# They're Not Just Spineless -- They're Spineless About Their Spinelessness
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theyre-not-just-spineless-theyre-spineless-about-their-spinelessness/372284
**Category:** The BBQ Pit
**Created:** [September 11, 2006, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theyre-not-just-spineless-theyre-spineless-about-their-spinelessness/372284 "2006-09-11T14:05:10Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)
#### Post date: [September 11, 2006, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theyre-not-just-spineless-theyre-spineless-about-their-spinelessness/372284/1 "2006-09-11T14:05:10Z")
After spending over an hour on a half-empty “express” bus stuck in parking-lot traffic to the Pentagon so I could catch a half-empty train heading the other way (Metro’s soak-the-surburbanites routing systems are another rant for another day), I have a message to the people of Washington:
If you’re going to be [NASAL WHIINE]skeered[/NASAL WHINE] to go about your normal daily routine every September 11, fine. **STAY HOME, CRAWL UNDER YOUR BED, AND WRAP YOURSELF IN PLASTIC SHEETING AND DUCT TAPE** , thus keeping your sorry self out of the way of the rest of us who have a life.
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### Author:  [@miss\_elizabeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/miss_elizabeth)
#### Post date: [September 11, 2006, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theyre-not-just-spineless-theyre-spineless-about-their-spinelessness/372284/2 "2006-09-11T14:21:11Z")
God, people are so dumb. When I took my son to school this morning, it seemed like there were a whole lot less kids showing up. This was confirmed when the traffic cop commented to one of the teachers aides standing on the sidewall, “Where is everyone today?” and the teacher’s aide responded, “Well, you know, today is five years after September Eleventh.”
Yeah, really smart everyone. I’m sure five years after the largest terrorist attack on American soil, there gonna do a follow up by bombing an elementary school in a Mississippi suburb.
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### Author:  [@Hamadryad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamadryad)
#### Post date: [September 11, 2006, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theyre-not-just-spineless-theyre-spineless-about-their-spinelessness/372284/3 "2006-09-11T14:55:40Z")
> [@miss elizabeth](#):
>
> … and the teacher’s aide responded, “Well, you know, today is five years after September Eleventh.”
Not only that, it **IS** September 11th!!
Sorry, I just think it’s hilarious when people just say “It’s the anniversary of September 11th.” September 11 happened for several years BEFORE 2001, or so I’ve heard. I don’t have a cite.
😉
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### Author:  [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)
#### Post date: [September 11, 2006, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theyre-not-just-spineless-theyre-spineless-about-their-spinelessness/372284/4 "2006-09-11T16:05:59Z")
> [@Hamadryad](#):
>
> Not only that, it **IS** September 11th!!
>
> Sorry, I just think it’s hilarious when people just say “It’s the anniversary of September 11th.” September 11 happened for several years BEFORE 2001, or so I’ve heard. I don’t have a cite.
>
> 😉
Don’t you know they retired the number? Like for hockey players?
shamelessly plagiarized from Hamish
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### Author:  [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)
#### Post date: [September 11, 2006, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theyre-not-just-spineless-theyre-spineless-about-their-spinelessness/372284/5 "2006-09-11T16:18:54Z")
> [@matt\_mcl](#):
>
> Don’t you know they retired the number? Like for hockey players?
“Hockey players”? You are _so_ Canadian…
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### Author:  [@beergeek279](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beergeek279)
#### Post date: [September 11, 2006, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theyre-not-just-spineless-theyre-spineless-about-their-spinelessness/372284/6 "2006-09-11T16:43:36Z")
> [@matt\_mcl](#):
>
> Don’t you know they retired the number? Like for hockey players?
>
> shamelessly plagiarized from Hamish
Shit…that’s going to make calling for help pretty tough 😃
“Operator, what’s the new number for 911?”
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### Author:  [@Stonebow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stonebow)
#### Post date: [September 11, 2006, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theyre-not-just-spineless-theyre-spineless-about-their-spinelessness/372284/7 "2006-09-11T17:00:18Z")
> [@miss elizabeth](#):
>
> Yeah, really smart everyone. I’m sure five years after the largest terrorist attack on American soil, there gonna do a follow up by bombing an elementary school in a Mississippi suburb.
That’s my biggest pet peeve about the whole thing. I’m a native New Yorker (exiled for a while to the South), and you know what? On September 12th, 5 years ago, we were burying our dead and trying to go about our business because no terrorists were going to scare us into being anything less than the greatest goddamned city in the world.
But a large chunk of middle America still wets itself over it. Of course, that’s when it’s not calling out for blood - any blood- and more and more measures to keep us ‘safe.’
_sigh_
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### Author:  [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)
#### Post date: [September 11, 2006, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theyre-not-just-spineless-theyre-spineless-about-their-spinelessness/372284/8 "2006-09-11T17:11:37Z")
> [@miss elizabeth](#):
>
> God, people are so dumb. When I took my son to school this morning, it seemed like there were a whole lot less kids showing up. This was confirmed when the traffic cop commented to one of the teachers aides standing on the sidewall, “Where is everyone today?” and the teacher’s aide responded, “Well, you know, today is five years after September Eleventh.”
>
> Yeah, really smart everyone. I’m sure five years after the largest terrorist attack on American soil, there gonna do a follow up by bombing an elementary school in a Mississippi suburb.
They’re making a HOLIDAY out of it?
Creepy.
The first year Sit-n-Sleep has a 9-11 Mattress sale, I’m going to activate an armed rebellion. Sign up now, and you could be a commissioned officer when the day comes to storm the ramparts.
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### Author:  [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)
#### Post date: [September 11, 2006, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theyre-not-just-spineless-theyre-spineless-about-their-spinelessness/372284/9 "2006-09-11T17:48:16Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#):
>
> They’re making a HOLIDAY out of it?
>
> Creepy.
I have a page-a-day calendar of Bush quotes (“The Very Curious Language of George W. Bush”). Today, for some reason, is marked as “Patriot Day (USA).” I wasn’t aware of any formal holiday declaration, but there it is.
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### Author:  [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)
#### Post date: [September 11, 2006, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theyre-not-just-spineless-theyre-spineless-about-their-spinelessness/372284/10 "2006-09-11T17:58:04Z")
Yikes. I might have to do some backpedaling on the whole promise of an armed rebellion thing.
Although I _was_ kind of looking forward to taking out Irwin the Accountant (it’s a regional thing. Ignore it).
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### Author:  [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)
#### Post date: [September 11, 2006, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theyre-not-just-spineless-theyre-spineless-about-their-spinelessness/372284/11 "2006-09-11T18:00:43Z")
> [@Max Torque](#):
>
> I wasn’t aware of any formal holiday declaration, but there it is.
[Patriot Day](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patriot_Day)
Surprisingly, there is nothing in the resolution about spending the day cowering in fear.
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### Author:  [@Happy\_Clam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Clam)
#### Post date: [September 11, 2006, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theyre-not-just-spineless-theyre-spineless-about-their-spinelessness/372284/12 "2006-09-11T18:57:10Z")
…why do the Google Ads advertise sausage making kits?
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### Author:  [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)
#### Post date: [September 11, 2006, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theyre-not-just-spineless-theyre-spineless-about-their-spinelessness/372284/13 "2006-09-11T19:00:36Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#):
>
> The first year Sit-n-Sleep has a 9-11 Mattress sale, I’m going to activate an armed rebellion. Sign up now, and you could be a commissioned officer when the day comes to storm the ramparts.
I’m in. There’ll be blood in the streets the day I see a 9-11 sale.
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### Author:  [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)
#### Post date: [September 11, 2006, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theyre-not-just-spineless-theyre-spineless-about-their-spinelessness/372284/14 "2006-09-11T19:16:20Z")
> [@miss elizabeth](#):
>
> Yeah, really smart everyone. I’m sure five years after the largest terrorist attack on American soil, there gonna do a follow up by bombing an elementary school in a Mississippi suburb.
Ridgeland?
-Joe
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### Author:  [@Ponder\_Stibbons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponder_Stibbons)
#### Post date: [September 11, 2006, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theyre-not-just-spineless-theyre-spineless-about-their-spinelessness/372284/15 "2006-09-11T19:21:31Z")
> [@Frank](#):
>
> [Patriot Day](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patriot_Day)
>
> Surprisingly, there is nothing in the resolution about spending the day cowering in fear.
Hey, can I just sleep all day and _say_ I spent it cowering in fear?
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### Author:  [@Mama\_Tiger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Tiger)
#### Post date: [September 11, 2006, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theyre-not-just-spineless-theyre-spineless-about-their-spinelessness/372284/16 "2006-09-11T19:25:12Z")
Apparently I’m supposed to be spending Patriot Day at home cleaning my house. My Google ads are for quick shine floor care products, dishwasher cleaner, rinsing baskets, and Mold Away. So apparently I’m supposed to clean while I cower?
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### Author:  [@Ponder\_Stibbons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponder_Stibbons)
#### Post date: [September 11, 2006, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theyre-not-just-spineless-theyre-spineless-about-their-spinelessness/372284/17 "2006-09-11T19:41:54Z")
> [@Mama Tiger](#):
>
> Apparently I’m supposed to be spending Patriot Day at home cleaning my house. My Google ads are for quick shine floor care products, dishwasher cleaner, rinsing baskets, and Mold Away. So apparently I’m supposed to clean while I cower?
A patriotic American is a _comsuming_ American!
Back in the 50’s it was “duck and cover”, today it’s “clean and cower” …
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### Author:  [@Ponder\_Stibbons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponder_Stibbons)
#### Post date: [September 11, 2006, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theyre-not-just-spineless-theyre-spineless-about-their-spinelessness/372284/18 "2006-09-11T19:43:37Z")
Consarnit! That’s supposed to be “The sherrif is a n–” err, sorry, wrong quote.
I mean, that’s supposed to be “A patriotic American is a _ **consuming** _ American!”
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### Author:  [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)
#### Post date: [September 11, 2006, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theyre-not-just-spineless-theyre-spineless-about-their-spinelessness/372284/19 "2006-09-11T19:57:47Z")
> [@Ponder Stibbons](#):
>
> Hey, can I just sleep all day and _say_ I spent it cowering in fear?
Fine with me. Just make up your mind, and either be fearless enough to ride the Metro (if you normally do) or cowardly enough to stay home.
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### Author:  [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)
#### Post date: [September 11, 2006, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theyre-not-just-spineless-theyre-spineless-about-their-spinelessness/372284/20 "2006-09-11T20:23:21Z")
> [@Mama Tiger](#):
>
> Apparently I’m supposed to be spending Patriot Day at home cleaning my house. My Google ads are for quick shine floor care products, dishwasher cleaner, rinsing baskets, and Mold Away. So apparently I’m supposed to clean while I cower?
That’s funny. Mine say “BBQ Chicken Recipes” and “Oprah Has Spoken”. What could be more quintessentially American and patriotic than that?
I think, for once, Google has finally nailed it.
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