The not-so-official 9/11 10 year anniversary topic.

[AnCap Dave]

It is the elephant in the room. We may as well talk about it and how things have changed over the decade.

I'm going to just copy/paste what I wrote on facebook this morning:

With the 10 year anniversary of 9/11 upon us, I figured I would take the time to write a few words just giving some thoughts. I just woke up a few minutes before writing this, so you'll have to forgive me if it comes off as rambling, but I'll try to be as concise as possible.

9/11 is a tragedy. An absolute tragedy. I remember exactly where I was when the towers were hit. I was in the 7th grade at Carrigan Middle School. I was in home room (Room D123 if I recall correctly) with Mr. McFarland (though the room belonged to Ms. Nelms...oh by the way, apologies ahead of time if I don't spell any names right. I'm sure someone who knows the proper spellings will correct me on that one.) Mrs. Darcey, the reading teacher a few doors down. came to the room and pulled Mr. McFarland and Ms. Nelms out of the classroom to tell them the news. We were left in the dark at the time, though throughout the day we would see a lot of kids get pulled out early because their parents were terrified. I can understand why parents did it at the time, even though looking back now it does seem like a bit of an overreaction. We also knew something was wrong because a lot of the teachers lost their composure and were shedding tears. At the time I thought it was awkward, but didn't really know what was going on. Despite the somber mood though, I recall business being as close to usual as a situation like that could possibly be. It must have been hard to teach a class when you know that thousands of people have just died and just a state away people are in a state of panic. I didn't find out what happened until I got home from school. My reaction at the time was much more lax than it should have been. I think the most I reacted was "Wow, that's terrible." Who knows though, maybe that was the right reaction for a 14 year old who's biggest concern was video games, pro wrestling, and dinner.

As I got older, I didn't think much of 9/11 after that. I looked at it as something that had come and gone and we were at war to take out the bad guys right? This was my frame of thought up until around my senior year of high school. That was when I really started my political journey, if you will. That was the first time I really noticed Ron Paul, and when he told people that 9/11 was a reaction to years upon years of bad foreign policy, I couldn't believe it. I figured, no way, they're just hateful people who hate America and its freedoms. That was, until he told us that in the 9/11 Commission Report itself, which was written by the CIA by the way, it says as clear as day that the attacks were because of blowback which was related to bad foreign policy. These people were pissed off at us because apparently for decades we have been messing around in their lands and causing all kinds of trouble. You can read the Commission Report here:  http://www.9-11commission.gov/report/911Report.pdf. Of course with discovering this truth my views on the war had changed. These people weren't just a bunch of mindless religious zealots who hate anyone who isn't like them. They just want to be left alone. I give people this scenario to think about. Imagine, if you will, that the United States was doing fine and dandy on our own and all of a sudden China or Russia decided that they were going to start putting military bases in this country. Then when putting those bases in this country, they decided they were going to start governing the local area for which they were in. We would be outraged. I'm sorry for anyone who disagrees with this, but America is not exempt from being or doing wrong. If it wouldn't be right for China or Russia to do that to us, it wouldn't be right for us to do it to the Middle East. That seems fair when you really think about it. Now, I'm not going to say that the Middle East is the defenseless innocent baby running free in the forest. Despite our lack of discretion in the Middle East, this doesn't justify crashing planes into towers and killing thousands of people. I believe those who were involved should face criminal justice just like anyone else who commits a crime. Of course my views on Iraq greatly changed as well considering that they weren't even connected to 9/11 in the first place, and that's not even mentioning the fact that they also didn't have any nuclear weapons like we were told they had.

A few months ago we had received word that Osama Bin Ladin had been killed. He was assassinated in Pakistan. I wasn't celebrating like the rest of America was that day. I knew that his death would solve nothing, and it hasn't. To give my thoughts on the whole Osama Bin Ladin situation, I'm going to just copy and paste what R. Lee Wrights said about him, because I believe he can present what my thoughts are about this issue better than I could.

It will not be a popular thing to say, but the truth is the truth. I am deeply saddened by the death of Osama bin Laden. His demise is not cause for rejoicing, in my opinion. That is why I am perhaps even more troubled by the spectacle of Americans celebrating and dancing in the street to the chant of "U.S.A, U.S.A," whipped up into a patriotic frenzy and oblivious to the reality that this was an illegal and immoral act which offends the very values which makes us who we are.

I must admit, this is one of the most troubling things I have experienced in my lifetime. The patriot in me wants to breathe a sigh of relief that the war is over and we can go back to life before Bin Laden. But reality ruins the moment as I realize what has happened, and know life will never be the same again. This military action ordered by the President of the United States not only violated every fundamental belief our nation's founders cherished, it may have destroyed any hope that we will ever learn the truth about 9/11.

What happened to the foundation of jurisprudence in America — innocent until proven guilty? Where is the requirement to produce evidence in order to convict? What about the right to face your accusers and answer charges brought against you? What has happened to the separation of powers set forth in our Constitution? When was the power to convict and execute individuals transferred solely to the Executive branch?

Rather than using a trial to prove to the world that Bin Laden was guilty of the acts the United States accused him of, and that the U.S. was justified in the actions taken in retaliation, the president took upon himself the authority of judge, jury and executioner. He ordered U.S. military forces to kill Bin Laden — and then dump his body into the sea. No evidence was presented. No arguments were heard for and against. No jury deliberated. No judge ruled. The accused was not allowed to defend himself in any court. I can't help but think that this is the way you act when you have no evidence to convict.

The president even had the audacity to claim that "Justice has been done." There was no justice done, Mr. President. Justice was not only cheated by this act. Justice was not just denied. Justice was raped by this act.

Osama bin Laden may have been the most evil person who ever walked the face of the earth. He may have been guilty of the most horrendous acts of inhumanity every perpetrated by anyone in history. But we will never know. President Obama has made sure of that. His action was not just a rejection of everything this nation stands for; in the name of justice, he has committed a greater injustice.

Bin Laden is dead, but with him may also have died the last hope that the United States can reclaim the moral high ground in international affairs. It's no coincidence that this killing occurred just days after three innocent grandchildren of another person (Gadhafi) who the United States has declared to be "evil" were killed in a military operation aided by the United States.

The death of Osama bin Laden unfortunately will change very little about the war on terrorism. Rather than putting an end to this sordid chapter of American history, this immoral and illegal execution will inevitably result in even greater hatred, and an even greater threat to America and the world. The world is not a safer place because Bin Laden is dead, Mr. President. You have made it a more dangerous place, especially for those who dare to speak truth to power.

I firmly believe that Osama Bin Ladin should have been tried in a court of law, just like any one else who commits a crime. If we are a people of law, we must set an example to the rest of the world that we do not cave in like a lynch mob.

I'm going to just give a few more thoughts here, because I've been writing this now for almost 40 some odd minutes. I think the biggest thing we need to learn about 9/11 is that death is always a tragedy. The people who cry about the thousands of innocent civilians in the Middle East who are killed in war but celebrate any time an American dies are just as big of hypocrites as anyone who believes 9/11 is the be all, end all of tragedies but brushes off innocent civilian casualties as merely collateral damage. As human beings it is important to know that death is equal. We are all prone to its cold grip, and as such, we shouldn't underestimate it merely because we may disagree with which side of a debate we are having. Race, creed, political ideology, and even religion, no matter which way you put it, the events of 9/11 have had some kind of effect on us and every death should be remembered and mourned today, not just the ones we want to use for our own symbolism.

[MrBogosity]

I've got my own thoughts about 9/11 in the upcoming podcast. As for OBL, let's just say there are LOTS of intelligence experts who would have LOVED to have had just two months with him, learning what they can about his psychology and his mindset. That would have been of immense benefit.

[MrBogosity]

Ron Paul Warned 9/11 Would Happen:

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[AnCap Dave]

Posted that on Facebook.

Freedom Watch put up a good segment too.

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[MrBogosity]

Harry Browne saw it coming, too:

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[AnCap Dave]

Jack Hunter is apparently saying Russell Kirk called it also.

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[MrBogosity]

Jack Hunter is apparently saying Russell Kirk called it also.

"[Libertarian] philosophy was incompatible with true conservatism."

Personally, I consider that a GOOD thing.

I think the lesson is, anyone who was paying attention would have seen another terrorist attack coming.

[Lord T Hawkeye]

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My piece on it.