This past week we saw a bewildered, confused Pastor Terry Jones of an obscure Gainesville, Fla., church back down after gaining international hysteria he would lead his flock in burning the Qur’an. Today, Sept. 12, nine years and one day after the 9/11 terrorist attack on the twin towers and Pentagon, Pastor Jones’ 15 minutes of fame mercifully is over. Time will tell … [Read more...] about My Family And Friends Speak Volumes On Pastor Jones And The Qu’ran
South African Muslims Prevent a ‘Bible Bonfire’: The Star, South Africa
South Africa's Star newspaper reports that Muslims in in the city of Johannesburg went to court to prevent an angry Muslim businessman from setting Bibles on fire in retaliation for the anticipated burning of Qurans by Pastor Terry Jones. According to the account, evidence presented by the Islamic 'Scholars of the Truth' persuaded the angry Muslim defendant that the Quran … [Read more...] about South African Muslims Prevent a ‘Bible Bonfire’: The Star, South Africa
Sunday School
The purveyors of hate on the religious right often claim that Islam is inherently a violent religion. A couple of examples here and here. And yes indeed they can find many examples of violence in the Qur'an. But have they read their own Bible? 1 Samuel 15:3 Now go, attack the Amalekites and totally destroy everything that belongs to them. Do not spare them; put to death … [Read more...] about Sunday School
We Don’t Need No (for-profit) Education (Guest Voice)
We don’t need no (for-profit) education by Karl Frisch With summer nearly over, the nation’s college campuses are bustling once again. For many students however, the rites of passage associated with higher education won’t be rushing a sorority, winning the big game or planning a spring break trip to Florida. No, looking back, a growing number of students will regale … [Read more...] about We Don’t Need No (for-profit) Education (Guest Voice)
Rachel Maddow, Moderate
I think it is safe to say that the state of American politics over the past couple of months has taken a turn for the strange. Some may say that this is expected in an election year, but when is it not an ‘election year’ in modern day politics? I have tried not to write anything about the anti-Muslim rhetoric that has been slowly seeping into America’s political discourse … [Read more...] about Rachel Maddow, Moderate
Four Confirmed (One Unidentified) Deaths in San Bruno
Emergency teams using search-and-rescue dogs are continuing to comb through the ruins of the San Bruno neighborhood where a gas pipeline exploded Thursday evening. Most of the area has been searched by now without having found additional bodies, and although reports I've seen are conflicting (understandably so), it appears that no residents remain unaccounted for. … [Read more...] about Four Confirmed (One Unidentified) Deaths in San Bruno
Nine Years Out—What Some of the 9/11 Widows are Saying, and Doing
In a couple of gripping pieces about the horror and continuing grief experienced by 9/11 survivors and about the recent “blather on television by various women and men about keeping the ’sanctity’ of the 9-11 bomb site,” Dr. Clarissa Pinkola Estés, referring to all the “trout-pout commentators [who] hog the discourse” on that issue, says: Those directly affected by 9-11 … [Read more...] about Nine Years Out—What Some of the 9/11 Widows are Saying, and Doing
“The Worst Day of My Life”
The "physical rebirth" of the World Trade Center, says a New York Times editorial, "is cause for celebration on this anniversary. It is a far more fitting way to defy the hate-filled extremists who attacked the United States on Sept. 11, 2001, and to honor their victims, than to wallow in the intolerance and fear that have mushroomed across the nation." When the planes hit … [Read more...] about “The Worst Day of My Life”
A Letter From the First Lady
Good morning, Nine years ago, nearly three thousand Americans lost their lives on September 11, 2001. Like many Americans, I was shocked and horrified by the attacks on our country. But I was also inspired by the heroism and selflessness of so many of my fellow Americans in the wake of this tragedy. From the brave men and women of Flight 93 who sacrificed their own … [Read more...] about A Letter From the First Lady
FL Pastor: ‘We will not burn Quran’
Terry Jones, pastor of the Dove World Outreach Center who had threatened a 9/11 Quran burning at the church, told NBC's Today show that "we have decided to cancel the burning...God is telling us to stop." NPR: He says that his Gainesville, Fla., church's goal was "to expose that there is an element of Islam that is very dangerous and very radical." He tells NBC that "we … [Read more...] about FL Pastor: ‘We will not burn Quran’
New Members of TMV’s Get A Life Club
Have we sunk this low in journalism? I mean, really. THIS qualifies some members of the news media as members of TMV's Get A Life Club. In fact, we'll give them a chair. Even better, a sofa. … [Read more...] about New Members of TMV’s Get A Life Club
9/11: The Rest Should Be Silence (Guest Voice)
9/11: The Rest Should Be Silence by Michael Winship This past Sunday was beautiful, bright and warm, not unlike the sky blue day when those two airliners hit the World Trade Center in 2001, just a mile or so from where I live. That day, a Tuesday, was a bit hotter, a bit more humid, yet just as sunny and promising. But this Sunday morning’s silence was broken by the … [Read more...] about 9/11: The Rest Should Be Silence (Guest Voice)
Hijacking the Memorial
This copyrighted cartoon is licensed to appear on TMV. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. All rights reserved. … [Read more...] about Hijacking the Memorial
A Post-Trauma Worker on The Cycle of Grief… Now Nine Years Later: 9-11
I cannot speak for 9-11 survivors for I am not one. I am only a walker. A person who walks with people on the way back from hell. I can only give you my understanding of those whose staggering gait I know deeply. I've been a post-trauma specialist and psychoanalyst for forty years. I've worked with 9-11 survivor families, individuals and first responders from New York and New … [Read more...] about A Post-Trauma Worker on The Cycle of Grief… Now Nine Years Later: 9-11
Sanctity of 9-11, The Profane Has Already Occurred Many Times, and It’s Not By Muslims
I cannot speak for 9-11 survivors for I am not one, but I can give you some windows to look through that most have never seen... Recently, there was much blather on television by various women and men about keeping the 'sanctity' of the 9-11 bomb site where so many souls were killed by nineteen murderers. Keeping the sanctity? There's a reason that all these trout-pout … [Read more...] about Sanctity of 9-11, The Profane Has Already Occurred Many Times, and It’s Not By Muslims
The New Media Narrative About the Terry Jones Story and Why It Misses the Mark
The new media narrative (which has been gathering speed and force in the last week) is that this pastor-who-isn't-really-a-pastor of a tiny Florida church who gained enormous notoriety in the media over his stated plan to burn copies of the Koran on the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks (tomorrow) should have been ignored -- that no one knew who he was or had ever heard of his … [Read more...] about The New Media Narrative About the Terry Jones Story and Why It Misses the Mark
The Rise, Fall and Reemergence of the Iraqi Air Force
A few weeks ago, I linked our readers to an article on the demise and rise of the Iraqi Air Force---both courtesy of the U.S. Air Force (USAF). For those who either did not read that article or are interested in more “airplane stuff,” you can read an expanded article on this subject at the USAF Air University’s The Wright Stuff. Just click here. … [Read more...] about The Rise, Fall and Reemergence of the Iraqi Air Force
Reverend Terry Jones
This copyrighted cartoon is licensed to run on TMV. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. All rights reserved. … [Read more...] about Reverend Terry Jones
Infrastructure: It’s Not Just About Jobs
It's also about lives. This happened in San Bruno, California, but ancient, poorly maintained infrastructure is a problem all over the United States. … [Read more...] about Infrastructure: It’s Not Just About Jobs
What in God’s Name are Conservatives Supporting Christine O’Donnell For?
I have been writing for nearly two years about how conservatives have to be more pragmatic in deciding whom to support for office if they expect to bring conservative governance to Washington. A couple of weeks after the 2008 election, I wrote this: Republicans are about ready to fall into a couple of traps that losing parties apparently can’t avoid when the dust … [Read more...] about What in God’s Name are Conservatives Supporting Christine O’Donnell For?