Ten years have passed....

[Russell Street]

Sunday, September 11, will be the anniversary of the attacks on our country. Ten long years have flown by, it seems like only yesterday we saw hell unleashed on a beautiful September day. No need to rehash where we were or what we were doing, we all know our answer(s) to that.

On a day which I relive every day of my life, I (we) lost 343 Brothers of the FDNY, and countless others who were guilty of nothing more than going about the business of living their lives, and doing their jobs. There is no need, here, to discuss the politics of those events. That would be very disrespectful. I would however like to share a few observations.

Not much has changed, yet many things have changed. As I sit here, we are still worried about the next possible attack. We have been able to fend off an unknown number of potential attacks. The simple truth is that we must be right EVERY time to fend them off. They only have to be right ONCE to succeed.

The first battle in the "War on Terrorism" was fought in the skies over Pennsylvania and was won in a farmer's field near Shanksville. Every time I go by there (which I did yesterday) I wonder how many of us would have the courage to do what those people did.

The resolve of the American people will outlast the determination of those intent on doing us harm Take that to the bank!!

My thoughts as to the situation as it stands to day are quite simple: I ain't forgiving, and I sure as hell ain't forgetting!!!

I won't be on here much over the next couple days, save for maybe popping in to read who's posting what. I won't be going to any of the "official" events or anything of that ilk. Instead I'll be spending time, on the phone and through other means, with close friends. One in particular was a Battalion Chief (since retired) working in the Williamsburg area of Brooklyn that day. We'll talk about it, maybe laugh a little, more than likely cry a bit and together we'll get him through it. We always do.

I've vowed to never forget what happened to us that day, and to pass along to others the desire to never forget.

To my Brothers who died that day, and others who've died since from related complications a simple thought;

Rest Easy Brothers, Rest Easy. Ya done good, we'll take it from here........

 

[Bill Marcy]

Thank you for your thoughts Russell. Although we lost no family, or friends on that awful day, I cried alot for those who did. It is still very difficult to hear about it. However, I feel that it is important for people to move forward, no doubt, with a different outlook on the world and the people in it. We must always remember everybody who was touched by the actions on 9-11 by a select few terrorists, but those animals must not be allowed to control the rest of our lives.

We should always be grateful to our military and our first responders who protect us every day. It would certainly be a different world without them.

 

[Shawn Blyler]

Excellent post, Russell. I have been sitting at the computer for a few hours now, watching videos on YouTube and looking at photos from various websites about 9/11. Aside from making me very angry all over again, it has also reminded me of my thoughts at that time of the absolute horror that all of those folks faced, both in the planes and in the buildings themselves. Knowing that you are going to die, and there is precious little that you can do about it. That is the part of it all that keeps coming back to my mind when 9/11 is mentioned. One cannot imagine what any of those people went through in those circumstances, and no one would want to. I would like to think that I would have had the courage and resolve like the passengers on Flight 93 who would have said "Oh, Hell no!" and done what they did in order to save more innocent people from dying, but that's a hard thing to really think about unless one were in that situation. Or, the outstanding courage of all the firefighters and police who went into those buildings, most knowing full well that they would not come back out.

At any rate, I know we have all changed as a nation. No longer do we see the stories of terrorism on the news from other countries and think that it can't happen here. It did, and in a big way. Now, to keep it from happening again, we need to be vigilant and pay a little more attention to things around us in our daily lives.

To all of those who lost friends, loved ones, co-workers, parents, children, spouses, etc.: No one in this country will ever forget them, this day, or what heroes truly are and why this country is great. May God bless all of them and us as we remember them all 10 years later.

 

[Darren Bedford]

Sure doesn't feel like 10 years have passed.

I remember getting up and turning on the TV.
I was stunned by what I was seeing.

I got Jen up and told her to check out what was going on.

I had to leave to go pick up a pair of stilt pants I had custom made.

When I got to the ladies house, I asked her if she knew about the plane crashing into the tower. She said yes she was watching it on TV.

We both sat there watching and then the second plane hit.

After a little while I paid for the pants and headed home listening to the news on the radio.

I heard them say they were closing the CN Tower here in Toronto as a safety precaution. It was the worlds tallest building at that time.


I guess you will never forget where you were and what you were doing at the time of that disaster on 9-11-2001.

Same kinds thing as when Kennedy was shot or when Elvis died. Those kind of "shocks" really set in.


A sad day for sure for millions of people.


Darren

 

[John ED Renstrom]

but this to shall pass. December 7th 1942 is but a blip in the hx book for most of us. but our parents remember it well. so if you fly your flag on 9-11 don't forget to fly it on 12-7 to. same thing, different day, different people with different ideas. but the results were the the same. a lot more planes in pearl though a lot more loss of life. but as they say that was a different time and happened to different people.
those that forget HX are doomed to repeat it. funny we did not loose any of our freedoms at the hands of our own government right after 42 though. that is unless you were of Japanese descent.

 

[Rick McLaren]

I remember feeling "lost" at work that day...getting updates from the various radios people had on at thier workstations in the warehouse. Feeling like there was a need to "strike back"..but at who?
As a history fanatic, I remember too, Dec 7th...less people died but the States went to war against Japan over it. But nothing happened this time. I still ask why.
Here in Canada,.. shock, dismay, anger, all those feelings and more went through a LOT of peoples minds. The whole world has been affected, and not for the better I fear.