Good Morning...Eight years ago today

[Okla-homey]

September 11, 2001: Pivotal day in American history

http://img71.imageshack.us/img71/344/911nnp4.jpg

[mikeelikee]

Never forget. Never.

[GottaHavePride]

8 years.

2,922 days.

70,128 hours.

4,207,680 minutes.

252,460,800 seconds.


2,998 lives.

[sooner n houston]

Thanks Homey.

[delhalew]

:(

[Mjcpr]

Can't you reserve that kind of garbage for one of the numerous other threads that you post similar **** in?

[JLEW1818]

USA!!!!

[Pricetag]

It's garbage. Don't forget to pick up that dude's new thriller, "The War After Armageddon."

[soonerloyal]

Remembering...

On September 11, 2001 - My oldest Marine was in boot, four days away from his 21st birthday. I remember that morning, watching the coverage of the Twin Towers and the Pentagon being hit, how I'd sent him off to San Diego, a month or so before. How I got to stay with him all the way to the gate, as the recruits boarded the plane. How I smiled and waved until he disappeared from sight, and they closed the gate - and how I cried only then. I watched their plane slowly pull away from the gate, roll slowly down its path to the runway, where it picked up speed and lifted them off to their future. I remember thinking, "Lord, bless the pilot as he carries these young men." I wrote in my journal later that I wondered if he knew how special his cargo was, and how important they were to not only their families, but to our country.

I cried again on September 11th, for so many reasons more.

I thought again of my son and his choice of which I was so proud. Knowing what this attack would mean for all those recruits struggling to become Marines. And I mourned for what we had lost that day, and what we were sure to lose as the days stretched out over a new future.

I watched the newscasters falter as they recounted the first tower collapse, then the second. I stood rooted to the screen as the reality of the loss of life washed over not just me, but every decent human heart who stood watching as well. And as the minutes turned to hours, the pain did not diminish, but was partnered by an anger that burned so strong, I wondered if I would survive the flames. I watched the brave men and women who had gone into those towers to save whover they could find, bleed slowly out of the rubble and into their own lost realm, as they (and we all) realized that many of their brothers were still inside the ashes and twisted steel. Many of them - and those they fought to rescue - would never be found. I'd always admired the brave souls who ran into infernos while others around them ran out. That day, I was reminded why in a big way. Little did I know that less than a year later, my second son would emulate not only his brother, but also follow the path of the rescuers he watched that day. He became a Marine - and a firefighter as well.

In the wee hours of September 12th, I sat with shaking hands in front of my computer, writing my son another birthday message. I'd written him the week before, a happy message celebrating his coming of age, his benchmark birthday. I remember I'd decorated it with poorly-drawn balloons & a cake, and a crude sketch of a mama kissing her boy's scrunched-up and blushing face. The paper I'd loaded into the printer just now was already blotched with tearmarks. What a different letter this was going to be. I still have a copy of it; so does my son - along with every letter I wrote to him while he was in boot. They're in the same cedar chest that holds the Daily Oklahomans covering the Murrah Building bombing and September 11th. Reminders of what I hope is the final wake-up call we'll need.

The trip to see my oldest son receive his Eagle Globe and Anchor was markedly different from the last time I'd been to the airport in OKC only three months before. Gone were the welcoming gestures from smiling security personnel, offering me the chance to go beyond the boundaries. My trek was directed by tight-lipped men in uniform, curtailed from Point A to Point B with no allowance for deviation. I didn't bat an eye when I landed at San Diego, and N.G.'s were the order of the day, complete with M-16s, wearing camoflauge and nervous frowns. For most, it was comforting and brought on anger at the same time. My fellow passengers and I remarked at how different flights were now, and how grateful were were for it. I couldn't help but wonder what might have been different if we'd made it harder to board flights, and shown more vigilance about with whom we flew, "before".

Both my Marines tell me that the other is his "hero". The younger admires the first for answering the call of his country prior to 9/11/01, "before" he was needed so much. The older says there's more courage and commitment in the choice of his little brother to answer when he knew much more clearly what that answer might mean - "after". I don't have to tell you who two of my heroes are, do I?

Before. And After. Two words make such a difference in the annals of our country's history, do they not?

Those sons of bitches brought down more than buildings and planes that fateful day. They brought down the blinders too many people had on, shielding their eyes and senses from knowing that Evil is a presence to be reckoned with in our own midst. It's been said America lost her innocence again that day; I agree. But I say we gained an eagle eye of truth, insight and opportunity - what we do with it now remains to be seen.

I'll add two more words that have echoed from the hearts of Americans living and dead for the last eight years since. I want you to hold them with the same reverence I do, say them and mean them...

NEVER FORGET.


-----Lori H. (soonerloyal)

[sooner n houston]

Wow SL, powerful stuff. Is that your story?

[Collier11]

Ill never ever forget, I was heading to class and happened to catch it on the news, I tried to wake him up to tell him and he told me I was full of sh*t, I had to tell him twice, almost in tears the second time. What a crazy feeling that day gave me.

God Bless!!!

[soonerloyal]

Wow SL, powerful stuff. Is that your story?

Yeah. :( I'm so rusty with my words. I wrote it several years ago, just changed it this a.m. to "eight" years. Sorry for the overall mistakes and the maudlin tone. I don't always accomplish with my words what I'd like, but I keep tryin'.

Every day I have so much love & respect for my Marine sons. It's just days like today, my heart hurts more. It's a mom and a Marine mom thang.

The pain and anger of that day, though? That's American, indeed, it's human.
:mad: :(

[soonerloyal]

Thanks that we keep this thread for remembrance.

[sooner n houston]

Sl,
I thought it was beautifully done. I am not good at writing and am impressed with others who can put their thoughts down so eloquently. I couldn't decide whether you had cut and pasted part of that from somewhere else or if it was your story. Thanks for sharing that.
And tell your son's thanks - and God bless.

[85Sooner]

God Bless LS and tell those two heros of ours that we thank and pray for them everyday.

[SoonerJack]

very well said, SL. Very well said.

[King Crimson]

i walked out of my condo complex that day wondering why my neighbor had her radio cranked up so loud. about 15 minutes later, i heard a parked trucker's radio on full blast, he was standingi n the middle of the street. i said: "what the deal with this?". he told me.

[Boarder]

There was a discussion the other day by a bunch of 20-22 year olds about the constitutionality of the Patriot Act. I told them that yes, the PA may be considered unconstitutional and yes President Bush may have overstepped his bounds but at the time, the mindset was so different. People gripe about the phone tapping but when that second plane went into the tower everyone in America would have given their phones to make it stop. It was an unbelievable time of terror (hence the name terrorist) and anger. Unless you were of age at that time, it's just so hard to describe it.

And don't even think about making this a Patriot Act argument, I'll delete the posts. I was showing a perspective that younger people have now.

[King Crimson]

There was a discussion the other day by a bunch of 20-22 year olds about the constitutionality of the Patriot Act. I told them that yes, the PA may be considered unconstitutional and yes President Bush may have overstepped his bounds but at the time, the mindset was so different. People gripe about the phone tapping but when that second plane went into the tower everyone in America would have given their phones to make it stop. It was an unbelievable time of terror (hence the name terrorist) and anger. Unless you were of age at that time, it's just so hard to describe it.

And don't even think about making this a Patriot Act argument, I'll delete the posts. I was showing a perspective that younger people have now.

you ought to think about it. because 5 years ago no one cared about civil rights and now they do. and it's all pretty hypocritical.

[Boarder]

I just meant in this thread. It's fine to start another one discussing it.

[85Sooner]

PFFT.