Peggy Noonan: Courage Under Fire

Opinion Journal ^ | 10/05/2001 | Peggy Noonan

[Pokey78]

Forgive me. I'm going to return to a story that has been well documented the past few weeks, and I ask your indulgence. So much has been happening, there are so many things to say, and yet my mind will not leave one thing: the firemen, and what they did.

[mountaineer]

The firemen were rough repositories of grace. They were the goodness that comes out when society is cracked open.

Beautiful.

[maica]

This is the link to FDNY -- The losses are just overwhelming.

Link to all of the missing

[Movemout]

Stormed at with shot and shell,
Boldly they (st)rode and well,
Into the jaws of Death,
Into the mouth of Hell
   Rode the six three hundred.

Brave men and women all. They will be missed. They will be avenged. They will be remembered.

[Arthur McGowan]

I can't help thinking that even if not a single firewoman died September 11, if there is statue, it will include a firewoman. Peggy says "they were all men." But were they?

I couldn't help noticing that every single one of the funerals she listed, on that particular day, was at a Catholic church. Given that this is New York, not surprising.

[Mrs.Liberty]

Thanks for posting this. It is beautiful, eloquent, moving..

[folklore]

Thanks for the ping. Just thanks.

[CheneyChick]

We will never forget.

[NeoCaveman]

Thanks for the ping. Noonan is incredible
And this is incredible, I have one tear in my right eye.

[IWONDR]

Peggy Noonan writes: "And in any case a career like that is not about money."

But i ask, why shouldn't it be? Why, in our society, do we throw away our money on the incomprehensible salaries paid to athletes and media personalities, when the people we really should be celebrating, and paying extremely well are those police, fire, emergency rescue and military personnel who put their lives on the line everyday for each one of us, as they go about their daily jobs?

Why should these past or future heroes be paid peanuts in comparison to their real value to society?

WHY shouldn't they be remunerated for their true worth as our guardians??

[Guillam]

Whoever can do it - please, please see that this article is posted once a day, for a year.

Ms. Noonan has outdone herself. Magnificent.

[Slip18]

Beautiful, just beautiful Pokey78.

Roe, thanks for pinging me to this wonderful missive. Goosebumps are all over my body right now.

[mickie]

I haven't cried a awhile.
Until I read Peggy's beautiful piece.

Thanks, Peggy.......I will never forget those three hundred firemen, they are in my prayers, forever.

[BillF]

I will never forget those three hundred firemen, they are in my prayers, forever.

Along with the fallen officers of the NYPD and Port Authority and an FBI agent and a U.S. Secret Service agent who died in the collapse. All gave their lives to try to safeguard us and our liberties.

[Weatherman123]

Until now I had seen the men who fought for control of the airliner as the greatest heroes of this war so far; but it doesn't take anything away from what they did to recognize that they were trapped, while the firemen chose the danger.

My Mom pinged this to me from Lucianne.com. Tears are pouring down my face. I ditto your statement. Before reading this, I hadn't given much thought to the firemen. Not because I didn't care, but because it was too painful to think about.

I, too, was focused on the passengers of Flight 93, and the heroics of those who rushed the cockpit and took that plane down. But you're right, they were trapped. They still did an incredibly brave thing, but they didn't choose to be in that danger. The firemen did.

Last year, I stood on Omaha Beach, Dog Green Sector. I was overcome with the thought of the courage those men must have had to cross that wide sandy beach.

Shortly 2 months after standing on that beach in France, I was gazing up at the WTC, looming so tall behind Trinity Church. I have the same feeling for those firemen. I can't imagine having the courage to rush INTO those burning towers.

I know many Freepers have been to the WTC. But for those of you who haven't, who have only seen them on TV, it's hard to explain just how tall they were. And just how small they made you feel.

Omaha Beach was as wide as the WTC towers were tall. This great nation has had many generations of men of courage. We've been given two generations back to back that had the courage to cross that beach and climb those stairs.

Thanks to this wonderful article from Peggy Noonan, I realize that the bravery, the self sacrifice, and the goodness of the men who took to the beaches in WWII still exists. And it exists in MY generation. It always has, and it still will, but I'm finally aware of it.

I'm not making a lot of sense, I'm still crying. I think this article is one of the BEST things I've ever read.

I'm (now) speechless.

[SuziQ]

What a beutiful tribute to the firemen who died going up into the WTC. I love to hear Peggy speak; she has such a soft lilting voice. When I read something by her I can HEAR her saying the words, and when it is words like these, it is all the more poignant.

[KC Burke]

Wow

[BibChr]

Sheesh, tears. You want to talk tears? I haven't shed so many tears since my father died, as I have in the last month, between 9-11 and CHIEF Negotiator and Registered's nephew....

Dan

[KC Burke]

She is a very stirring vision of womanhood. She brings to mind the character that Glenn Close played in The Natural, standing up to invoke heaven for her man on the field, backlight and illuminated by heavenly light. The very image of goodness...like the impression left by many of the women of this forum by their words, sentiments and actions.

[calebcar]

Who are Moran and the chief negotiator? I've seen their names here but not the reference. Thanks.