Remember when? (5×8 – 9/11/12)

When is it time to move on, helping with horsepower in South Dakota, the gatherings between the whites and Dakota, why I secretly recorded my life, and even more BWCA videos.


1) ON 9/11

This is a day, of course, in which people remember and one of the things they remember is how we treated people differently, for a very short period of time.

Whatever happened to the “Ground Zero mosque”? It has no imam so, technically, it’s not a mosque, but an Islamic Center. Rashid Dar moved from Wisconsin to be one of the new faces of the center, known as Park 51. “We are trying to be the Muslim voice, speaking about Islam to the broader American public,” Dar said. “If we don’t do it, somebody else will.” The Brooklyn Rail visits Park 51 and finds out there’s a big difference between someone who “grew up in a bubble” in the Midwest and a Muslim woman from New York, also profiled in the piece.

I shuddered as Doleh talked to this group of privileged students. The emotional response her stories evoked left the most lasting impression. The Islamic high school she attended was closed for two months after 9/11. For the remainder of the school year the students were escorted there by police because people spit and threw pork chops at them. “I was hearing people whisper about me on the subway,” Doleh told me. “‘I bet she doesn’t even speak English. She probably got married when she was 14.’ I’m just not an uneducated person,” she added. Surprisingly, when I expressed being upset hearing about her experience, Doleh was quick to defend her fellow citizens. “It was a very emotional time for Americans. Especially New Yorkers.”

More 9/11: Going up!

The top front pages of 9/11.

— Curiously, the nation’s newspaper of record ignored the date on today’s front page. That leads to the obvious question: When is it time to move on?

— The Associated Press says politics is taking a back seat today. Nobody really believes that, do they?

2) HELPING WITH HORSEPOWER

I’m hoping to meet up with the people on the Bus 52 project (I wrote a little about it last week) today. They’ve been in the state for a few days digging up some stories on their cross-country journey in which they stop to find tales of people doing good work.

Like this one just posted from their stay in Michell, SD.

3) THE GATHERINGS

Judging by the e-mails we saw during coverage of the 150th anniversary of the Dakota conflict, there remain plenty of raw feelings between whites and the Dakota.

So, on Monday A descendants of the U.S.-Dakota War of 1862 will meet at Ridgewater College in Willmar.

This weekend, the Great Dakota Gathering and Homecoming will be held in Winona.

4) WHY I SECRETLY RECORDED MY LIFE

From the BBC: “It’s normal now for people to document their lives on social networks, but you can take this kind of thing too far – as I did when I secretly taped all my conversations for three years.” (Read)

Somehow, I just knew This American Life had to be the inspiration…

5) BECAUSE WE NEVER GET ENOUGH VIDEOS FROM THE BWCA

Bonus I:No reason, really. It just reminded me of everyone going off to work today.

Hermit Crab Migration from Steve Simonsen on Vimeo.

Bonus II: How they got this picture. And, no, there’s no lap action going on here.

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Bonus III: Goodnight Keith Moon.

Bonus IV: The contrails over Rochester. Shot yesterday and submitted by John Arachikavitz .

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TODAY’S QUESTION

Both President Obama and Republican challenger Mitt Romney say their policies would benefit the middle class. But a new study says the share of Americans who identify themselves as belonging to the middle class is shrinking. Today’s Question: Do you consider yourself part of the middle class, and how can you tell?

WHAT WE’RE DOING

Daily Circuit (9-12 p.m.) – First hour: The impact of religion on Election Day.

Second hour: BBC documentary, “Can Latinos Save America?”

Third hour: Brian Castner whoserved three tours of duty in the Middle East, two of them as the commander of an explosive ordnance disposal unit in Iraq.

MPR News Presents (12-1 pm): An American RadioWorks documentary. “The Rise of Phoenix: For-Profit Universities Shake Up the Academy.”

Talk of the Nation (1-2 p.m.) – Iran’s got the nuclear inspectors going in circles over one suspected site in particular–Parchin. They suspect Tehran tested blasts with uranium metal. What we know — and don’t know — about Iran’s nuclear program.

All Things Considered (3-6:30 p.m.) – To advance in the military or federal government, you need a security clearance. And for that you need to reveal whether you’ve ever seen a mental health professional. Just knowing that causes some people to avoid counseling, no matter how much they need it. NPR takes a look at the question and its broader message to people.