Eleven years. Follow me below the dingledoodlesquiggliedKosagnocchidividerthingie fold after a word from our sponsor...
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I wasn't inclined to write a "9/11 diary" but couldn't in good conscience do simple and lighthearted, not when people I know still mourn the loss of loved ones. A walk with a friend (and our dogs!) this morning had us trading remembrances, and I remarked on what I most remember from that awful day: Civility. Politeness in the midst of shock and grief. I wrote this last year in the Top Comments Collaborative Tenth Anniversary Edition:
The other thing I remember from that trip to dinner was how polite everyone was to each other. No fighting for parking spots. No taking-your-life-in-your-hands trying to cross the street. No trash talk from one table of teens to another. No, we were all stuck in a moment when Do Unto Others, or perhaps the more colloquial Don't Be A Dick, was the Law of the Land. I miss that one little piece of the collective response to tragedy, the basic human kindnesses of the day. We went back all too quickly to dog-eat-dog, I believe as a result of the example our then-President gave.
We also talked about how the best thing we can do to honor those who lost their lives as a result of 9/11 and its aftermath was to
live. I came home and looked at my Facebook, where two friends had posts so in sync with my dog-walking conversation that the Muse took it as a sign and demanded it as tonight's topic.
The first is by fellow Kossack cskendrick, who wrote:
We wake up. We go to work. We raise our families. We dream again - and we no longer flinch when airliners fly overhead. We remember the dead by living again - not furtive and alone but resolved and together.
We are at our best when we are united. When we look left and right and say, these are my countrymen all. When we look to the past and say, that was then - this is now. When we look to the future and say - it will take much worse than this to put us away. We are not done yet.
We have faced worse than 9/11 as a country - we will face worse again someday. But I believe with all my heart that it will be a long, long time before the last banner is furled and taps is played for the final time.
Take time to remember the fallen. To mourn a little again, as is proper. Then cry a little in joy; we yet live. We yet thrive. We have so many awesome dreams to fulfill. That is the best way to remember.. to live.
The second is by my friend Z, who together with his NYPD brothers went
into a building that others were fleeing. He spoke of how the memories of that day will never leave those who were there, then said:
It is a cliche, but in that place and time, uncommon valor WAS a common virtue.
Uncommon valor was common virtue. Why can't we strive for that tomorrow?
I believe that looking at each another and seeing not Left or Right, not Christian or Jew or Muslim or Atheist, not Gay or Straight or Bi, not Black or White, not American or Foreign, but instead seeing Fellow Humans, Fellow Travelers on the Journey of Life, can be that common virtue.
Just for tomorrow, what if we all lived by the Golden Rules: Do Unto Others, and Don't Be A Dick. Sure there will be people who can't, won't. But when one more person decides to try, just for a day... the terrorists lose just a little bit more.
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without regard to content. I really do, even when I disagree personally with any given nomination. "TopCommentness" lies in the eyes of the nominator and of you, the reader - I leave the decision to you. I do
not publish self-nominations (ie your own comments) and if I ruled the world, we'd all build community, supporting and uplifting instead of tearing our fellow Kossacks down.
From Land of Enchantment:
The one and only renzo capetti does it again: his own fresh viewpoint and unique style.
From ontheleftcoast:
The old saying goes "There's no 'I' in team". Well, Mitt proves he's not a team player with his crass politicizing of 9/11. And AlyoshaKaramazov shows just how self-centered he is in this comment.
And check the word cloud diagram in reply from sawgrass727. Mitt's ego in graphic form -- and it's not a pretty sight.
From blue aardvark:
Orange County Liberal supplies a great one liner to use on Willard.
From Dave in Northridge:
James Wells kicks it off, and kestrel9000 and fromer complete the cataloging of Romney memes. In kos' diary about the problems the debates present to the candidate.
From rovertheoctopus and Mindful Nature:
This is a great idea, from crystal eyes.
From Smoh:
This comment by AlyoshaKaramazov, on demonization.
From Puddytat:
This comment by Otteray Scribe says it all about the shamelessness of Republicans.
From Yours Truly, brillig:
asm121 feels bad for Republicans. newfie has something in common.
Thank you Clem Yeobright, for sharing this.
Top Mojo for yesterday, September 10th, first comments and tip jars excluded. Thank you
mik for the mojo magic!
1) Nate is strongly biased by Nailbanger — 304
2) Wow. by blueoregon — 273
3) Death stench? by TX Freethinker — 180
4) Poisoning the homeless is not the answer. n/t by jgilhousen — 178
5) . by noweasels — 177
6) Are they roaming around moaning, "Baaaains..."? nt by iconoclastic cat — 155
7) McCain was probably right about by NMDad — 143
8) John McCain had a better chance of winning... by David Kroning II — 140
9) I happened to turn on MSNBC yesterday.... by dweb8231 — 135
10) Don't enumerate your poultry prior to by Cartoon Peril — 127
11) US: Do you have any references? by FiredUpInCA — 123
12) The distinction between gross incompetence and... by jgilhousen — 117
13) I bought one as soon as they opened today. by The Swimmer — 117
14) I thought he was just a businessman by Liberal Protestant — 111
15) They are trying though. by Horace Boothroyd III — 112
16) About Fucking Time by Blazehawkins — 110
17) For those that have forgotten by According to Fish — 108
18) A big-time science geek. by teresahill — 107
19) Real Change by US Blues — 106
20) Simple by Hope08 — 101
21) The most upsetting thing to me about 9/11 by gougef — 93
22) The people whose gross negligence allowed 9/11 to by RFK Lives — 92
23) I want VA and NC.... by ManhattanMan — 92
24) let's not get ahead of ourselves. by sillycilla — 81
25) Good stuff. by Scan — 81
26) That ROCKS. by exiledfromTN — 80
27) It was a terrible day, in more ways than one by pollwatcher — 79
28) I recorded everything I watched for nearly by Eileen B — 79
29) Yup. Focus on GOTV and the down-ticket races by radical simplicity — 76
30) I don't see it that way by BitterEnvy — 75
Top Pictures for yesterday, September 10th. Click any image to be taken to the full comment. Thank you
jotter for the image magic!