NYC has "NO ICONS OR MONUMENTS WORTH PROTECTING" says Homeland Security

[NYCGirl]

WHAT!!!!!??????

What planet is Chertoff from?

http://blogs.abcnews.com/theblotter/2006/06/no_icons_no_mon.html

New York has no national monuments or icons, according to the Department of Homeland Security form obtained by ABC News. (Click here for the actual document.) That was a key factor used to determine that New York City should have its anti-terror funds slashed by 40 percent--from $207.5 million in 2005 to $124.4 million in 2006.

The formula did not consider as landmarks or icons: The Empire State Building, The United Nations, The Statue of Liberty and others found on several terror target hit lists. It also left off notable landmarks, such as the New York Public Library, Times Square, City Hall and at least three of the nation's most renowned museums: The Guggenheim, The Metropolitan and The Museum of Natural History.

The form ignored that New York City is the capital of the world financial markets and merely stated the city had four significant bank assets.

New York City is home to Chase, JP Morgan, Citi Group, The New York Stock Exchange, The Commodities Exchange, American Express, George Soros funds, Michael Gabelli's funds, Lazard Frere and Salomon Brothers, to name just a few of the more prominent banking interests located there.

[sutz12]

1. How about Grant's tomb?

He was one of those great Republican presidents.

:sarcasm:

[NewYorkerfromMass]

82. Grant's Tomb, etc... here's the Upper West Side alone

Grant's Tomb , and across the street: Riverside Church , and down the street: Soldier's and Sailor's Monument


Columbia University ..... Cathedral of St. John the Divine (largest Gothic Cathedral in the World even at its unfinished!)

American Museum of Natural History (which is actually several buildings)

George Washington Bridge . . . . . . . . . . . . . We could of course go on but what's the point?
See any icons here anybody????
Where does the Bush administration find these cretins?
Do they expect people to really believe this?
NewYorkerfromMass, registered architect and Upper West Sider, is ready to smash head against wall.

[Sequoia]

138. Rockerfellow Plaza and St. Patrick's Cathederal

Wow, New York sure has load of ICONS!!!!!!!!!!!

[SaveElmer]

154. C'mon...Grant was a great man...

And his Presidency was not the complete disaster often portrayed.

[NoPasaran]

157. Thank you!`

Grant's critical role in leading the armies of the Republic to victory over the slaveholder secessionists rarely gets the respect it reserves these days.

[SaveElmer]

158. Ain't that the truth...

No one besides Lincoln himself was more responsible for preserving the Union.

And he is the classic Horatio Alger story...in a span of 8 years he went from clerking in his father's tannery shop, and peddling firewood on the street, to leading the Union armies in the Civil War, becoming the first man to hold the rank of Lieutenant-General since Washington, and becoming a popular, though not successful President of the United States....

On top of that, he wrote what is still considered the best, by far, militray memoir in history!!!

[NNadir]

184. ...and he wrote that memoir while dying in great pain.

I have always felt that U.S. Grant was one of the most outstanding Americans. As a literary effort his memoirs reflect on his exceptional mind, his exceptional courage, and his exceptional determination. He is an under appreciated American.

What was remarkable about Grant was that he always put his country above his own ambition. He took risks and he accepted responsibility for them. He never attempted to shift responsibility for those decisions to anyone but himself, but plainly stated them. Writing of Cold Harbor, his greatest military blunder, for instance, he wrote, "I have always regretted that the last assault at Cold Harbor was ever made. I might say the same thing of the assault of the 22d of May, 1863, at Vicksburg. At Cold Harbor no advantage whatever was gained to compensate for the heavy loss we sustained..."

In other words, although he was the most skilled and successful general of the Civil War, having accepted the surrender of three different armies, he was man enough to say, "I was wrong."

We could certainly use, in these times, another man of his moral calibre.

[SaveElmer]

188. Amen to that...

Grant is one of my heroes.

There are numerous examples of his willingness to put aside his previous prejudices when he believed the good of the country warranted it. He quickly accepted the notion of Blacks serving in the Union Army for example saying he believed they would make good soldiers.

He refused to go along with President Johnson's attempts to use his popularity to aid in the killing of reconstruction reforms in the South.

As President he made many efforts to enforce the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments.

That he was supremely respected can be seen in how he was viewed by his former enemies. Remembering the Grant of Appomattox, Robert E. Lee in response to a disparaging made about Grant while Lee was President of Washington College, replied ''Sir, if you ever again presume to speak disrespectfully of General Grant in my presence, either you or I will sever his connection with this university.''

In my opinion Grant is the most underappreciated figure in American history.

[Sequoia]

212. I like Grant and Sherman

even if Sherman burned down Atlanta. War is hell ya know. Grant finally got the job done after all those other useless generals who just camped out in DC.

[Marnieworld]

2. Um hello? Statue of Liberty?

Duh. :grr:

[dave29]

28. I think you mean the statue of Freedom Fries

Since those frenchies gave it to us

[Heywood J]

57. The key here is "worth protecting"

The Statue of Liberty is dedicated to exactly that. What else did you expect from them?

[Leopolds Ghost]

190. Exactly. Now, the US Office of the National Debt... (one city block) n/t

[Heywood J]

59. The key here is "worth protecting"

The Statue of Liberty is dedicated to exactly that. What else did you expect from them?

[aikoaiko]

76. its in jersey. iirc

[Cha]

90. New Jersey claims

that..we can't have it on our license plates anymore.

[Marnieworld]

94. technically yes

But it is a NYC symbol historically and internationally. It is just absurd to say the city has no icons. What is all of the fireworks about every year by the Statue then?

[Cha]

110. Right! And it's way

beyond absurd but look who's sayin' it..chertoff, one of the bushite lackies who knows shite about anything much less History!

NYC is THE Historical Monument! Wonder what ol Bloomie thinks of that?

jerkoff needs to be held accountable for dribbling such tripe!!

[karynnj]

132. Maybe they decided it looked French

so it's not an American landmark

[Leopolds Ghost]

191. It's Green... just like them leftie French frogs

Paint it red white and blue like the T-shirts told me it would be!

[Snaggletooth]

209. The neo-Khans probably think she is a French Trojan Whor(s)e

I wouldn't be surprised to find that Dick "the Fudd" Cheney (he's a-hunting P(H)EASANTS)and the Looney Goons think that there are 120+ year old French revolutionaries, complete with guillotines, hiding out somewhere inside her "eating cake." So, it's "off with her head."
:crazy: :scared: :nopity:

In the "NEO-KHANS Don't Get Irony Department"

Webster's New World Dictionary offers this definition of peasant: "2)a person regarded as coarse, boorish, ignorant, etc." Sound like anyone you know...and probably wish you didn't?

:hi: :loveya:

Snaggletooth the Crone

[shain from kane]

3. I heard more money was going to Orlando and Memphis. Got to

protect Disney World and Graceland.

[FSogol]

6. You mean, got to protect Jeb's base. n/t

[shain from kane]

34. So you're claiming that the Republicans would play politics with

the funding of the fight against terrorism. That's unpatriotic, isn't it?

[wordpix2]

177. Yeah, that's exactly right. The f$$*ing repukes won't even protect their

own DHS building in DC properly, not to mention the other icons there. They are CUTTING funds, don't you get it? Or are you acting incredulous facetiously?

[Leopolds Ghost]

193. It is called LIHOP and it is NOT a conspiracy... its how society operates

Demolition by neglect. The mayor's cousin's mother's home mysteriously burns down at a strategic corner after years of disrepair. The low-income tenants were forced out years ago so no-one notices when it gets turned into a McMansion for twice the price of the back taxes owed on it, thanks to the miracle of insurance. Where d'you think Bush gets his ideas from?

You DAMN right they won't protect DHS properly. What better way to rally the country than to set up a dysfunctional straw man (DHS) in a non-strategic corner of the nation's capital (one that's already polluted by chemical weapons from WWI) and wait for it to get knocked down by the next terrorist to come down the pike?

[Leopolds Ghost]

192. Are you trying to imply that the Bushes are in fantasyland? n/t

[NewJeffCT]

152. Do terrorists even know what Graceland is?

The WTC was "hit" because it was well known a global scale. If they had really wanted to hit "American" icons, they would have taken out the Empire State Building & the Statue of Liberty instead. Outside the US, the Empire State Building is probably not as well known as the WTC.

[ClintonTyree]

160. You've GOT to be shitting me!

GRACELAND? :wtf: Some obese, pill-popping rock and roll singer's freaking HOUSE is considered more of a target than the City of New York? I repeat...... :wtf:

It's just business as usual for the most fucked-up administration in history. Unfuckingbelievable!! :eyes: When will this long national nightmare end? :shrug:

[wordpix2]

178. Don't forget the increase for Omaha, Neb.

[wordpix2]

179. and Louisville, KY

[Leopolds Ghost]

194. At least Lexington has the Kentucky Derby.

Home of the black jockey statuette, the mint julep, and the "show us your tits" NASCAR style infield.

Now Mammoth Cave, that's a landmark (strange how the really beautiful landmarks never get assaulted by the terrorists, perhaps because they are universally appreciated and never gored anybody's ox. Terrorists won't care, but they won't win any points from Muslims blowing up, say, the Duomo in Florence, or Fallingwater, or the Louvre.)

[Sequoia]

213. Lexington, KY is a beautiful city.

And I've been to Mammouth Cave, excellent.

[Leopolds Ghost]

216. It's also only one of two cities in the US with an urban growth boundary

The other being "effete, liberal" Portland Oregon.

In most of the heartland, anti-sprawl activists are denounced as socialism.

[savemefromdumbya]

4. His comments are not going to do much for tourism!

[Lisa]

72. no kidding. They'd produce the world's thinnest "tourist guidebook" (n/t)

[warrens]

5. How about the George Washington Bridge?

Hit that sucker at rush hour and you'd kill at least as many as died on 911. These people are idiots.

[wryter2000]

10. What a bunch of fucktards

Didn't they disappear someone for contemplating maybe blowing up the Brooklyn Bridge?

[dysfunctional press]

39. or the Brooklyn Bridge.

or Yankee stadium...

or the world trade center...

[svpadgham]

155. Bad joke coming...

Ya know, I really wouldn't be adverse to Yankee Stadium being hit, as long as the Cubs weren't there for an interleague game.

Sorry.

[BurtWorm]

63. Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

Don't you know the terrorists are watching?!

:hide:

[Leopolds Ghost]

195. Few people know about these important landmarks - dont give em any ideas.

[eviltwin2525]

79. or the Brooklyn Bridge?

....so famous it's become an unconscious part of the culture, as in "oh yeah? if you believe that, I can also sell you the Brooklyn Bridge!" If that doesn't qualify it as a "cultural icon," well, I'd love to make you a sweet deal on that bridge, Mr Chertoff.

What else? We've mentioned The Statue of (Lost) Liberty.... don't forget Ellis Island (where all our grandparents arrived Without Papers -- Repugs obviously need to forget that inconvenient truth)....what about the Empire FUCKING State Building? (more of a cultural icon than the World Trade Center! and beacon of hope in the Depression, which was btw brought to us by the former most-corrupt-and-incompetent-ever i.e. Republican administration)....the UN (high on all freeper hit-lists -- I'm seeing a pattern!)....Yankee Stadium (naturally, my Texas Dixie-crat relatives despise anything bearing the word "yankee")....we won't even mention what a wet dream the GOP has of all of Harlem taking a high hard one....Central Park, emblem of civic-mindedness and good municipal planning (yep, that's gotta go, too! especially since it makes Southerners think of Woody Allen movies {don't ask me why})....in the same vein, the entire subway system, with all the urban elite who use it (giggle -- my kin back home really do think that way)....and oh-my-god Broadway and the Village, worldwide headquarters of the gay menace....the Guggenheim, MoMA....MSG....

Seriously, folks, this rough inventory has made me realize there's absolutely nothing the GOP values and/or doesn't fear that's worth saving in NYC.

But you'd at least think the Repugs would want to save Wall Street! I guess they'll off-shore that next (global warming will force it to be moved anyway....hey, does that mean Shrub watched Al Gore's movie, after all?).

[Lisa]

86. and equating any busy scene with "Grand Central Station"

... That's something you hear from people as far away as Vancouver, who've never even SEEN New York.

You're really onto something. NYC was one of the biggest cities on not just the continent, but the planet, until a generation ago. It was the quintessential "big city", and the center of the cultural world for many people ... theatre, publishing ... even movies and TV got started there (LA was viewed as a backwater well into the 20th century, as David Niven recounted from his years in Hollywood). It's funny to think of all the sitcoms filmed in California which are supposed to be set in New York ("Friends", "Seinfeld", etc.).

[Leopolds Ghost]

197. Of cource, GCT is not as busy as it used to be. at's whatcha call...ironic

Now that Amtrak no longer stops there, I guess it's not a landmark anymore.

Maybe Chertoff had a clusterf*ck theory he was unprepared to share with the public. ("Oh, of course you have major landmarks NOW, but assuming we are equally unprepared to defend NYC from the next series of attacks / ecological disasters... buildings don't last forever, you know.")

[Lisa]

207. I wonder what my mom's going to do?

She grew up on the other side of the continent, thinking that Grand Central Station had to be the most bustling place in the world! 80 years old and whenever she's watching the neighbor's kids and they're running around the house, she STILL says, "quiet down everybody, it's like Grand Central Station in here!".

She did get to see NY in the 1940s ... she and her college roomies saved up for months to make the trip. (Years too late for the World's Fair, though they did get to see some Broadway shows.)

[Leopolds Ghost]

217. I'm sure it's still one of the busier places in New York!!

Which is to say, busyer than just about anywhere outside of New York.

Everything in New York (and LA) is about 10 times bigger than anythere else.

For instance, the train lines going into Grand Central carry 10 times as many people as the busiest commuter lines anywhere else in the country.

And they're planning on connecting it to Penn Station, which is Busier than Grand Central.

But Penn Station/MSG is not a landmark (in fact, those of you who believe in "LIHOP" should be very worried about the security of Madison Square Garden, because that whole complex is about to be rebuilt.)

[blm]

7. Think Chertoff will dare say that to Trump's face? Chertoff hates NY

because NY hates Bush - and THAT is the formula they used.

[blogslut]

17. sigh. yeah

It's a lot like extortion. You want us to protect you? Fuck you, pay us.

[Leopolds Ghost]

198. They'll fit right in certain parts of New Jersey... Bada Bing, an icon??

[Lib Grrrrl]

51. Yep!

I said that in my own posting before I read yours. Glad to see that great minds think alike...and assess the situation correctly.

The Repukes don't give a shit if NYC gets hit again, after all, it would be that many fewer DEMOCRATS...I honestly believe these Repukes would literally kill us all off, if they could only get away with it...and figure out how...and figure out how they were supposed to "get fries with that" after they wiped all of us out. After all, who would be their little slaves then?

[Scurrilous]

103. I smell backlash:

[wordpix2]

176. Jerkoff should have been gone after Katrina. His own DHS building

in DC is vulnerable. Fucking asshole. This guy needs to go along with BushCheney and FAST.

[wordpix2]

180. yeah, that seems to be the "formula." I noticed even Bloomberg was whining

and whimpering against these cuts

[sweetheart]

8. What about 18 million people?

? what ? Do they protect people, or just buildings?


Probably better, get all those fucking gunmen off the street
and back to macdonalds.

[Guaranteed]

122. Yeah- they're kind of important. nt

[JerseygirlCT]

174. Yeah, but lots and lots of them vote Democratic. nt

[havocmom]

9. Guess Wall Street is getting their's!

That'll teach the market to make the ecomony look bad. :evilgrin:

And, aren't there a few PEOPLE in NYC?

[melissinha]

81. good one!

I think a hit on Wall Street would be devastating.....

[EVDebs]

11. That's funny, didn't they cut Washington DC's allotment too ?

Pretzel logic reigns.

N.Y., D.C. to get less anti-terror funds
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/1152AP_Cities_Terrorism.html

DC has no 'icons worth protecting' ?

[struggle4progress]

163. Silly! There are no monuments in DC, either. What were you thinking?

[wordpix2]

181. no targets there to protect, either, like the Pentagon, WH, Capitol, feder

al buildings, monuments, Smithsonian and DHS building itself which could all be better protected.

[Leopolds Ghost]

199. symbols of Big Gubmint

read: public buildings that are symbols of openness and house large numbers of civil servants.

The neocons prefer lean, mean government operating out of a secure, undisclosed location. Bunkers, suburban office parks owned by CIA front companies, etc.

Just as big (even bigger-in fact -- the size of government is dictated by the amount of stratification in society and the resources needed to tamp down social unrest) but less conspicuous.

[EVDebs]

205. Ptech, now GoAgile, has business in WH, DOD, so I guess that's why

Dollars of Terror
http://www.frontpagemag.com/Articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=17730

""Ptech is used primarily to develop enterprise blueprints at the highest level of US government and corporate infrastructure. These blueprints hold every important functional, operational, and technical detail of the enterprise. A secondary use of this powerful tool is to build other smart tools in a short period of time. Ptech’s clients in 2001 included the Department of Justice, the Department of Energy, Customs, Air Force, the White House, the FAA, IBM, Sysco, Aetna, and Motorola, to name just a few. ""

Wouldn't want to upset the WH and its friends now would we ? This makes the Dubai Ports deal look like a template. Besides, DHS already knows what is the next target if they're doing their jobs.

[TriSec]

12. Boston, too.

Hey NYC girl!

We heard up here in Boston that our funding was being cut too, and most of that money was going to Oklahoma.

I guess the USS constitution, Old North Church, Faneuil Hall, and a bunch of other places don't count.

I'd list Fenway Park, but I'm not going there with a New Yorker. I think we can be allies on this one!

[NYCGirl]

18. Makes absolutely no sense at all.

You can list Fenway Park — I'm not a NATIVE New Yorker, and not a big Yankees fan. I still love my hometown team, the SF Giants.

[Lib Grrrrl]

55. Actually

Fenway Park...Yankee Stadium...The Meadowlands...ANY major sports venue would be a good idea to protect...after all, there could be upwards of 50,000 people there at any one time!! What do these morons think?? DO they think??

Ah, yea, the Party of "the Sanctity of Life," right??

Whatta buncha assholes!

[Lisa]

88. and the Natural History museum ... all those specimens in alcohol ...

If it's anything like the Smithsonian, there are containers full of flammable stuff in the basement. This was even mentioned in Senate hearings as a potential explosive hazard that could take out a whole city block, if there were a bomb attack.

[fooj]

71. Woo hoo! I knew that I liked you for a reason...

LOL!!! Go Giants!!!! :toast:

On a serious note...this bullshit DHS is pulling on NY and DC is unforgivable. Period.

[NYCGirl]

77. Woo hoo!

Willie Mays is one of my heroes (and I guess I have to confess I'm old enough to have seen him play many times — when I was a kid).

[fooj]

133. Me, too.

Loved Candlestick until, of course...we built the new ballfield. It's beautiful...have you had a chance to see it?

[BronxBoy]

142. Well I am...

And this is absolutely laughable

Jacksonville, Fla. 2005 funds: $6.8 million. 2006 funds: $9.2 million. Increase: 26%. Major landmark: Alltel Stadium, home of Jacksonville Jaguars.

Fenway Park and Yankee Stadium with more sports history than probably all of Florida combined are ignored but a stadium that just came into existence a short time ago is a major landmark worthy of mention.

Jesus F**kng Christ I hate these people


http://www.nydailynews.com/front/story/422633p-356751c.html

[Sequoia]

24. Orlando and Oklahoma?

Orlando: hurricane
Oklahoma: torando


no "brown" terrorist would be interested in those wretched places since nature can do the job. Chertoff needs to be fired and run out of the country. How dare he say that about New York. And Boston...come on, that's Revolutionary War history. SF has been cut down too. Looks like a pattern to me.

[AllieB]

36. "Looks like a pattern to me."

yes, a BLUE STATE pattern!

[Sequoia]

102. It's true....great minds think alike.

[Lorien]

78. Since I live in one of those "wretched places", I've thought about it a

bit. The local news has mentioned Disney World as a possible target-but disney has it's own security, and is mostly populated by foreign tourists...so extra concern seems unwarranted. There's no place else in or near Orlando that makes any sense as a target. The only possible reason for the extra funding is to funnel more Federal dollars to the state, which Jebbie has bankrupted by slashing taxes for the wealthy.

And we've already been hit by three hurricanes in the past two years. This town is blue-so please don't wish any more on us!

[Sequoia]

104. I don't and won't. Sorry you have to put up with that dreadful governor.

Terrorist aren't interested in a dumb cartoon mouse but Las Vegas, well now that's where the money is in those bad sinful places ya know.

[Nicole]

140. Oklahoma is NOT getting more funds

The poster above was misinformed. Oklahoma's funding was cut. I left the link above in my reply to that poster.

I live in this wretched place. We do worry more about tornadoes than we do terrorists.

I do agree with you about Chertoff, he needs to be gone!

[aquart]

35. Democratic strongholds. They HOPE we die.

Just like New Orleans.

[Nicole]

134. Do you have a link for that?

I haven't heard anything that says Oklahoma is getting most of Boston's money. Or anyone else's money for that matter. Our local news is reporting that Oklahoma is getting less money this year.

Oklahoma will get about $8 million less in 2006 than last year. Available homeland security funds dropped by 29 percent, Houston said.

http://newsok.com/article/1859974/?template=

[JerseygirlCT]

175. CT's cut, too.

And as was pointed out on the radio this morning, not only are we strategically located between Boston and NYC, but we've got a nuke plant, and we would be the staging area for assistance for an attack on either NYC or Boston... lots of medical help, equipment, etc. would come from here.

Yeah, Oklahoma... I wonder how much more Wyoming got? Definite terrorist targets there.

[w13rd0]

13. So what...

...in the hell DO they consider targets worth protecting? A corn field in Kansas and Orrin Hatch's polygamist retreat in Utah?

[geardaddy]

64. Cornfield in Kansas

They wouldn't protect a cornfield in Kansas, either, even if they did vote Republican. They have no respect for farmers.

[acmavm]

70. The Pig Farm down in Crawford I suspect. How much I wonder

is secretly going to protect that hell hole.

[PegDAC]

171. Diebold headquarters and the Crawford pseudo-ranch. n/t

[Quakerfriend]

14. Just further proof of their attempts to sabotage the left.

[wryter2000]

15. Of course, the real reason is

New York is never going to vote for this gang of thugs. They'll give the money to places that will vote for them.

[TriSec]

30. Closed our airbase, too.

Otis ANGB down cape...you could look it up. The fighter wing was disbanded and two token F-15s transferred to Hartford International Airport in Windsor Locks. That leaves the entire Northeast quadrant without fighter protection..the nearest "real" airbase to us is Andrews AFB in DC.

That would be the Mass 102nd, the same ANG wing that had fighters over NYC on the morning of September 11.

[wryter2000]

31. Oh, for crying out loud

Well, you guys had the bad taste to elect Kerry and Kennedy to the Senate. What do you expect? :sarcasm:

Welcome to DU, btw. :hi:

[flyarm]

100. ahh there is mcguire afb between bos and dc..n/t

[Warpy]

16. Yeah, the financial center, the learning center, the mercantile center,

the major port and the SEVEN MILLION PEOPLE are utterly expendable.

I guess you "think" like that if you're from East Bumfuck, Texas, or whatever shithole he hails from.

[Lib Grrrrl]

58. The Shithole He Hails From

is fucking New Haven, Connecticut. He's no fucking Texan. He's a pampered, spoiled, silver-spoon Ivy League asshole...who gives a shit for no one but the 29 percent club!

[ThomCat]

19. He's needs to learn some American History

if he doesn't think there are any historic monuments or buildings in NYC. Some of the original federal buildings are in use in NYC. There are irreplacable monuments here.

[npincus]

20. and NEWARK does??????

[puerco-bellies]

21. The most densely populated area in the country..

Geeze.

[Leopolds Ghost]

200. Alot of Reublicans think it's TOO densely pospulated.

Thin the herd nicely, is what they thought about New Orleans and what they will think about New York if Bush ever asked them to get used to the idea of further attacks. They will adapt quickly to the notion that Manhattan is expendable if Bush starts down the same tack.

No landmarks worth protecting in Iraq either, remember? "Stuff happens."

Sometimes these people remind me of the real-life personification of those infamous fake quotations attributed to Soviet leaders.

"Sow disinformation... appoint weak leaders... subvert the nation's youth... create chaos... and establish, through Dominionism, the greatest peace that Mankind has ever known." --Based on original false quote attributed to Soviet propagandist Lavrenti Beria

"We do not need to attack Iran. First we will go into Kuwait, then Afghanistan, then Iraq, then Syria. Iran itself will fall like a ripe fruit into our outstretched hands." --Based on original false quote attributed to Lenin, among others.

"Whenever I hear the word culture, I reach for my revolver." --Misquote attributed to Hermann Goering, actually from a Fascist play put on in 1933.

"Socialism shall not have achieved victory so long as Beethoven is still performed in opera houses." --Misquote of Lenin; substitute "democracy", "french cheese", "fancy coffee houses"

[shain from kane]

22. The Statue of Liberty was a gift from France, and they take every

opportunity to remind us. We saved their ass in World War I and II, but they keep bragging about that damn statue. We don't need them anymore, so we are downgrading it to a lesser tourist attraction.

[hobbit709]

29. The Statue of Liberty

Symbolizes something that no longer exists in this country under this regime so of course they don't want to protect anything that might remind the sheeple.

[Bear down under]

101. I know you're being sarcastic, but...

the French saved America's ass when it really counted. It was money lent by the French government that saved the Revolution from bankrupcy.

[liberalhistorian]

111. Not just money, but badly, desperately-needed military

support as well; that is what REALLY saved us and clinched our winning of the Revolution. That's why, when we first arrived in Europe at the tail-end of WWI, one of our generals said "LaFayette, we have come!" (LaFayette was the major French general in charge of the troops that supported us in the Revolution). We wouldn't be a country today without the French.

[JHB]

117. And the highest-ranking French officer to serve our revolution...

...who is buried over here lies right across the street from the WTC.

[Sequoia]

143. Who would that be?

Ture, if France's ships hadn't arrived when they did, we'd be English subjects.

[JHB]

167. Lt Col de Rochfontaine

From http://www.saintpaulschapel.org/
in the "virtual walk" through the churchyard


Lt. Col. Etienne Marie Bechet Sieur de Rochfontaine, who served under General Rochambeau, was one of the four original members of Society of the Cincinnati on General Washington’s staff. He later commanded the Corps School of Artillerists and Engineers at West Point Academy. He is believed to be the most notable French citizen buried in the United States who took part in fighting in the American Revolution. His daughter, Catherine, was married in the Parish of Trinity Church, of which St. Paul’s Chapel is a part.

[Sequoia]

211. Thanks.

[Leopolds Ghost]

201. No Republican today (cept Gingrich) would know enough history to say that

And Gingrich is generally a know-it-all punk, but not Frenchified like the Democrats. His selfish, overzealous Jack Black demeanor is a big advantage which offsets his unfortunate intelligence. Still... that history professor thing is a big liability in the Republican party.

[shain from kane]

124. If I couldn't be sarcastic, I would have abandoned my posting

a long time ago.

[shain from kane]

23. The Brooklyn Bridge is worthless, so let's sell it to somebody. n/t

[KansDem]

41. I agree...

The Brooklyn Bridge
Arguably the most influential bridge in American history, the Brooklyn Bridge remains one of New York City’s most celebrated architectural wonders. Designed by the brilliant engineer John Augustus Roebling (1806-1869) and completed by his equally ingenious son Washington Roebling (1837-1926), this elegant structure was, at the time of its completion in 1883, the longest suspension bridge in the world. Anchored across the lower East River by two neoGothic towers and a delicate lacework of steel-wire cables, the soaring lines of the Brooklyn Bridge have inspired countless architects, engineers, painters and poets to pursue their own expressions of creative excellence, among them Frank Lloyd Wright, Hart Crane, Walt Whitman, Georgia O'Keefe, Joseph Stella, John Marin and Lewis Mumford.

http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/html/motorist/bridges.html

Let's find someone who actually believes the crappola in this report, and sell him the Brooklyn Bridge! It should be a cinch...

[shain from kane]

46. Did they bother to consult Ken Burns?

"Shortly after this documentary first appeared, The New York Times ran a front-page photograph of a married couple and their children walking over the Brooklyn Bridge.

They said they were from Idaho and they had traveled all the way to New York so their family could see first-hand this remarkable structure. They said they got the idea after watching a film on PBS. To me, the building of the Brooklyn Bridge is still one of the most dramatic stories in all of American history.

--Ken Burns"

Reading this passage sent chills through my spine, and should make anyone proud to be an American, regardless of politics.

[wordpix2]

182. I'm sure it's already put up for collateral for China, Saudi A & other

creditors holding our debt

[Leopolds Ghost]

202. You mean like MARGARET THATCHER did to the London Bridge?

The ultimate Benthamite corporatization of society was when Thatcher, taking over from an impoverished left-wing government, sold the London Bridge ("London Bridge is Falling Down...") to an American collector, who moved it to... Havasu City, Arizona.

The comic book "Unbuilding" suggests a similar fate for the Empire State Building, as a means to raise money for the city of New York (leaving the 9-story pinnacle behind in Central Park as a memorial and selling the rest to a Saudi prince.)

This book came out about 15 years ago... Still relevant so long as Reaganites and Thatcherites are still aroung.

[Beware the Beast Man]

25. The WTC attacks were symbolic. What a dope.

Only everything symbolic of American commerce is in NYC. Heaven forbid someone flies a plane into Mt. Rushmore or the world's biggest ball of yarn or something. :eyes:

[Leopolds Ghost]

203. Hey, Watch it. The world's biggest ball of yarn

has been destroyed several times. Also the original World's Largest Chair, in the heart of Washington, DC.

Everything Changed on that day.

The World's Largest Chair must be rebuilt, taller than before... or the terrorists have triumphed.

[shain from kane]

26. Bush* couldn't make it there, so trashcan it. He'll never be king of the

hill.


"I want to wake up in the city that never sleeps
To find I'm king of the hill, top of the heap
These little town blues
Are melting away
I'll make a brand new start of it
In old New York
If I can make it there
I'll make it anywhere
It's up to you, New York, New York."

[unblock]

27. translation: nyc has no banana republican voting bloc worth protecting.

[redqueen]

52. may I say "DING! DING! DING! DING!"?

I think I just did.

[Orion The Hunter]

32. Cronies apparently don't have Almanacs...

Do they not realize what landmarks exist in New York City?! And DC for that matter...sheesh. I'd say its past time for Chertoff to tender his letter of resignation!

[shain from kane]

40. The DHS personnel don't have almanacs, and neither should you.

Favorite reading material of terrorists.

[Lisa]

80. indeed. Who else but a terrorist would actually want to know such things?

"Facts" are for the "reality-based community", not patriotic Americans!


http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,106890,00.html
"WASHINGTON — The FBI is warning police nationwide to be alert for people carrying almanacs (search), cautioning that the popular reference books covering everything from abbreviations to weather trends could be used for terrorist planning."

[liberalhistorian]

113. So they're going after almanac readers, now?

Fucking ALMANAC readers? Jesus H. Christ on a raft, is EVERYTHING going to be considered as "possible use by terrorists" now? God, I don't know how much more of this shit I can take. Why don't we just hand over our daily activity lists to the FBI now? Good God.

[Lisa]

123. I especially liked how they said maps and atlases are suspicious

Besides the fact that most people consult maps when visiting unfamiliar cities as tourists or on business ... I teach geography, and most of my assigned textbooks fall into their rather-wide category of things to watch for. I'm just waiting for my students to get picked up while they're on their field trip or lab assignment.

[shain from kane]

126. If you have enough experience that you can properly re-fold a map,

then you are a terrorist.

[shain from kane]

131. Better take plenty of bail money and an immigration lawyer on

the next field trip. Of course, depending on the category, if you can't get bail, or consult with an attorney, why bother?

[AllieB]

33. Neither does Boston, apparently, bec. we're receiving 1/3 of the money

we received last year. :eyes:

The USS Constitution, Fanueil Hall, and many other landmarks of our 17th and 18th century history mean nothing, I guess. Sheesh.

[shain from kane]

Bunker Hill, who cares? You've seen one hill, you've seen them all.

Doesn't mean a thing.

[LynneSin]

37. How about 10million+ people living there

screw the icons & monuments - what about the people who live in NYC? Don't they count?

[Lisa]

92. No! Anyone who doesn't fall into the "with us" category ...

... doesn't deserve protection. (If they are so disagreeable as to give Bush a >60% disapproval rating, they can take their chances ...) Didn't you get the memo?

[Armstead]

38. These people are dumber than a box of rocks

[liberalhistorian]

114. Hey, watch it, that's an

insult to rocks! :evilgrin:

[Roland99]

42. I'm still not seeing the 'icons'. I mean, where are the

Megachurches?

Quail hunt clubs?

Ranches with brush waiting to be cleared?



I mean, come on. The NYSE? Statue of Liberty?


Pfffffft.

[geardaddy]

68. Or the Indy 500 racetrack?

[BrightKnight]

43. Is DHS pork to be allocated for political capital?

Nothing sacred to Bush Republicans.

[wordpix2]

183. Why didn't they give more $ to protect the Capitol? After all, valuable

GOP documents are lying in offices there and need to be protected from FBI raids.

[npincus]

44. of course, the Bluest of Blue States...

[ChairmanAgnostic]

105. actually, Illinois prob qualifies. And its share increased. weird.

[lavenderdiva]

45. New Orleans' funds have also been cut in this too...

guess they don't think there's anything historic or worth saving there either.

but funds for brother Jeb's state have been significantly increased... Hmmmm.....

[ck4829]

47. Any tall buildings?

[NYCGirl]

50. No, none at all.

My favorite building.

[Jack from Charlotte]

129. Mine, too. Best in The World. (nt)

*

[Sequoia]

144. Yikes, here they come!

"I don't think anybody could have predicted that these people would take an airplane and slam it into the...."

[conflictgirl]

48. We're spending billions of dollars to protect MONUMENTS?!

Silly me, I thought the bloated Department of Homeland Security budget was to protect people. You mean it's to protect icons and monuments?!

I understand the symbolism of monuments, and the historic significance of some of them. But if the Homeland Security team is spending billions of taxpayer dollars on "security" (and bungling the job, I might add), I want them to be protecting people, not fucking monuments.

[Reverend_Smitty]

173. Thats fine but...

where there are monuments, there are usually people. So by protecting those monuments, you are by default protecting the people there

[Lib Grrrrl]

49. NYC Is A Blue City

'nuff said!

[6000eliot]

53. Further proof that the "war on terror" is bullshit.

[Javaman]

54. Reason #1million why I believe 9/11 was either a LIHOP or MIHOP...

They are done with scaring people and they know that what ever attack they plan next time, won't involve NYC. So in their pea like little minds, why spend a dime on it. To me it just give more credence to them LIHOP or MIHOP.

Their obvious stupidity is absolutely blinding.

I hope they all simply rot in hell.

Moron* lies about everything, why should we believe him concerning 9/11????

[Mister K]

56. 55 Water Street is not a landmark however,

I work there along with a lot of other people. Protecting people is what the goverment is supposed to do.

55 Water Street is New York City's largest office structure, also the headquarters of Standard and Poor's and HIP among others.

[obreaslan]

60. If they aren't landmarks...

they must just be props for photo-ops and backgrounds, and those don't count I guess...

[PegDAC]

172. A fellow Phil fan!!

Don't believe I've seen you here before. Welcome! :hi:

[DoYouEverWonder]

61. One more big one

The American Museum of Natural History.

Can't imagine any fundies that might want to get rid of all the geological evidence that is stored there.

[shain from kane]

69. That would be like the burning of the Library at Alexandria. All of

that information, lost forever, with the revisionists poised to re-write history, when it becomes a blank slate.

[Leopolds Ghost]

204. Dont forget who burned it: Fundamentalists w/ approval from authorities nt

They wanted to get rid of "pagan texts" and the keepers of the Library of Alexandria were notorious effete pagan Egyptian types.

Any similarity to the destruction of the Iraqi national museum? YOu tell me.

[sakabatou]

62. Empire State Building, Statue of Liberty

Chrysler Tower, Rockefeller Square, among others

[Guaranteed]

121. The Holland Tunnel.

That is a meaty, dangerous target.

[BrklynLiberal]

65. IMHO this entire allocation brouhaha was intentionally set up to create

the divisiveness that it is creating. It was meant to set the "LIBERAL Democratic Voting" areas against those "Red" that voted for BushCo. If you look at who got cut, and who got increases, it works out just that way. It was meant to make those who voted against BushCo to look like whining, selfish people who do not care about the rest of the country. It was also meant to bring out the negativity that those same people, the "Blue" areas, feel about those so-called "RED" areas that went for BushCo and do not seem to have any reason to need more money for Homeland Security.

This is just another way to pit Americans against Americans, and the Neo-Conservative, Right-wing Fundies come out ahead.

It all plays right into their hands.

[wordpix2]

185. no, they're not that smart. I believe BushCo is rewarding his red states

and the rest of the reasons add up to simple incompetence by the always dangerous morons.

[me b zola]

219. I agree. n/t

[Swamp Rat]

66. And what about the people living in New York???

The Bush administration cut our levee funding the year (June 2004) Ivan passed just South of New Orleans. I also believe a Halliburton contract was offered in the eventuality of a storm.

We learned the hard way in New Orleans, but we truly know what the Bushler administration intends for all of us in the future - you should too.

Proof: Chertoff's remark demonstrates the Federal Government of the United States:

DOES NOT CARE ABOUT PROTECTING HUMAN LIFE IN AMERICA



This is simple to understand - no political affiliation required:

As long as THEY remain in power, our government will not protect it's citizens (flora and fauna)... only property.

edit: Only property - as it relates to the oil industry and military industrial complex.

[allalone]

67. they're are cutting Seattle too

a month after telling us it's a prime target bucause of the ferry system. Man, they aren't even pretending anymore. People don't count and especially people in blue areas.

[Ganja Ninja]

73. Thank God the oil fields in Iraq are secure. n/t

[adarling]

74. LINCOLN CENTER!!

Or i forgot...fundies don't like the arts such as ballet, orchestra or OPERA for gods sakes. Must be too girlie for them

[Lisa]

75. unless this is a Cunning Plan to conceal those places!

Chertoff is a genius! During the Cold War, certain military installations in the US and USSR did not appear on maps, to keep their existence secret. I think we should all play along ... erase any webpages which mention NYC landmarks, and go through libraries ripping out the pages of books and magazines which have pictures of them. If you must go to the Met or the Empire State Building, use code names to refer to them, so the terrorists won't know they are real places.

[shain from kane]

85. Someone just Area51ed the whole city of New York City. Did I just

invent a new word, "Area51ed"?

[Lisa]

87. shhhh! there IS no New York City!

It's "the suburbs of Freeport"!

[shain from kane]

116. Yes, that's ok and all, but what about that new word I invented? n/t

[JHB]

119. I like it!

But I have no shame :evilgrin:

[LSK]

83. Randi Rhodes has just gone over this for the past 15 minutes

But Omaha gets more security funding????

[LSK]

84. YANKEE STADIUM

Sorry yankee haters, it is a historical landmark.

[LynneSin]

98. I was going to say that's not a good reason to protect NYC

Hell Boston fans might end up supporting Bush's decision for that reason alone!

[jonnyblitz]

127. ..

:spank:

[NYC Liberal]

153. I agree but hey, I think Fenway counts too and should be protected as well

Actually there are a lot of old stadiums that should be considered landmarks.

[wordpix2]

189. Yes, Omaha. Aren't there some corn fields & an insurance bldg. there we

need to protect? :eyes:

[saltpoint]

89. Well, yeah. NYC's a pretty negligible town. Not much goin' on.

[opihimoimoi]

91. The Bronx ZOO is worth the crummy 75 million they cutting...WTF???

[theHandpuppet]

93. So do we really have to wonder why...

... Iraq's Oil Ministry was so well-guarded by American troops while its musems full of priceless and irreplacable artifacts were destroyed?

Chertoff is merely a symptom of America's corporate-fascist disease.

[Clark2008]

95. However, that big ball of aluminum foil in Oklahoma

and Mrs. Jones's cat's hairball in Texas ARE listed as National Monuments.

Ah car-rumba!

:eyes:

[flyarm]

96. what about "broadway"????????????????? n/t

[gollygee]

97. He lives on the planet where people who didn't vote for Bush

don't get protected.

NYC is pretty blue. No suprise here.

A uniter, not a divider. Yeah, right.

[johnnie]

99. They cut ours too

In fact I think they cut all of it.

Don't let their "terra" bullshit cloud your thinking, of course they cut it all. There is no "war on terror' and never was. I know everyone has some really cool stuff in their cities, but do you really think that all this money that was supposedly for protection against "terrorists" actually helped protect a few buildings? They have gotten what they wanted and the game is over. There is no need to try to fool anyone else into thinking they are making huge strides in protecting us from terrorists anymore.

[eleny]

106. Punishing Dems/Rewarding Rubuplicans

Typical GWB.

[CottonBear]

107. Central Park, Ellis Island, Statue of Liberty, Prospect Park?

:wtf: BushCo hates America and loves money. :(

[mconvente]

108. Wow... what assholes...

Of course - they parade around NYC in 2004 like they own the place - fuckers don't care about anyone except freepers and nascar loving beer guzzlers... fucking assholes...

[genieroze]

109. Must be getting ready for the next attack.

[frylock]

112. funding for san diego was cut in half..

We don't have any targets of interest, either. Nope. Nothing at all like the San Onofre Nuclear power facility, or MCAS Miramar, MCRD, Camp Pendleton, NAS Coronado, the Coronado Bay Bridge, blahblahblah.

[JHB]

115. St Paul's Chapel, Fraunces Tavern...

Places that were used when NYC was the capital of the nation (pre-DC).

http://www.saintpaulschapel.org/
How about St. Paul's Chapel, where Washington went to church while he was president, with a graveyard of Revolutionary War veterans (though they'll doubtless ignore de Rochefontain's grave)? Accross the street from a previous target?

[foreverdem]

150. Fraunces Tavern

OMG - I love that place! If I'm not mistaken, I believe George Washington said farewell to his troops at the Tavern. Why would we want to protect that? :sarcasm:

This is not historical, but we also have miles and miles of subway tunnels that are prime targets.

[genieroze]

118. Here's the link for all the states

http://www.dhs.gov/interweb/assetlibrary/grants_st-local_fy06.pdf

last years
unavailable

[stepnw1f]

120. NYC is Historical in Itself

It's a PORT city...

This man needs to be fired immediately, then charged with negligible homicide for the way he responded to Katrina. What an evil little man.

[Stuckinthebush]

125. This is how it will play out...

PEOPLE: "WTF? W is crazy! How can anyone cut funding in New York to give it to Orlando or Omaha for God's sake? It is obviously pandering to his red state base. What an ass!"

MEDIA: "Were Homeland Security cuts by Chertoff politically motivated? America demands answers!"

SNOW: "Look, Secretary Chertoff respects all of America's landmarks. This means not only NYC and Boston, but also those important symbols in the heartland which often get overlooked. The brave men and women of Topeka and Omaha deserve to be protected from terrorists. I don't think anyone here would argue with that! The fact of the matter is that Secretary Chertoff was given full authority to do his job protecting America. His careful analysis showed that funds for security were disproportionately distributed throughout America. The cuts will in no way effect the security of New York, Washington, or Boston, but the added money will significantly protect landmarks that until up to now have been unprotected. The President supports Secretary Chertoff in this decision. Anyone who believes that The President would allow terrorists to attack a city just because they didn't vote for him is on the lunatic fringe of partisan politics. Next question..."

MEDIA: "Are Democrats using the Homeland Security redistribution of funds for political gain?"

TWEETY: "Can you believe this???!!! The Dems have the gall to question the President's desire to protect Americans from attack. I've said it before and I'll say it again, clearly this president has been a fighter for the American people and this accusation hits far below the belt. I know that the Dems smell blood in the water, but this is ridiculous!"

Wash POST: "Is secretary Chertoff taking another hit for doing his job? The Democrats demand answers from him on why he would cut funds from their states. The Secretary said at Senate hearings on Tuesday, "The President entrusted me with the job of protecting all of America. He has complete trust in my leadership of this agency and has given me no pressure to add or delete funds to or from any particular city. Senator, we must realize that the terrorists will strike where they see an opportunity. There is little opportunity in New York because of our beefed up security since 9/11, but plenty in Wichita Falls. The terrorists know this. Frankly, Senator, I will not abandon the citizens of Wichita Falls, Topeka, or Orlando because some other city wants a disproportionately large slice of the terrorism funds. I would be shirking my duty as Director of Homeland Security for ALL people of the United States of America. I am appalled and disgusted by the recent suggestions that this is politically motivated."

PEOPLE: "Man those Democrat politicians are nasty. Look at what they are trying to do to Bush. Chertoff was just doing his job."

MEDIA: "Will the Democrats take a blow from their recent partisan swipes at the Director of Homeland Security?"

BUSH: "Hehe, Dick. I told you this would work. Just give it time...just give it time."

[emcguffie]

128. Please, let's not forget the tunnels.

the Lincoln Tunnel, the Holland Tunnel, the Midtown Tunnel, the Battery Tunnel.

Lots of people use those a couple of times a day.

I wonder how many? How much does the population of Manhattan increase each workday, nine to five? Because all those people are bridge and tunnel people. Of course, that does also include subway tunnels. But certainly we can't consider those -- worth protecting?

[genieroze]

130. When one of these cities gets hit next, you know who to blame.

[Nicole]

135. What an idiot

Wonder what the hell he considers worth protecting?

[Danmel]

136. It's one of things I hate most about living here

Nothing to do, nothing to see. It's just like living in Dubuque (with apologies to all Iowans)

And this guy was supposed to be the great New Yorker who was going to protect his hometown. (Right Hillary and Chuck- ins't that why you voted for skeletor?)

What a bunch of fing idiots!

[Johnny Noshoes]

145. Hey Chuck and Hil now what?

Not that it would do any good neither one of them seems to give a damn what New Yorkers think - BUT - how would they react if we just flooded their offices with snail mail about this insanity. Email is ignored too easily. Oh I suppose even the letters would end up in the vast "circular file". Have I mentioned yet today how much I HATE these people:mad:


Hey George, everything changed... after 1776! Have somebody read the Constitution to you! There WILL be a quiz.

[Rabrrrrrr]

137. Y'all have forgotten two big ones: Fraunces Tavern and Federal Hall

Where the Revolution was partly put together, and where Washington was inaugarated as our first President.

Stupid fucking republican assholes.

[BattyDem]

139. Let's see ...

Holland Tunnel
Lincoln Tunnel
Brooklyn Battery Tunnel
George Washington Bridge
Verranzano Bridge
Manhattan Bridge
Queensboro Bridge
Brooklyn Bridge
Yankee Stadium
Bronx Zoo
Museum of Natural History
Guggenheim Museum
Metropolitan Museum
Museum of Modern Art
Times Square
United Nations
Empire State Building
Chrysler Building
Statue of Liberty
South Street Seaport
Broadway
Rockefeller Center
Lincoln Center
Madison Square Garden
Javitz Center
Grand Central Station
Penn Station
Trump Tower
and the list goes on and on!
:grr: :grr: :grr:

[Rex]

141. They want another 911, need an excuse to attack Iran.

Fucking criminals!

[Stuckinthebush]

146. Take a look at this chart I made

It details the HS funds, population of states, and the HS dollars per person. DC gets the most funds per person at $97.58 followed by American Samoa ($78.12), Northern Mariana Islands ($33.86), the Virgin Islands ($25,23) and Vermont ($17.55).

Funding_by_state

The list from most funds per person to least funds per person is:

1. District of Columbia
2. American Samoa
3. Northern Mariana Islands
4. Virgin Islands
5. Vermont
6. North Dakota
7. Guam
8. Wyoming
9. Alaska
10. Nebraska
11. Delaware
12. Hawaii
13. South Dakota
14. New York
15. Nevada
16. Montana
17. Idaho
18. Missouri
19. West Virginia
20. Rhode Island
21. Illinois
22. Louisiana
23. California
24. Massachusetts
25. New Hampshire
26. New Jersey
27. Maine
28. Kentucky
29. Florida
30. Oklahoma
31. Kansas
32. Washington
33. Georgia
34. Oregon
35. Michigan
36. Colorado
37. Iowa
38. Wisconsin
39. Maryland
40. New Mexico
41. Texas
42. Pennsylvania
43. Connecticut
44. Ohio
45. North Carolina
46. Arizona
47. South Carolina
48. Utah
49. Alabama
50. Indiana
51. Arkansas
52. Mississippi
53. Minnesota
54. Tennessee
55. Virginia
56. Puerto Rico

[SOS]

147. Northern Marianna Islands?

"Jack Abramoff? Never met the guy!"

[Stuckinthebush]

151. LOL!!!

Jack who????

:D

[wordpix2]

187. Well the Marianas do need protection from the anti-sweatshop crazies

who are trying to tear down Jackoff's clients' business.

[wordpix2]

186. American Samoa? Could these criminals be anymore transparent?

Let's all send this thread to our Congresspeople!

[Deja Q]

148. Especially the Empire State Building, but oh well.

[rodeodance]

149. Didn't Chretoff replace Ken Starr for Whitewatergate? (Hil. Clinton)

[Chimichurri]

156. This is proof that there is no war on terror.

[svpadgham]

159. Administration/DHS Reasoning

The Empire State Building: It's old.
The United Nations: We don't need to go there.
The Statue of Liberty: Gift from France
New York Public Library: They don't read and it'll get rid of the homeless people in there
Times Square: Nothing but a bunch of degenerates hanging around there plus they got rid of the porn shops and hookers.
City Hall: Bunch of Democrats whining about things.
The Guggenheim, The Metropolitan and The Museum of Natural History: Bunch of artsy fartsy crap.

See? Nothing worth saving.

[Me.]

161. The Metropolitan Museum

which houses the finest collection in the world.

Tweety said on his show that the pugs are thinking of holding their 2008 convention in NYC. They've got to be kidding! They need to be re-thinking that one.

*shadow government*

[mikelgb]

162. maybe they have inside information?

:eyes:

[malaise]

164. Red States only

ask Jeb what he has worth protecting.

[Marr]

165. They don't even hide it anymore. They're just funneling money directly

into their own political machine. This isn't about "terrorism" and it never has been.

These guys are arrogant, corrupt, inept, and desperately trying to stay in power.

[NJ Democrats]

166. Are you FUCKING KIDDING ME!!!

This is a load of crap. NYC has no landmarks? What is he smoking! But thake the Statue of Liberty off the list, it's NJ's!

[BadgerKid]

168. Exactly. Why protect when you can

contract out the rebuilding and skim some off the top? :sarcasm:

[Wonk]

169. Al Qaeda may be planning to sail a container ship into the Grand Canyon :/

:eyes:

[PegDAC]

170. Four words.

New. York. Stock. Exchange.

[WindRavenX]

196. This admin just flat out hates NYC. Just like most of middle America

Holy fuck, this is laughable.

No landmarks or icons. ROFL!!! :rofl:

Oh...dear. They're serious, aren't they?

[choie]

206. Kind of a chilling version of an old joke...

TERRORIST: "How do you get to Carnegie Hall?"

BUSH ADMINISTRATION: "Practice, practice..."

Not very funny in this context, is it, Chertoff ya prick?

[donheld]

208. You would think Wall Street would be equal to an "Icon"

Worth protecting.

[tomreedtoon]

210. Unfortunately...the Repubs stole this issue from me!

I have contended for decades that New York City should be leveled, destroyed and turned into a parking lot or a big beach.

My reasoning is one of the egotism of the cultural leaders of that city. The red state/blue state division existed culturally long before it existed politically. New Yorkers have always contended that they have artistic style and taste and no one else does. It's typlified by Woody Allen's firm belief that nothing of any interest or quality exists beyond the Hudson River. The jerk.

But I never said I wanted terrorists to destroy it. I wanted Americans to destroy it. I wanted Allen relocated to Rolla, Missouri, where he could try his cultural-superiority act on chemical engineering students and fields of cows who don't care. I wanted feminists like Betty Friedan, whose ideals were inculated in college, to bring feminist ideals to the women who really need them - the working housewives in laundromats in Newark, Ohio. Let her work to connect with women who never heard of cappucino.

Most of all, I wanted to see David Letterman attempt his wiseguy audience manipulation tricks like ice-cold theatres in a shopping mall in Locust Grove, Georgia, where he'd realize how little he connected with real people.

After they were moved out, then maybe we could bulldoze the city. You know there are bathrooms there that haven't been renovated in a century? And it's mostly because construction permits, costs, lack of trained labor, outright graft and mental intertia have forbidden it. I saw johns in the basement depths of Manhattan buildings that looked like the Phantom of the Opera lived there. They should have been lit by torches, not electric lights; at least open fires would keep the flies down.

But trust the Republicans to take a good idea, a great idea, and ruin it by misapplication and cheap outsourced (terrorist) labor.

[tgnyc]

214. Times Square/Carnegie Hall/Yankee Stadium/New York fucking Stock Exchange!

[Minnesota_Lib]

215. Stock Exchange...Bingo!

[zonmoy]

218. anybody else think that the bush cabal

is setting new york up for another attack that they are undoubtedly planning.