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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsPilot 'Sully' Sullenberger: 'This is not the America I know and love'
Retired airline pilot Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger, who landed the famous "miracle on the Hudson," said Monday that this is not the America I know and love in a message encouraging voter participation ahead of the midterm elections.
Sullenberger wrote an op-ed in The Washington Post that he witnessed the best in people on Jan. 15, 2009, when he led 154 people to safety by making an emergency landing on the Hudson River after a malfunction.
"To navigate complex challenges, all leaders must take responsibility and have a moral compass grounded in competence, integrity and concern for the greater good," he wrote.
Tragically, people in positions in power today are not projecting their best, Sullenberger wrote.
Many are cowardly, complicit enablers, acting against the interests of the United States, our allies and democracy; encouraging extremists at home and emboldening our adversaries abroad; and threatening the livability of our planet.
Many do not respect the offices they hold; they lack or disregard a basic knowledge of history, science and leadership; and they act impulsively, worsening a toxic political environment, he continued.
https://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/413756-pilot-sully-sullenberger-this-is-not-the-america-i-know-and
Ouch! That's going to leave a mark.
OAITW r.2.0
(24,610 posts)Can't wait to hear Conway or Huckabee's rebuttal. Hell, maybe Trump will come up with a "Silly Sully" moniker in his next tweet.
Harker
(14,034 posts)forced landings.
Nice to hear from Capt. Sullenberger, whose intelligence and demeanor are vastly superior to that of Trumpsky.
smirkymonkey
(63,221 posts)Sully should be expecting a nasty tweet from the Apricot Hellbeast in 3...2...1...
spanone
(135,873 posts)BigmanPigman
(51,627 posts)They can be bought and sold like the non-humans they truly are.
Cha
(297,655 posts)eloquently, Sully!
Demovictory9
(32,475 posts)bdamomma
(63,922 posts)Mr. Sully.
brush
(53,855 posts)Blue_true
(31,261 posts)People like that naturally lean more progressive in their views.
JI7
(89,264 posts)he attended Obamas inauguration and was given special close up seats after that landing.
njhoneybadger
(3,910 posts)Not to mention a hero in every sense of the word.
Blue_true
(31,261 posts)Great to see him speak out.
ecstatic
(32,731 posts)are so disgusted by what they've seen that they plan to vote straight Democratic.
ThoughtCriminal
(14,049 posts)That he likes pilots that don't collide with birds.
Nobody knows more about flying airplanes than Trump. Believe me.
winstars
(4,220 posts)FakeNoose
(32,748 posts)... because of the movie "Sully" which was awesome!
It's great that Capt. Sullenberger contributed this op-ed, and I hope his letter gets read and shared widely.
LuckyLib
(6,819 posts)Put it to good use. More folks need to speak out. The crickets from the Republicans are deafening.
MustLoveBeagles
(11,634 posts)He's a true American hero.
ZeroSomeBrains
(638 posts)That's coming from someone who is known for saving lives not for being indifferent, careless or egging on violence and death. Sully is a national hero for being calm in the face of immense danger and doing his best to keep those who had their life in his hands safe.
I could not think of a larger contrast in terms of humility and care for their fellow man. I expect a tweet bemoaning his views and giving him some stupid nickname. I'm sure it will be something like "I like pilots who don't get hit by birds" or something like that. Thank you Sully. I hope your words will be heard by your fellow Texans or Americans at large. And most of all. Stay strong my fellow DUers. Keep the faith in these tough times.
defacto7
(13,485 posts)Sully is his hero. 'Not a bad person to look up to I'd say.
mahannah
(893 posts)JI7
(89,264 posts)zentrum
(9,865 posts)nolabear
(41,991 posts)Harker
(14,034 posts)He'll have to try to tear him down.
RHMerriman
(1,376 posts)Trump won't say a damn thing...
Sullenberger was a USAF fighter pilot and could take him apart. Trump's too much of a coward.
Qutzupalotl
(14,327 posts)malaise
(269,157 posts)watoos
(7,142 posts)The corporate media will not allow his message to resonate.
BREMPRO
(2,331 posts)Projecting calm competence in crisis , respect for science, fact, rule of law, self sacrifice for the greater good, not pandering to mob rule and projecting to base instincts, fear, .self interest, prejudice. True good Leadership should lead us out if crisis, not create chaos to exploit. They should make us less anxious, not more.
The implicit failures, of the current Republican leaders in Congress is enabling this shallow, intellectually incurious and dishonest huckster bulldoze our democracy for his and their own personal or political gain, rather than representing the best interests of the people, society, country, allies, and the planet. We must rise up against false witness and gaslighting, and say there is a better way forward and vote for leaders that have the courage to stand up to and renounce Trump for his profound paucity of leadership and bent moral compass.
Thank you Sully for being a hero again, I salute you.
SpankMe
(2,966 posts)But, he's from the old school - a guy I could sit down and have a beer with and disagree with rationally, and someone who's realized that his party has gone off the rails. He didn't leave the party; the party left him.
Now, his moderation sounds downright liberal. That's the scary part.
malaise
(269,157 posts)Thank you Sully!