The 9/11 Widows

OpinionJournal.com ^ | 4.14.2004 | Dorothy Rabinowitz

[NYC GOP Chick]

Americans are beginning to tire of them.

Wednesday, April 14, 2004 12:01 a.m.

"I watched my husband murdered live on TV. .

[sgtbono2002]

I feelm the same way about the Jersey girls that I feel about Mrs. Brady and her gun crusade.

[arasina]

Why don't more husbands and wives come forward? How about those who lost friends? Come interview me, media jerks! I lost a friend on 9/11 and I'm pleased that President Bush is avenging his death by Al Qaida and preventing further terrorism in the United States.

The "Jersey Girls" are selfish and it's all about money with them. The way they're going, it won't be long before they're offered their own television talk shows.

[sauropod]

You would admit, however, that the effects of the Church commission and other things that fell out of the vietnam war era hamstringed our ability to gather intelligence? Particularly HUMINT.

[sauropod]

I still have my copy cut out from the WSJ. I may frame it. ;-).

[sauropod]

Yes.

[mewzilla]

So do I :)

[NittanyLion]

Well, I am sure I will be struck dead by God for saying this, but Mrs. Breitweiser's husband is dead because he was dumb enough to listen to the announcement of the Port Authority when they said it was safe to stay -- so he went BACK up the stairs to his office -- while an AIRPLANE was ON FIRE in the building 100 yards away.

What would you have him do - defy authority and create chaos? Given the situation, he listened to the people who he reasonably expected to have the best information concerning the appropriate course of action.

Quite frankly, your characterization of him as "dumb" is despicable. You're smearing a dead man because you don't like what his grieving widow has to say. Now I don't agree with her comments either, but second-guessing the victims' actions during a time of incredible stress (and in a completely foreign/unanticipated situation) is disgusting.

[McGruff]

Take a look at the NY Post Front Page today.

[ought-six]

"I'm finding it harder and harder to feel much sympathy for this group of families."

I started to lose sympathy for them when they became instant millionaires because of the money they received in "settlements" (a gift to which they should not have been entitled, unless it came from the perpetrators of the attack, who were the truly responsible party), and then they complained that the money was not enough. Were the families of the OKC bombing made instant millionaires? Why not? What makes these "Jersey Girls" and their ilk so special? But what erased any sympathy I had left for these women, and these families, was when they allowed themselves to be used as political shills and attacked a decent man (George Bush) who surely would have moved heaven and earth to stop the attack if he had had good, solid evidence that it was about to go down.

[NYC GOP Chick]

Not particularly talkative this morning, are you?

[ought-six]

"They need to take a look at Lisa Beamer, how she handled her loss with such grace and sought comfort in the Lord."

They do indeed.

[EllaMinnow]

Article here showing contrasting reactions of several 9/11 families:

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/04/09/politics/09SCEN.html

The photo next to the article is giving me some seriously weird vibes. Do some of these family members always wear black to the hearings and hold up photos of their lost loved ones as badges of honor?

[guitfiddlist]

"I'm finding it harder and harder to feel much sympathy for this group of families."

I think the linguini-minded swing voters are beginning to see it this way too. The 'Rats campaign with all the subtlety and finesse of a bowling ball, and they've apparently overplayed this pair of deuces (dunces).

[OESY]

Rabinowitz has always demonstrated integrity. She calls 'em as she she sees 'em, and stands far above so many journalists out there.

[sauropod]

I've already said it. "A FReeper remembers 9/11" http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/980257/posts

[sakic]

I too am a New Yorker who knew some that died. If you're going to absolve Bush and blame Clinton why stop there? Do you also blame Bush Sr. or Reagan? Our history with terrorism did not start under Clinton no matter how much you want to believe that.

On one hand people on both sides of the political spectrum know that the murderers were responsible but this doesn't stop some from each side on feeling the need to make this into stupid political bullsh*t that fits their own agendas.

[Hemingway's Ghost]

These widows ought to think about what military widows have to go through & get after losing a loved one in combat. Million-dollar settlements? Nope.

[sakic]

You would admit, however, that the effects of the Church commission and other things that fell out of the vietnam war era hamstringed our ability to gather intelligence? Particularly HUMINT.

Of course.

And you would admit that our initial funding and training of Bin Laden and his followers, and support of Hussein also played a role in the WTC and terror in general?

Terrorists bent on our destruction murdered thousands of Americans. There is plenty of blame to go around but the bottom line is that Americans were murdered by Islamic nutcases.

Everyone who feels the need to say "it's his fault not his fault" is simply playing politics.

[Wolfhound777]

I'm finding it harder and harder to feel much sympathy for this group of families.

I don't have any sympathy for this group of families that are exploiting that horrific event for the benefits of the Rat partys political gain. They have no credibility what so ever due to who is backing them.

[NYC GOP Chick]

Very touching. Thanks for the reminder.