Sunday, September 11, 2016

9/11 15-Years After: Reflections On A Nation Divided

                The owner of a Texas mattress store has apologized for a preposterously tasteless advertisement promoting a “9/11 anniversary sale.” The television ad starts out with a woman touting the “Twin Towers” sale. Then two men, astonished at the incredible deals, question her about the sale. She throws open her arms to attest to the magnitude of the sale, knocking both men backwards into two stacks of mattresses. She screams, hands to her mouth, as the two mattress towers fall to the ground. Then, she turns back and looks into the camera…a bizarre little smile discernible on her face…and states “We’ll never forget.”
                This wasn’t the only instance of appalling promotional judgment in advance of the 15-year “anniversary” of the worst one day enemy attack on American soil in the nation’s history.
                A Walmart store in Florida allowed a display of Coke cans stacked to look like the World trade Center to be constructed, replete with Coke Zero cans depicting the actual Ground Zero location.

                And, today, on the anniversary itself, September 11th 2016, the National Football League season kicked off, amid controversy over a few of its players recently refusing to stand for the national anthem. The NFL  honored service men and women, first responders and the victims of September 11th across the league today.
                Yet, the Seattle Seahawks and Miami Dolphins had other plans. The Seahawks stood and locked arms, coach Pete Carroll included, during the national anthem to show solidarity with those mistreated in this society. At the same time and across the field, four Miami Dolphin players took a knee for the anthem, popping up immediately upon its conclusion.
                Many Americans took time today to mourn those lost to Islamic terrorism, and to reflect on one of the most horrific days in the country’s history. Loved ones were remembered along with the heinous acts of terrorists. Ironically, prior to today’s games, the NFL broadcast messages from President Barack Obama and former president George W. Bush.
                In the immediate aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, America under “W” appeared more united than it had been in a very long time. Conversely, after nearly eight years of “the Great Divider,” the country is rapidly coming apart at its figurative seams. The country has more, deeper, darker and likely irreconcilable differences than at any time since the Civil War. Progressive extremists will not settle for anything less than all-out socialism, total moral relevancy, and the dissolution of the Constitution of the United States. Conservatives, Christians, traditionalists, and believers in a free market system with  limited government (kept that way by checks and balances) cannot possibly live with- or stand for- that outcome.
                That is “fundamental change” writ large.

                On top of everything else, the most popular sports league in the U.S. is becoming an oversize petri dish for social engineering and the putting forth of political statements. Millions of us love tuning in to the games each week to get away from the problems of the real world. Fantasy football is hugely popular and aptly named. And now the joy is being sucked out of even that aspect of our lives.

                As for racial “inequality,” 68% of players in the NFL are black, just less than 28% are white. Under 13% of the American populace is black. The average NFL salary is nearly $2 million a year.
                The median annual household income worldwide is under $10,000 a year.
               
               


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