9.11.01 to 9.11.09: George Bush, Thanks for Nothing

Dad & The Dude

Charmaine Yoest, Ph.D.We have not been attacked since 9.11.01. It is nearly impossible, in war, in politics, to make nothing happen.

So the liberals are right when they say to George Bush,

“Thanks for nothing…”

Here is a review of Reasoned Audacity’s 9.11 posts over the years.

Following is background from Your Business Blogger(R) in an article published just after 9.11. Things have changed since then. A little.

Booby traps at the Pentagon: Charmaine and Jack Yoest introduce you to the Pentagon’s babes in arms. What do they want? An “open dialogue” on breastfeeding. (Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services)

Originally published in The Women’s Quarterly; January 01, 2002;

Pentagon attack

ON SEPTEMBER 10TH, [2001] the Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services, the group most responsible for promoting women in combat, gathered in Pentagon Conference Room 5C1042. This civilian advisory committee, whose members have the protocol status of three-star generals, monitors the concerns of women in uniform. And what was the topic on the eve of the worst attack in U.S. history?

After briefings from representatives of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard, DACOWITS, as the committee is known, issued a formal request for more information on what they deemed a matter of paramount military significance:

breast-feeding.

As the terrorists prepared to hit the World Trade Center towers and the Pentagon itself, our military leaders were directed “to engage in open dialogue” on lactation tactics.

The Defense Advisory Committee on Women celebrated its fiftieth anniversary last April. At the birthday party, President Bush’s deputy secretary of defense, Paul Wolfowitz, a man well regarded for his level-headed and conservative approach to military issues, lauded DACOWITS in his address as an outstanding organization” and told the assembly of earnest women that he “looked forward to [their] advice.”

Read the article.

Just after 9am on 9.11, Your Business Blogger(R) was doing what all business owners were doing: selling something. I was on the phone with a client. Making a pitch to attend a series of seminars, with CNN on in the background. I was a bit distracted by the live feed of a burning building.

While making ‘the ask,’ it was clear that my customer was not aware that we had just been attacked. I wanted to say something, like, Turn on your TV and stare at real pain. It just didn’t look real. I continued instead with the conversation. Your Business Blogger is not normally so focused. In denial, perhaps. Disasters are not normally good for business.

There was work to be done. My next class was on September 19 [and another in Oct].

And I didn’t want the customer on the other end of the phone distracted until the sale was closed. Then we could go to war.

The deal done, I noticed my boy, The Dude, was concerned that the attacks would continue down to us in Charlottesville, Virginia.

“We got to get ready!” he shouts and scampers around digging up my old uniform, boots, saber and his grandfather’s bayonet.

(Old soldiers never die, they just file away. Apologies to MacArthur.)

The Dude spent the rest of the morning marching outside our front door. Looking out for terrorists. It must have worked.

Charlottesville was not attacked.

But we were affected. Everyone was. But I wasn’t sure that the bank was going to delay getting their money over a pesky act of war. I still had to earn a living.

How would the war affect business? Not the macro, but mine? I had a seminar and clients coming into town in little over a week and the world was on fire. Would anyone show up? Would anyone care?

We North Americans do business like we do war. We win. Donald Trump becomes Victor Davis Hanson. At 8 am on 19 September 2001, 86 professionals showed up for my class and got down to business. A packed room.

The free lunch helped.

Even my business partner, Faisal Alam, came down from New York City to join us. He is Muslim.

The country was mourning, but on the move.

I started with a minute of silence in remembrance of those lost in the World Trade Towers.

Then we all got back to work. Each making the world a better place. Even with a war on.

King Kong in New York CityFrom time to time, Your Business Blogger works out of a client’s offices at the edifice at 350 Fifth Avenue in NYC.

Also known as The Empire State Building.

It is still standing.

So what didn’t happen on New Year’s Eve?

Nothing.

Enemy Jihadists didn’t blow anything up. And they didn’t touch Times Square packed with people at midnight 31 December.

President George Bush has been keeping us all safe since 9.11.

Even Michael Moore.

In war every soldier’s death is a public event.

The Falling Man

credit: Richard Drew, AP

Because of 9.11, we are all soldiers now.

The Pentagon circa 9.11.06. Lit by 184 lights to commemorate each life lost there on 9.11.01

Credit: Unknown

Caution, sales pitch follows, On this 9.11.08 Your Business Blogger(R) continues his business at Management Training of DC, LLC.

A Thank you note to Michelle Malkin on 9.11 for Tom Junod’s The Falling Man in Esquire.

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Follow Your Business Blogger(R) and Charmaine on Twitter: @CharmaineYoest and @JackYoest