Have we forgotten the national spirit after 9/11 attacks?
So here we are again. Today’s another anniversary of the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. It’s been 11 years since terrorists brought their twisted vision of life on earth to American soil by murdering nearly 3,000 innocents.
So what have we learned? Not much, apparently, except that personal egos can trump common sense and national consensus.
There have been some positives — May 2, 2011, for one. That’s the day Osama bin Laden was shot to death in Abbottabad, Pakistan, by a team of Navy SEALs. Now even that closure event is mired in controversy thanks to “No Easy Day,” a tell-all book written by a SEAL Team Six member.
Publication of the book is not until next week, but copies have circulated. The book cover claims it to be “The firsthand account of the mission that killed Osama bin Laden” and “The autobiography of a Navy SEAL.”
It’s safe to say the book has rankled the Defense Department. The tone of a letter sent by the Pentagon’s general counsel to “Mark Owen,” the pseudonym used by the book’s author, is clear:
“You are in material breach and violation of the non-disclosure agreements you signed.” The letter continues, “The Department of Defense is considering pursuing against you, and all those acting in concert with you, all remedies legally available to us in light of this situation.”
Obviously, the nation’s special-ops chiefs are not pleased with the ex-Navy SEAL, who appeared on “60 Minutes” Sunday. “Mark Owen” made a theatrical attempt to conceal his identity. He had heavy makeup and a disguised voice. The subterfuge added drama but did nothing to keep the author’s identity secret. The name of the former SEAL, Matt Bissonnette, was already revealed and confirmed.
The bad guys know him. An al Qaeda website posted his real name and photo. The terrorists are even more displeased with Bissonnette than is the Pentagon. He’s described as “the dog who murdered the martyr Sheikh Osama bin Laden.”
While that dust-up plays out, another 9/11 legacy is causing rankles. The New York Times reported Sunday that the 9/11 museum — promised to be ready in 2009 — would not be ready today for the 11th anniversary at ground zero.
The newspaper reported work on the $1 billion museum has been at a standstill for almost a year. Fundraising has slowed. Exhibits are in storage.
Guess why? You got it. Politicians. Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Gov. Andrew Cuomo are haggling over who’ll oversee of the museum and the memorial that surrounds it. If that’s not enough, when the New Yorkers quit quibbling, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie will have to add his signature to the agreement.
Good grief, people. Is there no occasion sacred enough for egos to be put aside? Eleven years after 9/11 the spirit of unity that brought America together is a fading memory for some with oaths to honor.
