The Counter-Currents 9/11 Symposium

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For the tenth anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Counter-Currents published a symposium (linked below) which, sadly, still remains relevant as ever. These are my opening remarks.

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You can buy Greg Johnson’s The Year America Died by clicking here [3].

The anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks is approaching. Frankly, I plan to ignore the official commemorations and mainstream commentary. I felt the horror, mourned the victims, and pitied their loved ones in healthy measure, thank you very much. But that was almost ten years ago.

I want to look back at 9/11 coldly now. I want to save my emotions for the hundreds of thousands killed and wounded and the millions who have suffered because of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan (our people and theirs) — suffering and death that dwarf what happened on 9/11 — suffering and death that are supposedly justified by what happened on 9/11 — suffering and death that are not ten years old but that are happening to this day. We have to look back at 9/11 coldly, or the same horrors will be occurring ten years from now as well.

The narcissism, bad faith, and bad taste of America’s 9/11 commemorations have taken on an almost Jewish quality. The official line is: We were entirely innocent. We were hated for our virtues. And because we are such good and innocent people, when we are wronged, that entitles us to do anything we want to our enemies. And lest our persecuting zeal flag, well we must never forget and never forgive, for we are the true victims, the only victims who matter. Thus we must forever commemorate our victimhood, not to avoid future horrors but to make them inevitable, so that blood may flow without ceasing.

Where have we heard all that before?

[4]Well, I just don’t have to stomach to watch it, even if they throw in an Albert Speer light show.

Instead, I have asked a number of regular Counter-Currents contributors to share their reflections on 9/11 ten years later. I will also share my thoughts in a separate piece. My single ground-rule is that these reflections be honest. Honestly angry, honestly sympathetic, honestly high-minded, honestly cold-blooded, honestly indifferent, honestly brimming with Schadenfreude — but above all honest.

I doubt we will ever have 9/11 “truth,” because we do not control access to the truth. But 9/11 honesty is completely within each individual’s power, starting right here, right now. Join us.

See also:

For further contributions on topics related to 9/11 that were not part of the Symposium, please see articles tagged [14] 9/11.

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