We have so many insightful and powerful diaries written here at Daily Kos. Our diaries inform, inflame, impassion, and even entertain. We Kossacks have strong voices and an even stronger will to be the change we wish to see in this country.
One of the richest, and perhaps most under-appreciated, areas of thought come in the form of comments attached to these diaries.
Here at Top Comments we strive to recognize and promote the talent of this community by highlighting outstanding comments found throughout the day by the diarist, and through nominations at made at topcomments at gmail dot com by your fellow Kossacks.
These nominations are subjective, and certainly not complete (as no one can read the complete site on a daily basis!). But hopefully they will serve to shine a light where deserved, and to give the reader a good starting point in finding conversation on the site.
Please come in and make yourself at home! Join us beneath the fold...
NOTE: This is a diary by Light Emitting Pickle. She had difficulties publishing, and I agreed to post it for her.
I woke up one morning, awakened not by the expected baroque tunes on the local classical station, but rather by a news report. I routinely play alarm clock tag; that morning was no different. Oddly, though, as I began to finally rouse from my sleep, I realized that each time the radio clicked on, it was always the news. I didn’t really process what that could mean.
I got out of bed and performed my typical routine: flush, brush, shower. I was drying my hair when my husband came in, with tears in his eyes. I hadn’t heard the phone ring – the first thing I thought of, of course, was that someone in the family was ill – or worse. The last time I had seen my husband cry was upon returning from the hospital after he flipped our Honda Civic several times at the summit of the Grapevine.
This time was different, though. It was 7:15 am in Southern California on September 11, 2001.
He told me that a plane had crashed into the World Trade Center. He didn’t know at the time that TWO planes had in fact crashed into the World Trade Center, or that other planes were missing. I think the realization of terrorism would have come quicker had we known those facts.
We anxiously sat in front of the television and watched as the horrified anchors explained what they knew. That’s when the footage appeared. The smoke – in the air and on the streets – was unreal. So much terror in people’s voices as they recorded the chaos. So many panicked people fleeing the scene. The reports kept getting worse. It was all a blur. The Pentagon was hit. A plane was missing in Pennsylvania. People – oh, god, the horror – were jumping from buildings. The towers disintegrated over and over and over on TV. I continue to weep at these memories.
It occurred to me that LA would be an obvious target. Were we next? We received a broadcast email that students, staff and faculty shouldn’t show up at work. My husband and I wondered - what should we do? Leave the county? Go where? After the initial panic subsided, and we’d spoken with our families, we filled up our car with gas and bought a lot of water and canned goods. Silly, perhaps, but you never know.
Over the ensuing hours, we remained glued to cable news and to the web. New, horrifying images appeared - one, in particular, that continues to haunt me. It is a photograph of a justifiably panicked crowd running down the stairs to exit the WTC. A lone firefighter is running, impossibly, upstairs. I know you all remember that photo. Anyone who thinks they are a hero or allows others to bestow such an honorable word upon them would do well to compare their actions to those of that firefighter.
It pains me to think that the good will shown toward the US after these terrible events was so callously squandered. We were poised to tackle the extremism that led to the terrorist attacks. We had the backing of nearly every nation. But, no. Those in power had other ideas. And they followed those ideas to their predictable end. They managed to massively fuck up the country and the world. Gone is the good will. Gone is the support of so many nations. Gone is the tactical advantage for actually finding those responsible. Those brave souls who risked their lives and lost their colleagues are refused treatment or even acknowledgment of their conditions. The people in power should be ashamed. And they should never, ever be allowed to forget it.
My brother – a Republican, if you can believe it – asked me (in 2005) why the Left hated Bush with so much passion. I could barely contain my anger, but I managed to explain how Bush and company screwed up before and after 9/11. He was actually astonished that I was pissed about the terrorist attacks. It dawned on me then that even intelligent Republicans don’t actually think that Democrats love their country. All I could do was shake my head. This is what we’re up against.
There’s a colossal wedge between the left and right that cannot be easily fixed. I don’t think it started on 9/11/2001, but the events of that day brought this wedge into collective view. I wish I could end this rambling diary with some words of wisdom for how to heal as a country. The only word that comes to mind is hope.
It feels strange going from that somber tale into an advertisement for Top Comments. But here it is.
If you find a notable comment during the day, send it into topcomments at gmail dot com for inclusion! Anyone can submit comments! Remember to include your screen name, so we can credit you.
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On to Top Comments
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First, from the inbox, topcomments at gmail dot com
From bubbanomics:
angeleyes wrote a very nice diary about her faith and its bearing on her decision to vote for Obama. A bit of rude behavior ensued, prompting BFSkinner to point out the obvious flaw.
From carolita:
Muzikal203 has the perfect McSame/Palin slogan: GOP: We make the VICTIMS pay for rape,..because they haven't been through enough.
martydd coins the newest McSame sobriquet: McSogynist in JedReport's McCain Voted Against Biden Law Requiring Free Rape Exams.
Little Lulu makes an excellent point the terminology that we should all use (and insist others use) is "anti-choice" not "pro-life" -- in angeleye's excellent diary I'm a proud Pentecostal.
From sardonyx:
enoch needles reminds us of a scary fact, and downthread presents a graphic illustration of same.
This isn't a comment, but I can't let Seven Years Ago by Jim Himes pass unnoticed; it's just too good and heartfelt. We're so very fortunate that he's running for Congress on our team.
Pickle’s picks:
I, too, picked Muzikal203’s somber comment regarding the GOP’s proclivity to charge rape victims for exams.
Boise Blue swoons for Rachel Maddow.
jem286 has a frightening explanation for Palin’s Russia provocation.
SallyCat summarizes my own thoughts about a 9/11 memoir.
In his own diary, markthshark proffers his love for Lieberman - not! in his tip jar. In the same diary, DawnG presents a plausible explanation for Lieberman’s decision to back McCain and speak at the RNC. And also describes his current state of affairs.
JustJennifer has a great bumper sticker idea. So does titotitotito.
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Thanks to the wonderful sardonyx for compiling Top Mojo!
Top Mojo (cskendrick/sardonyx-style) excluding search-identifiable tip jars, first diary comments, and Cheers and Jeers:
1) thanks alot! n/t by angeleyes — 409
2) there's a difference by daybreaker — 303
3) Dr. Strangelove meet your soulmate by elliott — 173
4) This by MadRuth — 144
5) 1984 again by madhaus — 126
6) Second. This atheist wishes all evangelicals by XNeeOhCon — 125
7) MSN has the article cached by Magnifico — 121
8) This essay deserves a MUCH wider audience. by MissInformation — 120
9) GOP: We make the VICTIMS pay for rape, by Muzikal203 — 119
10) B...b...b..but when... by mayan — 117
11) Holy Shit indeed. If she really said it I would by richmonds — 116
12) This diary is not about Palin and by TomP — 115
13) CRAIG ROCKS by m4gill4 — 100
14) Right on sister. This Buddhist is proud to by cultural worker — 93
15) Keep the light on them, nyceve, and by MsWings — 90
16) This is one of the most honest and beautifully by hungrycoyote — 90
17) As Obama said by skywalker — 88
18) Very moving diary by bos01902 — 88
19) Excuse me? by MadRuth — 86
20) Of course he did. You don't look at women by logsol — 85
21) What I like best about the dKos poll is by MAORCA — 84
22) This is not an apples to apples comparison by Sherri in TX — 83
23) Chuck Norris can kill two stones with one bird. by Patch Adam — 82
24) And that is the reason Obama did the interview by Jimmm — 79
25) I don't dislike women, Mandrake... by RichM — 79
26) BUT GEORGIA IS NOT A MEMBER OF NATO! by MAORCA — 76
27) It gives all the time zones across ... by Meteor Blades — 74
28) Yes - thanks! I've diaried about it before too by Snud — 73
29) Ooooo...!!! by truthwillwin — 70
30) Well, those women were never POWs by Muzikal203 — 70
Top Mojo with No Exclusions:
1) nt by Paul Anderson — 766
2) Well here's a good night tip jar... by loserboy — 730
3) an amazing development that's happened by Jeffrey Feldman — 638
4) Until November 4th . . . by nyceve — 600
5) Tips for Joe Biden by JedReport — 452
6) thanks alot! n/t by angeleyes — 409
7) *With the exception of the registration dates... by JeffLieber — 397
8) If everyone gets two people registered by paddykraska — 388
9) Hi Daily Kos! by Mary Sorteberg — 357
10) Tip jar by Brandon Friedman — 344
11) Tips for believing! by langstonhughesfan — 326
12) Oops, I forgot - Tip Jar by angeleyes — 322
13) tip jar by millwx — 315
14) there's a difference by daybreaker — 303
15) holy Sh*t by Kitty — 303
16) tj by jkennerl — 287
17) Tip jar by plf515 — 281
18) Tips, comments, rants, etc... by Snud — 271
19) Link to some of the interview segments... by arodb — 253
20) There are no words to describe by Granny Doc — 248
21) Dr. Strangelove meet your soulmate by elliott — 173
22) For me this event is personal by teacherken — 168
23) STOP by chicago minx — 148
24) This by MadRuth — 144
25) I praise you by bottles — 142
26) 1984 again by madhaus — 126
27) Second. This atheist wishes all evangelicals by XNeeOhCon — 125
28) cindy vs. sarah in the sleaze wars by memofromturner — 122
29) MSN has the article cached by Magnifico — 121
30) This essay deserves a MUCH wider audience. by MissInformation — 120
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