quote of the day – ellen

Back in the summer of 2002, I had the honor of being attached to the USS Iwo Jima as she participated in the first New York City Fleet Week event following the World Trade Center mass murders, and, at the time, the thing that made the single biggest impact on me as a young(er) midshipman* was the massive hole left behind after the cleanup and reclamation process. In all seriousness, pictures do not really do the crater justice, and when you are there, it is very difficult to grasp not only the magnitude of the excavation, but also the mass of the buildings that used to be there.

At the time, the continuing presence of the hole did not really concern or surprise me, given that they were still recovering remains while we were there. Now, over ten years later, however, I have to question why that hole is still nothing more than a hole. While Ellen’s explanation for this lack of construction may not be wholly accurate, the sentiment behind it certainly is:

Of course the World Trade Center is still a hole in the ground. The Moslem world will go on a murderous spree if we deface their monument.

Unfortunately, that is the sad truth – the holes left behind by the attacks on the 1 and 2 World Trade Center towers will apparently stand forever empty as a mute memorial to the terroristic, destructive, and murderous actions of 19 Islamic radicals on that fateful day back in 2001. I cannot say as though I am particularly pleased, at all, with this outcome, but I can guarantee you that the terrorist sympathizers around the world are gorramed ecstatic about it.

* – The third-biggest impact that trip made was being hugged by Jennifer Love Hewitt, and yes, I have photographic proof.