Tony Bennett apologizes for 9/11 remark

[Freddie Stubbs]

Source: Associated Press

Singer Tony Bennett is sorry for suggesting the United States provoked the 9/11 attacks.

“There is simply no ex­­­c­use for terrorism and murder of nearly 3,000 innocent victims of the 9/11 attacks,” he said Wednesday in a statement. “I am sorry if my statements suggested anything other than an ex­pression of my love for my country, my hope for humanity and my desire for peace.”

On Howard Stern’s satellite radio show Monday, Bennett linked the attacks to U.S. aggression. Now he insists he was only “expressing his feelings as a pacifist.”

Read more: http://www.suntimes.com/entertainment/people/7791850-421/tony-bennett-apologizes-for-911-remark.html

[MADem]

1. He read an apology on The View and seemed rather out of sorts/off his game

He's eighty four. He just wants to sell a few records.

I hope people just leave him alone and not make a big deal out of his opinions, on either side.

[mopinko]

25. he wants to paint.

he's pretty good, too.
i hope they leave him alone, also.

[No Elephants]

2. Bin Laden said it was in retaliation for Lebanon.

Something about his seeing the blood of children running on the stones or in the streets and then making up his mind to attack the U.S. in some way.

I don't remember the exact words and the quote is hard to google, more so as time passes.

But, he also gave at least one other version of his motivations.

Not to say that one version necessarily cancels out the other. And also not to say that Bin Laden was justified. However, if we are talking about motivation, what he said about his own motivations is at least arguably relevant to the discussion.

It's stunning how we can rationalize almost anything our leaders do in and to other countries, or provoke in other countries and argue about it in loud voices. However, when we get attacked, it's very different. People have to speak about the attack on us only in hushed tones and use only certain words.

Truth is, killing innocents sucks, no matter who does it.

[Alamuti Lotus]

4. Re: Lebanon

he has spoken very clearly about that on a number of occasions -- he saw footage of Israeli planes (supplied by the US and other "western" hypocrites and murderers) bombing Beirut's towers, and that provided the nucleus of the idea for going after a couple of our towers.

[No Elephants]

22. Thanks. Early on, I had seen a quote referring specifically to his seeing the blood of children.

I know that quote is hard to find because I have bothered to dig it up and post the direct quote a few times.

But, the further out we go from 2001, the more hits about Bin Laden and 911 I would have to wade through to find it.

That particular quote is relevant in my mind because it refers to spilling the blood of total innocents.

Sucks whenever we do it, sucked when he did it.

He claimed we were all complicit, much as we justified bombing Afghans who had never attacked us because their government was allegedly harboring terrorists.

[Alamuti Lotus]

28. here it is..

God knows it did not cross our minds to attack the towers but after the situation became unbearable and we witnessed the injustice and tyranny of the American-Israeli alliance against our people in Palestine and Lebanon, I thought about it. And the events that affected me directly were that of 1982 and the events that followed -- when America allowed the Israelis to invade Lebanon, helped by the U.S. Sixth Fleet. As I watched the destroyed towers in Lebanon, it occurred to me punish the unjust the same way (and) to destroy towers in America so it could taste some of what we are tasting and to stop killing our children and women.

http://www.allgreatquotes.com/osama_binladen_quotes.shtml
(this particular one at the top of the page)

[Proletariatprincess]

3. He shouldn't have needed to apologize....

It is a valid opinion held by millions of people around the world...and in the USA. How stupid is it that it cannot even be contemplated in this land of so called free speech.

[NJCher]

6. and ten years later, no less

And even after a financial trail has taken place.



Cher

[ronnie624]

7. All one has to do is examine the history of U.S. foreign policy throughout Asia.

I guess we're supposed to be willfully blind.

:shrug:

[Fuddnik]

8. I saw his segment. He said nothing wrong.

If people in this country had ANY idea what our military and "secret agencies" were doing on our behalf, they'd be repulsed and appalled.

Bin Laden gave three initial demands.

1) Get our troops out of Saudi Arabia. He said these "temporary" troops would never leave. He was right.

2) Our sanctions against Iraq were killing around a million innocent Iraqi children. He was right again.

3) Stop supporting Israel over the Palestinians.


Before you brand me as a terrorist sympathizer, look at the demands. Bush gave in to demand number one, and moved our "temporary" permanent bases next door into Iraq.

Demand number two, in complying with demand number one, we killed another million or so Iraqi's, and built our "temporary" permanent bases there, instead.

Issue number three is still festering.

These are issues that the rest of the world knows, but you'll never hear them mentioned here.

"They hate us for our freedoms", my ass.

[alp227]

27. what about all the freepers who listen to Bennett?

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2781715/posts

[LuvNewcastle]

5. His original statement was just an observation

that actions cause reactions. He didn't say that the U.S. deserved the attacks. There is nothing for him to apologize for.

[PuffedMica]

9. Dick Cheney extended Tony an offer to go dove hunting

Tony immediately proffered up an apology

[99th_Monkey]

10. Perhaps Mr. Stern was a "bad" influence? Seriously Tony, no apology needed. It's all good. nt

[truthisfreedom]

11. Sigh. Tony, we love you. I'm going to go onto Amazon and buy one of your records right now.

Sigh. Seriously, dude, you didn't say anything wrong. Don't let the wingers grind you down.

[beac]

26. [phone]

I am sorry to see he's been "shamed" into apologizing for speaking the truth.

[lib2DaBone]

12. Tony, no need to apologize....

The Offishull (sic) 911 Commission Report has more holes in it than Swiss cheese.

The American public should DEMAND the truth behind 911.

[FreeBillClinton]

13. He apologized for telling the truth?

we can't handle the truth!

[Enthusiast]

14. I am sorry that Tony felt the need

to apologize.

It would be a shock if this nation's foreign policy did not result in terrorism.

[lunatica]

15. We live in strange times when a pacifist needs to apologize for being a pacifist

Truly strange times.

[Dokkie]

16. dont forget that he even as a pacifist

He fought agaainst the Nazis in WWII. I think that just earned him the right to speak freely about his opinion on American war mongering without having to apologize.

[No Elephants]

23. So did Pete Seeger. He was shunned and fired for speaking his mind, though. Or singing it.

Saw a PBS special on him and immediately fell in love, even though he is around 90 and happily married for a long, long time.

[madokie]

17. He was right the first time

We've been terrorizing the people in the middle east for years and its only logical that at some point they fight back. They can't openly declare war on us as they have no means to do that so 911 was the way they did it.

[HereSince1628]

18. Anyone else suspect he had contact with 'the authorities'

between the Stern show and making the apology?

[lunatica]

19. The authorities? I don't think teabaggers are the authorities yet

[Nihil]

20. Better than ever imagined ...

WAR IS PEACE
FREEDOM IS SLAVERY
IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH

[JJW]

21. Land of sheep

Has anyone apologized for the illegal invasion of Iraq and the hundred of thousands of Iraqis killed?

[vminfla]

24. Well said Tony

“There is simply no ex­­­c­use for terrorism and murder of nearly 3,000 innocent victims of the 9/11 attacks”

There is simply no excuse.