Comments on: Protesting the Politicization of the 9/11 Memorial

By: S.Sander

S.Sander — Sun, 11 Sep 2005 14:17:23 +0000

This memorial is a disgrace to those citizens and military alike that fell to the cowardly acts of terrorism. This memorial should reflect the events of 9/11, “period”. In addition, remembering all of the lives lost in the war on terror over seas to honor those who have fallen in the hunt for Bin Laden and the preservation of freedom. What New York does not need is a multi-world event memorial that shows slavery, events from russia and the holocaust. There are memorials for those events already. Lets get it together people and start using our heads alittle bit.

By: Granddaddy

Granddaddy — Tue, 12 Jul 2005 21:49:00 +0000

The New York Times Op-ed page ran a hit piece today on the “Take back the 9/11 Memorial” petitioners.

Click here to read about it.

This is getting a little ridiculous. Why can’t the 9/11 memorial just describe what happened on 9/11?

By: MacManX.com » Blogroll Dive: 6/27/05

MacManX.com » Blogroll Dive: 6/27/05 — Mon, 27 Jun 2005 07:07:26 +0000

[...] otepad. Angsuman uses WP-Cache to protect his blog from “the Slashdot Effect.” Mark wants you to sign a petition if you agree with his point of vi [...]

By: d00dism » Your Duty

d00dism » Your Duty — Tue, 21 Jun 2005 12:40:11 +0000

[...] t lives that were lost? nothing more. TakeBackTheMemorial.org: Petition [via Tempus Fugit] L [...]

By: Mark

Mark — Tue, 21 Jun 2005 04:15:18 +0000

If we’re going to ask the question, we have to be prepared for the answer to be “because America will not worship Allah.”

Many of the people asking “why do they hate us?” do so rhetorically, because they’ve already made up their mind that capitalism and its “evils” are to blame. And even if capitalism is the reason they hate us… would we consider giving it up to appease a bunch of terrorists?

So if the question is asked honestly, I have no problem with it… but many of the people who ask are being less than honest.

And Maher gets a rise out of people in ways that aren’t comedic. George Carlin can say something that appears to be offensive, but actually makes you think. I don’t think pissing people off just to piss them off is good comedy.

By: Robert

Robert — Tue, 21 Jun 2005 04:15:16 +0000

I think Condi's statement today pretty much said it all with regard to why our government has been hated.

"For 60 years, my country, the US, pursued stability at the expense of democracy in this region, here in the Middle East, and we achieved neither," Ms Rice said. "Now, we are taking a different course. We are supporting the democratic aspirations of all people."

Too much do as we say, not as we do BS.

By: Shuck

Shuck — Tue, 21 Jun 2005 04:08:39 +0000

And you also must remember that Maher is a comedian as well, and sometimes a comedian’s job is to get a rise out of people.

By: Shuck

Shuck — Tue, 21 Jun 2005 04:06:54 +0000

I agree completely that ground-zero is not a place for these questions to be asked. But I guess that I’m also an idealist, and hope that at some point we can ask these questions, because as of yet I have not seen an appropriate forum.

By: Mark

Mark — Tue, 21 Jun 2005 03:59:42 +0000

Agreed. It’s not that these questions shouldn’t be asked… it’s about their appropriateness at a 9/11 memorial at ground zero, which should be a tribute to the heroes and the victims.

And yeah, I enjoy Maher from time to time… but often he says things just to get a rise out of people. e.g. what he said about the whole mess of female teachers having sex with 12 year old students:

I don’t think a 13-year-old boy who is having sex with a hot blond is being abused. I wish someone had abused me in such a way and so do you.

By: Robert

Robert — Tue, 21 Jun 2005 03:59:18 +0000

Shuck – with all due respect, that is, well, a lot of things and this is Mark’s blog so I am going to watch my tongue.

Let’s just remember South Park is a cartoon and people that hate usually don’t need much of a reason.

By: Shuck

Shuck — Tue, 21 Jun 2005 03:44:40 +0000

I don’t agree with this memorial they are proposing, as I didn’t agree with Bill Maher’s “Why They Hate Us” memorial idea (even though I enjoy his program and think he makes some good points), but I do think that as Americans we need to at least understand why a sizeable portion of the worlds hates our guts. We don’t have to agree with why they hate us, as I don’t for many of the reasons, but at least be willing to be knowledgeable for why they do. That was Maher’s point, although I’m not sure if it’s this new memorial’s point. You’ve been quick to point out on your site many “South Park” references, and I’ll give you another one. In the episode where the boys travel to Afghanistan and meet Osama Bin Laden, the kids ask the Afghans why everyone hates them. The reply is, “because you don’t realize that everyone hates you.” I think that’s a fairly good critique of America, and the rest of the world for that matter. It doesn’t seem to be a logical reason for hatred, but we are hated for that reason. Maher’s idea, and this new memorial, seem to want to educate the world on man’s intolerance to man, and every nation (yes, even America) is guilty of that. Is it proper? No. Is it tactful? Absolutely not. But sometimes a drastic statement can bring about proper change.

By: Christopher

Christopher — Tue, 21 Jun 2005 03:38:47 +0000

Amazing. I signed.

By: Rob

Rob — Tue, 21 Jun 2005 01:07:50 +0000

Good job Mark. You really are a genius with this stuff.

I signed it, with pride.

By: Robert

Robert — Mon, 20 Jun 2005 21:13:06 +0000

MARK RULES!!!

Ok, the 80′s moment has passed.