The Bigsibling Blog

Burnett radio interview about 9/11 and the Flight 93 memorial

Tom Burnett Sr. and his wife Beverly did some 9/11 interviews the last couple of days, remembering their son Tom Jr., who was murdered by Islamic terrorists aboard Flight 93. Mr. Burnett has been trying for several years to stop the Park Service from planting a giant Islamic-shaped crescent on the Flight 93 crash site. In their interview with WSAU radio in Wisconsin, the Burnetts were joined half-way through the hour by Alec Rawls (the author of this blogburst post), who has written a book about the terrorist memorializing Crescent of Embrace design. Mr. Burnett’s words are always heartfelt, yet marked by a constant scrupulousness. Emotion never carries him to utter a word beyond what he actually has grounds to assert. Highly recommended listening, perhaps especially for those who are better at judging people than facts. Let’s face it, show some people the Mecca-orientation of the giant crescent, and they just aren’t sure what they are looking at. Point out that the central feature of every mosque is a Mecca-direction indicator, and somehow the pieces don’t fall together in their brains:

What is that? Just a mysterious diagram to some. Yet these folks can still be good judges of character. So judge the Burnetts. The WSAU interview begins with host Pat Snyder asking Mr. Burnett if America is doing enough as a nation to remember 9/11. Most of us, on being asked any question, will try to answer it, but Mr. Burnett immediately defers, and in the most polite way:

Well, I’m not a very good judge of that. We are tucked away here in the southeast corner of Minnesota…

But if he isn’t interested in passing judgment on how much America should do to remember 9/11, he is very concerned that we don’t honor the wrong people, and starts right in on the Flight 93 memorial (which Mr. Snyder puts off to later). Both the Burnetts have a sophisticated understanding of American liberty. Talking about the generosity of Americans towards each other and the world, Beverly notes the change that has taken place in her lifetime, where assistance used to be all private, but now the government has gotten involved. She passes no explicit judgment on this development, but just notes what should remain constant (at 17:22):

I think about all the programs we have in the government. I come from a different generation, and my mother and father, and Tom’s, that we never really looked to the government all the time. We looked to our neighbors and churches and friends for things. But our government should be there to make sure we’re SAFE.

Instead, as Tom and Bev both note, our elites don’t even want to acknowledge that it was Muslim terrorists who attacked us on 9/11. It is these same elites who don’t want to acknowledge the Islamic symbol-shapes in the Flight 93 memorial. To witness this symbolism would be to tie Islam to 9/11, which to these people is some unconscionable bigotry, regardless of the truth. There is the rub. As Mr. Burnett put it (at 25:16):

All we want–Alec, and the thousands of Americans who back us–we want the truth. What happened? [How did we end up with an Islamist design?] And we want to honor the 40 people. I don’t want anything to do with the Islamic fanatics, anything at all.

Mr. and Mrs. Burnett are very thoughtful, careful, rational people. So who is it who is "too far out"? People like the Burnetts, who are skeptical that the architect of a memorial to Flight 93 could plant a giant crescent and star flag on the crash site by mistake? Or is it the people who somehow convince themselves that a crescent and star flag is just fine, so long as we can’t prove that it is intentional?

Actually, we CAN prove that the Islamic symbolism is intentional. Architect Paul Murdoch does not want history to be able to deny his achievement, so he included extensive redundant proofs of intent, such as the following. Murdoch says the crescent comes from the terror attacks breaking the circle (leaving only the giant Islamic-shaped crescent still standing, hmmm). Remove the parts of the crescent that stick out past the point where the flight path (coming down from the upper left) symbolically breaks the circle, and what symbolically remains standing is a giant Islamic-shaped crescent pointing EXACTLY at Mecca.

The full Crescent of Embrace points 1.8° north of Mecca ± 0.1°. Remove the parts of the Entry Portal walls that extend past the flight path at the upper crescent tip and the remaining “true” or thematic crescent points exactly at Mecca, ± 0.1°. All the supposed redesign did was add an extra arc of trees that explicitly represents a broken off part of the circle, leaving Murdoch’s circle-breaking crescent-creating theme completely intact. The unbroken part of the circle, what symbolically remains standing in the wake of 9/11, is still a precisely Mecca-oriented crescent, the centerpiece for the world’s largest mosque.

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Most of the time you get junk from political parties, and it’s just that…junk. Sometimes though…they send out stuff that just makes you go “hmmmm”. Here is one such piece that found its way into my inbox this morning from Angela Sailor, RNC Coalitions Director.

OBAMA’S I.O.U.

After Eight Months In Office, Obama Still Paying Down Debt To Big Labor And Specter

View This Research Briefing At GOP.com

PRESIDENT OBAMA’S ROAD TRIP TODAY: "Obama will first meet with workers at a GM plant in Lordstown, Ohio, to discuss the economy. He will then travel to Pittsburgh, where he will deliver remarks at the AFL-CIO Convention in the afternoon. Later on Tuesday, he plans to attend a fundraiser for Sen. Arlen Specter in Philadelphia." ("Obama Visiting Pittsburgh, Philadelphia On Tuesday," The Associated Press, 9/11/09)

TIME TO PAY THE DEBT?

Obama: "Even If You’re Not A Union Member, Every American Owes Something To America’s Labor Movement." (President Barack Obama, Remarks At AFL-CIO Labor Day Picnic, Cincinnati, OH, 9/7/09)

Vice President Biden To Labor Union: "[W]e Owe You." (Michael O’Brien, "Biden To Labor Group: We Owe You," The Hill’s "Blog Briefing Room", 5/12/09)

BIG LABOR HAS MADE A MAJOR INVESTMENT IN OBAMA, AND OBAMA KNOWS IT

SEIU President Andy Stern: "We Spent A Fortune To Elect Barack Obama — $60.7 Million To Be Exact — And We’re Proud Of It." (Michael Mishak, "Unplugged: The SEIU Chief On The Labor Movement And The Card Check," The Las Vegas Sun, 5/10/09)

Over His Political Career, President Obama Has Received At Least $826,372 From Labor. (The Center For Responsive Politics Website, www.opensecrets.org, Accessed 7/10/09)

Since 1989, Vice President Biden Has Received At Least $345,249 From Labor. (The Center For Responsive Politics Website, www.opensecrets.org, Accessed 7/10/09)

Unions Active In Pushing Obama’s Agenda For Government-Run Health Care. "Gov. Howard Dean joined with hundreds of labor unions and thousands of health reform supporters in Washington, DC …" ("Howard Dean Fights For The Public Option In DC Rally," Daily Kos, 6/26/09)

• Several Unions Part Of "Health Care For America Now," A Group Supporting Government-Run Health Care. (Health Care For America NOW! Website, http://healthcareforamericanow.org/, Accessed 7/10/09)

• SEIU Packing Town Hall Meetings With Supporters. "This summer, as high-decibel opponents have crowded into town hall meetings to denounce Mr. Obama’s reform effort, Mr. Rivera, working with other unions, has sent hundreds of labor activists to such meetings to counter opponents. ‘We’re running this campaign like this was a presidential campaign, and our candidate is health care reform,’ said Mr. Rivera, whose union is hugely resented by Republicans for doing so much to elect Mr. Obama." (Steven Greenhouse, "Dennis Rivera Leads Labor Charge For Health Reform," The New York Times, 8/26/09)

UNIONS SAW A RETURN ON INVESTMENT IN CHRYSLER AND GM DEALS

Under New Plan, UAW Will Own 17.5 Percent Of Reorganized GM. "Under the new UAW terms, the union’s health-care trust would own 17.5% of a reorganized GM, in exchange for retiree health-care concessions." (John D. Stoll, Jeff McCracken, and Neil King Jr., "GM-Union Deal Raises U.S. Stake," The Wall Street Journal, 5/27/09)

• UAW Will Receive $10 Billion In Assets, $2.5 Billion Note, $6.5 Billion Preferred-Equity Stake, And As Much As 20 Percent Of GM Shares Over Time. "Now, GM plans to give the UAW $10 billion in already-set-aside assets, a $2.5 billion note, a $6.5 billion preferred-equity stake and 17.5% of GM’s shares with the option for up to 20% over time." (John D. Stoll, Jeff McCracken, and Neil King Jr., "GM-Union Deal Raises U.S. Stake," The Wall Street Journal, 5/27/09)

• "In Addition, The UAW Will Get A Seat On GM’s Board." (John D. Stoll, Jeff McCracken, and Neil King Jr., "GM-Union Deal Raises U.S. Stake," The Wall Street Journal, 5/27/09)

UAW "Big Winner In The Chrysler Bankruptcy Saga." "The United Auto Workers union would appear to be the big winner in the Chrysler bankruptcy saga, having exercised its considerable political muscle to win a 55% stake in the country’s third-largest automaker." (Tom Krisher and Dave Carpenter, "UAW Wins Big Chrysler Stake But Can’t Run Company," The Associated Press, 5/2/09)

• Chrysler Debtholders Argue UAW "Unfairly Rewarded" After Spending $5 Million To Help Elect Obama. "The UAW spent nearly $5 million in independent expenditures to promote Obama’s campaign, according to the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics, and some Chrysler debtholders contend that the union was unfairly rewarded for that support." (Tom Krisher and Dave Carpenter, "UAW Wins Big Chrysler Stake But Can’t Run Company," The Associated Press, 5/2/09)

BUT UNIONS NOW WANT MORE FROM OBAMA: THE SO-CALLED "EMPLOYEE FREE CHOICE ACT"

EFCA "Is The Top Priority For Unions, Who See It As A Means Of Replenishing Membership." (Karoun Demirjian, "’Card Check’ On Hold," CQ Today, 3/11/09)

Obama Claims EFCA Will "Level The Playing Field." "That’s why I support EFCA — to level the playing field so it’s easier for employees who want a union to form a union. Nothing — nothing wrong with that. Because when labor is strong, America is strong. When we all stand together, we all rise together." (President Barack Obama, Remarks At AFL-CIO Labor Day Picnic, Cincinnati, OH, 9/7/09)

• Candidate Obama Last Year: "Let Me Tell You Where I Stand. That’s An Easy One. The Employee Free Choice Act I Am A Strong Supporter Of." (Sen. Barack Obama, Remarks At Town Hall Meeting, Martinsville, VA, 8/20/08)

EFCA WOULD INCREASE UNION, GOVERNMENT POWER OVER BUSINESS …

"Binding Arbitration" Provision In EFCA Would Cover "Literally Every Issue," Increasing Union Control Over Workplace. "[A] company forced into binding arbitration will be frozen for two years (the duration of the initial contract) from making any changes to any aspect of its business that is covered by the contract. Literally every issue — from its 401(k) contributions to its reliance on outside labor — could potentially become subject to review by a government panel that has neither the company-specific knowledge nor the incentive to turn a profit." (Shikha Dalmia, "The ‘Free Choice’ Act And Binding Arbitration," The Wall Street Journal, 7/11/09)

EFCA Would Give Government Power To "Impose A Legally Binding Two-Year Contract" On Any Business. "Mr. Spencer [Executive Director of The U.S. Chamber of Commerce's Workforce Freedom Initiative] said the bill’s ‘real job-killing potential’ rests in the power of a government-appointed arbitrator to impose a legally binding two-year contract on both parties if a company’s management and the newly formed union fail to agree to a first contract within 120 days… ‘In our opinion, binding arbitration is actually much more dangerous [than card check],’ Mr. Spencer said. ‘It may be a contract that the employers simply can’t live with.’" (Kara Rowland, "Business vs. Labor: Round 2 For C ard Check," The Washington Times, 6/9/09)

AND CRUSH THE ECONOMY

EFCA Will Increase U.S. Unemployment Rate By 1% For Every 3% Gained In Union Membership. "The precise effect on unemployment will depend on the degree to which EFCA increases union density, but for every 3 percentage points gained in union membership through card checks and mandatory arbitration, the following year’s unemployment rate is predicted to increase by 1 percentage point and job creation is predicted to fall by around 1.5 million jobs." (Anne Layne-Farrar, "An Empirical Assessment of the Employee Free Choice Act: The Economic Implications," SSRN.com, 3/4/09)

National Black Chamber Of Commerce President Warns Government Arbitrators Would Hurt Businesses. "Less publicized but equally concerning to the African-American community is that EFCA would allow government arbitrators to dictate labor contracts if unions and employers cannot reach their own agreement within a 120-day period. Currently, only 2 percent of minority-owned businesses are unionized. The passage of EFCA will further reduce the rights of an overwhelming majority of African-American employers by introducing government arbitrators with final decision-making authority into the collective bargaining process." (Harry C. Alford, Op-Ed, "EFCA Will Hurt Black-Owned Business Growth," Roll Call, 4/20/09)

AFTER SWITCHING PARTIES, DID SPECTER FEEL HE OWED OBAMA ON EFCA?

Facing Republican Primary Challenger In March, Sen. Arlen Specter (D-PA) Announced He Would Oppose EFCA. "Sen. Arlen Specter’s (R-Pa.) decision to vote against the Employee Free Choice Act, a reversal of a position he took just two years ago, is evidence of the seriousness with which he views the looming primary challenge from former Rep. Pat Toomey." (Chris Cillizza, "Specter To Oppose Employee Free Choice Act," The Washington Post’s "The Fix" Blog, 3/24/09)

Then Specter Switched Parties In April And Obama Announced His "Full Support" For Specter. "President Barack Obama will throw his ‘full support’ behind Republican-turned-Democratic Sen. Arlen Specter, White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said Tuesday." (Jonathan Martin, "Obama Gives Specter ‘Full Support,’" The Politico, 4/28/09)

Two Months After Becoming Obama Democrat, Specter Promised Union Leaders They Would Be Happy With His Position On EFCA. "But even before then, Specter had promised union leaders in June that they would ‘be satisfied’ with his eventual vote." (Karoun Demirjian, "Specter Changes Tune, Will Back Cloture On Union Bill," CQ Today, 8/14/09)

In August, As Democrat With Obama’s "Full Support," Specter "Unequivocally" Said He Would Support Cloture On EFCA. "Sen. Arlen Specter, D-Pa., unequivocally told a conference of bloggers Friday that he would support a cloture motion on a controversial bill to make it easier for unions to organize, removing any remaining doubt about whether the converted Democrat will be a road block to the bill." (Karoun Demirjian, "Specter Changes Tune, Will Back Cloture On Union Bill," CQ Today, 8/14/09)

• Specter: "No Doubt" I Will Vote For Cloture For EFCA. "When asked during a panel discussion at the Netroots Nation conference whether he intended to vote to limit debate on Democratic bills so they could proceed to up-or-down votes, Specter stated that there was ‘no doubt’ that he would support a cloture vote on three critical issues – climate legislation, health care that includes a public option, and the Employee Free Choice Act, also known as the card check bill (S 560, HR 1409)." (Karoun Demirjian, "Specter Changes Tune, Will Back Cloture On Union Bill," CQ Today, 8/14/09)

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It was 8 years ago, does not seem that long really. Eight years ago today that the tragedy which came to be known as 9/11 occurred.

A friend of mine made this video shortly after that horrific day.

We should never, ever forget. Never.

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