I am so damned tired of hearing Biden castigated for leaving so many of "those who helped us" in Afghanistan behind. No one "helped us". Whether one believes, as I do, that we never should have been in Afghanistan, or not, the fact is that we weren't there to conquer the country. We were there to try to help certain Afghanis win a civil war against other Afghanis. So, those Afghanis who worked together with us were doing so to help themselves and not to help us. Unfortunately, the civil war was lost. Those Afghanis, who were unable to leave the country, must suffer the consequences that are suffered by any people who lose a civil war. Although we were under no obligation to help anyone escape, we did, in fact, help more than 100,000 of them to escape. We should take pride in that accomplishment and not condemn our leaders for not having done more.
Dear Mr.Moore~ NM is probably the m BLUEST state in the Union. Please come visit our melting pot again. So many New Mexicans welcome you, and need your voice! Plus, we have a top notch Governor in: Michelle Grishem Lujan. Pres.Biden even asked her about being his VP.
Come! I'll fix you cheese enchiladas w/ calabacitas! Love, Laura
I love the letters you're reflecting on. I had no idea of the 9:03 connection. It's hard to believe where we've been and still we walk on, hoping for better government and a better life. Thanks, Michael!
I have duel Irish American citizenship and I am really wondering about this country. If it wasn’t for my kids and grandkids here I think I would bail but I feel an obligation and a duty to work for a better USA for them. Thanks for all you do to get the truth out and keep hope alive.
Thank You for your letters, Michael. They really help me and I'm sure many, many others with what we felt and experienced after 9/11. We are a majority because of you and those who later said the same things as you. When I met Cindy Sheehan, she said you'd told her, "Thanks for taking the heat off me." They had a price on your head, hers and everyone else, and still do. It's the plight of prophets speaking truth to power, which can set them free from the sick struggle for survival with endless wars, overpopulation and pollution from fossil fuels. Your letters are a breath of fresh air and healing, easing the collective neuroses of serious anxiety and depression.
I learned that there had already been a bud of scapegoating you ー if the expression is not accurate, making you seem unpatriotic ー about Bush's wars in the media right after 9/11 long before your Academy Award speech, from the Wall Street Journal quote of your letter out of context. It must have been uncomfortable.
Two important books I read after 9/11, "Terror Dream" by Susan Faludi and "The Shock Doctrine" by Naomi Klein, gave me an interesting perspective on tragedy and how our culture reacts to it. Essentially, rich white men survive quite nicely, because it's all about exploitation - who takes a tragedy and uses it for personal or political gain. I think we saw this post 9/11, with the manipulation of fear and anger that started two wars, and the big money opportunists descending upon New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina and changing the city from being a home for working class people to a gentrified southern enclave that drove out many people of color who could no longer stand to live there.
Hi Micheal, as I read very letter I am reminded of the grief I felt for the catastrophic loss of life that day even here in the UK. It was so un imaginable as each replay went around every news cycle. I don’t know if you follow news here in the UK but yesterday just one week after the 20th anniversary I could not believe the news that could have the potential to undermine the very foundations of not to mention Trust around the world but NATO as a whole. The new deal between the US, UK AND Australia which the French allegedly only learned hours before the Blonde guy proudly announced it on national TV. I don’t know if you have any thoughts Micheal. Keep on being you sending love from the UK X
Thank you for remembering the OK City bombing....I always feel that no one does, it makes me sad. We missed a real opportunity all those years ago to address the very real danger of domestic terror. All the men in charge sooo afraid to investigate and prosecute men that looked like them, lead us to where we are today! Nothing changed!! Never Forget 1/6/21!!
I really admire you, Michael, but why all the requests for donations? Is substack expensive capitalism? Or do you need funding for your projects? Just askin'.
As an old woman from a smart LA family, now stuck in Oklahoma for the last 30 years, I can testify most Americans do not recognize satire when they see it. That is a little harder than getting it once it's been explained, but that is the definition of understanding satire. I tried to explain satire to high school seniors for 15 years. An annual handful laughed quietly, though a little shocked by one of the easiest examples, Swift's "A Modest Proposal". But honestly, most were just shocked without understanding. Sigh.
I am so damned tired of hearing Biden castigated for leaving so many of "those who helped us" in Afghanistan behind. No one "helped us". Whether one believes, as I do, that we never should have been in Afghanistan, or not, the fact is that we weren't there to conquer the country. We were there to try to help certain Afghanis win a civil war against other Afghanis. So, those Afghanis who worked together with us were doing so to help themselves and not to help us. Unfortunately, the civil war was lost. Those Afghanis, who were unable to leave the country, must suffer the consequences that are suffered by any people who lose a civil war. Although we were under no obligation to help anyone escape, we did, in fact, help more than 100,000 of them to escape. We should take pride in that accomplishment and not condemn our leaders for not having done more.
Dear Mr.Moore~ NM is probably the m BLUEST state in the Union. Please come visit our melting pot again. So many New Mexicans welcome you, and need your voice! Plus, we have a top notch Governor in: Michelle Grishem Lujan. Pres.Biden even asked her about being his VP.
Come! I'll fix you cheese enchiladas w/ calabacitas! Love, Laura
I love the letters you're reflecting on. I had no idea of the 9:03 connection. It's hard to believe where we've been and still we walk on, hoping for better government and a better life. Thanks, Michael!
I have duel Irish American citizenship and I am really wondering about this country. If it wasn’t for my kids and grandkids here I think I would bail but I feel an obligation and a duty to work for a better USA for them. Thanks for all you do to get the truth out and keep hope alive.
Thank You for your letters, Michael. They really help me and I'm sure many, many others with what we felt and experienced after 9/11. We are a majority because of you and those who later said the same things as you. When I met Cindy Sheehan, she said you'd told her, "Thanks for taking the heat off me." They had a price on your head, hers and everyone else, and still do. It's the plight of prophets speaking truth to power, which can set them free from the sick struggle for survival with endless wars, overpopulation and pollution from fossil fuels. Your letters are a breath of fresh air and healing, easing the collective neuroses of serious anxiety and depression.
How much do I owe ya, doc?
I learned that there had already been a bud of scapegoating you ー if the expression is not accurate, making you seem unpatriotic ー about Bush's wars in the media right after 9/11 long before your Academy Award speech, from the Wall Street Journal quote of your letter out of context. It must have been uncomfortable.
Two important books I read after 9/11, "Terror Dream" by Susan Faludi and "The Shock Doctrine" by Naomi Klein, gave me an interesting perspective on tragedy and how our culture reacts to it. Essentially, rich white men survive quite nicely, because it's all about exploitation - who takes a tragedy and uses it for personal or political gain. I think we saw this post 9/11, with the manipulation of fear and anger that started two wars, and the big money opportunists descending upon New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina and changing the city from being a home for working class people to a gentrified southern enclave that drove out many people of color who could no longer stand to live there.
Hi Micheal, as I read very letter I am reminded of the grief I felt for the catastrophic loss of life that day even here in the UK. It was so un imaginable as each replay went around every news cycle. I don’t know if you follow news here in the UK but yesterday just one week after the 20th anniversary I could not believe the news that could have the potential to undermine the very foundations of not to mention Trust around the world but NATO as a whole. The new deal between the US, UK AND Australia which the French allegedly only learned hours before the Blonde guy proudly announced it on national TV. I don’t know if you have any thoughts Micheal. Keep on being you sending love from the UK X
New member from Florida fighting really hard to rid this state of its tyrannical leadership. I love your reflective letters.
New member from Grand Rapids, Mi. Keep your good work
Thank you for remembering the OK City bombing....I always feel that no one does, it makes me sad. We missed a real opportunity all those years ago to address the very real danger of domestic terror. All the men in charge sooo afraid to investigate and prosecute men that looked like them, lead us to where we are today! Nothing changed!! Never Forget 1/6/21!!
“ NOTHING can stop the march forward toward the accumulation of more wealth.”
Especially when it comes to oil war profiteers and mercenaries. 🤑
I really admire you, Michael, but why all the requests for donations? Is substack expensive capitalism? Or do you need funding for your projects? Just askin'.
After seeing your film Planet of the Humans, I no longer feel I can trust anything you say.
As an old woman from a smart LA family, now stuck in Oklahoma for the last 30 years, I can testify most Americans do not recognize satire when they see it. That is a little harder than getting it once it's been explained, but that is the definition of understanding satire. I tried to explain satire to high school seniors for 15 years. An annual handful laughed quietly, though a little shocked by one of the easiest examples, Swift's "A Modest Proposal". But honestly, most were just shocked without understanding. Sigh.
There should be a Galileo Society. The world isn’t flat, and fires can’t bring down structural-steel framed skyscrapers. Go the next step, Michael.