United We Are

He said he was a "sick bastard," not me. What's that, you say? While some people are counting the days until the end of the Bush Administration, Daily News columnist Stu Bykofsky is yearning for another 9/11 attack.

In To save America, we need another 9/11, he argues:

ONE MONTH from The Anniversary, I'm thinking another 9/11 would help America.

* * * *

Iraq has fractured the U.S. into jigsaw pieces of competing interests that encourage our enemies. We are deeply divided and division is weakness.

Most Americans today believe Iraq was a mistake. Why?

Not because Americans are "anti-war."

* * * *

Because the war has been a botch so far, Democrats and Republicans are attacking one another, when they aren't attacking themselves. The dialog of discord echoes across America.

Turn back to 9/11.

Remember the community of outrage and national resolve? America had not been so united since the first Day of Infamy - 12/7/41.

We knew who the enemy was then.

We knew who the enemy was shortly after 9/11.

* * * *

What would sew us back together?

Another 9/11 attack.

The Golden Gate Bridge. Mount Rushmore. Chicago's Wrigley Field. The Philadelphia subway system. The U.S. is a target-rich environment for al Qaeda.

Is there any doubt they are planning to hit us again?

If it is to be, then let it be. It will take another attack on the homeland to quell the chattering of chipmunks and to restore America's righteous rage and singular purpose to prevail.

The unity brought by such an attack sadly won't last forever.

The first 9/11 proved that.

Not surprisingly, his column is generating much comment and controversy. See e.g., Columnist Wishes For Another 911 and Stu Bykofsky hopes for another terrorist attack on America to bring back the good old days.

I've read the piece several times, as well a good bit of the commentary about it. However, I'm not sure I understand his point. As I see it, America is united -- it wants out of Iraq and thinks the Bush Administration sucks. Bykofsky pretty much acknowledges the fact that the country is done with the debacle in Iraq ("Most Americans today believe Iraq was a mistake") and that the fault lies with Bush ("Bush II did everything wrong"). The problem is that Bykofsky (and his ilk) are now solidly in the minority (albeit a strident, loudmouthed group) and they can't accept that everyone doesn't agree with them any longer (or isn't frightened enough to stay silent). United we are -- just not behind the President and his warmongering pals.

As Eschaton remarked:

I don't understand this yearning for a time of 'unity.' Its basic translation is a time when everyone who disagreed with me decided it was best to shut the hell up for awhile and when the patriot police had a good time hunting for dissidents. That's an unhealthy state of affairs, not a healthy one.

Former Daily News editor/reporter Shaun Mullen sums it all up best, in On Stu 'Oops, I've Done It Again' Bykofsky:

Stu Bykofsky, a columnist for the Philadelphia Daily News (note to copy editors: only Daily News is italicized) has set off a sh*tstorm by writing that he is hoping for another 9/11 terrorist attack because it would bring Americans together again.

* * * *

Putting things in the most charitable context, Stu is an acquired taste and not the brightest bulb in the chandelier. More to the point, he is an asshole whose ability to upset people far exceeds his abilities.

Stu also is, as they say, a complex person. He can write about ill-treated puppy dogs one day (a favorite topic) and blow minds the next with excrement like his 9/11 redux wet dream.

Regarding the piece itself, Mullen concludes:

Classic Stu. Shortsighted by a mile, deeply hurtful and ultimately self-defeating in acknowledging that if his brain fart is realized it will fuel a rage that will be merely transitory and result in exponentially more bad than good.

See also Attytood, where fellow Daily Newser Will Bunch says the article left him speechless (but not blogless, since he did manage to get out a few words on his view of the column). Of course, not everyone believes that Bykofsky is wrongheaded. For example, The Carpetbagger Report, in The right embraces Bykofsky, observes:

The surprising part, however, is that a variety of far-right media outlets seemed to embrace Bykofsky’s message. ThinkProgress noted that Drudge seemed to think highly of the piece, conservative radio host Mike Gallagher invited Bykofsky on to his show, and Fox News’ John Gibson went so far as to endorse Bykofsky’s thesis on the air: “I think it’s going to take a lot of dead people to wake America up.”

I think the sentiment of a Commenter to Wonkette is perfect:

I sure hope he's a Republican. If he's a Republican, this is tough straight talk from a true patriot. If he's a Democrat it's America-hating traitorism from the liberal elitists.

That's the kind of "united" of which Bykofsky speaks.

And I couldn't resist this other Wonkette Comment, for the Philly twist:

If the attack were on Philly I just don't think America would have the same response.

Oh no! Not the cheesesteak !

Tags: Commentary, Bykofsky, Iraq, 9/11, Politics, Philly, Philadelphia