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I got to work late on 9/11 for obvious reasons, and when I popped into my supervisor's office to apologize, I found her looking shell-shocked. She told me that a car bomb had also gone off in downtown Seattle.
That didn't sound likely to me, but I couldn't say that. 1/9
That didn't sound likely to me, but I couldn't say that. 1/9
Now when she was freaking out.
Of course it was nonsense, but it's the sort of nonsense people spread, because they want Big Moments to be about them. See also the one-streetlight towns who are so easily convinced that BLM is coming to burn down the Dairy Queen 2/9
Of course it was nonsense, but it's the sort of nonsense people spread, because they want Big Moments to be about them. See also the one-streetlight towns who are so easily convinced that BLM is coming to burn down the Dairy Queen 2/9
I remember people saying we needed to fortify the US/Canadian border, because the terrorists had taken advantage of lax Canadian airport security then slipped across our northern border/
Also nonsense. But a public official blurted it out into a microphone, and it stuck.
3/9
Also nonsense. But a public official blurted it out into a microphone, and it stuck.
3/9
For months, people repeated this misinformation, which rightly infuriated the Canadians I know online. But it came early in the crisis, so people seized on it and refused to unlearn it.
Which is exactly what some ("It's just the flu!") are doing with pandemic announcements.
4/
Which is exactly what some ("It's just the flu!") are doing with pandemic announcements.
4/
I didn't vote for GWB, but he was the president and I hoped he could manage the aftermath of 9/11. Before he made the inexplicable (to this day) decision to invade Iraq, his administration announced a big push to...
Reduce the power of unions covering federal workers.
5/9
Reduce the power of unions covering federal workers.
5/9
According to the official making the announcement, they needed to "streamline" the federal work force to prevent another 9/11.
Total fucking nonsense. I understand never letting a crisis go to waste, but aim your new legislation at the actual crisis itself.
6/9
Total fucking nonsense. I understand never letting a crisis go to waste, but aim your new legislation at the actual crisis itself.
6/9
You don't blame innocent workers for a tragedy they had nothing to do with.
The last thing I learned from 9/11 came from a web comic. I've searched for it many times but never found it again. It looked like this: After the tragedy, people carried their feelings like burdens.
7/
The last thing I learned from 9/11 came from a web comic. I've searched for it many times but never found it again. It looked like this: After the tragedy, people carried their feelings like burdens.
7/
They carried them everywhere, not knowing what to do with them and unable to set them down.
Until they found the right box for them. The boxes were labelled bullshit like "They hate us for our freedom" and represented beliefs we already had.
8/9
Until they found the right box for them. The boxes were labelled bullshit like "They hate us for our freedom" and represented beliefs we already had.
8/9
Once the feelings were in boxes, they could be stored away, slid under a couch maybe, and never really thought about again.
I think about that comic all the time. Every time I recognize the urge to simplify a complex reaction with ready-made political slogans, I remember it. 9/9
I think about that comic all the time. Every time I recognize the urge to simplify a complex reaction with ready-made political slogans, I remember it. 9/9
Me: I'm not going to proof these tweets. I'm just going to trust myself and hit send.
Me, a nanosecond later: ::sees typo::
Me, a nanosecond later: ::sees typo::
