in the world deal with on a daily basis. Items that many of us in America take very much for granted. Even when times are tough here we still have it better here than many other people on this planet.

Like has happened countless times throughout history, a small minority of evil and/or powerful people is able to use the promise of fortune, opportunity and success to trick and motivate people that are facing a life with little to look forward to into becoming misguided followers. These evil people poison and close off the minds of those that are just looking for a chance to do good or right by their families. A chance to move up or move out or make something of themselves. This is not just a problem that happens in the Middle East. We have several instances of similar, though certainly smaller scale troubles, in our own past in this country. Sadly, these people that become followers of whatever perverted version of whatever belief system they have been brainwashed into will go to nearly any length to achieve that which their mental captors desire them to go.

When I look back on September 11th, 2001 I cannot help but still feel the same things I felt then. I can’t help but still feel revolted by both the video and the media’s constant need to replay it endlessly. I can’t help but feel the shock and the pain and the heartbreak and the anger that I first felt living through that day. I can’t begin to even pretend to imagine how those in New York, DC, & on Flight 93 that were directly involved feel.  My mind reels at the thought of it. My heartfelt condolences to all those that suffered direct and personal loss on that day. As Americans we all lost something that day, but their loss is greatest and I know for those that actually lost a loved on in the towers or the Pentagon or on Flight 93, even nine years hence that pain is still fresh and it will be for awhile.

I have an additional sadness over the events and the years that have followed. I am sad for us as a country that the spirit and attitude of togetherness and unity that we showed that day and in the weeks and months that followed. The true patriotism and civility, even for a short time, replaced the self-importance and the disregard that we generally have for our fellow Americans. I am disheartened by the fact that I strongly believe that we have not learned the lessons the tragedy was meant to teach us.

When one group of Americans rise in protest against protecting Constitutional Rights for another group of Americans, we all lose.  We saw it in the days and weeks following the attacks and we’ve seen that unfortunate ignorance rear it’s ugly head again in the recent months both in regards to politics, Muslim Americans, gay rights, and other issues. Each time one group of Americans argues for only protecting Constitutional rights when the issue at hand doesn’t make us uncomfortable, then we all fall short of the goals and aspirations that the Founding Fathers had for this nation.

It is my hope that as we move past this day and toward the 10 year anniversary that we rediscover that sense of unity and togetherness that we found for a short time following the attacks. Only this time I hope that we can keep it part of how we behave and who we are for good. We need to stop forgetting that regardless of nationality, race, sexual orientation, or religious denomination we are all Americans and we all have and deserve the same rights and protections under law outlined in the Constitution.

To all of those that suffered personal loss, I hope that one day finds you the solace that you need to keep the memories of your loved ones alive but be beyond the pain.

We Will Never Forget!

– “Left of Center”

Related Articles

• 9/11 anniversary (tfa.net)
• 9-11, In Remembrance and Healing Over Our 4,397 Souls Lost: A Muslim Prayer-Poem (themoderatevoice.com)
• Illinois, Obama Commemorate Anniversary of 9/11 Attacks (chicagoist.com)

Nine Years …

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On this day, nine years ago we witnessed a terrible event that unfortunately led to the death of 3000+ Americans.  There was no separation of these people, they were white and black; young and old; male and female; Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Atheist and Agnostic.  Regardless of whatever characteristics, they were our countrymen.

Some of us will reflect on that day and go through and examine how such a tragedy impacted us.  We might reflect on what we were doing that day.  We might reflect on the ones we lost.  We might reflect on how we’re going to face tomorrow.

Let’s not disrespect the people whose lives were taken from them by the actions committed.  No, the nation was united for a time being (it took a terrible act to do so); we need to remain united, for the victims’ sake, and for our sake as well.

I’ll end this post tonight with this quote … to help motivate those that lost, and my fellow countrymen:

“There are stars who’s light only reaches the earth long after they have fallen apart.  There are people who’s remembrance gives light in this world, long after they have passed away.  This light shines in our darkest nights on the road we must follow.”

– “Classic Liberal”