After the September 11 terrorist attacks, Gary Weddle followed the news so closely he forgot to shave. After a week he decided not to shave until Osama bin Laden was caught or killed.

Nor has Weddle, 46, who expected the al Qaeda leader to be caught within a month or so, trimmed his facial hair in the succeeding five years as he went from substitute teacher to science instructor at Ephrata Middle School.

At the start of each school year he gives students a brief explanation of his beard, which stretches more than a foot and has started turning gray.

“I still get emotional over the families who lost loved ones. I just don’t feel there’s any closure on this until they get that guy,” Weddle told The Wenatchee World for an article published Monday. “I don’t have to know anyone personally who lost family in 9/11 to understand the devastation that he’s responsible for.”

He said he would keep the beard, untrimmed, as long as bin Laden remains at large — “even if I get buried with it.”

I don’t have a crystal ball. I do know a bit about military matters — and politics — yes, and cynicism. I still think it possible that if this administration really decides they need a boost, there’s going to be a “miraculous” capture.



  1. Is it just me or is he starting to look a lot like Bin laden? Look at it this way, he is saving alot of money on razors.

  2. sdf says:

    If he decides to travel by plane, he’ll be able to bypass those pesky lineups and go straight to the profiling detention area.

  3. Miguel says:

    I guess Bin Laden, if he’s not dead already, has at least shaved!

    šŸ˜€

  4. Roc Rizzo says:

    Wait till he trips over his beard.
    Bushco, Inc. NEEDS Bin Laden, or they can’t rule with fear like they have been. Besides, I have heard that Bin Laden’s on the witness protection program

  5. bquady says:

    Theories about why Osama bin Laden has not been caught: (*)
    1. He has, he’s just being held to maintain the public appetite for the War on Terror.
    2. He hasn’t, but could be if they chose to, for the same reason as #1.
    3. He hasn’t because BushCo. is totally incompetent.
    4. He hasn’t because it just can’t be done.

    My sense is that #3 is the best current explanation.

    (*) Any others of interest which I have missed?

  6. Andy says:

    http://www.whatreallyhappened.com/binladen_9-11_index.html

    Bin Laden is probably dead for four and a half years.

  7. sirfelix says:

    Osama bin Laden is free, are you?

  8. Jeff says:

    I don’t believe he’s alive either. I think the guy is wasting his time.

  9. JƤgermeister says:

    He’s going die with a very long beard…

  10. Named says:

    Osama Bin Laden is Emmanual Goldstein

  11. Sounds The Alarm says:

    Hope this guy likes his beard.

  12. Angel H. Wong says:

    I like his beard, I would prefer it a bit shorter but Woof! šŸ˜‰

  13. tkane says:

    Bush is reserving a Bin Laden capture for the next Republican Prez candidate (You know, captured hours after inauguration?)

  14. RBG says:

    O.J. Simpson has been hired to find Bin Laden.

    RBG

  15. Greg Allen says:

    >>yes, and cynicism. I still think it possible that if this administration really decides they need a boost, thereā€™s going to be a ā€œmiraculousā€ captur

    Catching bin Laden does seem like a classic “November surprise” and proably worth saving until ’08

  16. Max says:

    That’s just creepy.

  17. Roc Rizzo says:

    Greg,
    Creepy, but something that I would subscribe to.

  18. Mike Voice says:

    15 Catching bin Laden does seem like a classic ā€œNovember surpriseā€ and proably worth saving until ā€˜08

    I was thinking the same thing, after reading an editorial about how all the Bin laden leads are “stone cold”.

    How Bush didn’t even talk about Biddy for years, and then 3-months ago asked the CIA to “flood the zone” with agents – but the elections in November are just a coincidence. šŸ™

  19. Gary Weddle says:

    However interesting the comments, I hope its understood that the intention of having this beard was first and foremost for reminding me that such evil must be stopped. When others are reminded of this, Iā€™m pleased.

    Gary Weddle

  20. RBG says:

    18. Yes, and Bush will win the war just before election time for the same reason. Or maybe he’ll wait until ’08.

    RBG


0

Bad Behavior has blocked 4448 access attempts in the last 7 days.