late for 9-11

Cobb says:

Memories are useful in that way. They anchor us to a moment, they solidify an idea, they become used again and again as a reference for some other use. The problem with memories and histories is... well, every day we get more of them whether we like it or not. The more history we get, the less appropriate the rest of history becomes. The more people remember something they didn't encounter first hand, the more it gets subjected to their emotional truth. Such is the inherent difficulty with nationalism and all such constructs of fidelity.

There are still people asking whether or not airplane fuel can burn hot enough to melt steel. There are still folks who believe all the Jews in the towers were alerted beforehand. People believe what they like, but the rest of us are not under any obligation to correct them. We should merely be correct and act accordingly. Those who believe in foolishness will have to walk off their own cliffs. It is not our duty to push them.

Maybe I'm not mature enough yet. I didn't experience any of 9-11's events first hand, even through the medium of the Internet or the television, and as far as I know none of my friends or family died in the WTC or the Pentagon or on United 93. Still, when people blinded by political hate or being suckered by some hateful celebrity pop off with one of their moronic conspiracy theories, I want to punch them in the face, because the cliff Cobb's talking about isn't close enough. As Colonel Vereshchagin said, though, "We only shoot the ones we cannot reform." Which is a good guideline to follow here in the EEUU, because we really don't want to wind up like Guatemala or any of a number of other countries where political disputes are eventually resolved with bullets instead of ballots.

Related: American Idiots.

late for 9-11

Cobb says:

Memories are useful in that way. They anchor us to a moment, they solidify an idea, they become used again and again as a reference for some other use. The problem with memories and histories is... well, every day we get more of them whether we like it or not. The more history we get, the less appropriate the rest of history becomes. The more people remember something they didn't encounter first hand, the more it gets subjected to their emotional truth. Such is the inherent difficulty with nationalism and all such constructs of fidelity.

There are still people asking whether or not airplane fuel can burn hot enough to melt steel. There are still folks who believe all the Jews in the towers were alerted beforehand. People believe what they like, but the rest of us are not under any obligation to correct them. We should merely be correct and act accordingly. Those who believe in foolishness will have to walk off their own cliffs. It is not our duty to push them.

Maybe I'm not mature enough yet. I didn't experience any of 9-11's events first hand, even through the medium of the Internet or the television, and as far as I know none of my friends or family died in the WTC or the Pentagon or on United 93. Still, when people blinded by political hate or being suckered by some hateful celebrity pop off with one of their moronic conspiracy theories, I want to punch them in the face, because the cliff Cobb's talking about isn't close enough. As Colonel Vereshchagin said, though, "We only shoot the ones we cannot reform." Which is a good guideline to follow here in the EEUU, because we really don't want to wind up like Guatemala or any of a number of other countries where political disputes are eventually resolved with bullets instead of ballots.

Related: American Idiots.

bowing to the inevitable pt. 2

After giving the matter about an hour of deep thought and thoroughly reading the Maryland MVA website I've decided they can go screw themselves. I'm not jumping through all the hoops necessary to establish residence in Maryland, retitle my truck, and get a new license when I'm just going to have to do it all over again when I get a full-time job and move across the river. So I'll keep my Minnesota plates and driver's license for another year, and in the unlikely event some police officer gives me a hard time about it, we'll go to the mat. I'm not registering to vote in Maryland, I'm not buying property there, and so I don't see much point in going through all the rigmarole necessary to establish my legal residence at 106 Fox Way again, and I'm perfectly willing to fight the law on this one.

So I logged into the Minnesota DVS website, changed the vehicle address, and paid for a new set of tags. No muss, no fuss, no standing in line. I probably won't be that lucky when I have to do this in Virginia, but that's life. Of course, at that point I'll be a legal resident instead of a hotel-hopping transient, so things will be different. I hope.

Now I'm going to get out of here, get some ribs for dinner, and then go home and do my laundry. How's that for excitement?

bowing to the inevitable pt. 2

After giving the matter about an hour of deep thought and thoroughly reading the Maryland MVA website I've decided they can go screw themselves. I'm not jumping through all the hoops necessary to establish residence in Maryland, retitle my truck, and get a new license when I'm just going to have to do it all over again when I get a full-time job and move across the river. So I'll keep my Minnesota plates and driver's license for another year, and in the unlikely event some police officer gives me a hard time about it, we'll go to the mat. I'm not registering to vote in Maryland, I'm not buying property there, and so I don't see much point in going through all the rigmarole necessary to establish my legal residence at 106 Fox Way again, and I'm perfectly willing to fight the law on this one.

So I logged into the Minnesota DVS website, changed the vehicle address, and paid for a new set of tags. No muss, no fuss, no standing in line. I probably won't be that lucky when I have to do this in Virginia, but that's life. Of course, at that point I'll be a legal resident instead of a hotel-hopping transient, so things will be different. I hope.

Now I'm going to get out of here, get some ribs for dinner, and then go home and do my laundry. How's that for excitement?