[hchutch]

Day before I worked, and then spent the evening watching the History Channel. Not much out of the ordinary. Probably spent some time on FR that evening, too.

The next day, Tuesday, I'll remember that I had planned to spend that evening composing a letter protesting the blacklisting of the United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC) after reading that Colin Powell had placed them on the same list as al-Qaeda. I have long felt Mr. Castano was a good guy.

Suffice it to say that I decided to hold off on sending that letter. SecState would be quite busy.

[philosofy123]

A week before 9/11 I sent an editorial letter to my local paper warning the US about a potential bin Laden attack on us. That editorial was published 9/10, and my coworkers commented here we go again, he is always worried about the Islamic fanatics. The next day, I got a call from one my coworkers saying that New York got hit by the Moslems. I ran to a TV, and was so upset that the bastards was able to hit the world trade center again.

The first time, they hit the world trade center, we had a fool in the position of leadership. He looked the other way. I kept crying to any one who can hear me that they are plotting all the time to harm us, the Moslems have infiltrated our society, and are plotting against this nation days and night, right under our noses! No one would listen.

[Poohbah]

I hear you.

On 9/11, we were in the midst of a screaming match in our meeting when word arrived about the first plane hitting the WTC, followed by the second almost immediately.

This was a Navy-sponsored meeting. Sailors, officers, civil serants, and contractors all reacted in the same manner: shock, fear...and then a great resolve came over us.

We put aside our bickering, and actually came to a solution acceptable to everyone. We then turned to figuring out how we were going to support the Fleet as it sailed forth to smite the forces of evil.

That night, I was in the Holiday Inn. Something bothered me.

I realized that what bothered me is that Reagan Airport was only a mile away--and it was deathly silent.

Reagan International without inbound and outbound flights until 10:00 PM is like St. Peter's Basilica without a Mass in one of the side chapels, or priests and pilgrims offering the daily prayers of the Catholic Church...it's just WRONG.