My husband is on his way to work in NYC this morning. Today is going to be a nightmare; of gridlock, of enhanced security, because of the presence of both Presidential candidates in my birth city, where I no longer live.
On this day of purported unity, and lack of partisanship, I am more afraid for him, and me, and our country than I was that fateful morning I watched the buildings I worked in crumple to the ground.
I have already shared here about my 9/11 experience, and how it affected me, and my husband in the days and weeks following the attacks, in a diary I posted not long after I joined DKos; Why we had to put an American flag decal on our car.
That was in April, when we were still in the primary season. Things have changed since then, and for the worse.
Why do I say "for the worse?" Because when I wrote that diary, we did not have two nominees for the Presidency. We were still engaged in the heat of primary battles, and though I prayed that Barack Obama would succeed, against all odds, and I am uplifted by that success, I have watched what is now an increasingly polarized electorate, and am viewing the cynical manipulation of jingoism, fear, ethnocentrism and hatred being used skillfully by the Republican Party led by John McCain.
As we spend the day with prayers for those who pray, or thoughtful contemplation for those who don't, and the events that followed, leading to the deaths of thousands upon thousands more than those lost in the destruction of the Towers, I am reminded of the lone broadcaster, Keith Olbermann, who spoke out last night against the shameless manipulation of 9/11 images by the Republican Party at their recent convention. I am disturbed that we will hear more rhetoric about Evil Islamic Empires, and Christian Crusades - Holy Wars against the godless Allah worshippers, led by the old white knight Sir POW and his faithful companion "Tonta" Palin.
We will soon see more smears against Barack Hussein Obama, subtly reminding us all that he, looks more like them, than "us", and I am not a member of that "us" nor is my husband, nor are millions of our fellow Americans.
No sooner than the speeches and prayers are read today, (which I will not be watching, because the memories for me are still too painful) we will be back to business as usual, with a vengeance, by the McCain campaign, but they will set it up today.
Who is "qualified" to be commander in Chief of the Armies of the Righteous? We are already hearing that Sarah Palin is "Commander in Chief" of the Armies of the north. Yes, we know that's a joke, but it is no joking matter. No sooner than the ceremonies for Ground Zero have passed, we will be propelled by television to the north, to watch this fabricated Joan of the Arctic tearfully bid a farewell to her son, on his way to fight for the armies of Christendom. She has stated that this is a war commanded by her God, and is the chosen implement of her Gods Will.
Pay close attention my dear friends. Our hero Barack Obama, symbol of sanity and sobriety in a swirling maelstrom of jingoistic imagery, cannot combat this alone. How ironic that the hurricane bearing down upon us is named Ike, the nickname of the one Republican President and military hero of a war long past, who predicted "beware the military industrial complex".
Pay close attention today, those of you who will watch. Their army controls the message.
Am I defeated? No. My fear is a weapon that will now drive me forward, like the powerful exhaust from a jet engine I am propelled by that fear for my family and my nation, and our future.
I accept the fear, embrace the fear, and let it be a reminder that we have only a few short weeks to do this. To turn this thing around. To battle with every dime in our pockets, with every breath, with pen, and with weapon in our arsenal of faith in the Constitution, and the America we all so long to see.
In honor of all those who died on 9/11, let us make a solemn pledge today.
To fight hate right here within our borders.
To vanquish ignorance and greed.
To redouble and triple our efforts to take back our country and our children's futures.
Let this day be the day that we turn this thing around and move on to victory.
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Let that donation be a statement of our support and confidence in the Commander in Chief WE have chosen.
Make that donation to get our troops home. To establish domestic tranquility and to overcome the hatreds that have driven and continue to drive the Armies of the Night.
Admit your fears. Turn them over. Let them go.
Let us march on...till victory, is won.
YES WE CAN!