Please Stop Remembering 9/11

I got to work this morning, saw that the flag was at half-mast, realized why it was at half-mast, then had to check myself to avoid vomiting. The people that died in those attacks was one of the lesser tragedies of that day (and the number of deaths, as I’ve detailed sort of inadvertently in another post, was not that significant). The greater tragedies have all had to do with our remembering — and reacting to — the death of less than 3,000 people (in 2001, more people died from drowning than died from terrorist attacks).

As a result of this remembrance the United States has:

• Created two wars.
• Estranged itself from its allies (as a result of those wars).
• Encouraged its enemies (as a result of those wars).
• Significantly endangered the strength of its economy (government spending as a % of GDP is at its highest level since World War II and some day we’re going to have to pay for that — and, yeah, this is the *biggest* problem with those wars even though no one in the MSM has thought to talk about it (because it’s much more entertaining to “remember 9/11”)).
• Forfeited formerly rightful claims to morality and ethical behavior (as it applies to prisoners and intelligence gathering).
• Given the FBI sweeping powers of surveillance — does anyone else think it’s interesting that “police state” has a *negative* connotation?
• Instituted the practice of warrantless searches (seems like maybe there should be something in the Constitution about that — oh wait, there is…).
• Reduced the ability of the judicial branch to limit the powers of the state.
• Reinforced unconstitutional power assertions of the executive branch.
• Turned domestic air travel into a festival of harrassment (from having to disrobe at security to having to pass the “no fly list” test to having to get to the airport two hours early to not being able to park or stop a car near an airport terminal to…).
• Infuriated foreign tourists by treating each of them as a would-be criminal at customs.
• Accepted having a choice limited to one big-government party and another big-government party.
• Etc.

The “remembrance” of 9/11 is a place where Idiot Planet — this would be Earth — really shows its true colors. We are screwing ourselves in return for screwing ourselves. Way to remember, guys!

Some time soon I’m going to post about the Hindenburg. You’ll see.

bkd