It's dark up there and you are scaring yourself.
Just when you think people can't get any more stupid and hateful, here:
Flight 93 design change sought
But petitions will have no impact on Flight 93 memorial, organizers contend
By KIRK SWAUGER
The Tribune-DemocratSOMERSET — The petite, typically soft-spoken wife of a passenger killed aboard Flight 93 lashed out Saturday at protesters criticizing perceived Islamic symbolism in the design of a memorial for the hijacked plane.
“Wow. Such hate,” said Sandra Felt, whose husband, Edward Felt, was among 40 innocent passengers who died heroically when the jet crashed into a reclaimed strip mine near Shanksville on Sept. 11, 2001.
“I wasn’t prepared for this. Needless to say, I’m quite upset by it ... I would not support a design that honors Muslims or any of the kind.”
Her passionate response came at the end of a highly charged Flight 93 federal advisory commission and task force meeting at the Somerset County Courthouse.
With about two dozen protesters sitting in the courtroom, retired Marine Col. Harry Beam of Johnstown presented the commission with petitions containing more than 5,000 signatures demanding that the design be changed.
“They all believe there is no place for Islamic symbolism or anything else that would elevate the terrorists,” said Beam, adding he feels so strongly about the issue he attended the meeting despite his father passing away earlier in the day.
California conservative author Alec Rawls and Thomas Burnett Sr., whose son, Thomas Burnett Jr., was killed on Flight 93, have spearheaded an Internet drive to scrap the design. They contend a proposed semicircular arc of trees near the crash site is an Islamic crescent that points toward Mecca and that a “Tower of Voices” near the memorial’s entrance is a crescent as well.
“It is truly unfortunate that I must come a third time to warn you you are about to make a terrible mistake,” said Bill Steiner of Mount Pleasant, Westmoreland County, saying he had spoken with Burnett Sr. earlier in the week.
Felt and Burnett were among a 15-member jury that selected the design by Los Angeles architect Paul Murdoch from among more than 1,000 entries. Burnett has said the design was approved by a vote of 9 to 6, and has said he has been against the design from the beginning.
Felt recalled taking her daughters, then 14 and 12, to the crash site six years ago.
“What is going to happen here, Mom?” they asked.
“We see this as the site where our loved ones remains remain,” she added. “I support this design. My children support this design.”
Organizers have said the petitions will have no effect on the design or construction. They have vowed to have the memorial’s initial phase completed by the 10th anniversary of the crash.
Joanne Hanley, Flight 93 superintendent for the National Park Service in Somerset, said the bowl around the crash site will be finished by first, followed by the planting of 40 groves of trees and construction of a visitors center, then entrance roads and the Tower of Voices.
Getting the more than $60 million memorial ready for dedication is expected to carry a pricetag of about $22.5 million. So far, about $12.5 million in private donations has been raised toward a goal of $30 million.
Christine Fraser of New Jersey, whose sister died on the plane, told protesters they simple could choose not to visit the memorial.
“Let our loved ones rest in peace,” she said.
And just in case you don't see the tremendous amount of stupidity at work here, take a look at this:
I don't know who is more stupid here. Is it the moron screaming, "Witch, Witch, I see a Witch," or the advertising department of Dunkin Donuts for pulling the ad because, "we don't want people thinking we promote witchcraft"?
Yo, Chicken Little, the sky is not falling. Stop spreading this ignorant racist superstitious BULL SHIT! It's a shape. It's a scarf. Normal people do not see evil in every day objects. The world isn't screwed up because of a shape or a scarf. If you think it is, then you are living proof of what is really wrong with the world.
Let me explain a couple of things to you.
The world is messed up because people like your parents didn't have the education to see the advantages of birth control. They brought people like you into the world and perpetuated their controlling close minded outlook on life. When your teachers sent home notes to let your parents know you weren't paying attention in science and physics, where you would have learned about the shapes that objects make when they impact the earth, your parents instead of smacking the back of your empty head and telling you to pay attention, withdrew you from class and accused the school of trying to fill your head with ungodly nonsense. Then they sent you over to the "Church of Fork Over Your Cash Cause I Can Get You In With God" where "Reverend Do What I Say Not What I Do" quashed your natural curiosity about how things work and replaced it with fear of anything different. Now instead of using your God given brain to do some research and make an informed decision about things you know little about you automatically spew your ignorance recklessly claiming that something is evil because you don't have the mental capacity or the will to learn something about it.
Religion is not evil, that includes Islam. Radical/extremist practitioners of religion, and that includes Christianity, become evil when they actively promote hatred and violence against anyone who doesn't believe what they believe. It is people, like you, who aren't able to think for themselves that radical extremists pray for, and prey on. You are easily led by your fear, hatred, and violent tendencies. You are the kind of people this past administration has counted on to vote your fears.
Still don't believe me? Then go get out the old family album. Oh look, all your old female relatives are wearing scarves on their heads. Secret Muslim worshipers, or babooshka wearers? You decide, nitwit.
The dumbing down of America has been enhanced by the Rush Limbaughs, Sean
Hannitys, Laura Ingrams, Ann Coulters, Bill O'Reillys, etc. ALL FOR
PERSONAL AGGRANDIZEMENT AND GREED! Just because folks have enough money to
buy up mainstream media doesn't mean these people are mental giants. The
owners and shareholders are just as ignorant as the people's minds they try
to shape. A number in the audience are looking to be led.
Funny Capt., these are the same people who look at the educational
standings of Americans vs. the rest of the world and wonder why we aren't
at the top. Here Capt.,
http://www.tribdem.com/archivesearch/local_story_144152908.html, second
letter down. Tell me what Phd. stands for after this guy's name? It sure
doesn't seem to mean, "I know how to check the accuracy of the gossip I
hear on snopes.com or at the local library before I go spreading the lie."
Having personally lost 2 good friends and many acquaintances in 9/11, and
seeing the pain their families still suffer, I can understand why some
would feel so strongly about the memorial. It's their emotions speaking
and for many, they are still just so raw. Many are not healed and carry
around much anger. It's sad. I think the points being made in the
argument are far reaching as well, but it's not my son, daughter or brother
being memorialized there.
Our country has been divided and brainwashed for so long that people walk
around in a daze being led on a leash to their next meal. There was a
time when children were taught how to think, but the ogres realized that
thinking people would destroy their hold on them. Repeate after me... I
am dumb, I will not think, I am dumb, I will not think....
Catty, could you double check that link for me. What I got was a site
saying the site might have moved. (?)
Mr. Freudian Slip, Phd. is as bad as all the emails of misinformation about
Obama. Bush says God told him to invade Iraq, and not a whimper from the
press. He had a serious drug and alcohol problem and was never vetted.
But some Americans are concerned about things that have nothing to do with
the candidate. As we said, a continuation of the dumbing down of America!
Hey Catty Crankasaurus - I'm in full on flo-mode and just wolfed down my
chinese food, chocolate chip cookies, sleeve of Ritz Crackers and a light
beer (just half - hate beer but was out of wine). The memorial controversy
astounds me because it smacks of conspiracy theory - someone named Murdoch
made an islamic symbol? C'mon. He's working secretly for some Islamic
sect? When does common sense come into play? As for scary government
stuff - I just watched an HBO original film called "Recount" about the 2000
ballott controversy in Florida. Wow - scary, scary, if its true. Even if
half of it is true. Thanks for reading all my posts!
I generally assume that there are two sides to most stories; I've looked up
the other side to this memorial one and it's horrible! It's not so much the
stupidity that's so sickening, it's the thoughtless trampling over the
feelings of those who lost their family members, and the besmirching of
their memories with obsessional hatreds and petty agendas.
Those two young turk guys must be Commies to talk like that about our great
bastion of Americanism, Dunkin Donuts. Or maybe they are tearists.
Capt.-Check, check, and check! I recognized the hate filled e-mail it came
from. I deleted it and sent the link to snopes back to the person who sent
it to me.
Neal- You snuck up on me while my back was turned. I can't fool you. I
purposely chose the clip from "the young turks" to provoke anger in the
small minded. I think I'm going to buy some Dunkin Donuts stock too! Then
I'm going to worship the great "creme filled chocolate covered" one.
Catty, I totally agree with you - I guess I should have clarified that I
was commenting on Burnett, who lost his son and according to the article is
spearheading a campaign to scrap the design. Enjoy your eggs & potatoes!
Nutsy-I figured that was who you were talking about. I can't presume to
begin to know the mans grief on losing his beloved son but I hope he can
find comfort and peace in a loving way.
PHD in that instance stood for "pretty huge dickhead." Catty, you're making
me seriously question my move back to western PA when you keep directing me
to things your neighbors are saying, writing, or doing.
JohnSherck-Ok, I'll stop. People with brains are needed to expand the gene
pool. It's the middle part of the state that has suffered terribly from
brain drain. Was it Bill Maher who said, "there is Pittsburgh at one end,
Philly at the other, and a whole lot of Arkansas in between"? Whoever it
was really insulted Arkansas. I worked with a gentleman from Arkansas and
he even commented that he had never seen people treat black people as badly
as he had seen them treated here. Oh and thanks for that definition of
PHD. I was at a loss. Must have been blinded by anger.
I can't help but think that boycotting Dunkin' Donuts for pulling the spot
is a good way to let them know what a bad idea it is to cave to the
wingnuts.
Sophmom-Thank you. I think that a boycott would be lost on them. Was it
because of the scarf or because we pulled it? Dough!!! (bad Homer Simpson
pun) Now I'm really curious about "Recount". You think they'll put it out
on DVD? There shouldn't be a controversy period. The decision was made.
The criticisms rejected. The media shouldn't give these people a forum and
they will fade into obscurity like Reverend "what's his name" that picketed
soldiers funerals. (Name purposely omitted to promote fading)
I imagine recount will be released on DVD before the election. It was
fabulous, laying bare the manner in which the 2000 election was stolen and
our democracy was hijacked. It was hard to watch but very important IMHO.
Good for HBO.
I haven't seen the monument, I have no opinion although I think people read
in whatever they want to into anything they can. As for letting the
terrorists win by allowing Rachel Ray to wear a black and white scarf while
sipping a gigantic frozen coffee. Wow. But I have neighbors whose kids
arne't allowed to watch Mary Poppins because it glorifies witchcraft.
Folks are stupid all over.
Sophmom-Thanks for the tip. I'll look for that movie at the local
Blockbuster.
Catty, after watching Recount, I caught the last 3 episodes of John Adams
(had seen the first 4 before my long stay in New Orleans). Wow. What a pair
of important set pieces HBO made for us. I fear that the founders would be
very sad.
Thanks Sophmom. I caught a commercial today on the John Adams series being
available. We caught the first 4 episodes while we were in Arizona. Now
we will be able to watch the whole series. I want to see Recount before
the election. I agree that the founding fathers would be sad. We've given
them so much to be sad about this last decade alone.