It's really hard to believe that it's been eight years since that terrible day. I think this is a sentiment shared by most Americans because it still holds a very dear place in our hearts and each anniversary brings back a flood of varied memories. We will never forget the brave men and women who were killed by a group of cowards with a twisted agenda.
I really didn't want to get political today, but leave it to our conservative friends to go there and I feel the need to respond. From an article in USA Today, Laura Ingraham, guest-hosting on Fox's The O'Reilly Factor last night, said the following, "a smattering of left-wing groups is trying to co-opt 9/11 and make it their day."
Apparently the former Ronald Reagan speechwriter and current a-hole is not happy with President Obama's signing of legislation in April to make 9/11 a National Day of Service and Remembrance. She sees no good in people giving back to their communities today.
"It blurs the importance of what happened," Ingraham said. She went on to say that the day should instead be used to educate the young people "on the threats to freedom and liberty...by Islamic jihadists."
Not surprisingly, people that actually lost someone during the attacks disagree with Ingraham's sentiments.
In the USA Today article, Nikki Stern, who lost her husband at the Trade Center, says she likes the emphasis on service. "I don't want my husband's death to justify an eternal armed-guard mentality. The day is more about the spirit that impelled Jay's brother to run into that building."
Since when did good deeds and service to the community become political? It probably occurred around the same time it became uncool to have the President talk to our schoolchildren. Or was it when we started applauding the denial of health care to our fellow man. Or maybe it began several years ago when we used a tragic event to fight a pointless war by manipulating the emotions of a grieving nation.
Foreclosure in Greenfield
As I walked through a beautiful little neighborhood in Greenfield last night knocking on doors to register new Democrats, I was taken aback by the number of houses in foreclosure. There was one stretch of four houses in-a-row all in the same predicament. It's a sad sign of the times here in California and across the United States.
According to Housing Predictor (www.housingpredictor.com), one in every 357 U.S. households received a foreclosure filing during the month of August. Some 358,471 properties had filings, keeping activity 18 percent above a year ago. California had the third highest rate in the country with one in every 144 homes in foreclosure or in the process. The state posted the highest number of REOs (Real Estate Owned) properties in the country with 92,326 properties receiving a notice in August. A REO is a property that goes back to the mortgage company after an unsuccessful foreclosure activity.
What does this all mean for the future? Opinions vary, but there is some optimism as the total number of foreclosures dipped from July. I just wonder how long these homes in Greenfield, and in other communities in Monterey County, will remain vacant.
OUT IN THE FIELD
We made our way to King City tonight and we're prepared for some opposition in a place that has nearly double the amount of registered Republicans as Greenfield. It was a decent night for a Friday - traditionally the slowest night of the week. Most of the people I encountered were very nice and I was able to convert six new Democrats. Despite the challenge of more Republicans, I think we've got a chance to have a real solid Saturday. We'll wait and see.
106 TOTAL NEW DEMOCRATS
16 REPUBLICAN KILLS
WTF is a "Day of Service" - and what does it have to do with Islamic terrorists (oh, I'm sorry, enemy combatants, or whatever the current admin's PC term for them is) flying planes into buildings? Want to go out and do work for free, go ahead, knock yourself out. But it has nothing to do with 9/11.
ReplyDeleteIt doesn't have anything to do with the actual attacks of 9/11, but it's a way to honor the people that died. Since when did it become such a negative to do something nice? Remember, we're also honoring people who truly serve our community each and every day (police, fire etc.).
ReplyDeleteFrom an article in the New York Times:
One of the leaders of this effort is Jay Winuk, whose brother Glenn was a volunteer firefighter and EMT who died in the collapse of the World Trade Center South Tower. He cofounded the organization MyGoodDeed which has worked with other family members and organizations to gain support for this idea. Here's how he describes it:
"The anniversary of 9/11 is always a very personal day of sadness and reflection for me and my family, but it can also be a day when the nation comes together to embrace once more the spirit of compassion that helped our family and the entire 9/11 community see us through the very dark days following the attacks. Rightly so the anniversary of September 11 will finally become a national day of service and remembrance and such a designation not only pays appropriate tribute to those who were lost and those who rose in service, but also provides a constructive and meaningful way forward for our nation."