It’s time to Break It Down!

Last spring, I wrote a post about going home…for my 50^th High School Reunion. Naturally, as the subject of the piece, it was a departure from my usual, at least partially researched content. This post, in some ways, is a next level version of last year’s blog.

It’s not the same, not an extension, and not a different version. Next level. 

Last October, my six surviving Line Brothers (LB’s) and I committed to spend a year preparing for our Golden Anniversary Celebration Banquet. We had been motivated by attending the 50^th Anniversary Banquet of our Prophytes, the men who pledged us into Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. At Fayetteville State’s 2022 Homecoming, a couple of my LB’s and I attended, and took in every single detail of The Tenacious 22’s Celebration.

We absorbed every detail of the evening, from the décor to the program, to the meal, to the video PowerPoint, and event/post event photographs. Twenty-two holds a particular significance. There were twenty-two members of the Line that went over before my Line, and that subsequently pledged us. Watching the surviving Brothers from that Line engage and interact with each other; engaging and interacting with them ourselves, reminded us of the incredible power of bringing together in a small room, a circle of nearly 20 college-educated Black men who’ve know each other for more than five decades. It was a moment that happens too seldom, outside of funerals. Yet here we were at our alma mater, actively celebrating life, with gusto, instead of passively viewing a celebration of life, at our favorite House of Worship. Two completely different kinds of celebrations.

But enough about the Tenacious 22. Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to introduce you to the ΑΦΑ Epsilon Zeta (EZ) Chapter Truckin’ 11. Our Line Name was inspired by Eddie Kendrick’s 1973 hit song, Keep On Truckin’, and the eleven men who bonded during our journey into Alphadom.

The week after Fayetteville State’s 2022 Homecoming (GO BRONCOS), I called the five (of six) Line Brothers, for whom I had numbers. I told (not asked) them that we were going to plan and execute our own 50^th Anniversary Banquet. The catch was, we were going to take a full year to plan and execute it. That was the beginning of our full-fledged reunion. Along the way, we picked up the 6^th Brother when 3 of us visited him. Finally, in the week before the event, we made a firm connection with the 7^th and final surviving member of our Line. We were set.

The five of us met every month. Zoom was our mechanism of engagement. We saw each other more in the past 12 months, than we had in the last 50 years. However, of the seven of us, only five attended the meetings. It took 11 months to finally lay eyes on the sixth member, and we literally did not see the seventh member until the evening of our Golden Anniversary Celebration Banquet.

The Journey. In the process of preparing for the event that took 50 years to unfold, 5 of our Line members worked together nearly as intensely as we did when we pledged. There were moments of unbridled joy, and spirited revelry, but also instances of high tension, and flat-out disagreement. As I noted in the closing notes of the Program Booklet, our experience reminded us of everything that frustrated us about each other, but also reintroduced us to all the traits and characteristics that endeared us to each other and made us Brothers for Life. Fifty years later, we are well on our way; Alpha Always.

So, on October 20, 2023, in a room filled with 50 people, and I do mean filled…with family, our closest friends, and our Fraternity Brothers, the Truckin’ 11 immersed ourselves in the memories, in the camaraderie, and in the Esprit de Fraternite that is endemic to Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., in general, and to the 315^th House of Alpha in particular. On this night of mirth, merriment, and conviviality, we also reveled in the reunification of our brotherhood. We invoked the blessings of an all-wise God, we prepared a paraphernalia and keepsake display, we took lots of photos to memorialize the occasion, we presented a PowerPoint photo loop of our Fraternal memories, we shared personal stories, we heard poetic recitation, we dined on a sumptuous meal, we conducted a Memorial for our Dearly Departed Brothers, we shared gifts with our Brothers and with our guests, we sang our beloved and most solemn Fraternal Hymn, we prayed our Fraternal Prayer, and we extended God’s benediction on the assembly. But there was more.

During the week following the celebration, we convened another Zoom Meeting, on Tuesday, our regular meeting night. In that meeting, we undertook a debriefing of the preparation, and of our event. But more importantly, we talked about the future. October 20, 2023, was the first time some of us had seen each other in 50 years. We committed to act with intentionality to ensure that we get together more frequently, virtually, and in-person, starting with a Zoom Meeting next month.

It’s a start. It’s a not-so-subtle reminder that we let a lot of time slip away over the past 50 years. We will do better. Living Our Lives Like They’re Golden: Half a Century on da Phi!

I’m done; holla back!

Read my blog anytime by clicking the link: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.com. Find a new post each Wednesday.

To subscribe, click on Follow in the bottom right-hand corner of my Home Page at http://thesphinxofcharlotte.com; enter your e-mail address in the designated space, and click on “Sign me up.” Subsequent editions of “Break It Down” will be mailed to your in-box.

For more detailed information on a variety of aspects related to this post, consult the link below:

It’s time to Break It Down!

It’s been 3 weeks since the United States of America had a Speaker of the House. Keep in mind, the Republican Party jettisoned its own Speaker because…well, because he actually engaged in brokering an agreement to keep the U.S. government running. Let that sink in.

In the squirrely sequence of events, first Patrick McHenry, Speaker Pro Tempore adjourned the House for a week, presumably so his Party of crack legislators could get their underwhelming, inauspicious act together. Fast forward to last week, and the emergence of two highly motivated, but apparent uninspiring candidates for the job; Steve Scalise, Louisiana, and Jim Jordan. Neither moved the needle enough to gain the 217 votes necessary to ascend to the Speakership. This week, Tom Emmer, Minnesota, and Mike Johnson, Louisiana, respectively, take their turn…and it’s only Wednesday. We should learn sometime this afternoon, whether Mr. Johnson has the right stuff (In the eyes of his GOP colleagues. We shall see.

In other news, elsewhere under the Big Tent, aka the GOP Circus, yesterday, another Trump associate negotiated a plea deal. 

“Oh, what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive.” – Sir Walter Scott, circa 1808

Attorney, prominent conservative, and noted Trump supporter, Jenna Ellis pleaded guilty to a felony charge over her efforts to overturn Donald Trump’s 2020 loss in Georgia. A tearful Ms. Ellis told the judge she looks back on that time with “deep remorse.”

Ms. Ellis is the fourth defendant in the case to enter into a plea deal with prosecutors. She joins an august list that includes, Scott Hall, Kenneth Chesebro, and Sidney Powell. Ellis was vocal in her advocacy of Trump’s 2020 reelection bid, She was charged under Georgia’s  anti-racketeering law.

Ellis pleaded guilty to one felony count of aiding and abetting false statements and writings. After pleading guilty, she said, through tears, Ellis said she would not have represented Trump, is she knew then what she knows now. She claimed she relied on lawyers with much more experience than her, and failed to verify the things they told her. She went on to say:

“What I did not do but should have done, Your Honor, was to make sure that the facts the other lawyers alleged to be true were in fact true.”

All-in-all, three high-profile people responsible for pushing baseless legal challenges to Democrat Joe Biden’s 2020 election victory have agreed to accept responsibility for their roles rather than take their chances before a jury. A lower-profile defendant pleaded guilty last month. “Another Day, Another Criminal Defendant Pleads…”

I’m done; holla back!

Read my blog anytime by clicking the link: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.com. Find a new post each Wednesday.

To subscribe, click on Follow in the bottom right-hand corner of my Home Page at http://thesphinxofcharlotte.com; enter your e-mail address in the designated space, and click on “Sign me up.” Subsequent editions of “Break It Down” will be mailed to your in-box.

For more detailed information on a variety of aspects relating to this post, consult the link below:

https://apnews.com/article/jenna-ellis-plea-deal-georgia-election-case-c4dbacd3e4bbb5415ebd3d42d8fa3128

It’s time to Break It Down!

For those who’ve been following along at home (as well as those who haven’t), to no one’s surprise, presumed leading candidate number 2 lost vote number 1. In the worst kept of secrets, Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan failed in the first vote in his attempt to become Speaker of the People’s House. By the way, the People’s House, which, admittedly, pols on both sides often use to refer to the institution, is such a pretentious word conglomeration. Makes it sound like an adjunct of some Chinese governmental entity, a constituent institution of The People’s Republic, perhaps. But seriously, I digress.

Going into Tuesday’s vote, talking heads from a variety of media outlets breathlessly expounded on whether Mr. Jordan could or would cobble together the necessary coalition to enable him to do what Steve Scalise, aka leading candidate number 1, couldn’t do…wrap up the quest to become the nation’s 56^th Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, commonly referred to as “the House.” Conventional wisdom was it wouldn’t happen. The GOP likes to say, that’s because Republicans are independent, and as such, are free to make up their own minds, unlike those “spineless”/mindless Democrats, who kowtowed to Nancy Pelosi, whenever they were given half a chance. At least that’s what the Party, which by all appearances, worships at the feet of Trump, has to say about the matter.

Hear this. When more than a minority of Republicans condemn Donald Trump for his exceedingly repetitive nihilistic behavior, I’ll pay attention to the GOP’s constant babbling about the Democrats’ path to ruin a great nation.

As for Jordan, and his stumble out of the gate, some (overly generous) critics say it’s a reflection of Republican’s inability to govern. I do not believe that’s the case. Rather, it appears to me, they don’t want to govern. In fact, it’s as though they’d prefer to tear down the whole thing (governmental structure). Increasingly, their view, judging by their actions is, if they cannot control every aspect of every element of the process (of governing), they would just as soon, tear it all down. Moreover, in fact, they are trying, with increasing degrees of regularity…and success, to do just that. See January 6, 2021, the 15 votes to elect Kevin McCarthy Speaker in January 2023, versus the one vote to depose him in October 2023, the near-miss government shutdown on September 30, and the continuing on-going threat once again, to push the country over that cliff. They don’t care, and they don’t give a flying figuring, if you know it. The shameless hubris of it all!

No one knows whether Jordan will eventually prevail. That Donald Trump supports him suggests, in the current iteration of the Republican Party, he certainly has a shot. If he succeeds, will it happen in less than the 15 votes required by McCarthy?

Let’s hope so. Every day without a decision propels us closer toward that proverbial shutdown. But then again, electing JJ may simply exacerbate the trend line leading to a shutdown, The Far-Right wing, which includes Jordan’s most avid advocates, seems to be hankering for that brand of chaos. I think the operative phraseology is “damned if we do, damned if we don’t.” Oh well, welcome to “Jordan Chronicles: The Saga Continues!”

I’m done; holla back!

Read my blog anytime by clicking the link: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.com. Find a new post each Wednesday.

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For more detailed information on a variety of aspects relating to this post, consult the link below:

 It’s time to Break It Down!

In the ever-increasing cultural divide, in which we find ourselves enmeshed, here in America, and globally, public health has devolved from a mutual imperative to the third element, along with politics and religion, no longer suitable for public discourse. In contemporary times, culture wars dictate that you are either a sheep-like liberal, mindlessly following the dicta of the ideology bosses, or a conspiratorial zealot, convinced that conventional wisdom is, well, just another attempt to control you, obviously, to no good end.

In January 2021, I received my first COVID-19 vaccination, quickly followed by the second dose in February. Since that time there have been four subsequent boosters or updates, I’ve had each and every one…all six.I realize there is a healthy dose of vaccine skepticism, as well as a highly charged debate around the validity of covid as an actual thing. 

This is where I say, with conviction, I don’t mind if someone doesn’t believe covid is real. I don’t care if someone rejects the notions that medical science has cured many people of myriad diseases, while, totally eliminating several diseases. After all, there are folks who don’t believe in the moon landing or who do believe that vaccines are the cause of all kinds of maladies, but don’t believe that OJ did it. Suit yourself.

As for me, I got the most recent covid shot a few weeks ago. Years ago, I resolved to avoid arguing about the efficacy of covid vaccines. When the next round of vaccines emerges, I plan to be in the queue to get mine. I will pass on the drama of debating folks about the topic. Do you; I’m good. “I Got The Jab: 6.0!”

I’m done; holla back!

Read my blog anytime by clicking the link: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.com. Find a new post each Wednesday.

To subscribe, click on Follow in the bottom right-hand corner of my Home Page at http://thesphinxofcharlotte.com; enter your e-mail address in the designated space, and click on “Sign me up.” Subsequent editions of “Break It Down” will be mailed to your in-box.

For more detailed information on a variety of aspects relating to this post, consult the link below:

It’s time to Break It Down!

It’s been quite the news week. This was not the story I intended to write. To take off on the old “embarrassment of riches” phrase, there has been an embarrassment of embarrassments.

There’s always Trump; over the last couple of days, he’s abracadabra‘d his court appearances into his campaign, asserting that the court case in N.Y. has taken him off the campaign trail…even though, he didn’t have to appear in court. That’s some fancy political legerdemain for yo A. There’s the ongoing soap opera about the now temporarily delayed government shutdown, Joe Biden’s impeachment inquiry, Hunter Biden’s court appearances, the onset of SCOTUS’s new term, which began Monday, and this week’s pièce de résistance, the dethroning of the Speaker of the House, aka, the GOP Civil War. I strongly consider writing about SCOTUS, but there’ll be time for that; especially as some of the more compelling cases emerge. At the end of the day, General Kelly finding his voice spoke to me, so I decided to speak on it.

Just over three years ago, The Atlantic’s Jeffrey Goldberg published a staggering report on Donald Trump, his denigration of those who serve in the military, and his condemnation of fallen American heroes as “suckers” and “losers.”

Trump, still President then, was quick to respond, pushing back, and insisting the whole thing was “made up“ and a “fake story.” Mr. Trump, in response to the quotes attributed to him, said, at a Labor Day press conference, “Who would say a thing like that? Only an animal would say things like that.” Classic Trumpian denial.

So much so, even at the time, aside from Trump loyalists, the defense was hard to believe. Adding to the incredulousness of it all, much of The Atlantic’s reporting was corroborated by related reporting from The Associated Press, The Washington Post, The New York Times, and even Fox News.

Never doubt, Trump’s most avid advocates, defenders, and supporters denied it for him. They pointed to some Fox News segment in which a conservative on-air personality refuted or was said to have refuted the allegation. And that…was good enough for them. Even recently, after the Fox conglomerate had to pay out over three quarters of a billion dollars for less than truthful reporting…they still report stories in such a way that is music to their listeners’ ears.

However, now…we know, three hence, it’s also been confirmed by Trump’s former White House chief of staff. CNN reported:

John Kelly, the longest-serving White House chief of staff for Donald Trump, offered harsh and direct on-the-record criticism of the former president in an exclusive statement to CNN. 

Kelly confirmed and verified several damning stories about statements Trump made behind closed doors attacking US service members and veterans, listing a number of objectionable comments he witnessed Trump make firsthand.

CNN asked Kelly if he wanted to weigh in on Trump, on the record. Kelly responded, “What can I add that has not already been said? A person that thinks those who defend their country in uniform, or are shot down or seriously wounded in combat, or spend years being tortured as POWs are all ‘suckers’ because ‘there is nothing in it for them.’ A person that did not want to be seen in the presence of military amputees because ‘it doesn’t look good for me.’ A person who demonstrated open contempt for a Gold Star family — for all Gold Star families — on TV during the 2016 campaign, and rants that our most precious heroes who gave their lives in America’s defense are ‘losers’ and wouldn’t visit their graves in France.

“A person who is not truthful regarding his position on the protection of unborn life, on women, on minorities, on evangelical Christians, on Jews, on working men and women, A person that has no idea what America stands for and has no idea what America is all about. A person who cavalierly suggests that a selfless warrior who has served his country for 40 years in peacetime and war should lose his life for treason — in expectation that someone will take action. A person who admires autocrats and murderous dictators. A person that has nothing but contempt for our democratic institutions, our Constitution, and the rule of law.

There is nothing more that can be said. God help us.”

CNN, in turn, sought comment from Trump’s political operation. Trump’s campaign responded by going after retired Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman General Mark Milley, “who had nothing to do with this story.” Typical deflection and obfuscation by his camp.

After Trump left the White House, John Kelly, the man who served as the Republican president’s chief of staff for 17 months, has struggled to contain his contempt for his former boss. Over the last couple of years, the retired Marine general, who also served as Trump’s Homeland Security secretary, has accused Trump of, among other things, “poisoning” people’s minds, having “serious character issues,” and not being “a real man.” One wonders why the General is so inclined to hold back.

It should also be noted, however, Kelly has also raised concerns about Trump’s abuses while in office. Last fall, Kelly told the Times that Trump, during his presidency, told his chief of staff to “use the Internal Revenue Service and the Justice Department to target his critics and perceived political foes.” Apparently, the former president is as adept at projection, as he is deflection.

Now, Kelly is going even further, confirming that the former president, while in office, disparaged troops, veterans, and their families.

Trump’s followers reflexively distrust his opponents…and anyone who isn’t foursquare for him, 24/7/365, is considered an opponent…but it is worth noting that Kelly isn’t a pundit, scholar, or elected official — he’s a guy Trump personally tapped to oversee his White House, and lauded…until he didn’t.

He’s also a guy who appears desperate to warn the public about the former’s president’s character. Sadly, methinks, it may be too little, too late. “Unnamed Source No More: General Kelly Steps Up!”

I’m done; holla back!

Read my blog anytime by clicking the link: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.com. Find a new post each Wednesday.

To subscribe, click on Follow in the bottom right-hand corner of my Home Page at http://thesphinxofcharlotte.com; enter your e-mail address in the designated space, and click on “Sign me up.” Subsequent editions of “Break It Down” will be mailed to your in-box.

For more detailed information on a variety of aspects relating to this post, consult the link below:

https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/john-kelly-confirms-trump-privately-disparaged-troops-veterans-rcna118545

Political Jeopardy: Kamala Harris for $1000 Alex

What is the real reason so many people are concerned about Joe Biden’s age? Fear of a second Black/First Female President; yeah, I said it! “Political Jeopardy: Kamala Harris for $1,000, Alex!”

I’m done; holla back!

Read my blog anytime by clicking the link: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.com. Find a new post each Wednesday.

To subscribe, click on Follow in the bottom right-hand corner of my Home Page at http://thesphinxofcharlotte.com; enter your e-mail address in the designated space, and click on “Sign me up.” Subsequent editions of “Break It Down” will be mailed to your in-box.

For more detailed information on a variety of aspects relating to this post, consult the link below:

It’s time to Break It Down!

In recent years, the GOP has raised the specter of Voter ID as a stick that many Democrats and unaffiliated voters consider a disincentive to voting. By contrast, many Republicans argue that any adult can get a photo ID, and it just makes good sense to institute such a measure. A skeptic might argue that its interesting that almost none of them feel that way about requiring such a measure to acquire a gun…but that’s a debate for another day. As we close in on 2024, a Presidential Election year, this post is all about voting.

In short, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro announced yesterday, which ironically, was National Voter Registration Day, that the state will automatically register eligible Pennsylvanians to vote when they obtain or renew identification cards and driver licenses. In remarking about the move, Shapiro had this to say in a news release detailing the plan:

“I’m committed to ensuring free and fair elections that allow every eligible voter to make their voice heard. Automatic voter registration is a commonsense step to ensure election security and save Pennsylvanians time and tax dollars.”

Pennsylvania was a key battleground state in 2020. Most knowledgeable observers anticipate it will be again during the 2024 presidential election. As such, the state is likely to play a pivotal role in the fight for control of the US Senate, at which time, Pennsylvania Democratic Senator Bob Casey will be up for reelection. During the 2020 contest, the Keystone State was one of several states at the center of false claims about voter fraud promoted by the 45^th POTUS, President Donald Trump and his allies and associates.

According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, at this point, twenty-three mostly Democratic run states, plus Washington, DC have implemented some method of automatic voter registration. This is a proactive measure that serves as a carrot, in response to the GOP’s aforementioned stick.

As of yesterday, Pennsylvania residents who go to the state’s Department of Transportation driver and photo license centers to get new or renewal licenses and ID cards will be “automatically taken through the voter registration application process unless they opt out of doing so.”

Conversely, according to Pennsylvania Secretary of the Commonwealth Al Schmidt, a Republican nominated by Shapiro, in the past, eligible voters would have been required “to take additional steps to opt into the voter registration process. The voter is already in a state facility with their identification documentation in hand, and they will have their picture taken and sign their name electronically. Having all of that happen at the same time means the verification process is extremely secure and makes the registration more efficient.”

Not surprisingly, Pennsylvania House Republicans have pushed back against the Democratic Governor’s action, arguing this should have been done via the legislature…as if, the GOP legislature would have ever initiated such a pro-voter initiative. Fat chance!

State House Republican leader Bryan Cutler said in a statement provided to CNN:

“The problem here is not necessarily the end, but the means. This unilateral action on the eve of what is likely to be a hotly contested and close election will cause many Pennsylvania voters to continue to question the security and results of our system.” Does that sound like someone poised to push for enacting such a plan? 

I don’t think so.

Based on information obtained from the Governor’s office, as of December 2022, 8.7 million Pennsylvanians were registered to vote. However, more than 10.3 million residents were eligible to register. Registered voters do not translate directly to the number of citizens who vote. But, almost certainly, if more than a million and a half more voters are registered, more people are going to vote. In our system of government, the higher the level of participation in the process, the more responsive our democracy. Based on both their political positions and their actions, we can be reasonably sure Republicans in general, and Republican elected officials in particular, do not agree with that principle. And that, gentle reader, is a shame. “Pennsylvania: Voter ID Counterpoint!”

I’m done; holla back!

Read my blog anytime by clicking the link: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.com. Find a new post each Wednesday.

To subscribe, click on Follow in the bottom right-hand corner of my Home Page at http://thesphinxofcharlotte.com; enter your e-mail address in the designated space, and click on “Sign me up.” Subsequent editions of “Break It Down” will be mailed to your in-box.

For more detailed information on a variety of aspects relating to this post, consult the links below:

https://www.cnn.com/2023/09/19/politics/pennsylvania-automatic-voter-registration-shapiro/index.html

It’s time to Break It Down!

This post appeared originally in this space on September 7, 2011, commemorating the 10th Anniversary of Nine-Eleven. It was re-purposed and presented September 11, 2013, September 13, 2017, September 12, 2018, September 11, 2019, September 8, 2021 (20th Anniversary), September 14, 2022, and again today, September 13, 2023.

As I re-post this vintage edition of “Break It Down,” today is two days after the Twenty-second Anniversary of Nine-Eleven. I am ever mindful that it’s both, a day America will never forget, and a day that forever changed America’s worldview. In the span of 81 minutes in one late summer’s morning, in the second year of the new millennium, 19 Saudis grabbed America by its collective gonads, and squeezed. Unimaginably hard. We blinked. We gathered ourselves, but regrouping was a process. We fundamentally changed the way we meet and greet the world. We are more guarded, and security has a whole new meaning. We even invented an entirely new federal governmental agency (Homeland Security) to guard our public security, and monitor anti-terrorism, border security, immigration and customs, cyber security, and disaster prevention and management.

(From the Archives, September 7, 2011)

Do you remember where you were, Tuesday, September 11, 2001? This week we observed the 21^st Anniversary of the day that has come to be known simply as, Nine-Eleven (9/11). That day 21 years ago, America lost, in one fell swoop, any notion of its blissful innocence, its long-standing appearance of invulnerability, and its deeply ingrained sense of security. By some accounts, what it retained is its self-righteous (some would say) belief in American Exceptionalism and entitlement; but that is a conversation for another post.

Suddenly we were at war, and the fight had uncharacteristically come to us, straightway.  This battle was personal, and it was on our home turf; no longer some shadowy ideological military exercise, or guerrilla warfare episode, played out on foreign soil, half a world away.

U.S. House of Representatives Joint Resolution 71 was introduced with 22 co-sponsors (11 Republicans and 11 Democrats) and approved by a vote of 407-0 on October 25, 2001 (with 25 members not voting).  The bill passed unanimously in the Senate on November 30, 2001.  The Resolution requested that the President designate September 11^th each year as Patriot Day.  President George W. Bush signed the Resolution into law December 18, 2001 (as Public Law 107-89).

On this day, the President directs that the American flag be flown at half-staff at individual American homes, at the White House, and on all U.S. government buildings and establishments, home and abroad.  This year President Biden, as President Trump and President Obama did before him, deemed the day one of National Remembrance and Service.

Even after 21 years; more than two decades worth of context building, and development of perspective, the numbers behind Nine-Eleven are chilling.  Nearly 3,000 people lost their lives, and thousands of others were injured, and many more sustained post-event traumas.  Examples of the carnage include:

2,977 Victims killed (not including the 19 hijackers)

2,606 Killed at the World Trade Center Towers

87 Killed on American Flight/NYC World Trade Center North Tower

60 Killed on United Flight 175/NYC World Trade Center South Tower

125 Killed at the Pentagon

59 Killed on Flight 77/Arlington – The Pentagon 

40 Killed on United Flight 93/Shanksville, PA

246 Passengers Killed (on four planes)

658 Employees of Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P. (Investment Bank) killed; most of any employer 

411 Emergency workers killed at the World Trade Centers

341 FDNY firefighters killed

37 Port Authority Police Department officers killed

23 NYPD officers killed

8 EMT’s killed

2 Paramedics killed

19 Hijackers Killed (on four planes)

2,996 Killed on Nine-Eleven

1,631 Bodies positively identified from World Trade Center Towers

1,122 Bodies (41%) remain unidentified

Bone fragments were still being found in 2005 by workers preparing to demolish the damaged Deutsche Bank Building 

72 Additional remains found in 2010 by a team of anthropologists and archeologists 

A Medical Examiner will continue to try to identify remains in the hope new technology will lead to the identification of other victims.  The death and destruction of Nine-Eleven led to the so-called Global War on Terror.  Mostly the front lines have been in Afghanistan and Iraq.  However, a central intent of the action has been to prevent a recurrence of Nine-Eleven-like events on U.S. soil.

The initial thrust began October 7, 2001 when the U.S., British, and Coalition forces invaded Afghanistan, and in March 2002, when the U.S. and Coalition forces launched Operation Anaconda and the Taliban suffered significant losses, and left the region.  In the interim, involvement in the region has ebbed and flowed, but the war, which the Obama Administration referred to as Overseas Contingency Operation, continues. The War in Afghanistan is officially the longest war in American History.  We have for some time been in the “every day is a new record” era.

U.S. Intelligence sources pointed to Al-Qaeda as the probable instigator behind Nine-Eleven.  It’s leader, Osama bin Laden initially denied involvement.  Over time, bin Laden became more emboldened, first conceding involvement, and ultimately admitting that he was instrumental in masterminding the horrific attacks. During his Presidential Campaign, Mr. Obama declared he would not relent in the hunt for Osama.  The elusive terrorist was thought to be hiding in Pakistan.  Mr. Obama stated bluntly that if reliable intelligence pinpointed bin Laden, he would deploy U.S. forces to find and kill him, which he did on May 2, 2011.

The good news is, over the course of the past twenty-one years, there have been no repeat Nine-Eleven scale events on U.S. soil.  That result is partly due to fastidiously focusing on prevention efforts, partly a result of fortuitous failures of would-be terrorists, and partly a function of the fateful intervention of alert by-standers. Last year, President Trump negotiated an agreement to end America’s longest (20 years) war by May of 2021. President Biden, who succeeded Mr. Trump, committed to honor the agreement. Ultimately, he pulled American troops out of Afghanistan by August 31^st. a pledge he ultimately honored, despite numerous suggestions, for a variety of reasons, that he abandon it.

As we place the commemoration of Patriot Day 2021 in the rearview mirror, and twenty-one years of Nine-Eleven related memories with it, Americans are still advised to be on high alert for potential incursions by terrorists, most likely of the lone wolf variety, where one person acts in solo fashion. So here we are, “Nine-Eleven: Forever Etched Upon The American Psyche Redux ’23!” I trust you had a productive Day of Remembrance and Service.

I’m done; holla back!

Read my blog anytime by clicking the link: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.com. Find a new post each Wednesday.

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For more detailed information on a variety of aspects relating to this post, consult the links below:

It’s Time to Break It Down!

This post appeared originally in this space on August 31, 2011. It was re-purposed and presented again September 3, 2014, September 7, 2016, September 6, 2017, September 5, 2018, September 4, 2019, September 9, 2020, September 7, 2022, and again today, September 6, 2023.

As you know, Monday was Labor Day. As with most holidays, I knock it down a few notches so readers can enjoy their time off, and ease into a vintage post, if they so choose. At its core, according to the U.S. Department of Labor, Labor Day in the United States was designed to commemorate the creation of the labor movement; dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers.  The holiday focuses on contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country.

First observed in September 1882, the event has always been observed on the first Monday of the month of September.  Initiated by the Central Labor Union of New York, the celebration became a federal holiday in 1894.

In addition to its formal structure and purpose, Labor Day has several symbolic associations.  It is considered:

The unofficial “End of Summer”

The last 3-Day warm weather weekend for vacationers

By High Society standards, the last day for which it is appropriate for women to wear white.

The beginning of the College Football Season 

The last weekend before the start of the NFL Season

The conventional kick-off of the hard-core political campaign season

The culmination of back–to-School shopping

Labor Day also validates and recognizes an often-controversial mechanism that frequently divides American opinion: labor unions.

Scorned by many who fancy themselves as Free Enterprise Capitalists, unions and their members have not only been actively involved historically, in debates that framed public policy for American workers, they have won or forced hard-earned concessions that in the shimmering glow of reflective perspective, must be considered to have fundamentally altered the playing field (known as the workplace), including:

Pensions

Health Care Benefits

Paid Vacations

Equal Pay to women

The Development of Child Labor Laws

The 5-Day Work Week

The 40-Hour Work Week

The 8-Hour Workday

Worker’s Compensation benefits

Obtaining the right for Female Flight Attendants to marry.

These and many other important cherished and beneficial employee rights are attributable to the efforts of the American Labor Movement.  However, this post is not an ode to Labor Unions. For all their well-deserved accolades, unions also have downside effects.  They can create or contribute to:

The potential for strikes

Additional costs to all employees (membership dues; whether a member or not)

Loss of individuality (ability to represent oneself in a grievance)

Subject employees to fines & discipline by the Union

Disincentives to productivity and competition

Lack of promotions

Burdensome salary demands (relative to the market)

Loss of profits (and/or pay) due to strikes.

Inefficient & ineffective contracts

Increased unemployment due to failure to reach agreement w/management.

The first Labor Day celebration was led by a Labor Union.  The history of the Day has been linked, inextricably, with Labor organizations, ever since.  But it is the American Worker the Day was intended to commemorate.

Meanwhile, contemplate, “Labor Day: It’s All About The Workers Redux ’23!” While we’ve got plenty of issues to temper our enthusiasm, we should still celebrate America’s Labor Movement, and the phenomenal workers it represents.

I’m done; holla back!

Read my blog anytime by clicking the link: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.com. Find a new post each Wednesday.

To subscribe, click on Follow in the bottom right-hand corner of my Home Page at http://thesphinxofcharlotte.com; enter your e-mail address in the designated space, and click on “Sign me up.” Subsequent editions of “Break It Down” will be mailed to your in-box.

For more detailed information on a variety of aspects relating to this post, consult the links below:

It’s time to Break It Down!

Occasionally, I set out to create my shortest blog ever. Today is one of those days.

91 Criminal Charges

26 Sexual Assault Allegations

6 Bankruptcies

5 Draft Deferments

4 Indictments

2 Impeachments

1 Convicted Company

1 Fake University Shutdown

1 Fake Charity Shutdown  

$25 Million Fraud Settlement

$5 Million Sexual Abuse Verdict

$2 Million Charity Abuse Judgment

1 Unsuccessful Coup Attempt (so far)

These are “obviously” the things one would do if one wanted to…”Make America Great Again: The Definitive List!”

I’m done; holla back!

Read my blog anytime by clicking the link: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.com. Find a new post each Wednesday.

To subscribe, click on Follow in the bottom right-hand corner of my Home Page at http://thesphinxofcharlotte.com; enter your e-mail address in the designated space, and click on “Sign me up.”

Subsequent editions of “Break It Down” will be mailed to your in-box.

Consult the links below for more detailed information on a variety of aspects relating to this post: