Sept. 11, 2005... Four Years... and Counting
From Wikipedia
The September 11, 2001 attacks were a series of coordinated attacks carried out against the United States on Tuesday, Spetember 11, 2001. According to the official 9/11 Commission Report, nineteen men affiliated with al-Qaeda, a network of militant Islamic organizations, hijacked four American airliners. Two were crashed into the World Trade Center in Manhattan, New York City — one into each of the two tallest towers, about 17 minutes apart — shortly after which both towers collapsed. The third aircraft crashed into the U.S. Department of Defense headquarters, the Pentagon, in Arlington County, Virginia. The fourth plane crashed into a rural field in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, 80 miles east of Pittsburgh, following passenger resistance.
The 9/11 Commission reports that these attackers turned the hijacked planes into the largest suicide bombs in history and the most lethal acts ever carried out in the United States. The September 11th attacks are arguably the most significant events to have occurred so far in the 21st Century in terms of the profound economic, social, cultural and military effects that followed in the United States and many other parts of the world.
I will not write of my experiences that day in NYC... just to say to those that were not there -- You can only imagine...
So today as you watch the remembrances and ceremonies marking the day, count to 2,986 slowly and reflect that each number represents a family destroyed by those attacks....
Watch closely and REMEMBER the horror and futility and anger we all felt that day and the days following... and remember that the United States of America was attacked in a series of coordinated and unprovoked attacks on that day.
And listen closely to Rudy Guiliani and Bill Bratton and Tony Blair and other security experts who tell you it in not a matter of "IF we are attacked again", but WHEN...
Hold your families close and thank God we live in a free society where these madmen hold no sway over us... and as I sit with my personal hero here today and think of all those other heroes who sacrificed so that I can (we can) be with ours, I will thank God...
And to the idiot of a woman who sat next to me in seat 9B on America West flight 610 from Phoenix to Atlanta yesterday who after seeing my "Proud Army Mom" shirt said (and I kid you not), "Well I thank God that none of my boys want to serve." And my response was, "Well, lady, you ought to thank God that all three of mine do!"
In case there is any doubt about my seatmate's intentions in her remark, it was after she had decided to tell the entire plane that (and I kid you not again) that "9/11 was a result of some big business deal going wrong because no one attacks another country because of religion." I said "idiot of a woman" and I meant it.
Copyright 2005. All rights reserved.
posted by Some Soldier's Mom @ 8:52 AM
16 Comments
16 Comments:
Good post. I think it is just so set in our minds. When the date turns to 9/11 that it is seriously all you think about. It seems like yesterday. I never want to see something like that ever again. It was horrific.
About the comment the mother said. I don't believe she said it to be rude, I think she is just thankful to know that her child is safe, not over fighting a war. I agree with her, I hope that my son/daughter won't ever have to fight. But if like my nephew they decide to, I will support them with all my heart, and worry myself to death until they are home. But, I am thankful for your 3 sons, my nephew and all the others fighting for our country for our freedom.
It's always that way, isn't it?
Real Heroes will step forward and fight 'til the death to protect our country, while the wimpy cowards would justify giving up.
God bless America and our military.
I pray my 4yr old great-grandson will never have to go to war, but he already knows America's soldiers are Heroes, braver even then "Spiderman"... :)
Thanks so much for your response to the lady on the plane with you. I applaud you for standing up for all our soldierswho wouldn't think of doing anything else.
I am still praying for you and Noah everyday. I hope he is improving every day.
Barb
Give that wonderful hero a hug from me.
Did you spit in her face. or better than that, you should have just slapped her. What a witch. How cruel of her.
Enjoy your time with that HERO. Hope ya'll did lots of shoppingfor all those toys.
Proud of your 3 and your husband too.....
oh and you for having faith, and being strong and proud
Beautiful post, as always, Mom.
Why is it that people like the woman who sat beside you on the plane not simply realize a simple "thank you" would do? I think someone would have had to have pried my hands from around her neck.
Hugs to you & to all your heroes today.
OK how weird...why did blogger use my old, old, old,old name i abandoned a long time ago on my comment post? Am I still so half asleep that I somehow used my old login?! bizare. Oh well.
Does that idiot woman know that she wouldn't be able to sit there and say such stupid things if men and like your sons and mine weren't willing to put their lives on the line to defend our country. That just burns me up!
Hug your son for me and let him know he is a hero.
I'm glad you felt strongly enough to respond to her misguided comments - whatever her intention. It was an inappropriate thing to say to a mother wearing that shirt. I can't believe she would have said something like that had she known what you've been through.
Your family remains in my prayers.
www.armyofmom.com
Dear Anonymous:
I am simply not interested in the least of "A view of that day and the aftermath from the 'other' side." There IS no "other side". The US was attacked -- pure and simple... and the Ba'athist view of why it was ok for Saddam to mass murder Iraqis or how anyone can justify attacking others in the name of religion is pure drivel. This is a PRO-America, PRO-military blog... Go post up somewhere else.
I would like to add my 2 cents. Boy did that lady pick the wrong lady to say something like that in front of. One thing I know about Noah's mom... she does not mince words. You do know that you said that for all of us? Way to go mom! Idiot woman!!!!
Have fun shopping with your soldier. Get him nice and comfy mom, he deserves it.
What a perfect response. I'm only sorry you had to sit next to her.
Awesome response, but you should have gotten her address so so we could send her a bunch of Army recruiting stuff! OVER AND OVER!
Well, I thank God your sons serve, too! I thank God for all of our heroes in the armed forces. You and your family are in our prayers, as are all of our proud service members.
Amen, Sister. I am concerned, however, that on such an important event as September 11, our soldiers were asked to remove all but one American flag over their FOB. A little milblog rattle might be in order.
You are definately an inspiration for me - and for everyone. You had wonderful presence of mind in your reply - it was perfect.
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