September 11 Brought Out the Worst Kind of Patriotism

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Thbis is an example of a mindless beauty. Tha problem is it causes thoughtful men to be influenced by their hormones.

A G of KS 11:44AM September 14, 2010

...so I can manifest delusional BS and put it print to generate ridiculous feedback from sightless liberals who likely jumped on the “patriotic bandwagon” and demanded that “someone” do “something” in response to the Sep 11 attacks.
Ms Stiehm, in your comparison of reaction to 9-11 and Pearl Harbor, your statement that “Pearl Harbor brought out the best in us” could not be farther from the truth. Rounding up Japanese Americans and throwing them into "War Relocation Camps" (fancy name for concentration camp) in response to the attack was an act that liberals would love to strike from the history books. Unfortunately, it was how we proud Americans reacted at the time. I’d hardly call it “the best in us”. By the way, over 60% of the interned Japanese were American citizens.
As I recall, after the Sep 11th attacks many Americans offered assistance and protection to their Muslim neighbors to prevent prejudice and hate crimes against them. G.W. did not send out forces to round up Muslims to place them in internment camps. That particular statement alone proves that you could not have done any research to validate your statements and will write down anything and send it in before your deadline just to “earn” a buck!
It just so happened to be that G.W.Bush was in office when we were taken by surprise; and he took action as the American public demanded. Wasn’t it Osama bin Laden along with the Taliban who claimed responsibility in their declaration of war? Our response, just as was the response to the attack on Pearl Harbor, to strike back. And your liberal friends in Congress endorsed it as they did the invasion of Iraq. I don’t even want to get into the reports of WMDs because your view of fact vs fantasy will never be close to resembling what some of us have witnessed in Iraq.
Finally, I would have to agree with the majority of the posts here. US News has really stooped to a new low to allow such an ill-informed piece as yours to be posted on their website. It is apparent, given your choice of adjectives, that your piece is full of blind opinions and misinformation. If not for our Freedom of Speech, such a journalistic nightmare as yours should be banned. Reporting lies are more harmful towards our way of life than informative.

Ron N. of IL 11:34AM September 14, 2010

I never heard of Stiehm,
I never hope to see one,
but I can tell you anyhow,
I'd rather see than be one.

Matt Kuitunen of CA 11:01AM September 14, 2010

Aren't there any logical liberals that US News can utilize? Liberal columns amount to saying inflammatory things without proving anything. If there are any liberals that can make a cogent argument, I sugges that they be published. Columns like this are a waste of time and space and I'm more than a little disappointed in US News.

Dar of FL 10:04AM September 14, 2010

Disagree with just about everything you had to say. Thought I was listening to ruminations from someone like Alan Colmes, another Liberal I never agree with. 9/11 will do just fine in the history books.

David Garver of TX 9:29AM September 14, 2010

My respect for US News has dropped to an all time low. As one poster said, there are so many inaccuracies (I am being kind) here, that they are not worth refuting.
Please stop insulting the intelligence of your readers, Mr. Editor, or you will have none left.

SherlockHolmes of NH 9:28AM September 14, 2010

Your column is just so chock-full of inaccuracies, I'm not sure where to begin! maybe just right at the beginning, how's that? You write "Pearl Harbor brought out the best in us, but September 11 brought out the worst kind of patriotism" Well "isn't that special?" - and completely inaccurate. After Pearl Harbor the US government imprisoned 120,000 of its citizens of Japanese origen in concentration camps under terrible conditions: "tarpaper-covered barracks of simple frame construction without plumbing or cooking facilities of any kind." At the same time they confiscated all Japanese properties: businesses, homes, vehicles, possessions and sold them off at a fraction of their value. They further stripped the "Japs" of all rights of American citizenship at the same time. The US government did not do this to the "white" German or Italian Americans just the "yellow Japs!" That would qualify for you as "the best in us?"
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I recall no such atrocity committed against Muslim, Arab or Saudi Americans after 911. Making such a statement as: "Pearl Harbor brought out the best in us, but September 11 brought out the worst kind of patriotism" is not just deceptive or dishonest, it is a flat out lie!
Furthermore blaming George Bush and attempting to exonoate your pal Clinton is again not just is not just deceptive or dishonest, it is also a flat out lie!
But one of the worst things in your article is the irrisponsible and horrific: "So let's bring back the draft--as a liberal, I'm all for it." Of course you are, you are a radical "progressive," you feel orgasmic pleasure any and every time the omipotent "State" forces its population at the point of a bayonet to conform to YOUR will. Look you extremist dufus, I saw the result of the draft in the 60s and 70s. I watched the terrified thousands of young men fleeing your country to mine (Canada). I had good American friends who served in Vietnam against their will and were permanantly scarred. I watched your country almost tear itself to pieces because of that murderous "social-fascist" policy.
How could you support such a thing? Oh, I almost forgot, you are a self-admitted "liberal" you most likely believe that "your country tearing itself to pieces" would be a "Good Thing", right?........

Don Colibri 9:02AM September 14, 2010

david of ID did a excellent job explaining himself. Is as though you did not comprehend what he wrote.

Bill Hedges of MO 4:35PM September 13, 2010

There were no WMD found in 2003. The intelligence stating that Iraq had WMD in 2003 was wrong. Iraq didn't have WMD, which is why no matter how hard the inspectors looked they couldn't find anything leading up to the months before the war. What was Saddam Hussien supposed to do, he rolled out the red carpet for the UN? The US was bent on invading!
Saddam Hussein stopped WMD production after the first gulf war so it's irrelevant that he had them in the past. No nukes, no biological weapons labs on wheels. It was a lie. Say it with me, "they lied to us."

Bobby Sugar of IN 4:01PM September 13, 2010

This issue is not going to go away anytime soon. In fact it will likely last for decades. This from todays 'The Australian':
'TWO top Iranian clerics said anyone desecrating the Koran must be killed as hundreds of people protested on yesterday outside the Swiss embassy in Tehran.
"From the point of view of Islamic jurisprudence, strong objection to such thoughts is mandatory and necessary and killing the people who have committed this act is compulsory," Ayatollah Hossein Nouri Hamedani was quoted as saying by Fars news agency.
His view was echoed by Ayatollah Naser Makarem Shirazi who added that such a response must be taken after consulting a "religious judge."
"The blood of the person who burns the Koran can undoubtedly be shed. But in this issue, no action should be taken without the permission of a religious judge," Makarem Shirazi said.'
Muslims here are going to have to work ever harder to prove they are not part of this global jihadist and retribution mindset. So far we have seen precious little to indicate that they whole-heartedly disapprove of their radical Islamic bretheren.

Buster Bunns of OR 3:07PM September 13, 2010