Idiot Philadelphia columnist: "We need another 9/11".

[MrSlayer]

Stu Bykofsky | To save America, we need another 9/11

ONE MONTH from The Anniversary, I'm thinking another 9/11 would help America.

What kind of a sick bastard would write such a thing?

A bastard so sick of how splintered we are politically - thanks mainly to our ineptitude in Iraq - that we have forgotten who the enemy is.

It is not Bush and it is not Hillary and it is not Daily Kos or Bill O'Reilly or Giuliani or Barack. It is global terrorists who use Islam to justify their hideous sins, including blowing up women and children.

<snip>

Because we have mislaid 9/11, we have endless sideshow squabbles about whether the surge is working, if we are "safer" now, whether the FBI should listen in on foreign phone calls, whether cops should detain odd-acting "flying imams," whether those plotting alleged attacks on Fort Dix or Kennedy airport are serious threats or amateur bumblers. We bicker over the trees while the forest is ablaze.

America's fabric is pulling apart like a cheap sweater.

What would sew us back together?

Another 9/11 attack.


http://www.philly.com/dailynews/columnists/stu_bykofsky/20070809_Stu_Bykofsky___To_save_America__we_need_another_9_11.html


Here is the jackass' email address. [e-mail]

I'm composing a letter to the editor in response to this lunacy but I have yet to edit it to a printable version.

[Nitrogenica]

1. There's no liberal talk radio in Philly.

http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2007/07/numbers_radio.html

[MrSlayer]

7. Yes, I know.

I live here. But this guy isn't a neo-con talking head, he's generally liberal but he's been Liebermanized when it comes to the war.

[mediaman007]

2. Perhaps if the Bush* administration and the Republicans in general

had been more democratic. Instead they used the response to 9-11 to consolidate political power and lock more than 50% of this nation out of the decision-making.

Cheney said that all they needed was one more vote than 50%. Other presidents and administrations have been leaders to all Americans...not this group.

They are just beginning to get what they deserve!

[SoonerPride]

3. Don't worry, * has it all planned for mid 2008

Just sit tight buddy, the "terrist" strike is ordered up and will appear right on cue.

[Douglas Carpenter]

4. I hasten to think how the public would react

I would hate to think they would return to the post 9/11 mindset,

But it that could happen. And sooner or later it is entirely possible

if not probable that another 9/11 scale terror attack could occur.

[mcscajun]

5. Go get 'im, Slayer!

What a freakin' ULTRA-Maroon!

He gives jackasses everywhere a bad name.

"Iraq has fractured the U.S. into jigsaw pieces of competing interests that encourage our enemies."

No! Bush has fractured the U.S. America has turned their backs on the war because we were LIED to! Because Americans believe the war is being, and has been, a mistake all along, mismanaged, and is too costly, both in American lives and American dollars, to go on and on without end. That's Why!

I anxiously await your Printable Version. Keep it short, keep it clean, see it printed.

[MrSlayer]

6. Here's what I have thusfar.

Stu Bykofsky is sickeningly irresponsible to suggest that we need 3,000 more people dead in a terrorist attack to bring us together politically. The reason people are angry and divided is because this administration took advantage of 9/11 and used it to consolidate unprecedented political power and shut half of the people out of the arguments and processes of government. We haven't forgotten who the enemy is, this administration did when they decided to invade a country that didn't attack us, at the cost of a trillion dollars and many thousands of lives, instead of going after Bin Laden and al Qaeda. What will help heal the nation is an administration that governs for the benefit of all Americans and not simply for their corporate cronies and their party's idealogical extremists. Until then I'm afraid Mr. Bykofsky is going to have to suffer the infighting this president and his party have fomented.


Edit: Revised letter.

[lala_rawraw]

12. I have asked him

who he would volunteer to be a victim for such patriotism... would he be willing to die for such uber-unity... also, h/t to you in my post:
http://www.atlargely.com/2007/08/stu-bykofsky-we.html

[JHB]

27. Hmm... just some kibbitzing:

May I suggest:
1) "thousands more people dead" rather than such a specific "3000". Since you're refuting his complaint of "not seeing the forest for the trees", such a precise number actually works in his favor.

2) My experience is that the phrase "a country that didn't attack us" tends to just bounce off the people who need to understand that point the most (i.e., they've already pidgeonholed it as "hippie slogan to be ignored #1138"). I've had more success reminding them that Iraq "was isolated, encircled, and incapable of taking offensive action against us".

[MrSlayer]

32. Thanks.

I actually did change the 3,000 to thousands. I left the "did not attack us" in though. I always send them and then wish I had edited more. Oh well. I got a call today from the editor and it's probably going to be in monday's paper.

[bbernardini]

8. Kick!

I think a lot of us need to write to this paper to complain.

[MrSlayer]

9. Here is the editor's email.

[e-mail]

Typical stuff, they want your name, your city and a phone number where they can reach you to confirm.

I edited my letter down again and sent it in. They almost always print my stuff.

[jgraz]

10. I just sent him a short note as well.

I suggested he stage a solo suicide bombing as a show of support for the terrorists.

[robinlynne]

11. and the republicans have already started warning us that attacks are imminent.

[complain jane]

41. And the scariest part of all

are all the idiots in this country too willfully ignorant to see this coming.

[noise]

13. A cheerleader for death

I only hope he wrote this to generate controversy and get a lot of responses.

I don't understand this monolithic conception of nationalism. We don't live in a black and white world where everything is simple. One would think dealing with complexity would be preferable to wishing for mass death.

[sam sarrha]

21. just a flying monkey of the Psychopaths in the white house.

[The Vinyl Ripper]

14. My email ..

Dear Mr Bykofsky,

I read that you think another 9/11 attack is needed to "bring America together".

Since you think this is of such vital importance would you volunteer yourself and your family to be victims of such an attack?

Or is it for others to sacrifice life and limb for that which you desire?

Best regards,

The Vinyl Ripper

[noise]

15. Is he looking for a new job?

CC: [e-mail]

[Occulus]

16. People who want another 9/11 should be tried for treason. n/t

[autorank]

24. 100% agreed!!!!!!!!!!!! n/t

[spindoctor]

17. 9/11 was the best thing that happened to this administration n/t

[Ghost in the Machine]

18. Petition To Terminate Stu Bykofsky

"Please read the email petition below and sign it if you agree with it. An email will automatically be sent to Stu Bykofsky's editor. Thank you....

We, the undersigned, are hereby requesting that you fire Stu Bykofsky. His recent column calling for another terrorist attack on this Country as a means to bring the Nation together politically was way over the line.

We recognize and encourage free speech, but free speech, as with any freedom, comes with a price. That price is to use that freedom wisely and responsibly. It is NOT responsible to advocate an attack on our Country. Actually, it borders on treason.

Thank you,

Concerned Americans Everywhere..."

http://www.hqrnc.org/?q=node/5

[Name removed]

35. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Name removed]

37. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[mogster]

19. His conclusion is wrong

Another 911 would not 'sew you back together' but blow America apart.

He raises an interesting question however, as seen from abroad. Why didn't the 911 attack weld the American people together?
Why did it cause fragmentation, and not unity? The answer to that lies in the way the Bush administration handled 911.
Back in 2001, there was unity. Bush had 90% of the people's support - and all the rest of the world's support as well.
But he didn't use all of that goodwill power well. He didn't inspire trust, he didn't comfort, he didn't adopt the humble position of a democratic leader of all the people, but instead used the occation to reinforce his own party's position - in a language and pose that left no doubt that he, just as the person mentioned in the OP, saw the 911 as a godsent opportunity to establish a new order.
Instead of trusting the people he governed, he started illegal surveillance programs, clamped down on dissent, implemented draconian laws and showed every sign of NOT trusting anybody that disagreed with him.
That does not produce trust and confidence, it does not produce unity.

Here's a speech by the future Norwegian PM, Einar Gerhardsen, smuggled out of the Norw. concentration camp Grini in 1944. It is a suggestion for a common line of action after Norway again was free from the nazi occupation, and shows the people's unity:

The German attack on Norway and the creation of the Quisling government welded the Norwegian people together in an unbreakable front. The four largest political parties and the biggest commercial organizations decided during the summer of 1940 to work together, and quickly found a common platform.

This work was stopped by the Germans, who dissolved the political parties, created the first nazi government and implemented full dictatorship.
But the Germans couldn't by dissolving the parties stop the Norwegians from continuing the work they had begun, and in the Norwegian home front, the military organizations and other resistance movements, the best men and women from all parties and all society classes has stood together in a dangerous and serious fight for Norway.

The Norwegian Labour party and the Workers Union thinks that this cooperation must continue in the years after the war. The two organizations are founded on a socialist ideology and their goal is, as before, a socialist Norway. However, in the first years after the war the difficulties will be so many that all responsible parties in the people must work together on solving the most pressing tasks. The Nygaardsvold government has in accordance with this view said that it will stand down as soon as the war is over and a new government can be formed.
Only if all building forces in society add their good will can we hope to rebuild our country, and lead it saved and free out of the post war breaking waves. This cooperation must be arranged by an agreement between the political parties, so that everyone is bound by their task and responsible for it's completion. The cooperation should be manifested as a program and a broad coalition government.

This government's tasks will be:
- To start the rebuilding of the nation
- To provide work for all Norwegians
- To lift the dictatorship, deal with the quislings and reinstate social justice and democratic freedom
- To distribute the burden of the war years fairly
- To prepare elections for a new Storting

By a fixed agreement between the large political parties one is ensured against coup attempts, and this creates a broad democratic foundation so that the coalition government will be a strong and powerful government--a government to take on the huge tasks with courage, zest and determination, knowing that the people are behind them.

Gerhardsen was a very modest man, originally a road worker before he became a politician, who saw the need to put aside partisan politics when the nation faced the huge task of rebuilding. It paid off; he ended up being the longest serving Norwegian PM in history and the Labour party held the government uninterrupted from 1945 to the beginning of the 60's.
And Norway was rebuilt. With much help from the US, that must be mentioned ;-)

[autorank]

23. He raises NO "interesting point." HE CALLS FOR THE DEATH OF AMERICANS!

What part of that was unclear. Nobody wishes for death unless they are sick, really beyond repair, which this columnist is. He's so sick, his office mates had better watch out in case their chattering annoys this idiot too much.

There is a huge difference between Einar Gerhardsen, a fine human being and leader, and the fool at the Inquirer: I'll bet you any amount of money that Gerhardsen NEVER once wished for an attack on Norway to unite the country.

Was there some problem with Norway that you're aware of prior to the German occupation that might have lead any citizen to call for an attack to unite the Norwegians?. He's talking about their heroic resistance to the Nazi monsters which resulted
The monster in Philly is calling for, hoping for a preemptive attack to unite this country.

Apparently he failed to note that our country is untied - UNITED against the war in Iraq; UNITED against the tyranny of Bush; UNITED against the assault on Americans in New Orleans; UNITED against the insensitivity to the environmental dangers facing us; against state sponsored torture; etc etc. We are united save those very few who are so loyal to Bush they are unable to break the cord, even in light of these policies which they would object to absent intense political loyalty.

[mogster]

25. There's no ambiguity in my reply, autorank

It was intended to show how the person in question has lost his bearing. He's not alone, I've met several people in debate here in Norw. that has the same dreams, of the political power a 'terror' attack will give them. Apparently without seeing that this makes them allied with the terrorists.

Peace will solve our problems, autorank. Not more dead Americans killed by terrorists, real or fake.

Obviously there were those in Norway that wanted a German-supported government prior to the invasion, yes. They welcomed the Quisling puppet regime installed by nazi Germany, because it gave them the power they'd been unable to get otherwise.
Like the person quoted in the OP dreams of terror to again enable the rw 'unity', they would advocate increasingly harsher measures against the Norwegians that opposed the new power as it became reality, because they saw harsh measures as justified because of national security. The Norwegian secret home front Milorg was subsequently dubbed 'terrorists' and the people that supported them or argued otherwise, was said to be helping terrorists. Was said to be undermining the natinal security, the war effort - the nation itself.

I didn't compare Bush with Gerhardsen, I compared him with that other one ;-)

[autorank]

30. I stand (or sit) corrected.

The Norway story is truly amazing, as are the stories of the Netherlands and Denmark, two nations who had to resist in their own ways. Well, you got me interested. I'm going to read more about that period. I think it's instructive.:)

[mogster]

31. Thank you for saying that

I guess my initial response could have been more of a rejection of the opinion in question, and less of a pondering about what causes people to think like that.
Your work on exposing election fraud is remarkable, mr. Collins :-)
If only everybody could carry such a work load, we'd come a long way. We owe you for that.

[autorank]

20. My response to this most pathetic an vile individual...

This is the most idiotic column I've ever seen and I've seen a few in my life. I've never bothered to write any columnist until this point.

How on earth could you lack the simple human decency to keep your mouth shut when you came up with this deviant ideal for a column. Your insensitivity is only exceeded by the utter disregard for the survivors of those fine souls lost that day demonstrated by the pathetic and obviously malfeasant Philadelphia Inquirer.

Your words will live in infamy:

You say: ("If it is to be, then let it be. It will take another attack on the homeland to quell the chattering of chipmunks and to restore America's righteous rage and singular purpose to prevail.

The unity brought by such an attack sadly won't last forever.

The first 9/11 proved that. *)

Let me summarize for you since you're obviously too stupid to do it for yourself: you want people to die so you don't have to hear public dialog that bothers you ("chattering"). Stunning. I'd hate to see what you do around the office when the conversation in the next cubicle gets a little too rowdy.

I'm reminded of what parents say to their children when reprimand is called for: "Your behavior was bad but you're not a bad person."

In your case, your behavior was disgusting and you, sir, are a truly disgusting individual.


--------------------------------
The fools address:
[e-mail]

[jayctravis]

22. I replied asking if his next column was going to bemoan that there aren't more bridge collapses...

...because of the heroism they inspire in the general populace.

[bunkerbuster1]

26. Some must die so that columnists may feel better.

This is O'Reilly territory, isn't it?

[EstimatedProphet]

28. Great. Call for fellow citizens to be killed.

Call for an attack on our country.

Traitor.

[alphafemale]

29. That's just bizarre. I read some of his other columns on that link.

Most seem normal.

One pro-gay. One that was really touching about an animal shelter.

But who the fuck shit in his brain the morning he wrote that trash?

[MrSlayer]

33. He normally is quite liberal.

But he's Liebermanized on the war. He thinks it's good for Israel.

[alphafemale]

39. That column sounds insane.

Not to mention that I don't think another attack would bring us together at all.

There would be about as much chance for general revolt I think.

[RFKHumphreyObama]

34. What an insensitive jerk

What an insult to all the innoncent people who lost lives and all those who lost mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, relatives, friends or those who were mained and injured on that tragic day. By wishing for another 9/11, he is essentially wishing death of another poor group of victims. He is essentially wishing for children to grow up without one or both of their parents, for parents to grow old knowing the pain of having lost a child, for wives and husbands to lose their partners and soul-mates in life. I remember reading all the stories of grief and loss after 9/11 and the heartbreak involved. You have to be a selfish, heartless, callous human being to wish for another 9/11 just so that you can fulfill your own political agenda. In fact that is the method of thinking of terrorists

Ugh:puke: :puke: :puke:

[Dogmudgeon]

36. Are all of you CRAZY? You're advocating CENSORSHIP!

Someone wants to try him for treason.

Censorship has been advocated -- too much. FIVE fucking threads worth of censorship. (There may be more, but I missed them.)

Someone is leading a petition drive to get him fired, AND will harvest your e-mail addresses.

Jesus Hieronymous Christ, Incorporated, Stu Bykofsky is more liberal than the whole pack of you. The piece is satire. And why does anyone have to explain it, anyway? This is the United Fucking States of AMERICA! We do not censor literature. Period.

Are we all so dumbed-down that it isn't perfectly plain? Do we need to have our hands held, our asses wiped, and our literature approved first by our nannies and disciplinarians?

Doesn't anyone remember the intimidation -- the fatwa -- that Salman Rushdie faced? Or those Dutch magazines that printed the cartoons that were "offensive to Islam"?

This is the Democratic Underground -- NOT the "Conservative Values Enforcement Establishment"!

NO CENSORSHIP. NOT NOW. NOT EVER.

--p!

[Richard Steele]

38. Be honest- you're HIM, aren't you?

[Dogmudgeon]

40. No, but I do know him.

We are not close friends. I live in Philly, and we lived in the same neighborhood for a couple years. Besides which, I'm a writer, though not nearly as good as Stu is. I'm not even fit to sharpen his pencils.

There are also a few issues that have gotten my dander up, and I think people should hear about them. (That's what DU is for.) Like my opposition to censorship and the batshit-crazy talk about treason trials. And the petition scam, the same thing that you can see on Newsmax or NRO or Weekly Standard, stoking rage and hate and making money from it.

You may hate Bykofsky's sense of the satiric -- and mine as well. That's fine. I will try to convince you otherwise, but to each their own taste. Yet every thread that has been started about this -- six at this point, I think -- has gone way overboard.

Wanting to kick Bykofsky's ass (or mine) is one thing; working to get him fired, accusing him of treason, and setting up scams to harvest e-mail addresses of the enraged are quite different, and there should be NO room for them in a liberal/progressive community. Even the DLC is against this stuff (though I wouldn't put it past Joe Lieberman).

And you won't be able to get him fired, either. Stu Bykofsky has about 30 years of reputation, a cabinet full of journalism awards including a Pulitzer, and more integrity than all of DU, DKos, and HufPo put together. He's also got the kind of progressive cred that most of us weenies will never even get close to.

You know Keith Olbermann? Same level, but more of a local journalist. More freewheeling. Less disciplined but just as accurate.

Even I want to kick his ass sometimes. That's because he's a fucking great journalist. So hate his crazy-bastard guts if you want. Just don't start screaming censorship, blood, and treason (fer chrissakes) -- about anybody -- or I'll jump into the fight.

--p!

[Richard Steele]

42. Well, I reckon he's learned a valuable lesson about when to use the "sarcasm" smiley!

I hate it enough when that happens to me at DU, but it's
gotta be so much worse for an actual professional writer.

That's a serious "D'OH!" right there!

[muriel_volestrangler]

43. If it is satire, he continued the act into his defence of the column on Fox News

Interviewed by John Gibson here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UKaza_kaBtg

Are you still sure it's satire?

[NaturalHigh]

44. F***ing idiot.

[ComerPerro]

45. he is right, conservatives are really hurting for a domestic terror attack. Its all they need

to bring it all together for them.

[nickgutierrez]

46. That guy is a moron.

Sure, that's what we all need. 3000 more dead people. That will bring America together.

Idiot.