Monday, September 11, 2006

John's perspective


Just wanted to share this:

I was at home submitting resumes (I was between jobs), my brother called and told me to turn on the TV. So I turned it on to see a picture of Logan Airport and the text saying a tower had been hit. My first thought was that some idiot had hit the control tower at Logan... then they showed the WTC... I watched in horror as the second plane hit... and them both fall. I have never in my life been so angry, so frustrated, and so pained for the pointless loss of life.

My heart goes out to those who lost their lives, those who risked theirs, and those simple people who pulled together to bring this great country past it's grief. My first order when I walked in the door was for the flag to be put at half-staff, this was long before the order from above reached us. I honor those people, one and all.

I was watching TV last night and I felt the same way... angry at someone or something just beyond reach. My rage and anger is reserved for those to cause such terrible acts, who go unpunished, and who believe wrongly that they are in the right to kill in the name of anything or anyone. I believe that if you want to do it, then stand up take accountability be proud, but don’t hide, don’t cower and cringe in fear. If you have something to say, then say it. Don’t go killing innocents because you are too cowardly to stand up for what you believe in. That's the way of fools, and ignorance.

I may have crossed the line, and I apologize but that is how I feel. I won’t hide behind a mask of neutrality, of understanding, of compassion for murders. To do anything other than stand up against their actions condones them. I can't and won't condone what they did. Never. They deserve to reap what they sow... a steel jacketed round in the back of the head and a nameless grave in the desert. I'll pay for bullet any day, any week, any year...

A small note should be made here: I pass the square named after one of the pilots of United 93. I remember every day that 9/11/01 happened, and I remember to say thank you in my heart for all those who deserved to be honored every time I pass. To forget would to me be the same as dishonoring the sacrifice those people made and I refuse to do that too.

posted by {Amanda} @ 10:20 AM 0 comments

5 years already??


It doesn't seem possible that 9/11 was already 5 years ago. In many ways it feels like yesterday. John and I were talking last night and he said he felt that 9/11 is our generations defining moment. I would agree. I said that I find it so odd that Ellery will grow up and think of 9/11 the same way I thought about president Kennedy's assassination. I couldn't fathom something that horrible ever happening; I couldn't imagine something SO profound that you would never forget the details of that day, down to the tiniest thing. It's funny because I vividly remember the spaceshuttle Challenger disaster but it didn't *define* us, if that makes sense.

9/11 is our defining moment.

I had called in sick to work that day with a migraine and I spent most of the day sleeping. .when I got up my mom was making her bed in her room (I still lived at home then) and said "it's been an awful day" . . i thought she was talking about something to do with my uncle. . .he had just been diagnosed with stage IV colo-rectal cancer. . and I said .. what do you mean. . and she told me. . . well she said that planes hit the WTC. . and I still thought she meant like a little plane. .a Cessna or something. . a horrible accident. . . .

we went downstairs and I just curled up in my dad's recliner and just watched tv all.day.long.

where were you?

may we never forget those people who lost their lives. . . all those innocent people who had no idea that such a gorgeous day would turn so horrible.

may we never forget.

posted by {Amanda} @ 4:34 AM 0 comments