Political Ads

Can someone please explain to me the difference between the Moveon "Betray-Us" ad and the Swift Boat lies from the 2004 campaign? How about the Max McClellan ads? If there is no difference- if you think that all three ads were, at the least, not in good taste, why does one deserve a vote in the Senate condemning it and the others do not? Why does our President call one "disgusting" but uses the others to help his own campaign?

Time

Last night, even before reading this New York Times article, I turned to Andrew and asked, "When is it time to say enough with the name-reading ceremonies, the all-day coverage of memorials, and move on to a different type of remembering?" I didn't mean for the question to be cold and careless; just the opposite. As a Jew, I'm all too familiar with yearly ceremonies and memorializing those who were tragically killed throughout the years. But at what point do we turn to each other and say that we've grieved enough and it's time to do something different on this day? Not forget- never forget!- but just something different.

Far be it for me to suggest what that different would be. I've already written too much about my experiences, and Andrew was right last night when he said that I have a visceral reaction anytime the topic is brought up. I can't deny the fear of reliving, and I'm sure neither can many of those who either lost loved ones, experienced the terror first hand, or experienced any other sort of trauma because of it. And perhaps that's describing most of us.

As much as I want to move on, something pulls me towards reading the commentary and news articles, the first-hand accounts, and staring at all the pictures. But there's gotta be some sort of medium between not being able to let go and letting the day pass like it's any other day. Maybe it's just a function of time.