Five Years On...
Well, it's Monday, September 11, 2006 ,12:08 am. It's been five years since that horrrible day when commercial airliners were used as weapons against us to murder innocent men, woman and children. They destroyed two landmarks that stood as America's symbols of prestige and power. They attacked the nation's symbol of military might and annialated the lives of all those who knew the victims, both military and civilian.
Since that day, I have been drawn to the sure awness of the event, the WTC especially. I can't tell you how many times I have visited the CNN 9/11 Memorial on its website as well as numerous other tribute sites. I have read comments left behind from friends, family and strangers who these victims lives have touched, without ever having met the well-doers. These are messages of good will, of the"get well soon" type are designed to help the families find solace, as well as final, heart-felt confessions and homage to the victims themselves.
I have watched multiple videos, from multilple angles on the towers. From the airplanes driving them selves inside and exploding, to images of people making the God-awful choice of either jumping to their deaths or burning alive, to the towers collapsing over and over. I have stared at photos of the victims for so long, to try to see into their eyes/lives. They do become more real and personal. That's how you "feel the pain" and believe the right thing to do is to regretfully annialate the enemy. It's how you indeed avenge children in those planes ranging in ages from 2-11 years old. Let yourself think about it, you will get angry.
I have opined in an earlier column about the absolute disgrace that is the Google video, "Loose Change", the clearly amateur film of 9/11 and the Bush administration's alleged complicity in it. The filmakers make no assertions, they downright accuse the president of mass murder, without real conclusive proof of any kind. It is abhorent.
I can't forget that day. I don't think anyone really should. But people are becoming complacent. While our boys are the world over defending our way of life, there are people that still doubt why, or worse yet have become bored with why we're there. To these people, it's like September 11, 2001 never happened. I'm not talking about bringing it up as a talking point, as some disengenuous liberals like to use an an argument, but rather as a desperate reminder to people that we are still at war. We still have people that want to kill us.
Contrary to anybody that doubts Bush's reasons for liberating Afghanistan and Iraq, we are ultimately there because of 9/11. It took a conservative, yes, a conservative leader finally step up after eight long years of liberal incompetancy and 22 years Muslim extremism, respectively. Are these people really that forgetful, thick or just cold-hearted? Have they not heard or read the transcripts of victims last calls to family and friends? Have they not heard the phone calls from the towers to 911 operators? Did they not hear the fear and confusion in the voices of victims Kevin Cosgrove and Melissa Doi, among others? Yes, there were real people in those towers, with real names and they had real families, as did all the 9/11 victims.
As I read the tributes and watch the videos (both to remember and to research information to debunk conspiracy theorosists) as well as movies based on the events of that day, including Flight 93 ( A&E produced the better version by the way) United 93 and the World Trade Center. I can't help but try to imagine what it would be like to be in those planes, or to be in the buildings and see the plane(s) coming. I will admit to tearing up on occaision while watching some of the aforementioned videos, as they are powerful and sad.
There is a reason why we still have memorials to certain events and lost souls. We have them to remember. To never forget how, when and why they died. When kids don't understand why we continue to remember Pearl Harbor, World War II and D-Day, tell them about the holocaust, tell them about the starvations and bombings, and tell them by who and why it stopped. Tell them why America had to go through the Cold War, Gulf War, Vietnam and Somalia.
By the way, while I'm thinking of it, why isn't there a memorial in Arglington National cemetary for the heroes of United Flight 93? I mean, didn't they die for their country? Were they not the first real soldiers against the War on Terror? I realize this burial sight is for our fallen heroes in actual combat in wartime, but isn't that exactly how they died?
I have no doubt that there are, right now, World Trade Center replicas taped up in boxes in basements and garages and crawlspaces all throughout the United States. We are certainly a long way from when both parties stood on the steps of the the Senate buildings and sung in unison. Gone are the days when everyone's head was pointed in the right direction (or so I thought) and told the world with one voice that you have once again awoken a sleeping giant.
Forget the Iraq War for now. Forget about WMDs, oil for food, George Tenent, Saddam Hussien, Usama bin Laden, George W. Bush and all the distractions of why we're really in Iraq. What you must remember is those victims on 9/11. Those people that were told to go back to their offices after the first plane hit the tower, those children that were on to way to Disneyland, or a school field trip. Young adults and college graduates heading off to start their new lives, or people simply going on their normal, daily routines.
Think about that. One night you're watching a movie and eating ice cream with your sweetie. You go to bed, perhaps making plans for the weekend or a trip you scheduled to take within the next couple of days or weeks. You get up the next day, kiss your sweetie and perhaps children goodbye, thinking you'll be toghether again within the next few hours. But within 2-3 hours, you're dead and your family's lives are destroyed, all in a brief second. That's what happened to these people on 9/11. Some of them mind you suffered greatly, others as mentioned, had to make an awful and horrific decision. As always, it seems, when it comes to disasters there are also stories of heroics, survival, luck and pure devine intervention.
It just seems that people are forgetting and that cannot happen. I don't mean people will block it from their minds but will not feel the meaning of it. We now know first-hand what seniors and soldiers of wars past mean when they decribe Pearl Harbor. Have you ever noticed how they haven't forgotten the details about the attack more 60 years later? Now you know.
So go on and watch all the tributes, movies and reports on the fifth anniversary of September 11, 2001. There may be some things that are not entirely accurate, historically speaking; but as long as you know the story and the historical ramifications, especially the plight of the victims, that's the important thing.
Know the event, remember the day, NEVER FORGET.
God bless the victims and their families.
Wow. It's now 2:09
UPDATE*******
I just noticed after I posted that the date says Sunday, September 10, 2001. I assure you it was wriitten and posted in early morning of 09/11/06.
Hmm.
Since that day, I have been drawn to the sure awness of the event, the WTC especially. I can't tell you how many times I have visited the CNN 9/11 Memorial on its website as well as numerous other tribute sites. I have read comments left behind from friends, family and strangers who these victims lives have touched, without ever having met the well-doers. These are messages of good will, of the"get well soon" type are designed to help the families find solace, as well as final, heart-felt confessions and homage to the victims themselves.
I have watched multiple videos, from multilple angles on the towers. From the airplanes driving them selves inside and exploding, to images of people making the God-awful choice of either jumping to their deaths or burning alive, to the towers collapsing over and over. I have stared at photos of the victims for so long, to try to see into their eyes/lives. They do become more real and personal. That's how you "feel the pain" and believe the right thing to do is to regretfully annialate the enemy. It's how you indeed avenge children in those planes ranging in ages from 2-11 years old. Let yourself think about it, you will get angry.
I have opined in an earlier column about the absolute disgrace that is the Google video, "Loose Change", the clearly amateur film of 9/11 and the Bush administration's alleged complicity in it. The filmakers make no assertions, they downright accuse the president of mass murder, without real conclusive proof of any kind. It is abhorent.
I can't forget that day. I don't think anyone really should. But people are becoming complacent. While our boys are the world over defending our way of life, there are people that still doubt why, or worse yet have become bored with why we're there. To these people, it's like September 11, 2001 never happened. I'm not talking about bringing it up as a talking point, as some disengenuous liberals like to use an an argument, but rather as a desperate reminder to people that we are still at war. We still have people that want to kill us.
Contrary to anybody that doubts Bush's reasons for liberating Afghanistan and Iraq, we are ultimately there because of 9/11. It took a conservative, yes, a conservative leader finally step up after eight long years of liberal incompetancy and 22 years Muslim extremism, respectively. Are these people really that forgetful, thick or just cold-hearted? Have they not heard or read the transcripts of victims last calls to family and friends? Have they not heard the phone calls from the towers to 911 operators? Did they not hear the fear and confusion in the voices of victims Kevin Cosgrove and Melissa Doi, among others? Yes, there were real people in those towers, with real names and they had real families, as did all the 9/11 victims.
As I read the tributes and watch the videos (both to remember and to research information to debunk conspiracy theorosists) as well as movies based on the events of that day, including Flight 93 ( A&E produced the better version by the way) United 93 and the World Trade Center. I can't help but try to imagine what it would be like to be in those planes, or to be in the buildings and see the plane(s) coming. I will admit to tearing up on occaision while watching some of the aforementioned videos, as they are powerful and sad.
There is a reason why we still have memorials to certain events and lost souls. We have them to remember. To never forget how, when and why they died. When kids don't understand why we continue to remember Pearl Harbor, World War II and D-Day, tell them about the holocaust, tell them about the starvations and bombings, and tell them by who and why it stopped. Tell them why America had to go through the Cold War, Gulf War, Vietnam and Somalia.
By the way, while I'm thinking of it, why isn't there a memorial in Arglington National cemetary for the heroes of United Flight 93? I mean, didn't they die for their country? Were they not the first real soldiers against the War on Terror? I realize this burial sight is for our fallen heroes in actual combat in wartime, but isn't that exactly how they died?
I have no doubt that there are, right now, World Trade Center replicas taped up in boxes in basements and garages and crawlspaces all throughout the United States. We are certainly a long way from when both parties stood on the steps of the the Senate buildings and sung in unison. Gone are the days when everyone's head was pointed in the right direction (or so I thought) and told the world with one voice that you have once again awoken a sleeping giant.
Forget the Iraq War for now. Forget about WMDs, oil for food, George Tenent, Saddam Hussien, Usama bin Laden, George W. Bush and all the distractions of why we're really in Iraq. What you must remember is those victims on 9/11. Those people that were told to go back to their offices after the first plane hit the tower, those children that were on to way to Disneyland, or a school field trip. Young adults and college graduates heading off to start their new lives, or people simply going on their normal, daily routines.
Think about that. One night you're watching a movie and eating ice cream with your sweetie. You go to bed, perhaps making plans for the weekend or a trip you scheduled to take within the next couple of days or weeks. You get up the next day, kiss your sweetie and perhaps children goodbye, thinking you'll be toghether again within the next few hours. But within 2-3 hours, you're dead and your family's lives are destroyed, all in a brief second. That's what happened to these people on 9/11. Some of them mind you suffered greatly, others as mentioned, had to make an awful and horrific decision. As always, it seems, when it comes to disasters there are also stories of heroics, survival, luck and pure devine intervention.
It just seems that people are forgetting and that cannot happen. I don't mean people will block it from their minds but will not feel the meaning of it. We now know first-hand what seniors and soldiers of wars past mean when they decribe Pearl Harbor. Have you ever noticed how they haven't forgotten the details about the attack more 60 years later? Now you know.
So go on and watch all the tributes, movies and reports on the fifth anniversary of September 11, 2001. There may be some things that are not entirely accurate, historically speaking; but as long as you know the story and the historical ramifications, especially the plight of the victims, that's the important thing.
Know the event, remember the day, NEVER FORGET.
God bless the victims and their families.
Wow. It's now 2:09
UPDATE*******
I just noticed after I posted that the date says Sunday, September 10, 2001. I assure you it was wriitten and posted in early morning of 09/11/06.
Hmm.
posted by Northern Exposer at 00:13
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