to Roberta, whom I dearly love* and whose opinions I cherish, there is a characteristically American element in long-lasting, dispassionate, cold-blooded remembrance of the sneak attack.
Remember the Alamo.
Remember the Maine.
Remember Pearl Harbor.
Remember 9/11.
Even our enemies get this. Yamamoto Isoroku, architect of the Pearl Harbor attack: “I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant and fill him with a terrible resolve.” And he would have known.
If our remembrance leads some to emotional displays on the anniversary days, so be it. Personally, I’m at work, because otherwise the terrorists win. But I’ll be damned if I’ll forget this:
Or any other of the atrocities committed That Day.
Frankly? We should nuke Afghanistan as flat as a football field, and then play football on it with Osama bin Laden’s head.** If we still had his head. And then bring all our boys home and let that part of the world fall back into the Paleolithic.
And never, ever forget what the fucking geeks did on 9/11/2001.
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* In a most Platonic manner, of course. I’m married and I love my wife very much.
** Thank you H. Beam Piper for that bit of wisdom.