Posted on 09/29/2003 11:03:49 PM PDT by carlo3b
Echoes of 9-11
Sorry, the echoes must have been canceled this year, and I and my family, must have missed the memo. You see, I thought we were a country at war against the terrorist and that as a nation, we were together in our outrage. Didn't I see that on TV?
There are no more echoes. The day that was to live in infamy died, I guess. On the eleventh of September, 2001, for the first time I stood back and asked, "What can I do to help my country?" I knew I was just a thirteen year old kid, but I sought to find a way that I could make a difference- a rare thought in the rush of today's youth.
Only 2 years past, and again we met the day that had been the most horrific since Pearl Harbor. A young man of fifteen now, I went to my upper middle class school and looked at the scene- this is what I saw...
Had the school flag not been flown at half staff (which nobody noticed or understood), you would not have known that it was different than any other day. On my trip to school, I noticed no flags on anyone's porch... no banners, signs, or ribbons of any kind. No overt signs of patriotism. I was only a Thursday.
I remember there being more emotion on Homecoming day than on the anniversary of 3000 innocent neighbors being incinerated. Although the administration suggested that the students wear red, white, and blue, few people did. Only in 2 out of my 7 classes was the day even briefly mentioned, and even then only in passing. And among the students at lunchtime, I consciously listened to the conversations around me.
Nothing. Not a word even remotely related the the day or it's meaning.
As for myself, I was frustrated that we didn't have the day off of school. I requested that my dad record the flashbacks, memorials, etc... It has been a constant source of conversation at our home (over dinner, the news) since July.
I can't help thinking that my peers and the public at large are waiting to be told that it is now time to feel something, almost as if we need a daily laugh-track, or in the case of 9/11, a cry-track.
What has happened to the outrage?
Matthew , American History, Sept 27, 2003
Extemporaneous notes to myself, on September 11, 2001,by Matthew
I know that forty years from now, I will be rooting through an old box and will come across this paper. Ill brush off the dust and will immediately remember the fateful day of September 11, 2001
What a beautiful day it was. The sun's warmth mixed with a cool breeze gave the day the sensation of life. I sat on the bus and stared out into space. I had been to the Science Place Museum on field trips many times before. I was elated and cheerful when our school bus pulled into the parking lot. I didn't see many cars in the lot, but I didn't take that into consideration at the time. We walked in a herd across the street. A car nearly hit me because I jumped out into the street so quickly. I was wearing my beige shorts and my favorite blank-white T-shirt. Over that I wore an over shirt that was blue and yellow plaid.
I made my way up the steps and got into the single file line that had been formed. A man who worked at the Science Place counted us one by one. The main lobby was empty and the gift shop closed. We were early. It was pleasantly cool inside, and the room echoed our voices playfully. After being divided into two groups, the children were given instructions. The first group went to the dissection lab and my group stayed in the lobby and waited for the Imax theater to open. I wandered around the lobby floor and decided to join the kids who were playing with the lobby camera. Just when I joined the crowd, our instructor informed us that we were not allowed in a public place. I was baffled as we all formed a line to exit the lobby. I heard someone say in the background, The World Trade Center and Pentagon had been attacked! I laughed and shoved it off as a joke. I thought to myself that the real reason that we had to leave was that the museum was closed that day or that they didn't have enough pig hearts.
Then I heard another voice state They were assaulted! Still not believing it totally, I exited the building. When I saw the other group standing at the bottom of the steps, I had to accept it we no longer had a World Trade Center, and the Pentagon had been attacked.
The thought stung me, and at the time, my mind had hardly accepted it. Just before we re-entered the bus, our science teacher, Mrs. Murphy, addressed us as a group. Our country is in a state of emergency.The World Trade Center towers were attacked, and the Pentagon was attacked, too. I do not know anything else right now, but if you are a religious person, praying is a good idea. How can this happen? I kept asking myself. The question haunted me on the drive back to Gunter. Now the day didn't seem so beautiful anymore, but rather dark and mournful. Discussion on the bus consisted of the qualifications for draft, and who might have felt inclined to attack America.
The few students who had radios kept shouting news to those of us who didn't. They were terrorists! They hijacked and crashed planes into the World Trade Center and Pentagon! These words teased our minds for the duration of the trip. The constant bouncing of the bus and the smell of fresh laid tar enveloped us as we pondered the future, near and far......
I'm sailing in the same boat as risk.
The outrage is alive and well. I had the privelege of listening to Col. Oliver North speak at a ceremony honoring first responders from our area.
The leftist liberals took the opportunity to protest Col. North as the selected speaker. They just don't get it, do they?
I believe every man and womnan today should either embrace or support the ability to defend ones self with a simple handgun. For the want of half a dozen small revolvers on board those aircraft that day we'd most likely never been exposed to the horrific atrocity that day.
Spero che i vostri giorni siano Carlo facile........... Cassaforte Di Soggiorno!!
Had the school flag not been flown at half staff (which nobody noticed or understood), you would not have known that it was different than any other day. On my trip to school, I noticed no flags on anyone's porch... no banners, signs, or ribbons of any kind. No overt signs of patriotism. I was only a Thursday.
We didn't even have a flag to fly before 9/11/2001. We don't fly the flag every day, but we do fly it on the 11th of every month. (And of course the standard flag holidays.)
We figure a monthly flag day on every 11th of the month is a tradition that can last for generations.
Many of our scientists work against our superiority.
Madame Albright announced to the world that it was not good that America was the only superpower.
Don't think for a moment that they don't get it!!!!
Matthew, we still are. We are a country of pride, deep feeling, and personal pain. A pain that has in some ways not gone away since Pearl Harbor. We are not always obvious and in your face but do not dispair, we as a country of patriotic people will prevail in the end. If you listen closely you will hear a slight rumbling of anger toward the politically correct outspoken left. We are close to the end of our patience they will find that they might be the outspoken but they are not the majority.
Matthew,don't ever give up your ideals. At times it will be hard and you will think that you are standing alone in what you believe but there are many more that feel as you do and they have not given up. Yes there were not as many flags as there should have been, but ther were thousands more than there have been in the past.
Here in Georgia in a public park there were 3,000! 5 foot flags flying that weekend. Didn't make that national news but they were there and thousands of people came to see them. This, Matthew is multiplied a hundredfold all over the country. We are not in your face with what not to do but we are behind you with what should be done. Just take the time to listen and you will hear us, as will the rest of the country and the world..
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