I'm a Moonbat with a Little Help from My Friends [Jack M.]

Seems to be how the entertainingly named Billy Shields, Chairman of the Arizona Commission that designed their 9/11 memorial, defends his role in the project.

Q: You've said that you're interested in reconsidering some passages on the memorial, re-evaluating the messages. What's going to stay on the memorial and what's going to be excluded?

A: I'm one member of a 31-member commission that meets in public. I'd just like to see it all re-examined.

I'm really concerned about some of those statements. Sometimes things go off into conspiracy (theories) for some people. That's just so far off base in this case. If there are some statements that are . . . really hurtful and offensive to folks . . . we ought to re-examine them. If we have to remove them we should.

Translation: Don't blame me! John, Paul and George didn't see anything wrong with the lyrics either. And for those who did object? Just a bunch of conspiracy theorists, and Mean Mr. Mustards.

Q: Len Munsil has said that, if he's elected, he'd demolish the entire memorial and start over from scratch. How does that sit with you, given all the efforts you and the commission put out over the last three or four years?

A: This is what I'm outraged about. This is not a campaign or political party's toy. This is a . . . memorial, a sacred place.

Three-thousand people lost their lives and their families. It should not be politicized. It shouldn't even be talked about by candidates and political parties. . . . It should be done in a reverent and solemn setting and in a dignified way to those that died.

Please, spare us your outrage Mr. Shields. Your commission decided to incorporate the well documented Anti-American, "we had it coming" rhetoric that has helped make this monument such a public disgrace. Where was your outrage when it mattered, Ringo?

It shouldn't even be talked about by political party's? Heaven forbid that the actions and judgements of individuals on a State Government Commission, spending taxpayer money, be subject to public debate.

What other topics are off limits for political discourse in your opinion, Ringo?

Face it, it's more likely that what really has you outraged is that people dare to question the judgment of you, the moonbat left, the Truthers, and the dispassionate, neutral arbiters of reality-based discourse like left wing Arizona State University History professors.

Q: Were the criticisms that have just come to light in the past week or so simply not out there three years ago, when you were planning?

A: The things that are on (the monument) are all fact-based concerns. I may not like some of them either, but that doesn't change the event. Just because I don't like what happened doesn't mean it didn't occur. . . .

We fought with this internally as a commission. What's going to do a complete and accurate . . . report of those events and issues that surrounded this? Do I have to like that these events occurred? No. But I can't make them go away.

The things on the monument are all "fact based", Ringo? Really? "You don't win battles of terrorism with more battles" is a fact? Sounds like an opinion, to me. But then I also think it's a "fact" that "Octopus' Garden" is the shittiest song on Abbey Road.

So maybe I'm not as clear on the whole "fact/opinion" distinction. Maybe you could recommend some ASU professors to help me out.

And the monument represents a "completely accurate" representation of the events of 9/11/2001? Please show me why how your inclusion of the Gulf of Tonkin incident and the accidental deaths of some Uruzgan civilians in 2002 contributed to the intentional attacks on the World Trade Center orchestrated and conducted by Islamic nutjobs.

For what it's worth Len Munsil, the GOP candidate for Governor in Arizona, has pledged to demolish this abomination. I'll be sending him a check this afternoon.

Maybe I'll make the amount $64. After all, "When I'm 64" is better than anything Billy Shields ever wrote.

UPDATE: Epobirs revokes my Beatle-fan creds by reminding me that Ringo's alias on the Sgt. Pepper album was "Billy Shears" and not "Billy Shields".

To which I reply, sure....if you only listen to the album forwards.

Anyway, thanks for fact-checking my ass, Epo. I didn't even have to buy you dinner.

posted by Ace at 03:31 PM

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