Maggie, Maggie, Maggie

Maggie Gyllenhaal's 9/11 comments have hit the fan.

From Newsday (link):

"Because I think America has done reprehensible things and is responsible in some way and so I think the delicacy with which it's dealt allows that to sort of creep in," she said on the channel [NY1].

From a fan website here, this is her official statement about her comments:

" 9/11 was a terrible tragedy and of course it goes without saying that I grieve along with every American for everyone who suffered and everyone who died in the catastrophe. But for those of us who were spared, it was also an occasion to be brave enough to ask some serious questions about America's role in the world. Because it is always useful, as individuals or nations to ask how we may have knowingly or unknowingly contributed to this conflict. Not to have the courage to ask these questions of ourselves is to betray the victims of 9/11."

Gee, was it a rather balanced comment or just a naive liberal questioning A-mur-ican values? Is this akin to Ward Churchill's post-9/11 article (and later, book) discussing chickens coming home to roost? Yet, these questions go to the heart of 9/11 - why did people hate the United States so much that they flew planes into large buildings and committed mass murder? Why do others like them enlist to kill Americans today?

Also - does any of this backlash have to do with conservatives getting hammered recently by Terri's Law, DeLay, Social Security smoke & mirrors (did I mention my 401(k) lost money last quarter?), etc., etc.? And here comes a handy punching bag.

Some things to chew on.