Posted on 09/13/2001 4:00:01 AM PDT by anniegetyourgun
In towns across the nation, people flew American flags and gathered for vigils to remember the lives lost in this week's terrorists attacks at the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. Congress broke from its business Wednesday to hold an evening prayer vigil for the victims. As the Marine Corps band played, lawmakers and their spouses sang "God Bless America."
"There are often times in our lives when things happen. We don't know why," Rep. J.C. Watts, R-Okla., told the crowd. "We just have to call on faith and climb in God's lap and say, 'Here, Father, fix it.'"
In Grants Pass, Ore., Kiwanis Club members festooned the two main streets with American flags. They were put out at the behest of Ruth McGregor, a local bookstore owner who remembered living through the horror of World War II as a child.
"When I woke up yesterday and turned on the television, it was Pearl Harbor Day all over again," McGregor said. "The first thing my mother did then was put the flag out on the porch."
Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., asked all New Yorkers to hang an American flag from their windows as a symbol of freedom, and South Dakota Gov. Bill Janklow urged churches to ring their bells for five minutes Saturday at noon.
"Let's ring those bells in memory of our soldiers, and in memory of those who have died and have been injured this week, and let's ring them for freedom," Janklow said.
Country singer Martina McBride performed for about 2,000 people at a vigil in Nashville, Tenn., hastily organized by several local radio stations. Organizers handed out small American flags, white ribbons and candles.
In Cincinnati, about 150 people holding lighted candles marched Wednesday evening from Fountain Square to the federal building, where they left yellow marigolds and black-eyed Susans in the memory of the victims.
Ohio Gov. Bob Taft told about 750 at the Statehouse in Columbus: "Today is a day to renew our faith in America."
The California Legislature also held a 30-minute memorial service.
"We will not let these acts of terrorism bring our country to a halt," said Assembly Speaker Robert Hertzberg.
In sports, the Big Sky Conference called off all Friday events to set aside the day as a memorial to victims.
The New York Philharmonic canceled its opening night gala Sept. 20 and planned to replace it with a memorial concert.
Organizers of the Miss America Pageant, scheduled Sept. 22, said the show would be dedicated to the memory of the firefighters, police officers, emergency workers, airline crews and other innocent people who died.
"As our leaders have all been saying, these terrorists wanted to disrupt our American way of life," said Miss California Stephanie Baldwin. "We felt it was important to go ahead with our way of life and not let them win."
At the University of Maryland in College Park, hundreds of heads uneasily turned skyward as the roar of a jet split the silence of a memorial Wednesday.
"This changes our whole outlook on our daily lives," said Brian Foltz, 21.
Lights on for the USA?
GRRRRRReady, Aim FIRE!!
In the streets and in the stores, there is an unnatural quiet, punctuated by quietly spoken words of sorrow and sympathy to those many of our neighbors who have lost loved ones and friends (I have been lucky -- so far I only know of one death from among my acquaintances). And after the expressions of sorrow, words of anger. Anger such as I've never before heard spoken by my neighbors. "Time for a parking lot in the Middle East," they say. "I hope we are dropping bombs right now," they say. "Time to take care of business."
Many of these statements are not coming from the usual places. I have heard genuine mini-van-driving soccer moms using language of such vitriol, it literally left me speechless. It is the first time, I think, that we have ever agreed on anything.
Every church and synagogue in our area has had or is having special Masses or services to honor the dead and pray for the grieving.
My oldest child started kindergarten at a Catholic school on Monday. Classes were cancelled on Tuesday. On Wednesday, only his second day of school, he learned that 2 of his brand-new classmates had lost one parent each. My baby attended his first memorial Mass on that day. I'm not sure if he understands all this yet.
That's my story so far.
May God bless the United States of America and help us be strong.
Regards,
Yeah, I have some stories to tell.... One of my postal patrons, a liberal (lol, most of 'em are in VT!) had stuck a medium-sized American flag through their plastic newspaper delivery box, right next to their mailbox on the side of the road.... One of the churches I attend, which does not hold a weekly evening prayer service, hastily called one together for Tuesday night.... The owner of the Christian bookstore and I were talking about having to wait until Monday to give blood, as the Red Cross was not coming to Central Vermont until then. She considered driving to Burlington, an hour away, closing her shop if necessary with a sign on the door, just so she could give blood right away. She said, "Jesus gave HIS BLOOD for me to have life; how could I not do the same for others?"
"There are often times in our lives when things happen. We don't know why," Rep. J.C. Watts, R-Okla., told the crowd. "We just have to call on faith and climb in God's lap and say, 'Here, Father, fix it.'"
While I am proud of this strong statement of faith in the One True God, and I love J.C. Watts, yesterday I listened to him on Common Sense Radio with Oliver North explaining the many (bogus) reasons why Congress did not draft a Declaration of War. Pissed me off bigtime. How dare he try to explain away such cowardice?
My daughter, in SW Missouri, reports long lines at Armed Forces recruiting office.
I am buying a new flag, encouraging others to buy flags who don't own them. Donated blood yesterday and made a large contribution to Red Cross Rescue efforts. Lastly, I wrote a thank you latter to our great President for his leadership and for the wise message which he recited from Psalm 23.
But, above all else I am encouraging everyone to pray for our fellow citizens who have died, are missing and the families of all affected.
God Bless America!
Flags, flags and more flags here in the Great State. Our church hosted a prayer service on Tuesday night attended by over 1000 people and another on Wednesday night attended by over 2000.
"The joy of the Lord is my strength."
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