There isn't a person around who was alive that didn't know where they were and what they were doing when certain events in history occurred. What happened on September 11 of 2001 is one of those moments. When the first plane hit, everyone knew what they were doing, where they were... After that, it was universal. Everyone watched in shock and horror when it happened again. It gave way to fear, rage, disbelief, grief, a need to flee, a need to run towards the fray, courage, love, strength, sorrow, maybe a whole range of other emotions that ran the gamut... Thoughts racing at a million per second. The emotional outpourings for those still trapped inside, for those who had lost their lives, for those rushing in to help. Well wishes and prayers for our friends, family members who were in the city or worse, in one of the buildings...Regardless, there was a moment that most everybody experienced together that united people for a brief time. Four planes filled with people taken over by terrorists to destroy four intended targets. The shock and fear and so many people frantically making phone calls to see who was in the city, who was flying and where or who was in the buildings, compounded by the fact that cell services were sucking and phone lines were busy as all get out. Getting someone on the line and rattling off a name or the names of five or ten people at a time to find their whereabouts... The thoughts of, "It's going to be awesome to talk to this person when he/ she finally gets on the line, just to know that he/she is okay......" But a sick realization hits... "What if he asks me what's going on? Is help coming? Am I going to get out of here alive? PLEASE tell me what's going on.... I can't see because of the dust and smoke...." The calls really never lasted that long even if the calls got through at all...
I'm sure that on the 10 year anniversary, there will be write ups and articles all over the papers, there will be footage of the day all over the news. Politicians of every sort will be making speeches and "expressing their heartfelt condolences" to all those who lost someone, "expressing their utter grief" for all those lost, and of course, they may or may not "give a shout out" to the first responders who went into the fray during and after when everyone else was trying to flee. And to think that these first responders weren't invited to be there, but politicians were...
What does that say? "There wasn't enough room to invite them..." They took the time, most even risked everything, and some gave all, but it wasn't worth the effort to make sure that first responders would be there for the 10th anniversary. God help me for thinking it, but I wonder what would have happened if these first responders didn't want to put in the efforts that they did on that day... Never mind. Today is not about that. We know where they were and what they DID do and where their loyalties were... They weren't invited to be there when it happened either, but they came in droves from all over. I hope it happens again and the politicians have to answer why it was that they weren't "invited". I won't be watching any of it anyway. I never do.
The somber note this day plays, even ten years later, and there are those who will not or cannot forget, while life goes on for others. That day in 2001 united American citizens for some time, but somewhere along the line, that unity dissipated. It saddens me to think that people have become so desensitized and uncaring that this day has become "just another day" to most. It made me sick then and it makes me sick even now. Another tragedy that stained world history and it showed further proof of how man can perpetrate such atrocities on their fellow man just like that. It also shows where the country is going: Hell in a hand basket.
"We bounced back and we showed the world it wasn't going to stop us from moving forward!" Some like to call it "resilience". I don't quite see it that way. Sure, we're moving forward, but towards what? Resilience, to me, not only means the recovery from hardship but infers towards something better or at the very least, not worse than what we had before.
I can feel the "Alright, what the hell are you talking about, Mia?" vibes even as I type this, but let's take a look at the world around us compared to ten years ago, shall we? You know what? No... Let's simplify that even more. Take a close look at the people around us... Reading the papers and watching the news, just walking around a mall or a super market... People are selfish, petty and cruel. There are more incidents of bullying than ever before. Crime rates (although fluctuating) have risen. People treat each other like crap. People are lazy and can't be bothered with anything else around themselves. They are nasty and rude. And they are teaching their children to be the same way.
Ten years ago, Americans all bled red, white and blue. There was a unity and camaraderie that was equaled by none. We were all angry and sad, but ready to fight back and BE American. We honored and respected our military, our police, our firefighters, EMTs and paramedics... All of our first responders. We acknowledged each other as Americans and greeted each other with a smile. We were proud Americans and proud to be Americans. It took a HUGE tragedy to bring us together that way, but there it was... For a little while. But now? Nearly three thousand people lost their lives on that day. Blinked out in a matter of a couple of hours. And only ten years later, what of the positive things that came from it all? Forgotten, it seems, as people have returned to the hustle and bustle of their own little lives unable to see past their own "four walls"...
Number killed in attack on New York, in the Twin Towers and in aircraft that crashed into them: 2,948
Distance, in miles, from which the burning towers were visible: 20
Maximum heat of fires, in degrees fahrenheit, at World Trade Center site: 2,300
Number of days underground fires at World Trade Center continued to burn: 69
Number of days that workers dug up debris at Ground Zero, searching for body parts: 230
Number of body parts collected: 19,500
Number of bodies discovered intact: 291
Number of victims identified by New York medical examiner: 1,102
Number of death certificates issued without a body at request of victims' families: 1,616
Number of people still classified as missing from the World Trade Center that day: 105
Number
of people who died when American Airlines flight 11 from Boston,
Massachusetts, to Los Angeles, California, crashed into the north tower
of the World Trade Center: 92
Number of people who died when United Airlines flight 175 from Boston, Massachusetts, to Los Angeles, California, crashed into the south tower of the World Trade Center: 65
Number of people who died when United Airlines flight 93, from Newark, New Jersey, to San Francisco, California, crashed in rural southwest Pennsylvania: 45
Number of people who died when American Airlines flight 77, from Washington to Los Angeles, crashed into the Pentagon: 64
Number of people killed in the Pentagon: 125
Number of survivors rescued from Ground Zero: 0
Nearly 3000 lives blinked out in a matter of a few hours. Most would never know their fear or rather couldn't even begin to imagine or comprehend that fear as they sat and waited for an inevitable death. Did they pray, did they cry out to loved ones in those last moments... To honor those we lost, today, Lucky and I will fly the colors as we always do and will do every day henceforth to show that we have not forgotten. We will also continue to speak out and speak our minds about everything to show that we have not allowed for the BS political correctness and niceties to be spoon fed to us to placate us or allow it to fill the void that day created in our hearts as it should be the case for all AMERICANS... But alas, there are so many in the soft headed masses who follow like sheep...
This probably sounds like another one of my anger filled temper tantrums, but damn it, I believe in something, so I will always make a big fuss and rant and rave and hoot and holler and make waves. The ugliest of truths seems to have been forgotten: All these people DIED, and it wasn't an act of GOD that made it happen, but evil, malicious, sentient individuals who made up their minds and go forward with this most heinous of plans. WE know where our loyalties are and will always be.Thank you ALWAYS to our first responders: police officers, firefighters, paramedics and EMTs. Praise be to the random citizens who fought back but lost their lives anyway. Our thoughts and prayers always go out to those who've lost someone/ someones too. God bless all who, regardless of who they were, who ran towards to fray when all others were running away. They all deserve our thanks.
And for whatever conspiracy theories were out there, that are out there still, there is no doubt that nearly three thousand people lost their lives. I only ask that you say a little prayer or have a moment of silence for those who were lost.
This probably sounds like another one of my anger filled temper tantrums, but damn it, I believe in something, so I will always make a big fuss and rant and rave and hoot and holler and make waves. The ugliest of truths seems to have been forgotten: All these people DIED, and it wasn't an act of GOD that made it happen, but evil, malicious, sentient individuals who made up their minds and go forward with this most heinous of plans. WE know where our loyalties are and will always be.Thank you ALWAYS to our first responders: police officers, firefighters, paramedics and EMTs. Praise be to the random citizens who fought back but lost their lives anyway. Our thoughts and prayers always go out to those who've lost someone/ someones too. God bless all who, regardless of who they were, who ran towards to fray when all others were running away. They all deserve our thanks.
And for whatever conspiracy theories were out there, that are out there still, there is no doubt that nearly three thousand people lost their lives. I only ask that you say a little prayer or have a moment of silence for those who were lost.
No comments:
Post a Comment