Listening To The Names, Ten Years Later

OS hardly knows where to begin. How to put in words this scene, hearing the names of the murdered intoned by the survivors, many of them young teenaged children who lost parents while in infancy? How to describe the tears of the family members touching the names of their loved ones engraved around the fountain, taking pencil rubbings of those names--something tangible to take home with them, a tiny piece of what had been stolen from them by vicious evil people half a world away? How to describe the pain and pride in the voices of those who read the names, adding their own memorials?

Well, of course, words fail-at least any words this poor schlub could compose.

But, blessedly, that Moment of Grace arrived, that moment of clarity when the heavens opened, and comforting insight arrived.

Just after Mayor Bloomberg spoke, Yo-Yo Ma played a movement from one of the Bach Cello Suites. Time stood still, as he both played and listened in that strange state of transport that sometimes occurs when the performer himself seems to disappear. It was just Bach, a tiny moment of the music of the spheres, picking up where words fall to impotent silence.

And the insight arrived: The dead-end religion and cultures that produced the monsters that committed these murders are incapable of producing a Bach, or a Yo-Yo Ma, or a cello. They can't create anything resembling a culture worth preserving, and they are actively about the job of destroying what little they do have. Even the archeology that preserves what we know of their history is an invention of the West. They can burn the world down around them, but they can't create anything. They don't look forward, because they can't. They can only refight wars of centuries ago, and bathe the world in blood.

So, here we are, ten years later. As Bonhoeffer noted in Christmas 1942, ten years is a long time:

As time is the most valuable thing that we have, because it is the most irrevocable, the thought of any lost time troubles us when we look back. Time lost is time in which we have failed to live a full human life, gain experience, learn, create, enjoy and suffer...These last years have certainly not been like that Our losses have been great and immeasurable, but time has not been lost.

The names continue to be read. The music continues to play, Bach on the cello and violin, guitar, Amazing Grace on the flute (talk about something Islam can never produce!), James Taylor singing 'You Can Close Your Eyes', Paul Simon singing 'Sound of Silence', string quartets, and memorials continue to be read at a beautiful memorial, raised from the ashes of unspeakably evil acts. The West can do this. Islam can't, because it won't, because it can't, because it won't.

It is a blessing that the SEALs did send Osama bin Laden to his reward, in the manner they did, that the Navy had the privilege of firing the shots that dispatched him. Justice served provides comfort to the bereaved, and puts the world on notice that we can are patient, and people like him will never escape.

So, what now?

If we'll step back and look, we see the world of Islam burning itself down, from Algeria to Pakistan and beyond. It's tempting to say, 'Good. Serves 'em right, let 'em burn.', but there's a bigger thought to express in that direction: You are free to burn yourselves down, we won't stand in your way. When you've had enough, you may with to consider the twin gifts of the West, those being Christianity and the Enlightenment. In the meantime, the only part of the world you get to burn down is yours. Look us up when you've had enough.

OS has a personal list of ThingsToDo in honor of this tenth anniversary, some of which he has began to undertake.

He's playing golf with his friends, and will do a lot more of that, because he wants to build friendships for the next decades.

He's making sure his kids knows he's outrageously proud of them. Because he is.

He's making sure the Sainted Mrs. OS knows she's loved and honored. Because she is the very best person he has ever known.

He's going to continue to encourage young women to pursue their educations and lives, because Islam hates and degrades women, and Christ loves and dignifies them.

He's going to create in his own voice, because it's the one God gave him.

And, today, especially in honor of the day, he's going to do two specific things:

1. He's going to play music, especially the music of Bach, because the fundamentalist monsters of Islam hate music.

2. He's preparing pork roast for dinner, because he knows that would piss off Osama Bin Laden.

God bless us every one, and God bless and preserve the United States of America.

Osama's Dead, And John Walker Lindh Is Still In Prison...

...because he's guilty.

His dad thinks he's a victim. Riiiight....

The CIA officer murdered in his presence (and the man's family) should be afforded the label of 'victim'. People who participate in murder are traditionally regarded as 'criminals'.

And, even in the Age of Obama (post-Clinton), there remains a huge percentage of the population who still adhere to those traditional (if oh-so, well, antiquated) notions of language. They'll never get the invite to Sean Penn's cocktail parties, but on the whole, that's a good trade-off.

With Little Johnny (who prefers to be known as Abu Sulayman al-Irlandi) in the pokey, we all know where he is, and he's very unlikely to bear arms against the United States whilst there.

He's fortunate to have been arrested under US law, which afforded him all the rights guaranteed by the Constitution he despises and wishes to overthrow.

In an Islamic-run setting, such as Saudi Arabia, Libya, Iran, Syria (need we continue?), young Johnny would have been executed (after extensive torture). In his case, in the United States, he was able to negotiate a plea bargain which gutted his victim's family. Again.

Enjoy prison, Johnny--it beats the Sharia alternative you so ardently seek.

Omar Bin-Laden And His Brothers Lecture The US About The Rule Of Law

The statement is here.

Three of the four, by implication, agreed with Dear Old Dad, that wholesale killing of the innocent is perfectly OK, as long as it's 'Us' doing it to 'You'.

However, if 'You' decide to go after 'Us', your only option is to send in the sheriff to arrest us, give us a team of lawyers for free, and make certain we can post bond and live comfortably in the USA whilst awaiting trial.

And, by the way, we don't think Dad's dead.

We're gonna sue.

The always acerbic Peter Hitchens has his own take on the whole affair. OS is not certain how strongly he agrees with the gent, but this is well worth the time to read.

'SEALs don't shoot a lot; they don't need to.': Pithy Quote Of The Day From 'Sense Of Events'

Full article here. As always, Don Sensing is informative and displays his lovely dry humor.

David Letterman Shares Osama Bin Laden's Final Words

Letterman's Top Ten is an American institution. Every night, this respectable-looking Midwesterner in a natty suit reads an outrageous list, usually composed of the thoughts we dare not express.

(Drum roll in background...)

10. "My horoscope says big surprises are in store."

9. "See, this is why I normally don't answer the door."

8. "The one time I give my bodyguards a day off to go to the zoo ..."

7. "What on Earth could be interrupting Celebrity Apprentice?"

6. "I hear Brian Williams is on Dave to discuss my imminent demise."

5. "At least I'll be reunited with my dear, departed friend Jack LaLanne."

4. "I'm not sure I want to live in a world where Fast Five is the #1 movie."

3. "Any man with multiple wives welcomes death. Am I right, fellas?"

2. "I need a house full of Navy SEALs like I need a hole in the head."

1. "Oh, crap!"

As usual, the writers wait until #2 to unload the true zinger of the evening...

Sometimes, Only Laughter Will Do: Another Version Of The Burial At Sea

This little grin is in two parts:

HT 'It Don't Make Sense'. OS will leave it to his readers to click through and enjoy the captions.

A Burial At Sea, Worthy Of The Deceased

We could only wish...

Quick Takes For The Week

OS is up to his keister in work, so it may be a few days before he gets to gather any thoughts.

Last Friday through today have been eventful, and uplifting, both in the 'big picture' and the 'little picture' of life in OS's house.

So, quickly: OS notes that the Almighty often affords us glimpses of the contrast between His ways and the ways of the evil one. The royal wedding, a thing of dignity and beauty, contrasted with the mass murderer hiding behind women and children in his blast-proof compound (undoubtedly living under the protection of the Pakis). Which approach to life and culture offers hope, which offers despair?

OS was able to check an item off his personal 'bucket list'. He attended the Tom Jones concert at Nashville's Ryman Auditorium, the home of the Grand Ole Opry. Jones is seventy, still in wonderful health and voice. OS attended to be entertained, and came away inspired and deeply moved. He's still mulling over the evening, will have more to say as the words organize themselves. In the meantime, for those readers in Europe and the UK, his upcoming schedule is here. If you can, attend. You'll thank OS later.

OS rejoices always at the defeat of evil, at the administration of justice, and the demise of those who prey upon the innocent. It occurs to him that this weekend may be remembered as the first adult decision made by Barack Obama, in a life dedicated to avoidance of such necessities. All credit to all those who, over the past decade, made the moment of bullet insertion above Bin Laden's left eye possible. Obama's second adult act should be to invite President Bush, Vice-President Cheney, Secretary Rumsfeld, and the commandants of Club Gitmo to the White House for a public acknowledgment of the wisdom of their approach in pursuit of the monster. Time will tell if the effect of the first adult moment will wear off too soon.

Back to work. Take care, say your prayers, and give thanks to the Almighty for the US Navy.