The Broken Chair

Here is scenario: Obama wins the nomination based on slogans, slick YouTube videos, and the fact that right now, he isn't Hillary Clinton.

He says nothing, he stands for nothing and truly, he has accomplished nothing that makes him qualified to run the country. Hot Air recently highlighted an Obama focus group that could barely form sentences when asked to name one of his accomplishments.

Hope and Change. That's it.

So, what happens when more Democrats start to think like Dawn?

The safety valve.

An associate of mine brought to my attention the enduring myth that Democratic delegates are "bound on the first ballot". They are not. So, come convention time, if Obama's hollow act is played out and his numbers versus McCain are suffering, you might see Hillary come in to save the day. Would there be any better script for her? There is no doubt in my mind that she and her cronies will be working behind the scenes to put this into play.

Posted by Ed Z at 01:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

An additional 18 pieces of human remains were discovered yesterday at Ground Zero, pushing the grisly tally during a four-day search to 114, city officials said. - New York Daily News

On October 19, human remains were found at Ground Zero. Of the 2,749 people killed on September 11, 1,150 have not been identified.

This past September marked the five year anniversary of the terrorist attack also bringing criticism of the slow progress in building a proper memorial. Commercials urge us to realize the time is right coupling that sentiment with inviting your personal memories of that day. But in view of the recent discoveries at the World Trade Center site, I wonder if the time is right.

I've long been in favor of a simple memorial to honor the lives lost. This is hallowed ground, which still contains, as proved by recent findings, the remains of the dead.

My vision is a memorial much like the World War II Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial. I'd like to see headstones for everyone murdered that day, treating the site as it truly is; a burial ground. It also captures the magnitude of the event by visually displaying 2,749 symbols of a fallen loved one.

Many say that we need to rebuild the towers to show the terrorists we can't be defeated. However, the path to victory or defeat will not be traveled on the height of a building, it is in the hearts of our children who must always remember what happened on September 11, 2001.

I'd like to know what you think is an appropriate memorial.

Posted by Ed Z at 12:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (9) | TrackBacks (0)

Dennis Prager, of Townhall.com, was talkimg about a Washington Post editorial Thursday, in which it describes the complete and utter failue of the U.N.'s new Human Rights Council.

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/11/AR2006101101592.html

Darfur, Uzbekistan, Belarus, and Burma are all inconsequential for to the Human Rights Council, led by the Organization of the Islamic Conference, Israel is the only evil in the world.

According to Wikipeda, the primary goals of the OIC are "to promote solidarity among all member states; to consolidate cooperation among member states in economic, social, cultural, scientific, and other fields of activity; to endeavor to eliminate racial segregation and discrimination and to oppose colonialism in all its forms; to support the Palestinian people in their struggle to regain their national rights and to return to their homeland; and, to support all Muslim people in their struggle to safeguard their dignity, independence and national rights."

In other words, promoting self interest. On the top of that list seems to be doing anything to malign and destroy Israel, all other plights be damned. It really tells you something about the leaders of these countries, that when given a chance to do something good and noble, they choose a base, malicious, self-serving agenda.

Posted by Ed Z at 09:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (2)

September 29, 2006, Media Matters For America Headline: "ABC, CBS, CNN aired Bush's "cut and run" attack on Democrats, ignored Democratic response"

Media Matters went on to report that the gist of the "response", by Harry Reid, was: "If George Bush is so confident that his national security policies are working, he should release the entire National Intelligence Estimate on terrorism and let the American people decide for themselves. The fact that he won't speaks volumes about how the failure of his policies has made the American people less safe. George Bush has no credibility left on national security. No matter how many stump speeches he gives on the campaign trail, the American people can see the damage his tough talk has done to America's safety. It's time to be tough and smart so we can change course and give Americans the real security they deserve."

Most sane Americans wish there were no "War on Terror" and want nothing more than a sensible plan to end it and let Peace and the Happy Bosom Family reign. They will support a "cut and run" solution if a plan is presented that clearly outlines its benefits and risks.

For example, a short-term benefit of a quick exit from Iraq would likely be to save many American soldiers lives, (perhaps at the cost of a bloodbath for Iraqis). But, what of the longer term? How will defeating America cause the jihadists to become peace-loving live-and-let-live world citizens? Have there been any such signals from any Islamist? Would they no longer hate Jews, Christians or any non-Muslims? Will they limit their aggression to their own countries?

Since everybody loves a winner, could America's defeat inspire even more recruits to Al Qaeda? With our forces gone, they'd certainly be in less danger.

A "tough and smart" answer to these questions would have been a stirring response to the President's message. It "fairly boggles the mind" that Mr. Reid wasn't prepared to disclose his new course.

-Zorroaster

Posted by Ed Z at 01:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

A few years ago, someone sent me a link to a 9/11 conspiracy website. I can't remember which one, but it concerned itself mostly with the Pentagon. In line with most of today's conspiracy theorists, it claimed a missile hit the Pentagon, not a hijacked commercial jet.  I dismissed it.

Now, all this time later, these theories are picking up major steam.  What concerns me though, is not the theorists themselves (they're going to be around forever), but the increasing belief in these theories. It is now becoming mainstream to believe 9/11 was an "inside job" cooked up mainly as an excuse to go to war in the Middle East.

A recent Scripps survey reveals the following:

Source: http://newspolls.org/story.php?story_id=55

The enthusiasm that Americans have in embracing these theories finally struck me when I ran into an old friend shortly after the foiled airline terror plot this summer. She mentioned having to take a flight in the near future and though she had some worries, she felt the plot was fiction.

Here she was, feeling quite comfortable admitting to buying into some sort of conspiracy theory in spite of the dangers. It was then I realized conspiracy had gone mainstream.

So I've been trying to figure out why. Why are people so willing to believe these theories? And I've concluded it is the unwillingness to admit to an enemy whose devotion to killing us goes far beyond what my generation has ever known.  It is a belief out of convenience.

It's easier to believe your government did this because you can vote them out of power, they can be held accountable, you can scream, spit venom, and call for impeachments without fear of retribution. It is easier to sleep at night when there really aren't fanatics waiting to blow your morning flight out of the sky.

Fighting radical Islam is a daunting task that in even the best estimations will take decades and cost many lives. This is hard to grasp, hard to live with; it takes will. A will few Americans have anymore.  And fortunately for them, if it is real, they can still blame the government for not doing enough to protect them.

Posted by Ed Z at 04:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (9) | TrackBacks (1)

The sky was so clear and the depth of blue so infinite you could lose your balance staring into it. Later that day I would remember how hot the sun felt on my head, and if not for the t-shirt wrapped around it, it would have burned.

I remember wishing I was a bird, just to fly off without effort. I hated being grounded, I felt helpless.

I remember seeing abandoned baby strollers; mothers choosing to grab their babies and run to whatever end. A single shoe, then others, heels, dress shoes, all left in favor of the speed of the bare foot.

I remember the wall of debris rushing towards us. People jumping in the river. Panic.

I remember looking at a patch of grass and thinking it was a fine spot to die, if that was what had to come.

I remember listening to music, dozing quietly, the motion of my morning bus rocking me to sleep.

I remember my mother's voice on the telephone, at first abated my fears as only a mother can do, then later, when she was at a loss; I knew I was in trouble.

I remember the man I saw who jumped. I don't know who he was. He was wearing a suit and there was a part of me lost with him.

I remember the fear on all the faces around me. We were all children, lost in the supermarket, stumbling around the aisles looking for mommy. That fear slices right through you, fills the air, and spreads quickly.

I remember asking a cop what to do and realizing he was just as likely to ask me what to do, but he didn't and that was good.

I remember at an abandoned hotdog cart handing out a few bottles of water, one to a woman covered in ash. She said 'thank you', but I don't think she really saw me.

I remember walking, and walking. I swore never to be without comfortable shoes ever again.

I remember men and women in front of a synagogue in Brooklyn, handing out food and drinks to weary walkers. I sat on a bench, and a man sat next to me and said, "I had a job interview in the WTC and I just got out." We sat there for a few minutes, silent, he got up to find a phone. We wished each other luck.

I remember the ride home with my parents, when everything that held me together came unglued. And I cried.

I remember finally seeing my wife Michelle and our embrace lasted forever.

Posted by Ed Z at 08:46 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (2)

When riding a New York City subway, you have about the same likelihood of hearing a foreign language as you do hearing someone bashing the President. You might see the random "Impeach Bush" button as well as other merriments pasted, scribbled, splattered and posted on public transportation.

In fact, you could make a decent living setting up shop in Union Square selling anti-Bush merchandise. And even though you'll have some hefty competition, there will be no shortage of buyers.

Its no secret, New York is a liberal city. I've grown accustomed, though not indifferent, to people assuming my political beliefs are the same as theirs, and in most cases I'm met with a mix of shock, disgust, horror, anger and fear when they learn I'm not in complete and unwavering agreement.

Hey, that's all good. It comes with the territory. But, lately I've been a bit confused. You see, in the past few years, many conversations I've had on the topic of homeland security have included phrases like "fabricated threat" and "no real terror". Some have gone as far as to say that it is all just a way of instilling fear into the public to strip us of our civil rights and invade our privacy; to read our emails and listen in on our phone calls.

So you would expect after it was announced last week that New York's terror funding would be cut, New Yorkers wouldn't care. I mean, it's an imaginary threat anyway, conjured up by the evil Bush administration. Hmm, not so.

I guess some people need to hedge their bets. Even the casual observers of public sentiment would have noticed the outrage over the funding cuts. Newspapers were filled with articles demanding answers. A postcard campaign began where residents were encouraged to send pictures of familiar New York landmarks to DHS Secretary, Michael Chertoff, to remind him of the targets terrorists salivate over.

Rep. Charles Rangel (D-Harlem) was quoted in the Daily News saying the funding is mismanaged. "It is true that many of them look upon this as a pork barrel, and they wanted their share, even though they don't have their share of the risk"

This, the same risk, just over 3 months ago Rangel doubted even existed. "We just take for granted that there is an Islamic terror movement because we do have some fanatic people who come from Islamic countries."

So, as some of my fellow New Yorkers like to repeat the words of Michael Moore, "There is no terrorist threat in this country. This is a lie. This is the biggest lie we've been told." They would also like to take out an insurance policy… you know, just in case.

Posted by Ed Z at 12:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Life in prison. "America, you lost. ... I won", his words as exiting the courtroom after the verdict had been reached. Some think the jury's decision against the death penalty prevented him from becoming a martyr. It may have, though some may argue death at the hands of western lawmakers, not in battle, would have achieved the same goal, but I'm sure his masters would have made an exception.

I fear however, that we may have done something far worse than making him a martyr, and that is a folk hero…a celebrity; a living icon for hatred, still capable of thinking, speaking, and touching.

At first, he will be sent to a Colorado supermax, where he will be cut off from the outside world and as U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema said today, he'll "die with a whimper". But time changes all things. Even now, before they've turned down the bed in his cell, the French government is preparing a request to have him serve his sentence there.

As long as he is breathing, as long as he is alive, there is a chance -- as time puts the memory of 9/11 behind us, as our children grow up never knowing the World Trade Center, as history is re-written by apologists -- that he can claw closer to the living world.

It happens all the time with serial killers, as the distance from their horrors grow so softens the general opinion. And their aged faces make us think of our grandfathers, not murderers. Maybe 20 years from now, people will start wondering, "What did he do that was so bad? He wasn't on any of those planes?" "Hasn't he paid his debt?"

We've left a crack, seemingly microscopic now, but any fracture left unattended for several decades has the chance to facilitate a collapse. It is our duty to prevent this. We must remember the evil he embraces and pass it down. Even if time heals our personal wounds, we can never, should never, hide the scars that remain.

Posted by Ed Z at 12:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)