Posted on 04/19/2007 9:46:06 AM PDT by areafiftyone
Mourners on Thursday marked the 12th anniversary of the bombing that killed 168 people here by reaching out to victims of the Virginia Tech shootings and of violence everywhere.
Presidential hopeful Rudy Giuliani told the crowd at the former site of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building that the response to the 1995 attack serves as an example to others recovering from violence.
The people of Oklahoma City "became a model of compassion and strength, both, a model that helped us several years later get through Sept. 11 and a model that will help the people of Virginia Tech get through the terrible agonies that they are going through right now," said Giuliani, who was New York's mayor during the 2001 terrorist attacks.
His comments came after participants observed 168 seconds of silence, one for each death, and before the names of the victims were read by family members.
Oklahoma City mourners gather at the site each April 19 to observe the anniversary of the bombing, which also injured hundreds.
Attention this year also focused on the shooting deaths of 32 people at Virginia Tech by a student who then killed himself on Monday.
Giuliani said much can be learned from how rescue workers controlled their fears at the damaged federal building while they navigated danger.
"We mourn and hurt and will never forget, but we don't live under fear," he said.
He also said it was important to never forget those who died.
"We owe to those we lost at Virginia Tech or to those that we lost here and on Sept. 11 that we will do everything we can to prevent future attacks."
Dina Abulon, whose stepfather Peter Avillanoza died in the bombing, told mourners she remembered Oklahoma City not for the attack but for the "countless acts of kindness" shown to her family as they waited days to learn her stepfather's fate.
"Oklahoma City is worthy of being deemed the heartland," said Abulon, her voice trembling. "The community embraced our family. Every letter reminded me that I wasn't alone."
Dan McKinney said the death of his wife, Linda, "literally almost killed me," and that learning to live without her has taken 12 years.
"You think you are getting better and better until this day hits," McKinney said. "It just brings it all back. It's like it was yesterday."
In the federal building attack, a cargo truck packed with two tons of ammonium nitrate and fuel oil was detonated in front of the nine-story federal building on April 19, 1995.
Timothy McVeigh was apprehended less than two hours later. He was convicted of federal murder charges and was executed June 11, 2001. Terry Nichols, who met McVeigh in the Army, was convicted of federal and state bombing charges and is serving life prison sentences.
Another Army buddy, Michael Fortier, pleaded guilty to not telling authorities in advance about the bomb plot and agreed to testify against McVeigh and Nichols. Fortier was released from a federal prison in January 2006 after serving most of a 12-year sentence.
Prosecutors said the bombing was a twisted attempt to avenge the deaths of about 80 people in the government siege at the Branch Davidian compound in Waco, Texas, exactly two years earlier.
(((((PING))))
6.2
((((PING))))
Is that on the Richter Scale? ;-)
I was a student at UW-Green Bay when this happened. At the student cafe when the story broke on TV. Can’t believe it’s been 12 years already.
Someone posted some pictures this morning and it brought back so many memories. The one with the Firefighter carrying the baby will always stick in my memory! No matter what we must never forget!
Rudy Giuliani
So true!
Yes, we (at least some of us) learned that there are evil people , with evil intentions, that no matter what you do to stop them, they will still come at you. Billions spent on “Homeland Security” and they could not stop one lone mental case from killing dozens of innocent people...........It is up to the individual to provide their own security. The government cannot protect you 24/7/365. You, as an individual, are your own first line of defense, and the government is just a backup. The Kookciniches of this world want to take away that one last line of defense and leave you totally helpless to defend yourself............
You mean when Clinton blamed conservative talk radio for the whole thing...
You can’t secure yourself against bombs. There is no way. Nutjobs who shoot like the VT killer YES YOU CAN by carrying. But bombs no way. Too many people have been killed all over the world by bombs - even nations that carry guns around all the time.
It united the nation in anger. Then our esteemed president tried to blame conservatives for it. What a dirtbag.
Yes, bombs are the inevitable last resort of the nutcases and terrorists of this world. But, if every person, kept their eyes and minds open to the world around them, even then we might have a chance to prevent some of these horrors. The advent of IEDS is just around the corner for US streets, I am afraid. A religious fanatic has only to get a few pounds of explosives or a tanker truck to make a big noise on the evening news.............
Yes I agree. All over here in NYC they have signs by the NYPD that say “IF YOU SEE SOMETHING STRANGE SAY SOMETHING” and they give a number to call.
Lesson: execute one conspirator with lightning speed, and the identities of the other embarassing conspirators will never come to light.
I look at how much money we spend on super jet fighters, awesome war ships, military guns, etc. and none of them will protect us from fanatics with suicide bomb belts, nutcases like this guy at VT, the Timothy McVeys.
We are in a new age of warfare where we are all in danger at any time by crazed terrorists and kooks. Arm yourselves and be cautious—the govt. can’t protect us.
Strange for NYC, or Strange for Peoria?...........
LOL! Very strange for NYers who the idea of making eye contact as you pass them by is tabooo! ;-)
The signs say.......
IF YOU SEE SOMETHING SAY SOMETHING
The word strange is not in the sign at all.
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