The Republicans have been shamelessly and immorally desecrating the memory of our friends and family who died on 9/11 for some time now. But this week, I have finally had enough. The Republicans have declared war on America in general, destroying our economy and our Constitution. But they have declared war on NYC in particular, screwing us out of money we are entitled to, using our tragedy for their gain, using our tax money to fund their Convention while excluding us from our own city. I experienced 9/11. I lost a friend when that first plane hit. The ashes of my fellow New Yorkers rained down on my neighborhood that night. It is time for us to fight back. This week the Republicans have gone so far beyond what is reasonable, moral or even sane, that I can hardly articulate my rage at their behavior. I am asking you all to help me in my fight against the ongoing rape of my city and our dead by the Republican party.
This week two prominant Republicans continued the disgusting tradition of using 9/11 for partisan purposes, using the deaths of nearly 3000 New Yorkers for their own political benefit.
A California Congressman, Rep. Randy “Duke” Cunningham, used 9/11 to push the flag burning Amendment, claiming that those who died in 9/11 would want the amendment passed. When called on it by the New York Rep. Nadler (from Brooklyn), Nadler’s mike was shut off and he was yelled at by other Republicans. This clearly shows what Republicans think of New Yorkers–we are silenced and shunned by the party that continuously uses our tragedy for their partisan politics. How could Rep. Cuunningham even DREAM of using my friend’s death on 9/11 for his purposes. My friend was in favor of civil rights and freedom of expression, and he would NOT have wanted this amendment passed. How DARE Rep. Cunningham presume to speak for my friend. How DARE he presume to speak for New Yorkers. He does not know us. He does not represent us. He should stop exploiting New York’s tragedy for his gain. Let us also not forget that this is the same Rep. Randy “Duke” Cunningham who sits on the powerful Appropriations defense subcommittee and has taken bribes from a defense contractor around the same time that defense contractor began getting big government contracts. This corrupt SOB has NO RIGHT to be speaking of the wishes of those brave men and women who died on 9/11.
Next we have Karl Rove coming right here to New York City and blamed liberals for the 9/11 attacks, apparantly ignoring the fact that many of those who died were liberal Democrats. He also ignores the fact that it was Bill Clinton who first wanted to go after bin Laden and was prevented by the Republican-led Congress. He ignores the fact that Bill Clinton WARNED Bush that bin Laden and al Qaeda would be a major concern and it was Bush who ignored this warning. Karl Rove forgets that it was Bush who seemingly has given up the hunt for bin Laden in his rush to invade Iraq. As a New Yorker who experienced 9/11 I consider Karl Rove’s comments to be absolutely disgusting and he and those who are defending him are the most dispicable of amoral political opportunists I have ever heard of. If Mayor Bloomberg, Rep. Vito Fossella and Gov. Pataki, all Republicans who represent New York, don’t call for Karl Rove’s resignation, I swear that they are traitors to New York City.
It is time the Republicans actually started to show some of those ethics that they so often talk about. Because this exploitation by Republicans of the deaths of nearly 3000 New Yorkers is one of the most immoral, disgusting things I have ever seen in my entire life.
Here is what I suggest:
I. It is time for a massive letter writing campaign: NYC to the Republican party, and Bloomberg and Pataki and Fossella have better fucking pay attention because they are betraying us so far. Write letters to the San Diego papers raging at Randy Cunningham for his desecration of the memory of our dead friends and family. Write letters to the New Jersey papers calling on Doug Forrester to apologize to NYC and to publically call for Karl Rove’s resignation over the comments he made while fundraising for Forrester. Write the New York Papers calling on Pataki, Bloomberg and Fossella to call for Karl Rove’s resignation over his desecration of the memory of our dead friends and family. And don’t forget to include copies of your letters to the national media like CNN and USA Today (included in the above links).
II. Support the Democrats in these places where Rove and Cunningham are trying to influence. Support the Dems in Staten Island to try and help oust Vito Fossella in 2006 in retaliation for the Republican war on NYC. The Staten Island Dem organizations I know of are the Staten Island Young Democrats and the Richmond County Democratic Committee. Also support New Jersey Democratic organizations, a variety of which can be found listed on the NJ Democratic State Committee website. Pick one or two organizations to help out if you can. Finally, help out the San Diego Democrats to get back at Randy “Duke” Cunningham.
III. If you are represented by a Republican mayor (e.g. Bloomberg), Governor (e.g. Pataki), Senator or Congressman (e.g. Fossella) write them and really strongly demand that they call for Rove’s resignation and an apology from Bush to NYC. You can find your local, state and federal politicians on http://www.congress.org.
Please. If we all spend some time on these actions, the Republicans will feel the reprecussions of their despicable acts. Please act now and over the next week to join in the fight against the disgusting exploitation of 9/11 by the Republican Party.
I think this time it’ll be way more difficult for them to hide their thuggery behind the dead of 9/11, especially since Rove went to NYC to basically insult them on their own territory.
Thanks for all the great ideas for doing something. (great rant too).
Thanks.
I have been angry for 5 years now, but something just snapped this week. I cannot believe our nation is being run by this pack of idiots. They aren’t even good for the economy! THey aren’t even good at fighting wars. They are BAD at everything they do. They are looting our nation as well as Iraq and we can’t take it anymore.
Every single one of us has to channel our rage–not at eachother anymore like happens too much–but focus it like a laser beam at the corrupt neo-Cons and take them down for the sake of our nation and the world.
on themselves. Great diary. I hear your outrage, and understand it being on Long Island myself. Almost everyone I know, either lost someone, or knows someone who lost someone. The bottom line though is that the right wing doesn’t give a flying you know what about how New Yorkers feel, and I seriously doubt whether Rove will apologize. As far as I’m concerned, any apology he might make is bullshit anyway, and nothing will change the fact that he holds New Yorkers and liberals in contempt. He and the rest of the wanna be Fourth Reichers keep finding ways to stoop lower and lower and I’m thinking in the long run, they are gonna meet with a bad ending. I’m just hoping we don’t all get dragged down with them.
You know and I know that Rove and Bush and every other America hating fascist freak have seriously fucked with the wrong people now. New Yorkers don’t take this kind of shit laying down, and I doubt it will be long before we here from them.
Thanks. For too long the left has been fighting among its ranks trying to find itself. Well, maybe we need to stop finding ourselves and just plain unite, dig in and take on the corrupt bastards that are running our nation.
I feel the same way. I can’t understand any democrat who wastes time and energy fighting with his or her own side or worries about finding the right message so as not to step on any sensitive toes. I ean, Bush is giving us plenty to fight against. The truth is the truth and people need to hear it whether it upsets their comfortable little worlds or not. I’m with you. Just take the fight to them and for crying out loud, please, I’m begging, never, ever back down from them.
Your ideas and words are wonderful and they sure do beat to hell my thoughts that this country might need a civil war.
Take the war to the Republicans?
Suit me up.
And thank you for reminding me (as painful as it is to admit) of something that is seldom top of mind: that fact that I do have ONE Rethug politico that I can write as a constituent.
If Bloomberg were smart, he’d leave the Republican party in protest. He couldn’t get the Democratic nomination, but he’d make a better run as an Independent (especially because there probably wouldn’t even be a Republican running if he pulled out.)
I would seriously consider voting for him just to thank him for standing up for NYC against the Repubs.
My anger is almost uncontainable and has been since Gore ‘lost’ fraudently.
I know what you mean. Focus that anger and it can be a powerful weapon. If it helps, I write a weekly email newsletter that seems to help people channel their anger and frustration into real political action. I have Manhattan, Brooklyn/Queens, New Jersey, and Virginia editions plus a National edition for everyone else. Let me know if you are interested in any of them. Some people find it helps and people keep signing up but only one person has ever asked to be unsubscribed.
I already get it- you’re D.M. right? I subscribed to you ages ago and didn’t make the mole connection- Good stuff here and in the newsletter- Thanks.
I always assume no one knows me. Then I’ll be writing something and I’m recognized. It is disconcerting!
Glad you like the newsletter!
As a person who lost a friend at the World Trade Center, do you feel that Karl Rove trivialized your experience by his rant against the Democrats?
Trivialized is putting it mildly. When I remember that day and I think about how the Repubs use that day as a tool for their political gain it makes me feel physiscally ill.
and I too am sorry for the loss of a friend, and for the destruction wrought on your city — made far worse by the Neocons.
You point out several instances where Bush was warned, I don’t want to distract from the purpose of this diary with my thoughts on what happened prior to September 11, 2001.
The Republican Party kept the EPA from warning of the dangers of breathing the air, and they have never stopped using 9/11 as a propaganda tool since the tragedy (despite promising not to do so). The Bush Administration has done nothing but stall investigations, squander billions of taxpayer dollars, and take many of our civil rights under the guise of being a PATRIOT — not to even get into the distraction known as Iraq.
Thank you for your Action Items — I am going to try to mobilize my California Action groups to get Schwarzenegger to commit to where he stands on this — after all, he campaigned for Bush in Ohio … and we all know how Ohio turned out. Schwarzenegger wants to pretend he’s an outsider, and more moderate. We need to get him on record with his feelings about Rove — after all, we’re back in an election cycle out here!
Get Arnold! And, if you can, get Cunningham! I went to college in San Diego and helped re-establish the UCSD Democratic club. I have always wanted to find a way to turn San Diego more blue. This may be an opportunity if we can expose Cunningham’s corruption and encourage SD Dems.
I used to live in El Cajon, you know that area represented (sic) by Duncan chickenhawk Hunter, the check kiting king of the House. Maybe if enough young men and women from that area are sent home flag draped, they will kick his ass out of congress too.