The 21st Anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks is a solemn but complicated reflection of America in 2022. It is a day of remembrance and sorrow for the victims and their families. It is a day of pride for the bravery of the passengers and crew of Flight 93 and the first responders who sacrificed their lives and health to rescue and recover victims. It is a day that echoes our past struggles, our present confusion, and our hope for the future.
I find your description of this latest Supreme Court decisions as result-oriented reasoning very eloquent but for me they simply don’t make sense. I've almost totally lost my faith that we will ever again have rational, common-sense rulings that seemed to be the norm growing up in the 60's and 70's. While I never studied law, the latest decisions that I've read from the Supreme Court on abortion, guns and vaccine mandates made no sense to me at all. I could not follow the reasoning at all. The clarity of RBG's arguments before the Supreme Court and her opinions as a member at least made sense. Has the federal judiciary always been so blatantly political? How does this get fixed? It is absolutely terrifying that these unaccountable judges have so much control over our lives.
Roberts can blather on. He led the effort to make the SC a bought entity. Now he whines that people are aware of the results of that treason, yes, treason. He betrayed our democratic ideals. Money wins. Piss on him and the horse he rode in on.
“Unblinking dedication to truth and reality is the bedrock of democracy.” Then why does Rupert Murdock get a pass since he has spent every hour since 1980 making sure that truth and reality get short shrift on his propaganda machine. Lies, by omission and commission, flood our lives and snare even the most ardent patriots (also ammunition for the Machiavellian power-hungry money men), as well as fools and knaves. He, by his very existence, makes free speech and free press, the means by which the Trojan horse accomplishes it’s goal. He is protected by the very rules which he seeks to destroy. Once destroyed, we are done. Proof of his success, as Fox has raked in the money, other media outlets have smelled the green and decided to follow suit. Terrorism from the inside is more insidious than from the outside. Lincoln knew that, as does Biden.
“...and the emergence of the mass delusion that has seized “9/11 Truthers.” Can we refer to this as “delusion?” Or, is it the result of 21 years of propaganda espoused by ruthless leaders, brought front and center by DJT and creating a deep divide among our fellow countrymen & women?
Ironically, I just read The NY Times (9/4/2022) report on Mariupol. The article tells of the resilience of many who survived. It also reports on some survivors who are pro-Russian, people who still talk of Russia/Putin being right.
We do need to address the failure of SCOTUS, but we need to address the lies, misinformation, and conspiracies promoted by extremist media and personalities who continue to seek power through illegitimate means.
We must vote in 2022 & 2024 for democracy, justice and accountability. We must use our truth to stand up to, protest and confront the false narrative of Justice Roberts and every MAGA Republican leader that attempts to undermine the rule of law and the U.S. Constitution.
I wish I could agree with your anniversary comments, but what the past 21 years clearly demonstrate is that we have essentially learned nothing. Learning nothing from events is what we Americans are good at. Always have been since the first colonists bumped into the North American continent and apparently always will be. The road to 9/11 is a long and winding one.
As always, when the chickens come home to roost, as they did 21 years ago, it's never the people responsible for committing the acts that led to the event who make the payment. It's always people who had nothing to do with the acts that led to the event who pay the price.
And the lesser men who were responsible for the event were the ones who took advantage of things and went on to make things worse. Because they're the ones who NEVER learn anything.
Another helpful newsletter that connects our past to our challenging present. I would add a third issue contributing to the loss of legitimacy of the Supreme Court: the perceived bias of certain Justices in highly controversial cases either because spouses are deeply involved with parties before the Court (e.g., Ginni Thomas) or because Justices themselves are closely tied by membership and speaking fees to interested parties and ideologies before them, such as The Federalist Society.
The refusal of the Supreme Court to adopt any code of conduct governing conflict of interest and even income generating behavior is an insult to any thinking citizen. Not a good look for an institution suffering from widespread criticism..
The comparison of Sept 11 (the passengers of flight 93) and Jan 6 is quite eye opening. The disparity of the two is monumental. The difference in reactions of ordinary citizens to these two events is a dramatic exercise of awareness to the challenges by which we have become divided. I can only hope that we may emulate the bravery of our honored citizens of flight 93 and move forward with energetic determination toward a goal of civil peace.
Bravo, Robert. You’ve outdone yourself with your reflections on 9/11. Beautifully considered and expressed. Thank you for channeling Dr. Heather Cox Richardson’s historical perspective while she celebrates her wedding this weekend. Your words are much appreciated.
Also, Former Missouri Senator Claire McCaskill, and Journalist Yamiche Alcindor were on Meet the Press yesterday. Matt Somebody or Other, the Republican strategist, could barely keep his head above water in the face of both McCaskill's and Alcindor's analyses. Talking about the midterms, Matt insisted that the Dobbs decision was a non-issue with voters throughout the country. Not sure where he got his "data" from, but Yamiche was there to tell us that she has been all over the country and has heard from both women and men, Republican and Democrat, who were intending to vote based on that decision. Matt double-downed on his talking point, prompting McCaskill to encourage him to "keep it up," because ignoring the crucial issue of reproductive rights is what is motivating more and more voters to come to the polls.
Also! Jessica Craven sent an "Extra! Extra! 9/11" email. If you scroll down a little, of particular interest is the "Celebrate This!" portion of the email. As soon as I started reading down the list, I thought "This looks much like what Robert would post!"
Yesterday I worked with a group of dedicated women who prepared over 1000 doorknob packets. A great start to the goal in the Collier County Democratic Executive Committee to prepare and hang 15000 packets. Under the committee's leadership Collier County succeeded in getting over 90% of the registered Dems to vote in 2020. In 2022 to goal is at least 80% voting. We believe every vote counts and every effort must be made to Get Out The Vote.
You are right Robert. How far we have fallen when on 9/11/01, US patriots aboard United Airlines Flight 93 prevented a foreign terror attack on our Capitol and on 1/6/21, domestic terrorists attacked our Capitol. We have a lot of work to do.
While I understand TC’s comment as a display of his frustration and sympathize with his frustration, I value Robert’s careful analysis and Biden’s comparison of now with the post-Civil War era more. Thank you, Robert, and keep the faith, TC.
As someone with a background in systems engineering and statistics who volunteers for and builds data models for Force Multiplier (an all volunteer fundraising group for Democrats), I totally agree with Robert. We clearly have to work like our lives depend on it (as they do) over the next 8 weeks, but I’m shocked at how negative the political pundits are about our chances given everything we have seen since Dobbs including all special election results better (many far better) than predicted, women registering to vote in record numbers, enthusiasm gap closed, trump keeping himself in the news… etc. etc. etc.
Sep 12, 2022·edited Sep 12, 2022Liked by Robert B. Hubbell
Conspiracy theories would be much less impactful if current politicians had solid reputations for being truthful and straightforward in their behavior and speech. It has been a long time since anyone in Washington and most state capitals deserved the nickname 'honest' or could say with a straight face "I cannot tell a lie". Even though apocryphal, the legend reflects the first President's reputation, and the value is indisputable; it is much easier for the credulous to believe big lies masquerading as truth when the source is known for being regularly dishonest.
You don't sound at all confused about Judge Cannon's decision and the lack of any factual basis for the Trump team's arguments; more likely, it is the absence of legal foundation in the Judge's decision that is confusing, and one profoundly hopes that she will take advantage of the opportunity given her by the DoJ to repair at least some of the damage.
Sep 12, 2022·edited Sep 12, 2022Liked by Robert B. Hubbell
Thank you for your wise and so timely thoughts that place the importance of 9/11 remembrance in the proper perspective it deserves.
I thought some might find the following strikes a chord.
As we watch now the funerary remembrances of Queen Elizabeth II and reflect on her lifetime of responsible service to the people of her nation with wit, dignity, and diplomacy while simultaneously learning more about the contrasting lack of responsible leadership or service to those he governed by TFG it caused me to pen this Letter to the Editor of our local newspaper. The editor, a good friend, felt it worthy to print and it appeared as an Opinion column on the editorial page this weekend. The text of that column follows:
_______________________________
Something to think about -
As we all watch the tragic pagentry accompanying the mourning, grieving, and funerary of the passing of Queen Elizabeth II as well as the ascension of King Charles III to the monarchy, I am reminded of the Shakespearean quote, “uneasy is the head that wears a crown.”
Though often misquoted as “heavy is the head that wears a crown.” The proper quote from Shakespeare spoken by King Henry IV Part 2 in act 3, scene 1 is:
“And in the visitation of the winds,
Who take the ruffian billows by the top,
Curling their monstrous heads and hanging them
With deafening clamour in the slippery clouds,
That, with the hurly, death itself awakes?
Canst thou, O partial sleep, give thy repose
To the wet sea-boy in an hour so rude,
And in the calmest and most stillest night,
With all appliances and means to boot,
Deny it to a king? Then happy low, lie down!
Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown.”
The king is complaining about his inability to sleep as war approaches. Ordinary people, even the humble cabin boy, have the blessing of a good night’s sleep but even in the calm middle of the night, with all the comfort he has around him, the king is denied that. Then good luck to those who have no cares, let them sleep. But he is a king and has to take the responsibility for what happens, and that keeps him awake at night.
We see in this that a line Shakespeare wrote to encapsulate a particular situation – a character’s insomnia – has been elevated to a general statement, in this case about the burden of responsibility. The phrase ‘uneasy/heavy is the head that wears the crown’ is now in common use in many fields of life – particularly business and politics, where leaders are continually making decisions that impact many others.
Why does all of this resonate with me now? We are watching two unrelated but dramatically different sagas unfold an ocean apart that contrast the observance of solemn responsibility by by some and the utter disregard of responsibility by others.
Elizabeth II wore nobally that uneasy crown of responsibility for a lifetime with grace, wit, and diplomacy. She took it quite seriously... always and with great dignity. Here in America we are now watching a former President, a complete buffoon, who showed utter disregard for any sense of responsibility either for himself or the welfare of those he governed. The contrast between the two is so stark as to be almost indescribable. The character of each could not be more different. Certainly, it illustrates Shakespeare’s quotation being realized by one monarch wearing always that crown of responsibility and ignored by the “cabin boy” who would-wish-to-be-king in America giving no thought whatsoever to that mantel of responsibility.
Sep 12, 2022·edited Sep 12, 2022Liked by Robert B. Hubbell
With respect to the enthusiasm of democrats: on the plus side, Democrats have the advantage of voter and volunteer enthusiasm, along with public donations. On the minus side, Republicans have the advantage of gerrymandering and dark money.
In upcoming elections, our hope is that the advantages for democrats translate into the level of popular vote that is needed to keep the House of Representatives and increase the Democratic majority in the Senate.
I find your description of this latest Supreme Court decisions as result-oriented reasoning very eloquent but for me they simply don’t make sense. I've almost totally lost my faith that we will ever again have rational, common-sense rulings that seemed to be the norm growing up in the 60's and 70's. While I never studied law, the latest decisions that I've read from the Supreme Court on abortion, guns and vaccine mandates made no sense to me at all. I could not follow the reasoning at all. The clarity of RBG's arguments before the Supreme Court and her opinions as a member at least made sense. Has the federal judiciary always been so blatantly political? How does this get fixed? It is absolutely terrifying that these unaccountable judges have so much control over our lives.
Roberts can blather on. He led the effort to make the SC a bought entity. Now he whines that people are aware of the results of that treason, yes, treason. He betrayed our democratic ideals. Money wins. Piss on him and the horse he rode in on.
“Unblinking dedication to truth and reality is the bedrock of democracy.” Then why does Rupert Murdock get a pass since he has spent every hour since 1980 making sure that truth and reality get short shrift on his propaganda machine. Lies, by omission and commission, flood our lives and snare even the most ardent patriots (also ammunition for the Machiavellian power-hungry money men), as well as fools and knaves. He, by his very existence, makes free speech and free press, the means by which the Trojan horse accomplishes it’s goal. He is protected by the very rules which he seeks to destroy. Once destroyed, we are done. Proof of his success, as Fox has raked in the money, other media outlets have smelled the green and decided to follow suit. Terrorism from the inside is more insidious than from the outside. Lincoln knew that, as does Biden.
“...and the emergence of the mass delusion that has seized “9/11 Truthers.” Can we refer to this as “delusion?” Or, is it the result of 21 years of propaganda espoused by ruthless leaders, brought front and center by DJT and creating a deep divide among our fellow countrymen & women?
Ironically, I just read The NY Times (9/4/2022) report on Mariupol. The article tells of the resilience of many who survived. It also reports on some survivors who are pro-Russian, people who still talk of Russia/Putin being right.
We do need to address the failure of SCOTUS, but we need to address the lies, misinformation, and conspiracies promoted by extremist media and personalities who continue to seek power through illegitimate means.
We must vote in 2022 & 2024 for democracy, justice and accountability. We must use our truth to stand up to, protest and confront the false narrative of Justice Roberts and every MAGA Republican leader that attempts to undermine the rule of law and the U.S. Constitution.
I wish I could agree with your anniversary comments, but what the past 21 years clearly demonstrate is that we have essentially learned nothing. Learning nothing from events is what we Americans are good at. Always have been since the first colonists bumped into the North American continent and apparently always will be. The road to 9/11 is a long and winding one.
As always, when the chickens come home to roost, as they did 21 years ago, it's never the people responsible for committing the acts that led to the event who make the payment. It's always people who had nothing to do with the acts that led to the event who pay the price.
And the lesser men who were responsible for the event were the ones who took advantage of things and went on to make things worse. Because they're the ones who NEVER learn anything.
Another helpful newsletter that connects our past to our challenging present. I would add a third issue contributing to the loss of legitimacy of the Supreme Court: the perceived bias of certain Justices in highly controversial cases either because spouses are deeply involved with parties before the Court (e.g., Ginni Thomas) or because Justices themselves are closely tied by membership and speaking fees to interested parties and ideologies before them, such as The Federalist Society.
The refusal of the Supreme Court to adopt any code of conduct governing conflict of interest and even income generating behavior is an insult to any thinking citizen. Not a good look for an institution suffering from widespread criticism..
The comparison of Sept 11 (the passengers of flight 93) and Jan 6 is quite eye opening. The disparity of the two is monumental. The difference in reactions of ordinary citizens to these two events is a dramatic exercise of awareness to the challenges by which we have become divided. I can only hope that we may emulate the bravery of our honored citizens of flight 93 and move forward with energetic determination toward a goal of civil peace.
Dr P Seider
Bravo, Robert. You’ve outdone yourself with your reflections on 9/11. Beautifully considered and expressed. Thank you for channeling Dr. Heather Cox Richardson’s historical perspective while she celebrates her wedding this weekend. Your words are much appreciated.
Thank you, Robert, for this all-encompassing post today.
When I hear the words 9/11, I immediately think of that terrible day instead of the number you dial in an emergency. (BTW, there is a new emergency number to dial, 988, for mental crisis help. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/988-mental-health-suicide-hotline_l_62d02b88e4b02074ac934a82)
Also, Former Missouri Senator Claire McCaskill, and Journalist Yamiche Alcindor were on Meet the Press yesterday. Matt Somebody or Other, the Republican strategist, could barely keep his head above water in the face of both McCaskill's and Alcindor's analyses. Talking about the midterms, Matt insisted that the Dobbs decision was a non-issue with voters throughout the country. Not sure where he got his "data" from, but Yamiche was there to tell us that she has been all over the country and has heard from both women and men, Republican and Democrat, who were intending to vote based on that decision. Matt double-downed on his talking point, prompting McCaskill to encourage him to "keep it up," because ignoring the crucial issue of reproductive rights is what is motivating more and more voters to come to the polls.
Also! Jessica Craven sent an "Extra! Extra! 9/11" email. If you scroll down a little, of particular interest is the "Celebrate This!" portion of the email. As soon as I started reading down the list, I thought "This looks much like what Robert would post!"
https://chopwoodcarrywaterdailyactions.substack.com/p/extra-extra-911?utm_source=email
Yesterday I worked with a group of dedicated women who prepared over 1000 doorknob packets. A great start to the goal in the Collier County Democratic Executive Committee to prepare and hang 15000 packets. Under the committee's leadership Collier County succeeded in getting over 90% of the registered Dems to vote in 2020. In 2022 to goal is at least 80% voting. We believe every vote counts and every effort must be made to Get Out The Vote.
You are right Robert. How far we have fallen when on 9/11/01, US patriots aboard United Airlines Flight 93 prevented a foreign terror attack on our Capitol and on 1/6/21, domestic terrorists attacked our Capitol. We have a lot of work to do.
While I understand TC’s comment as a display of his frustration and sympathize with his frustration, I value Robert’s careful analysis and Biden’s comparison of now with the post-Civil War era more. Thank you, Robert, and keep the faith, TC.
As someone with a background in systems engineering and statistics who volunteers for and builds data models for Force Multiplier (an all volunteer fundraising group for Democrats), I totally agree with Robert. We clearly have to work like our lives depend on it (as they do) over the next 8 weeks, but I’m shocked at how negative the political pundits are about our chances given everything we have seen since Dobbs including all special election results better (many far better) than predicted, women registering to vote in record numbers, enthusiasm gap closed, trump keeping himself in the news… etc. etc. etc.
Conspiracy theories would be much less impactful if current politicians had solid reputations for being truthful and straightforward in their behavior and speech. It has been a long time since anyone in Washington and most state capitals deserved the nickname 'honest' or could say with a straight face "I cannot tell a lie". Even though apocryphal, the legend reflects the first President's reputation, and the value is indisputable; it is much easier for the credulous to believe big lies masquerading as truth when the source is known for being regularly dishonest.
You don't sound at all confused about Judge Cannon's decision and the lack of any factual basis for the Trump team's arguments; more likely, it is the absence of legal foundation in the Judge's decision that is confusing, and one profoundly hopes that she will take advantage of the opportunity given her by the DoJ to repair at least some of the damage.
Thank you for your wise and so timely thoughts that place the importance of 9/11 remembrance in the proper perspective it deserves.
I thought some might find the following strikes a chord.
As we watch now the funerary remembrances of Queen Elizabeth II and reflect on her lifetime of responsible service to the people of her nation with wit, dignity, and diplomacy while simultaneously learning more about the contrasting lack of responsible leadership or service to those he governed by TFG it caused me to pen this Letter to the Editor of our local newspaper. The editor, a good friend, felt it worthy to print and it appeared as an Opinion column on the editorial page this weekend. The text of that column follows:
_______________________________
Something to think about -
As we all watch the tragic pagentry accompanying the mourning, grieving, and funerary of the passing of Queen Elizabeth II as well as the ascension of King Charles III to the monarchy, I am reminded of the Shakespearean quote, “uneasy is the head that wears a crown.”
Though often misquoted as “heavy is the head that wears a crown.” The proper quote from Shakespeare spoken by King Henry IV Part 2 in act 3, scene 1 is:
“And in the visitation of the winds,
Who take the ruffian billows by the top,
Curling their monstrous heads and hanging them
With deafening clamour in the slippery clouds,
That, with the hurly, death itself awakes?
Canst thou, O partial sleep, give thy repose
To the wet sea-boy in an hour so rude,
And in the calmest and most stillest night,
With all appliances and means to boot,
Deny it to a king? Then happy low, lie down!
Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown.”
The king is complaining about his inability to sleep as war approaches. Ordinary people, even the humble cabin boy, have the blessing of a good night’s sleep but even in the calm middle of the night, with all the comfort he has around him, the king is denied that. Then good luck to those who have no cares, let them sleep. But he is a king and has to take the responsibility for what happens, and that keeps him awake at night.
We see in this that a line Shakespeare wrote to encapsulate a particular situation – a character’s insomnia – has been elevated to a general statement, in this case about the burden of responsibility. The phrase ‘uneasy/heavy is the head that wears the crown’ is now in common use in many fields of life – particularly business and politics, where leaders are continually making decisions that impact many others.
Why does all of this resonate with me now? We are watching two unrelated but dramatically different sagas unfold an ocean apart that contrast the observance of solemn responsibility by by some and the utter disregard of responsibility by others.
Elizabeth II wore nobally that uneasy crown of responsibility for a lifetime with grace, wit, and diplomacy. She took it quite seriously... always and with great dignity. Here in America we are now watching a former President, a complete buffoon, who showed utter disregard for any sense of responsibility either for himself or the welfare of those he governed. The contrast between the two is so stark as to be almost indescribable. The character of each could not be more different. Certainly, it illustrates Shakespeare’s quotation being realized by one monarch wearing always that crown of responsibility and ignored by the “cabin boy” who would-wish-to-be-king in America giving no thought whatsoever to that mantel of responsibility.
Quite the contrast!
___________________________________
With respect to the enthusiasm of democrats: on the plus side, Democrats have the advantage of voter and volunteer enthusiasm, along with public donations. On the minus side, Republicans have the advantage of gerrymandering and dark money.
In upcoming elections, our hope is that the advantages for democrats translate into the level of popular vote that is needed to keep the House of Representatives and increase the Democratic majority in the Senate.
Moral of the story: Volunteer, Donate, Vote.
"Unblinking dedication to truth and reality is the bedrock of democracy."
I wish the media/journalists would print this and post it on their walls.