Oh Dear God

I really thought it couldn't get much worse. Let this be a lesson to you kids to never think that, because it can always get worse.

Specifically, I refer to this gem of an article from the BBC. I don't make it a habit of simply linking to articles and saying, "Oh dear God!" but I had no choice. Yes, it's one of those.

As is my usual practice, I shall quote the relevant passages below, although the whole thing is so screamingly... annoying isn't really the right word, but it'll have to do... screamingly annoying that it's worth a read.

Thousands of people have gathered in Louisiana for the christening of a US warship built partly from steel salvaged from the World Trade Center.

The twin towers in New York were destroyed in the hijacked planes attack of 11 September 2001.

Friends and families of 9/11 victims were among those at the ceremony for the new amphibious assault ship, the USS New York, in the base of Avondale.

The bow contains 7.5 tonnes of steel taken from Ground Zero.

It also bore a shield with two bars to symbolise the towers and a banner with the slogan Never Forget.

Where to begin? Well, I'll take a cheap shot at the BBC for starters: exactly to whom is this story addressed? I take it from the second paragraph (I use the term loosely, since the BBC apparently believes in the "new school" of internet journalism where every sentence must be a new paragraph to emphasize its importance) that this story was written for people living on Mars under a large rock with their fingers in their ears. Because you know what, everyone else already knows that "The twin towers in New York were destroyed in the hijacked planes attack of 11 September 2001." No kidding, BBC. Okay, cheap shot over.

Let's move on to more substantive fare. One: I hate "Never forget." I've made that pretty plain. Two: according to another part of the article, "In the US Navy, state names are normally reserved for submarines, but former New York Governor George Pataki had asked for the ship to carry the name." What, he couldn't wait for a submarine? No, sorry, because amphibious assault ships are bigger and better, and New York deserves bigger and better. Never mind that it could have been the USS September 11th or something like that. No, it had to be the USS New York. Seems a bit unfair to New York City, lumping them in with the rest of New York State. I feel deeply for them, understand, because I think New York City is just the greatest place on Earth and deserves to have, at minimum, a space shuttle named after it. Possibly every single ship in the Navy should be renamed USS New York City Kicks Every Other City's Ass Never Forget Bald Eagle Weeping.

Okay, I got a bit carried away. Because the part I really wanted to talk about was the bit with the steel. See, steel is funny. It tends to stop being strong in certain circumstances, like those during September 11th. It would be a supreme irony if this ship was sunk because of weak, recycled steel used in its construction. Unless, of course, it was reforged, in which case it's a meaningless gesture. Which, of course, it is.

I am not against America. I do not think that September 1th was a great day. I am filled with sadness by the thought of September 11th, for many reasons. And because I was not a part of it, nor do I have anything more than a passing connection to it, I can't say how it should be commemorated. But I can tell you that using steel from wreckage to build a warship wouldn't be high on my list.

Lee Ielpi, president of the September 11th Families' Association, told Associated Press: "We're sending a message that we're standing strong. This ship, as it cuts through the water, is going to send a ripple. That ripple will say, 'We cherish our freedom'."

You know what Lee? I cherish my freedom, specifically the freedom I have to say that that quote is the biggest load of crap I've heard in months. I want my freedom-cherishing to be said by something other than a ripple, thank you. But I'm not a September 11th Family, so I guess I can't be part of your association. If that's the kind of thought that's coming out of it, I'm sort of glad.

And I'm sorry for your loss. I hope the prospect of weak steel, which doubtless played a major roll in the demise of your loved ones, riding out to the open sea, driving before it a ripple of freedom (not to mention a whole lot of things which are basically only useful for killing other people) gives you closure.