Monday, September 11, 2006
Guest Post from Vance Cheek
Vance Cheek, a dear friend of VOLuntarilyConservative, submitted the following piece on 9/11. I am grateful that he did so, although I apologize for not posting it sooner due to a full day in criminal court.
After reading the post, I am sure that it is worth the wait. It interestingly taps into my own frustration today, which peaked when a caller to a sports radio talk show blasted the hosts for not buying into the phony-baloney hoo-ha that the rest of the media was passing off as true patriotism and loyalty to country.
Without further adieu...
***
"September 11, 2001 - Five years of frustration"
Not so long ago, ABC and Ted Koppel defended their right to read the list of names of those heroes who have died in the War on Terror. Today, on the 5th Anniversary of the September 11 attacks on New York, Washington and Pennsylvania, no primary media service would hold for the entire readings of the names of those who died in the World Trade Center. Fox, ABC, NBC, CBS and their cable subsidiaries all cut away for macabre discussions with talking heads or for ramblings of retired evening news anchors who talked about how their coverage of 9/11 padded their resumes.
This is my problem with the instant gratification, 7 minute sketch comedy, Woodstock-ish, ADD-like attention span of the Baby Booming controlled media. 364 days out of the year, attention is focused on the failure to find WMD's, Bush's "abuse of power" by tapping overseas calls and atrocities committed upon our Nation's enemies on the battlefield in the Iraqi Theater and/or at Gitmo. However, on September 11th every year the media has to squeeze the misery of thousands into a 24 hour period.
As I watched the memorial services in frustration today, I was stunned sadly at the lack of patriotism in the broadcasts. There were no comments of "This is why we are at war." or "This is why we must fight the War on Terror overseas rather than here" or even "Thank God the Bush Administration has made America and the world safer". Rather, there were interviews with 5 year old children asking "Are you sorry you didn't get to know your Daddy?" or discussions with women cloaked in the beauty of strength and determination forged from the fire of tragedy being asked "Do you miss your husband? Has it been hard without him?" Ridiculous!
I remember this day because it stokes my passion for this Country. This is why I offered myself for public service and this is why I will do it again. The media may blur the line between what is right and what is wrong, what is good and what is evil; however, my parents raised me (as I am certain your parents raised you) to know that there is good and evil in the world. 5 years ago, evil spawned from the mouth of Hell killed over 3000 innocent people in evil's name. Today we must remember that we have done what we have done and we do what we continue to do and we will do whatever we must do in the name of that which is good.
Philippians 4:8 says "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, dwell on these things." This is what is good. This is for what we are fighting. Let no one confuse us, let no one blur the lines. We fight for freedom, we fight for peace, we fight for the victims' names read today but not broadcast.
Let us never forget. Let our resolve never waiver. Let us always serve that which is good and may God always bless America.
After reading the post, I am sure that it is worth the wait. It interestingly taps into my own frustration today, which peaked when a caller to a sports radio talk show blasted the hosts for not buying into the phony-baloney hoo-ha that the rest of the media was passing off as true patriotism and loyalty to country.
Without further adieu...
***
"September 11, 2001 - Five years of frustration"
Not so long ago, ABC and Ted Koppel defended their right to read the list of names of those heroes who have died in the War on Terror. Today, on the 5th Anniversary of the September 11 attacks on New York, Washington and Pennsylvania, no primary media service would hold for the entire readings of the names of those who died in the World Trade Center. Fox, ABC, NBC, CBS and their cable subsidiaries all cut away for macabre discussions with talking heads or for ramblings of retired evening news anchors who talked about how their coverage of 9/11 padded their resumes.
This is my problem with the instant gratification, 7 minute sketch comedy, Woodstock-ish, ADD-like attention span of the Baby Booming controlled media. 364 days out of the year, attention is focused on the failure to find WMD's, Bush's "abuse of power" by tapping overseas calls and atrocities committed upon our Nation's enemies on the battlefield in the Iraqi Theater and/or at Gitmo. However, on September 11th every year the media has to squeeze the misery of thousands into a 24 hour period.
As I watched the memorial services in frustration today, I was stunned sadly at the lack of patriotism in the broadcasts. There were no comments of "This is why we are at war." or "This is why we must fight the War on Terror overseas rather than here" or even "Thank God the Bush Administration has made America and the world safer". Rather, there were interviews with 5 year old children asking "Are you sorry you didn't get to know your Daddy?" or discussions with women cloaked in the beauty of strength and determination forged from the fire of tragedy being asked "Do you miss your husband? Has it been hard without him?" Ridiculous!
I remember this day because it stokes my passion for this Country. This is why I offered myself for public service and this is why I will do it again. The media may blur the line between what is right and what is wrong, what is good and what is evil; however, my parents raised me (as I am certain your parents raised you) to know that there is good and evil in the world. 5 years ago, evil spawned from the mouth of Hell killed over 3000 innocent people in evil's name. Today we must remember that we have done what we have done and we do what we continue to do and we will do whatever we must do in the name of that which is good.
Philippians 4:8 says "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, dwell on these things." This is what is good. This is for what we are fighting. Let no one confuse us, let no one blur the lines. We fight for freedom, we fight for peace, we fight for the victims' names read today but not broadcast.
Let us never forget. Let our resolve never waiver. Let us always serve that which is good and may God always bless America.
Permalink posted by Rob Huddleston @ 11:58 PM 
