Mike, this piece is simply illuminating. I’m so proud to live in an era when you exist. Yes, I know it sounds corny and all that, yet I’m a strong believer in the power of language, and in that, my friend, you are a master. Thank you for illuminating my day!
Mike, while we have a democratic government, can you mention to lawmakers if they put a team on processing citizenship applications, ASAP, they will have a bunch of new voters for 2022. Most of us immigrants are Democrats so it's in their interest to expedite out citizenship applications.
You never disappoint me. Your words are painfully right on, as usual. Of course I'm forwarding this to my friends, even those who scoff and squirm at the truth this contains. Thanks, Michael. Looking forward to movie night!
This stuff has been said for years. It's a depressing truth, but even Michael doesn't talk about "why they hate us." We need to do that, understand it and change our behavior. Terrorism is a disease caused by the buildup of decades of outrage and the feeling of powerlessness, a life where you see the things other people have but for you, they're unattainable. You see yourself as the victim of a massive theft. This is true of poor people in the middle east, and of the people in the US who have been left out of the political and economic "prosperity" America touts as its greatest achievement. Bin Laden did not come out of a vacuum. What westerners also do is delude themselves into believing that religion (specifically, Islam) is the cause, when it is not. It is the justification - Islam is not a "go to church on Sunday" kind of religion. It is deeply entrenched in the society, where it is the heart of how people behave and think every day. The Islam that many people learn is sometimes not what the religion really is but what the family and the local imam teach their kids. The religion is also not merely the Quran, but the Hadith and Tafseer, but westerners love to quote historical passages from the Quran out of context and claim the whole religion is "violent." Throughout history, however, Christians have been very violent as well. The only quote from the Quran that I still carry with me from my years as a Muslim is very applicable to America. It says, "the world will not change until you change what is in your hearts."
Disturbing, heartfelt writing by Michael Moore. It brought back my own past with a vengeance.
My husband and I went to Afghanistan in 1989 to find our 17 year old son, who had run away from our home on the Persian Gulf to join the mujahadin. The Russians had already left Afghanistan when we traveled there.
I got as far as the Pakistani border town of Peshawar. My Saudi husband was escorted across the border the next day with 3 Uzzi-carrying mujahadin soldiers in a jeep to find our son. I was left behind in a villa that I later learned was owned by Osama bin Laden. My husband met with bin Laden the night before he crossed the border. He learned that bin Laden had already turned against the CIA and the USA.
I agree that bin Ladin won the war even after his death. And, sadly, he and the Taliban are still winning it.
Great writing on the subject. I wrote a comment on your piece “R.I.P. Ed Asner” which is even more relevant here. Mr. Asner made important contributions to the ‘Architects and Engineers for 9-11 Truth’ organization. He hosted the new movie "Seven" regarding the controversial theory that on 9-11, World Trade Center Building Seven was not brought down by office fires. [The ‘collapse due to fire’ theory was published in the government’s official report. A possible controlled demolition cause was not investigated.] He also hosted a very powerful 15-minute video for AE911Truth several years earlier: "Solving the Mystery of Building 7" which can be viewed here: www.ae911truth.org/evidence/videos/video/2-architects-and-engineers-solving-the-mystery-of-building-7 This video is free for streaming, whereas the new 45-minute movie "Seven" requires a rental fee. I urge everyone to view the 15-minute video. Many conspiracy theories are hogwash, some are plausibly not.
A quick note about AE911Truth.org: The website has a large repository of technical writing and videos regarding the events in NYC on 9-11, supporting the theory that World Trade Center buildings 1, 2 and 7 were brought down by controlled demolition. Nearly 3,500 Architecture and Engineering professionals (myself included) have signed the AE911Truth petition calling for a new independent investigation of the events in NYC on 9-11. They have done this at great risk to their professional reputation since they have all agreed to have their names, titles, professional credentials and their city of residence publicly listed with the petition.
Here Here !!! We must stand in the Fucking Truth !!! The ugly truths… As I was reading your letter I was listening to Marvin Gaye ‘s greatest hits (can’t watch the news today). Here pops on What’s going on …This album was released May 20th 1971 Funny if I didn’t know better I would have thought it was a new release … So my feeling is if we don’t turn are outrage into a positive move towards changing not the same old ,Sitting on the sidelines we may will loss what is left of the greatest democracy ever known I will be dipped in shit if before I let the right wing have anymore power over my life ! We have the 2022 election right around the corner We need to motivate a movement Like Stacey Abrams did in Georgia to get the right people elected!!! The most powerful thing we have is or right to Vote !!! Your writing is an outstanding perspective …Thank you my brother …Peace & Blessings to you
The FIRST time we decided to "eliminate ourselves as a species" is not climate change, it was the invention (and use) of atomic weapons. And, without discounting climate change as perhaps the ultimate arbiter of our fate, there are other species extinction vectors bearing down on us simultaneously: malignant, mutagenic genetic engineering (including future pandemics), uncontrolled AI and machine learning falling into the hands of evil futurist "operators" and simple overpopulation (infinite appetites for selfish consumption from a finite planet) - the common root of all scarcity, hunger, disease, pollution and raving, lunatic warmongers.
Wow, Michael, you are an awesome historian. Like Howard Jarvis, who wrote Prop 13 in California years ago, you have reduced the problem to a "2 inch cube" that even an child can understand. Another awesome historian that comes to my mind is an Israeli professor named Yuval Noah Harari. I would love to see a video with the two of you on the impact of American involvement in the Middle East. He is extremely dry and you are extremely -- the opposite!
It's not Bin Laden who won, it's today's Robber Barons, who managed to drive us into a war that they profited enormously from. America's wars are simply means of massively transferring wealth into the coffers of the wealthy. Win or lose (at HUGE cost in lives & treasure), these people win obscenely. The MSM miss this almost entirely. You shouldn't.
Mike, this piece is simply illuminating. I’m so proud to live in an era when you exist. Yes, I know it sounds corny and all that, yet I’m a strong believer in the power of language, and in that, my friend, you are a master. Thank you for illuminating my day!
Mike, while we have a democratic government, can you mention to lawmakers if they put a team on processing citizenship applications, ASAP, they will have a bunch of new voters for 2022. Most of us immigrants are Democrats so it's in their interest to expedite out citizenship applications.
You never disappoint me. Your words are painfully right on, as usual. Of course I'm forwarding this to my friends, even those who scoff and squirm at the truth this contains. Thanks, Michael. Looking forward to movie night!
This stuff has been said for years. It's a depressing truth, but even Michael doesn't talk about "why they hate us." We need to do that, understand it and change our behavior. Terrorism is a disease caused by the buildup of decades of outrage and the feeling of powerlessness, a life where you see the things other people have but for you, they're unattainable. You see yourself as the victim of a massive theft. This is true of poor people in the middle east, and of the people in the US who have been left out of the political and economic "prosperity" America touts as its greatest achievement. Bin Laden did not come out of a vacuum. What westerners also do is delude themselves into believing that religion (specifically, Islam) is the cause, when it is not. It is the justification - Islam is not a "go to church on Sunday" kind of religion. It is deeply entrenched in the society, where it is the heart of how people behave and think every day. The Islam that many people learn is sometimes not what the religion really is but what the family and the local imam teach their kids. The religion is also not merely the Quran, but the Hadith and Tafseer, but westerners love to quote historical passages from the Quran out of context and claim the whole religion is "violent." Throughout history, however, Christians have been very violent as well. The only quote from the Quran that I still carry with me from my years as a Muslim is very applicable to America. It says, "the world will not change until you change what is in your hearts."
"Bin Laden Still Lives
Every time we take our shoes off
at the airport, lock our school room doors,
drop explosives on people we're not sure of,
threaten destruction of a nation who dares to stand,
Bid Laden still lives.
Lives in us.
We've adopted his tactics,
flipped, as in our wigs,
as in totally turned around
from peace to hate
to fear.
As if Roosevelt was wrong,
and the only thing we have to
fear is everything that's not us.
As we spend more on guns,
on what is called "defense,'
less on schools, less on health
more on locks, gates, fences,
we remember Bin Laden.
Someone should make a place
where all nations could gather
in peace and just talk about
how to get along.
A "league" of nations, or even
a "united" nations.
But oh, we repeat ourselves."
Poem by Jack Burgess
Disturbing, heartfelt writing by Michael Moore. It brought back my own past with a vengeance.
My husband and I went to Afghanistan in 1989 to find our 17 year old son, who had run away from our home on the Persian Gulf to join the mujahadin. The Russians had already left Afghanistan when we traveled there.
I got as far as the Pakistani border town of Peshawar. My Saudi husband was escorted across the border the next day with 3 Uzzi-carrying mujahadin soldiers in a jeep to find our son. I was left behind in a villa that I later learned was owned by Osama bin Laden. My husband met with bin Laden the night before he crossed the border. He learned that bin Laden had already turned against the CIA and the USA.
I agree that bin Ladin won the war even after his death. And, sadly, he and the Taliban are still winning it.
Great writing on the subject. I wrote a comment on your piece “R.I.P. Ed Asner” which is even more relevant here. Mr. Asner made important contributions to the ‘Architects and Engineers for 9-11 Truth’ organization. He hosted the new movie "Seven" regarding the controversial theory that on 9-11, World Trade Center Building Seven was not brought down by office fires. [The ‘collapse due to fire’ theory was published in the government’s official report. A possible controlled demolition cause was not investigated.] He also hosted a very powerful 15-minute video for AE911Truth several years earlier: "Solving the Mystery of Building 7" which can be viewed here: www.ae911truth.org/evidence/videos/video/2-architects-and-engineers-solving-the-mystery-of-building-7 This video is free for streaming, whereas the new 45-minute movie "Seven" requires a rental fee. I urge everyone to view the 15-minute video. Many conspiracy theories are hogwash, some are plausibly not.
A quick note about AE911Truth.org: The website has a large repository of technical writing and videos regarding the events in NYC on 9-11, supporting the theory that World Trade Center buildings 1, 2 and 7 were brought down by controlled demolition. Nearly 3,500 Architecture and Engineering professionals (myself included) have signed the AE911Truth petition calling for a new independent investigation of the events in NYC on 9-11. They have done this at great risk to their professional reputation since they have all agreed to have their names, titles, professional credentials and their city of residence publicly listed with the petition.
“We have met the enemy and he is us”—Pogo
This piece is too good to be limited to Substack subscribers.
I think I’ve fallen in love with your mind. While reading your thoughts I find myself not feeling so alone with my own.
Eloquent and incisive, and with the ironic twist I SO love about the things you say and the way you say them. Thank you!
Here Here !!! We must stand in the Fucking Truth !!! The ugly truths… As I was reading your letter I was listening to Marvin Gaye ‘s greatest hits (can’t watch the news today). Here pops on What’s going on …This album was released May 20th 1971 Funny if I didn’t know better I would have thought it was a new release … So my feeling is if we don’t turn are outrage into a positive move towards changing not the same old ,Sitting on the sidelines we may will loss what is left of the greatest democracy ever known I will be dipped in shit if before I let the right wing have anymore power over my life ! We have the 2022 election right around the corner We need to motivate a movement Like Stacey Abrams did in Georgia to get the right people elected!!! The most powerful thing we have is or right to Vote !!! Your writing is an outstanding perspective …Thank you my brother …Peace & Blessings to you
The FIRST time we decided to "eliminate ourselves as a species" is not climate change, it was the invention (and use) of atomic weapons. And, without discounting climate change as perhaps the ultimate arbiter of our fate, there are other species extinction vectors bearing down on us simultaneously: malignant, mutagenic genetic engineering (including future pandemics), uncontrolled AI and machine learning falling into the hands of evil futurist "operators" and simple overpopulation (infinite appetites for selfish consumption from a finite planet) - the common root of all scarcity, hunger, disease, pollution and raving, lunatic warmongers.
Wow, Michael, you are an awesome historian. Like Howard Jarvis, who wrote Prop 13 in California years ago, you have reduced the problem to a "2 inch cube" that even an child can understand. Another awesome historian that comes to my mind is an Israeli professor named Yuval Noah Harari. I would love to see a video with the two of you on the impact of American involvement in the Middle East. He is extremely dry and you are extremely -- the opposite!
Wow. I agree. Look at the results! Wow. Thank you, Michael!
It's not Bin Laden who won, it's today's Robber Barons, who managed to drive us into a war that they profited enormously from. America's wars are simply means of massively transferring wealth into the coffers of the wealthy. Win or lose (at HUGE cost in lives & treasure), these people win obscenely. The MSM miss this almost entirely. You shouldn't.