The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and 9/11

While looking at Kevin Smith hilarity, I found some more serious videos, two involving 9/11 and one with the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.

One video that I hadn't seen but is very moving is the return of The Daily Show with Jon Stewart from September 20th 2001. It was the first show since the 9/11. He basically just laid it all out there, coming very close to crying on camera, and really he just tells it how it is. Its a very moving that shows the hope that can be found even during a very dark time.

"The reason I don't despair is because. This attack happened. Its not a dream. But the aftermath of it. The recovery is a dream realized. That is Martin Luther King's dream. Whatever barriers we put up are gone. Even if just momentary. We are judging people not by the color of their skin but the content of their character. ...any fool can blow something up, any fool can destroy, but to to see these guys, these firefighters, these policeman, people from all over the country, literally with buckets, rebuilding, that that thats extraordinary. Thats why we already won. Its light, its democracy, we already won, they can't shut that down."
- Jon Stewart 9/20/01

That video is here.

Another video is something I remember vividly from events around 9/11. This occurred on 9/12 I think, maybe the 13th. Its was really an event of history, a sign of the solidarity, at least briefly, that existed worldwide. For the first time, during the changing of the guards at Buckingham Palace, a different anthem was played. With scores of American's watching, stuck in the country due to the no-fly order, on orders of the Queen, the Star Spangled Banner was played.

That video is here.

Finally, a video from 1992. I remember this event when watching it "live" on American television. To me, when asks to describe the Olympic spirit, this is what I think of. Its the moment during the Barcelona 1992 Olympics, the 400M semi finals, Derek Redmond of the UK tore a tendon (I think) and could not complete the race. Instead of just being helped across the field, he was determined to finish the race. With the assistance of a stadium cheering him on, and his father at his side, he crossed the finish line. This version is from Japan, the American recording is much better but not online that I am aware of.

The video is here.