A Few Of FR's Finest....Every Day.....09-11-03....Where Were You? Never Forget 9-11-01

dansangel | 9-11-03 | dansangel

[dansangel]

A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day

Free Republic made its debut in September, 1996, and the forum was added in early 1997.   Over 100,000 people have registered for posting privileges on Free Republic, and the forum is read daily by tens of thousands of concerned citizens and patriots from all around the country and the world.

A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day was introduced on June 24, 2002. It's only a small room in JimRob's house where we can get to know one another a little better; salute and support our military and our leaders; pray for those in need; and congratulate those deserving. We strive to keep our threads entertaining, fun, and pleasing to look at, and often have guest writers contribute an essay, or a profile of another FReeper.

On Mondays please visit us to see photos of A FEW OF FR'S VETERANS AND ACTIVE MILITARY

If you have a suggestion, or an idea, or if there's a FReeper you would like to see featured, please drop one of us a note in FR mail.

We're having fun and hope you are!
~ Billie, dansangel, dutchess, Mama_Bear, Aquamarine ~

~ ~ ~Where Were You?~ ~ ~

Where were you
when the sky rained down
liquid fire and lost souls;
when the air billowed poison,
when sirens wailed
and cries echoed urgently and painfully?
Never forget....

Where were you
when, with a thunderous roar,
monsters of steel and glass
crumbled to the earth
belching black gaseous clouds
as thick and as dark as satan's cloak?
Never forget....

Where were you
when eerie silence fell like
winter's first snowfall;
when voices and spirits were
stilled forever in
unadorned and involuntary graves?
Never forget....

Where were you
when satan's children laughed
and danced in streets of candy
while families mourned
eternal emptiness, longing for
just one last chance to say, "I love you?"
Never forget....

© 2003 ~dansangel~





Please feel free to join us and offer your thoughts, impressions, prayers, feelings, etc. on this second anniversary of the heinous act of terrorism perpetrated on all Americans on September 11, 2001.

THIS WEEK'S THREADS 09-08-03 Military Monday 09-09-03 GunsareOK 09-10-03 Original Intent of the 1st Amendment

Opinions by our own 'King of Ping' The guy's good, folks!

Thanks, Mixer!

1) Click on the graphic to open the Calendar.
2) Once there you can click on any month and even click to the right to go into next year. Once you are in the month that you joined FR you will need to click on the number in the calendar and then an add item screen will come up.
3) In the next box enter your name in the "Calendar Text" field and then click on submit.
4) If any of the screens fail to load simply click on refresh in your browser and that will usually fix it.
5) If all else fails or simply if you want me to do this for you send me a FReepmail and I will gladly do it for you. ~Mixer

God Bless Our Military

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Below are names of some of our FReepers' loved ones who are serving our country. If you have someone you would like to add, please address a post to Billie; Dansangel; Dutchess; Mama_Bear; Aquamarine and we will add their name to this list. As we pray for them, we pray also for all our nation’s leaders, and military personnel, and their families and friends. May God hold them close to His heart.

~~~~~~~~~~   ~~~~~~~~~~

We ask Lord, that You guide the leaders of our great country in their hour of decision. The burden that has been placed on their shoulders is overwhelming. We ask that with Your infinite wisdom You guide them gently to the right decisions.

Please give us the strength, Lord, to get through each difficult and devastating day that faces each of us and our country. Protect and guide our Military that are now being called to duty, strengthen them in their trials and temptations; give them courage to face the perils which beset them; and grant them a sense of your abiding presence wherever they may be; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

OhioWfan........................son mystery-ak..........son, husband Gogrammy................grandson Inspectorette...................son Blessed American..........nephew Slip18..........................nephew anniegetyourgun...........nephew Pippin....niece,nephew,loved one Doug from Upland......son-in-law weldgophardline.....brotherinlaw Future Snake Eater..........cousin WaterDragon..son-in-law,grandson BeforeISleep...................son The Mayor........................niece LadyX.........................grandson fawn796.....................nephew ValerieUSA................2 sons Warrior Nurse...........active duty SK1 Thurman...........active duty David Osborne.........active duty fc2tomschermuly......active duty bkwells..................activve duty LongCut..................active duty Trish.......................active duty StarCMC......................brother TexKat...................son and stepson Atomic Conspiracy..half-brother, niece, nephew

Maigrey................cousin ladtx....................2 sons Mama_Bear...........2 nephews gator girl............husband severa................husband MozartLover......son, nephew LBGA........................son SpookBrat...........nephew Himyar.....................son boxerblues............2 sons the piper...................son sheeza...............husband kemathen7...........husband Diver Dave................niece deadhead................cousin JimRobinson.....2 nephews Armymarinemom.....3 sons Consort..2 daughters,son-in-law Darheel..................niece dixie sass.............nephew BeAllYouCanBe.........son AgThorn...............2 sons homeschoolmama.......nephew kneezles.................son kimmie7...............brother Tiffee4Bob.............boyfriend Explorer89............brother

[SerpentDove]

CLICK HERE for larger, printable version

[Calpernia]

You going to Rutt's Hut Saturday?

[deadhead]

Wish I were, have plans for that day. Maybe another time. Are you going?

[Calpernia]

I plan on it. But the weather report doesn't look good for a trip to the falls. I wonder if it will just be Rutt's Hut then.

[deadhead]

Looks like a lot of rain for Saturday. If you go, say hello to firebrand from me. Met firebrand when we freeped Hillary in Huntington. Have a great time!

[azGOPgal]

What a wonderful tribute dansangel.
If you don't mind, I'd like to share with you my day.

I woke up to get ready for school just like any other day. I had the tv on, and I sat in disbelief on my bed as the image of the burning tower focused on my screen. I sat there for five minutes, and then the phone rang.

My best friend called to find out if I had seen what happened. I told her that I was watching it. She asked, "I can't believe this happening. This is so horrible." I agreed with her, and told her that I needed to hop in the shower. She said okay, and before we hung up she said, "Oh by the way, happy birthday."

I remember driving to school that morning. Normally I drove my brother and a friend, but this morning I was by myself. I had the radio on and listened as the news unfurled. Then it broke away to the President who was addressing the nation for the first time since he had heard about the news. Tears started rushing from my eyes as I listened to his words. I honestly don't know how I made it to school that day.

When I did, my pals in my Senior Honors English class had decorated the room for my b-day. I was greatful that my friends were there to celebrate my birthday, but I wasn't really in the mood. The only thing I could think of was all those people who had so innocently lost their lives.

I normally lead the school in the Pledge of Alegiance over the PA system, but that morning, I just couldn't do it. So I stayed in the classroom while our principal recited it. I said the Pledge along with my classmates, but this time was different. This time I recited the Pledge with more power and convition. With more meaning and pride. And as the words rolled off my tongue, the tears came rolling down my cheeks.

I remember almost everything that happened that day. It was such a blur when it happened, but the memories are so clear in my head. I can't even begin to imagine what it must be like to be the family of one of the people who lost their lives that day. God bless them all.

[Calpernia]

A happy birthday to you too. Think of it as a day of rebirth. A day of starting anew.

http://www.riversongs.net/Fla/proud.html

[Calpernia]

Here is a live webcam on top of the Empire State Building, The South view is the World Trade Center Site. .


http://www.empirestatebuilding.com/tourism/affiliate.cfm?id=%23%24JO%27%0A

[dixie sass]

I remember standing in a darkened ballroom, people swaying, people with their lights lit, people singing - "I'm Proud To Be An American" - after having watched a wonderful video by Laz and someone, can't remember who.

[SpookBrat]

Thank you all for the sweet thoughts. They mean a lot to me. My daughter and I went "fat quarter" shopping and I started a new quilt tonight. My friends up the store knew it was my birthday and brought in a delicious homemade cream cheese pound cake, strawberries (my favorite) and whipped cream. So we all at cake, drank diet coke and quilted. It was a good day.

Now my husband wants to watch a romantic movie..."Blazing Saddles". LOL

I hope everyone had a peaceful day and I hope all of you can get a good nights rest. Many blessings.

[SpookBrat]

Happy belated birthday. We'll make it a date for next year. I hope you have a good birthday week and the cards keep coming in the mail. :)

PS: Virgos rule!

[deadhead]

Lights from the former World Trade Center site can be seen on both sides of the Statue of Liberty from Bayone, N.J.,
Thursday, Sept. 11, 2003.

[Hobsonphile]

Count me as another who ultimately came to Free Republic because of 9/11.

I was just starting my work day at the Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center when my boss' administrative assistant walked into the office announcing that a plane had just crashed into the World Trade Center. The other research assistants and I were aghast. For a moment, I thought she was referring to the Baltimore World Trade Center down on the Harbor.

The program clients who were working downstairs near my desk all turned on their radios and portable TV's so we could hear the news. I don't think anyone was really working that morning.

A little while after we first heard the news, one of the program clients announced that the Pentagon had been attacked. My father is a military analyst, and back then he had several clients who worked in the Pentagon, including one with whom he usually had meetings on Tuesday mornings. I immediately called my mother to ask whether she had heard from Dad. I also fired off an urgent email to Dad's address. The phone call to my mother was the last phone call home I was able to make until much later that evening. All connections into the DC area were completely jammed. Fortunately, soon after I hung up the phone, Dad responded to my email saying his meeting had been moved to Thursday. Fortunately.

Before lunch, a state of emergency was declared in the city of Baltimore and we were all sent home. I felt very much alone in my one-bedroom apartment watching the news.

FrustratedCitizen and my then-current long distance boyfriend had both sent me ICQ messages that morning while I was at work. I can't reproduce my ex's message here because of the profanity. FC's, however, was a confused message he sent after waking up and seeing the smoking hole in the WTC on the news: "Some sort of missile hit the World Trade Center." He told me later that he saw the second plane hit live.

Finally, I couldn't stand watching the horrible pictures over and over again, and I decided to go to a nearby medical center to donate blood. When I got there, I was turned away. There were too many people there already just a few hours after the attacks. On the bus ride both ways, every passenger was quiet. A few whispered to each other about inevitable war.

I was awake for 36 hours straight after the attack watching the news, blaring loud rock music to expell my frustration, and, in the early hours of 9/12, talking to FC on the phone.

A few days later, a lunch hour non-denominational prayer service was held. At that service, I was moved to speak. I don't remember precisely what I said at the time, but I do remember that I asked everyone to pray for the president and to thank God for the loved ones who were still with us. I said that some families now had empty chairs at their tables and that I counted myself very lucky that my family was not among them. I said that I intended to travel home any way I could on the afternoon of 9/14 to see my parents and let them know how thankful I was that they were still alive. I sobbed through the whole speech.

On 9/14, I took a commuter train from Baltimore to Union Station in DC. I then took the Metro to Springfield and a taxi to my parents' home in Woodbridge. They were not home when I arrived. I gave Mom a near heart attack when I jumped out of the darkness as they finally came through the door a half hour later.

I have other memories connected to 9/11. I remember crying and cheering over the president's speech on 9/20. I remember visiting Ground Zero many months later after most of the debris had been cleared away and feeling the chill of being in the presence of a thousand graves. I remember the anger of the NY FReepers who were my gracious hosts. I remember the woman I met at a counter-protest in Boston who had lost a loved one in the World Trade Center. Most of all, I remember the emotions- the incredible sadness, the incredible anger, and the incredible pride- in our president, in the rescuers, and in the ordinary American volunteers.

[dixie sass]

Hi Libertina.

[dixie sass]

Thank you Calpernia

[dixie sass]

Amen! You got it SpookBrat!

[Libertina]

Evening, Dixie Sass! I hope your day was a significant one, and that you were with friends and family (like right here on FR! :)

[dixie sass]

This year, Libertina, I was with y'all. My son is home for the little while. He is chaffing at the bit to get back to his friends and job in south Florida~

[Libertina]

I haven't met you before, but I'm glad to see you here with us tonight.

[Calpernia]

Night to the Finest!