- SilverAppleQueen remembers that terrible day.
- Dave Barry departs from satire, reprising his thoughts in 2002, just before the first anniversary of the attacks. He considers his walk on hallowed ground.
- Wisconsin conservative James Wigderson was on his way to work on first hearing of a plane hitting a building.
Then at work:
Soon we had news of a second plane hitting the World Trade Center towers. Now my foreign policy education kicked in. One was an accident. Two was terrorism.And now:
Now, 25 years later, I still have trouble making sense of it all: the attacks, the panic that followed, the response, the wars, our retreat from Afghanistan, the rise of xenophobia, the Trump Muslim bans, the rejection of Afghan refugees, the obscene demands that the mayor of New York stay away from the ceremonies commemorating the attacks, the paranoia…
Maybe at the 35th anniversary of the attacks of September 11, I’ll have a better grasp on the meaning of it all. - North Carolina pastor John Pavlovitz points out a painful truth:
On 9/11, We Said, “Never Forget.” Then, We All Forgot.
September 11th, 2001 was a nightmare for us as a nation, but we woke up that day too.
We saw ourselves clearly.
We saw through the walls and the barriers of created divisions, past the chasms and gaps of surface difference.
We stopped the petty bullshit of partisanism, tribalism, and territorialism, and we realized our oneness.
We caught a glimpse of what America can be when it finds unity in diversity.
That’s what I wish we would have never forgotten in the years since that horrific Tuesday in September. - At The Moderate Voice, retired U.S. Air Force Major Dorian de Wind explains why, on the 25th Anniversary of 9/11, we must also remember and thank Canada.
The reasons are substantial:
Hopefully, the U.S. Administration will, at least for one day, set aside its pettiness and animosity towards a good neighbor and thank Canada for its unwavering support when our nation was attacked. - In Canadian satire, The Beaverton is there as Canada confirms its primary defense strategy in case of invasion: waiting for Americans to die from preventable illnesses.
- As the degree of international respect and affection for America become clear, The Borowitz Report reports that Americans traveling abroad attempt to learn Canadian accents.
- Almost from the beginning, Trump has fantasized about his role in the 9/11 rescues.
Seven years ago, I wrote about what even then was Trump’s accelerating series of tall tales.
- At Disaffected and it Feels So Good, frequent contributor Grung_e_Gene firmly connects two stolen valor instances. Trump’s photo of himself as a military hero could be cast as simple bad taste, an insult to real combat veterans. The other is his latest embellishment of how awesome he was during the 9/11 attacks in 2001.
Then Gene ties in more.
- Trump casts himself as a war hero in one of his internet rage binges.
Our favorite Earth-Bound Misfit somehow manages to suppress her admiration.
She contrasts service records:
Let’s compare a president who served to one who didn’t, shall we? - The heroic fantasy self-image is not a Trump one‑off. Neither is the increasingly extravagant tall tale about his heroic rescue attempts on 9/11.
Julian Sanchez is not impressed with Trump’s attempt at humor instead of what should have been a heartfelt tribute to actual heroes who have received the Congressional Medal of Honor, many posthumously – having sacrificed their lives in combat.
Here’s the thing: Actually confident and self-assured people don’t talk like this. They don’t obsess over baubles and prizes, let alone prattle on about wanting to (meaninglessly) give themselves more. You talk like this when deep down you feel (justifiably, in the instance) that you are inadequate.
— Julian Sanchez (@normative.bsky.social) September 10, 2026 at 7:12 PM
If he weren’t an absolute piece of shit causing enormous global suffering, I’d be inclined to pity the man. He’s the president AND a billionaire and he still can’t shut up about wanting to award himself another shiny thing. Maybe this one will do it!
— Julian Sanchez (@normative.bsky.social) September 10, 2026 at 7:16 PM
- Michael J Scott suggests a plausible reason for incompetence in the Trump administration that goes up to the cabinet level:
Trump’s choice to surround himself with incompetent sycophants is intentional. It is one of the defining characteristics of his second administration.
The reason may be remarkably simple: Donald Trump needs to be the smartest man in the room.
Professor Mike has a representative case in mind:
The safest person to have sitting across the table is no longer the person who knows the most. It is the person least likely to tell Trump that he doesn’t know what the hell he is talking about.
Pete Hegseth is perhaps the perfect example. - Nan’s Notebook has insights on age, infirmity, and Trump.
- In Letters from an American, historian Heather Cox Richardson explains the Supreme Court decision giving a President official immunity, and explains it differently than what we get from media reports.
Conservatives on SCOTUS did give Trump immunity for official acts. Outrageous for any number of reasons.
The key is what comprises official acts.
In essence the Supreme Court said Send each case to us and we’ll let you know.So the decisions about whether or not what the president has done is part of his official duties will have to go to the courts.And by that they meant themselves.
So it was really an extraordinary power grab by the Supreme Court.
I’m having us skip past a windy 2-minute introduction to the couple minutes covering that one interesting point:
She explains why November has pretty much everyone in the administration, beginning with Trump, in a panic.
Voters may begin taking apart the entire Trump construct.
- Dave Columbo travels to 2005, becomes a visitor from their future, and interviews someone who looks suspiciously like Dave Columbo:
- Dave Dubya has a confession: he once voted for a Republican: Gerald Ford.
He reserves some modicum of respect for many of those who made similar errors since then.
I even tolerated friends and family after they voted for Trump in 2016. Barely.
But after 2020 and 2024, they only drew my disrespect and revulsion for their obvious lack of critical thinking, vacuous values, indifference to truth, and tolerance of indecency, blatant lies, and criminal conduct.
- PZ Myers is in awe as Texas Senate candidate Ken Paxton finally reveals ownership of 7 homes, some rented out, none of which produce any income.
Not surprisingly, it turns out Paxton was not entirely honest about that: just one more instance of fairly blatant corruption.
Another prediction:
He won’t show any shame
Professor Myers is not optimistic about what it all will mean:
Which leads to my prediction. Ken Paxton, endorsed by Trump, will be Texas’s next senator. And by this accomplishment, you will know that Texas, and perhaps the rest of the country is well, is so corrupt that we’re going to need to plow it with salt and eject it from the Union.
Maybe Mexico could do something with the real estate. - Another day, another ambush by a news host demanding some Democratic candidate adopt or disown shock comments by Hasan Piker.
Hasan Piker at Web Summit Vancouver 2026
Jason Linkins suggests Democrats do a bit of preparation. Just not with appeals to fairness, with rationality, or with anything policy oriented.
The media’s fixation on this twitch streamer few voters have heard of should not be that difficult an obstacle to overcome. - Trump is furious at media critics and he’s not taking it.
So now he’s ready to sic the weight of government to get the unpleasant noise to stop.
Mark at News Corpse is not one to mince words. His non-mincing is directed as Trump employs the presumably independent FCC to punish (Trump’s words) a news host for reporting polls showing Trump is getting really unpopular.
Trump is outraged by all the polls that show him floundering in the depths of the Mariana Trench of Disapproval. To be sure, he has sunk to record lows in virtually every poll, and continues to trend downward. So now he insists that “SOMETHING MUST BE DONE,” and that it’s up to his FCC (Fascist Communications Commission) to do it. You might ask, “To do what?” Well, he got to that in a subsequent comment…Quoting Trump after one host reports on Trump endorsed candidates that lose in recent primaries:
Because of this purposeful inaccuracy, she will be reported to the FCC for rebuke or punishment. - At The Onion, in spite of momentary gains, Democracy remains in trouble
- Author and educator Amanda Nelson knows a lot, really a lot, about the mechanics of election administration, and even more about campaigning. She has tons of knowledge about who funds what (Thinking of you, Elon)!
So she takes a look at internet stories about Elon Musk using his store bought, and under the table bought, electronics team changing votes.
(Hasn’t happened. Won’t happen. Can’t happen).But, boy howdy, what he really is secretly doing makes all that sci-fi stuff look tame:
- Among the superpowers wielded by Infidel753 is his analytical ability, gathering and applying evidence and logic.
As November looms, he applies that talent to nine specific election races and control of Congress.
Note: We need not agree with every value judgment as Infidel inserts his own hope for voting outcome. I don’t.
We should appreciate the depth of his predictions and his opinions.
- Abortion rights got put on the ballot in Missouri a couple years ago. We overwhelmingly passed a state constitutional amendment protecting women from abortion restrictions.
And that decided the issue, right?Well, not so fast, Skippy.
Our legislators decided we that we decided wrong. So they’re generously giving up another chance to change our minds in November.
Okay, so let’s do it all over again, until next time.
In Rural Missouri, Jess Piper finds another right turn. Anti-abortion folks are getting tricky. They’re trying to make us think the amendment to cancel out the amendment is not about abortion rights at all.
I don’t remember where I was when I looked up to see a huge electronic billboard on the interstate proclaiming, “Vote Yes on Amendment 3. Ban transition surgeries on minors.”
If I were not so involved in Missouri politics, I might have been confused about the sign.
Amendment 3 is a ballot question about abortion rights — it has nothing to do with “gender transition” surgeries. The simple fact is that no minor in the state can obtain gender transition surgery or most hormones in the first place because both were outlawed by a 2023 ban written and passed by Missouri Republicans.Jess goes into other attempts by Republicans to silence voices in Missouri, and to get that done by any
meanstrick necessary. - I suppose we in the state could call it the Missouri Oscillation.
Donald Trump demands the Missouri legislature perform a midterm gerrymander to get rid of elected Black Democrats.
Republican legislators, of course, salute and comply. They redraw all the Congressional districts.Voters manage to get enough signatures on a petition and overturn the redistricting. At least wait until November, so voters can decide whether to allow it – or wait until census time, like always.
Republican legislators vote to ignore the voters and redraw the districts again, getting rid of Black members of Congress.
Citizen groups take it to court. The Missouri Supreme Court, you all.
The Missouri Supremes say you gotta hold a vote, like the citizens who signed petitions said, and go with what voters vote for in November.Here’s where journalist Marcy Wheeler at EmptyWheel picks it up.
Republicans in the legislature get the State Attorney General to take it to the Supreme Court of the United States: Please, please overturn the Missouri Courts.
SCOTUS turns them down. We don’t hear state matters already decided by state courts.
You gotta wait for what voters say in November.
How about that?So, the Missouri AG finds a friendly Federal Court judge willing to overrule the State Supremes.
State Supremes offer to hold the Missouri Attorney General in contempt.
The Republican Missouri legislature offers to impeach their ass.Meanwhile, it’s the citizen groups this time who take it back to the US Supreme Court.
And this time SCOTUS rolls up their sleeves and slaps down the US judge.
No gerrymander!
You hear us this time?Missouri voters win.
Again.
Now keep in mind, I’m not only old, but following a schedule reduced by a severe surgery recovery regimen and time‑consuming insurance issues.
This gerrymander ping pong match between Republicans and good citizen groups befuddles.Marcy Wheeler has done the hard stuff. Go back up and click on her to get it right.
Besides, she’s entertaining as all hell. - So how do Republicans justify the targeting of Black Congressional representatives in gerrymandering actions?
CalicoJack in The Psy of Life listens to an iconic interview with a Republican public figure and finds the all too common denials absurd.
Roman mosaic depicting an athlete riding a donkey backwards.
From the House of the Athlete in Volubilis. Near Rabat, Morocco.
The headline is more than justified:
The Back-Assward Justifications of Republican Racism - Libertarian Michael A. LaFerrara goes a bit convoluted in maintaining that the Democratic desire for voting rights goes against founding principles.
Says LaFerrara, America has never been about democracy and never should be.To be fair, Michael has always been explicit, maintaining that majority rule is anti-freedom.
- I remember it well. Twenty years ago, when the concept of a Black candidate for President was considered absurd, Harold Ford, Jr. became the break away candidate for Senator from Tennessee. The ad that Tennessee Republicans ran against him was clever in a crude sort of way most of the way through. “Oh yeah, I agree with Ford my taxes should be raised” sort of thing.
Then at the end, a pretty young White lady puts her hand to her ear as if phoning and almost whispers:
Harold, call me!
She winks seductively and is gone.Ha ha ha. Get it? White girl and Black candidate?
driftglass reminds us with one instance after another from a generation ago that racism was as prevalent a Republican tactic then, and so were apologists who insisted racism was a both sides sin.
David Brooks (2010):
There are liberals who call conservatives racist as a matter of tactics, too.One difference driftglass sees is that, back then, Democrats could safely call out that sort of racism for what it was.
- Josh Johnson manages to make White Privilege into hilarity:
- Ted McLaughlin at jobsanger has more numbers as voters define who they think of as the working class.
- Legal expert Imani Gandy has been pointing out that abortion access involves more than legality. It also involves funding for those without financial freedom.
She interviews Christina Chang, Executive Director of the Reproductive Freedom Alliance. Chang has managed to combine 24 governors into an interstate coalition. The interview is interesting because of Gandy’s push for access beyond minimal legality
- Brian Beutler argues that the problem with Artificial Intelligence is not that AI centers, in some great leap forward, will collude with other AI centers, forming a global AI network, then decide the best thing all around is to terminate humankind, thus ending the scourge.
It is that AI, right now, is surrounded by humans profoundly lacking in elemental morality, willing to align with the most venal monstrous political network on the planet.
I wouldn’t feel great about the situation if America’s most competent, trusted, persuasive president were in office right now, but Trump represents the opposite. I similarly wouldn’t feel much better if the tech-industry executives who oversee the frontier A.I. labs were civic-minded, virtuous people. But they, again, almost to a person, are not.
We could in theory overcome the latter problem by imposing regulation on their industry. But we can’t solve the Trump problem without impeaching and removing him from office. - M. Bouffant at Web of Evil links to stories on the new relaxed hiring standards at the FBI, accepting applicants with histories of tourism to seek prostitution, theft from employers and more.
To one headline referring to a ‘Whole Person’ Review, M. Bouffant provides a brief anatomical observation.
- tengrain at Mock Paper Scissors captures the irony as Hegseth’s Pentagon moves to stop embarrassing leaks by polygraphing everyone in sight, keeping it secret from the public.
Slight problem: the polygraph everyone plan gets leaked.
- Journalist Arturo Dominguez covers growing resistance in Venezuela to US expropriation of oil with a payment schedule that exceeds a sweetheart deal and goes directly into naked exploitation.
- Apparently major media in Israel have been doing their investigative homework.
Hackwhackers carries the main story from The Times of Israel, and links to the Jerusalem Post.
Apparently, Netanyahu was warned directly about coming Hamas attacks prior to the October 7 massacre. The warning came from the United Arab Emirates.
- I was out last week with discouraging health and weird insurance issues.
I almost missed The Propaganda Professor and his Bubblegum Crucifix Award, this time presented to Jon Elder, who proclaims his condemnation of Dolly Parton.
Dolly Parton is most likely in Hell.Seems she liked groups Elder frowns upon.
She was also a massive supporter of the satanic LGBTQ+ movement.Even more horrible:
Her worst belief was that there was inherent good within humans.It does remind me of someone’s (Don’t recall who) long ago definition of Christian theology:
God loves you and joins in your hatred of gays, Hillary, and Obama.
- In The Life and Times of Bruce Gerencser, Bruce remembers a college incident in which a dean, enraged by three photos, demanded all current yearbooks from a roomful of students, and destroyed them in front of them.
The reason seems absurd. Bruce shows us the photos and gives us a chance to guess why they offended.
I know this story sounds bat-shit crazy to some readers, but this is an excellent example of the Fundamentalism I was raised in and a part of for many years. - @whiskeywhistle98 makes an important distinction:
- Master of rant Max’s Dad goes off this time on a rant that captivates, not because it’s fun but because it’s eloquent. A grim health scare has our friend thinking through aging, insurance, past decisions, and coming procedures.
He even includes the late Phillip Roth in headline:
Old Age Isn’t War, It’s A Massacre!
The ending tone makes it seem that we may well have Max’s Dad for a while.
- In Happiness Between Tails da-AL accounts for her recent health scare and the series of uncomfortable medical procedures that followed.
Some uncertainty remains, although da-AL finds parts of her story for which she can be grateful.
She introduces us to fellow blogger and musician Bryan Loia Hudson, who finds comfort and a bit of purpose in rescuing cats.
- In Scotties Playtime, Scottie issues a challenge to those who experienced a rough childhood.
Scottie has been remarkably open about his own horrible experiences as a child.
His wisdom is born of profound pain, much of which remains in adulthood.It occurs to me the lessons he teaches also apply to anyone who has experienced even a much lesser degree of hardship…
…and that those who have experienced some form of hardship would include pretty much all of us.We do encounter those whose ethic is some variation of I had it hard, so you should have it hard.
8 responses to “Week of Solemn Remembrance
Hallowed Ground, Lessons Gained, Lessons Lost, Thank Canada, Trump as War Hero, Trump as 9/11 Hero, More”
Thanks as always for including me.
The claim that Netanyahu was warned in advance about the October 7 massacre comes from a book which cites only three anonymous sources. Netanyahu is suing the newspaper which reported the claim as news.
It’s too soon for anyone to claim to be sure what the truth is here, but I wouldn’t bet on the claim against Netanyahu turning out to be true.
Just trust Netanyahu and Levin. Why would they ever lie?
Levin claimed that the Bush administration’s original WMD rationale for the Iraq War had been vindicated.
In 2009, Levin described as “absolutely right” the statement by Sarah Palin that the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) includes death panels to decide whether elderly people or sick children were worthy of medical care.
Levin has said that there was a “coup” occurring against the first presidency of Donald Trump waged by Obama loyalists.
Following the 2020 presidential election, as all significant media organizations reported Joe Biden had won, Levin told his radio audience that the Democrats were “stealing the election”. He insisted on Twitter to his 2.4 million followers: “there’s lots of evidence of voter fraud and election screw-ups.” On the same platform, on November 5, Levin called on Republican-controlled state legislatures to disregard the results of the 2020 election and send electors to the Electoral College who would vote for Trump.
Levin tweeted: REMINDER TO THE REPUBLICAN STATE LEGISLATURES, YOU HAVE THE FINAL SAY OVER THE CHOOSING OF ELECTORS, NOT ANY BOARD OF ELECTIONS, SECRETARY OF STATE, GOVERNOR, OR EVEN COURT. YOU HAVE THE FINAL SAY — ARTICLE II OF THE FED CONSTITUTION. SO, GET READY TO DO YOUR CONSTITUTIONAL DUTY
12:43 PM · Nov 5, 2020
I wouldn’t bet on any claim that either of these guys are telling the truth. But, then we all tend to believe what we want to believe.
Sorry, Dave. Infidel’s point still stands.
You are attacking an argument he is not making.
Infidel’s point is that this allegation against Netanyahu is based on a book that does not provide support justifying uncritical belief.
He urges patience. Let’s wait for further evidence.
Seems reasonable to me.
Your response is to imply our uncritical belief in Netanyahu.
That pretty much meets the definition of a strawman argument, at least as it applies to Infidel or, by extension, to me.
I often agree with your observations.
In this case, we can do better.
You make what seems like a good argument about Levin.
How about we direct it at Levin?
Burr,
Infidel is a well-intentioned and reasonable man. I agree with him on most issues. He is also a passionate Zionist who does not tolerate dissent, questions, or expanded discussion at his blog. I’m essentially banned there. That’s his prerogative, of course.
He admits the body count doesn’t matter. He used the example of the bombing of German population centers in WWII as justification for the horrible deaths and suffering of innocent human beings targeted by the IDF. And yes, credible reports and evidence from several doctors confirm head shots on Gazan children. This is murder on a mass scale. Then there are the West Bank atrocities that get little attention in this country.
There are no good guys in Hamas or the Netanyahu regime. My heart goes out to all the innocent victims of these tyrants and thugs.
I admit I don’t have a practical solution to the conflict. Netanyahu’s endorsement of their expansionist conquest for a “Greater Israel” troubles me. I really don’t wany my tax dollars feeding into this madness. For refusing fealty to the Netanyahu regime I am considered “antisemitic” by Zionist extremists. This is despite my being open to Jewish immigration into the US. Personally I think they would be a great benefit to this country.
Maybe I’m being duped by a newspaper opposed to Netanyahu.
But as far as credibility goes, I’ll take Haaratz over an election denier and a war criminal.
I’ll probably disagree just as vehemently with anyone citing FOX and Trump as their source of information and trust.
I suggest this over a FOX propagandist and Netanyahu.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/sep/08/netanyahu-warned-7-october-hamas-book-haaretz
Thank you for putting up with my rants.
Thank you, Dave.
My criticism of your criticism (as these things flow) is that you put words in the mouth of your opponent, then responded to your own characterization, rather than to what he so clearly wrote.
My suggestion is that you aim your rebuttal at those who actually espouse those opinions. Perhaps leave Infidel’s very reasonable comment alone.
It’s sad and disappointing that there are some Democrat leaning Americans who would prefer to see MAGA Mike Rogers elected by Michigan voters than a good man who happens to be Muslim.
Zionist extremism brands any opposition to Revisionist (right-wing/militant) Zionism as “antisemitic”.
It’s unfortunate that the war criminals Trump and Netanyahu have their supporters in the Zionist Democratic faction that holds to their anti-Muslim bigotry. They even wanted to exclude the Muslim mayor of New York City from the 25th Anniversary commemoration of 9-11. This has essentially become the “Fetterman Wing” of the Democratic Party.
For some reason, smearing critics of Netanyahu and his “Greater Israel” ambitions and bombing more Palestinian, Lebanese, and Iranian children makes them feel better.
Illegal Israeli settlers have been on a spree of killing and taking homes from West Bank Palestinians. Who cares? They tell us there’s “no such thing as a Palestinian”, anyway. Let the slaughter continue. They’re not even “real people”.
The body count heaped by Iran and Israel tells us what happens when religion and nationalism are fused. As with MAGA Christian nationalism, authoritarianism and cruelty are always their default. The “others” must be punished.
“Israel is now the best excuse for antisemites everywhere, a nation whose addiction to violence and oppression, reliance on great powers and financial clout, and constant harping on the horrors of the Holocaust as an excuse for untethered violence.”
– Omer Bartov, Israeli American historian and Dean’s Professor of Holocaust and Genocide Studies at Brown University
Ezra Klein made a similar statement. (It’s just “antisemitic” if Hasan Piker or critics of Israeli war criminals happen to say it.)
Thanks for leading off with my poem. That made my day.
Thank you, Burr, for adding me here! Lately I’ve thinking that AI would be better (not that I want it, mind you) taking over than Trump… wishing you & yours a happy healthy week