Lest We Forget

[SparrowHawk]

I decided to get a jump on this by setting up this thread today after listening to former President George W Bush's moving speech in Shanksville a short while ago. I'm posting the speech below.




As I watched the speech I began to recall some thoughts from 10 years ago and things that stuck out in my mind.

I was in ORD for a convention and I was watching CNN while getting dressed and saw the live feed and I'm not one who talks to his TV and I vividly remember as I picked up the remote saying "Well it's whole new ballgame now" and leaving for the shuttle to McCormick Place. That evening at 10PM on the nose I called NWA"s reservation department and booked a flight to see "Sweet Thing" 2 weeks later. I figured it was the only way I could fight back. In fact I started flying to visit her as much as I could afford in an effort to show those who seek to kill us that I wasn't afraid of them.

The following day I was standing in Grant Park and I looked up and noticed how quiet it was as no planes were in the sky. Sleep didn't come easy as the company grounded us and we were supposed to take a charter bus home. I refused and damn near got fired. I insisted on "Going Home the same way I got here". I was Mad As Hell that sporting events were cancelled. Any change in routine was a sign of our weakness in my mind. I recall scheduling classes with a District Manager for several locations all of which required air travel to get to and he asked "Aren't you worried"? My reply shocked him when I said "They can only kill me one time, but if I sit home in fear they kill my spirit several times per day"

The last image that hit me was in DTW 2 weeks later. There was an area that used to be open access that was now closed off and guarded by an obviously muslim private security guard. He told me I couldn't access baggage claim and directed me to the proper entrance. As I turned he placed his chair blocking the steps and pulled out his prayer rug for afternoon prayer. He quickly completed his prayer and resumed his post.

I got to thinking about what freedom and liberty really means. I wsn't real happy with this guy at the time, but as I walked away I realized that my uncle ran onto Omaha Beach for his Liberty too. Just like he did for me and everyone else who calls America home.

I would ask that we keep the politics of today off this thread and just allow everyone to share their thoughts regarding an event that changed the world and likely not for the better.

 

[xUT]

Can't Cry Hard Enough (911 Tribute)

 

[Ms Tree]

I was in bed. A friend called and said a plane crashed into the towers in NYC. I went back to bed. I figured it was a commuter plane into a building. They crash all the time. When I woke up a little while later I turned on the news. Both towers were down by then as I recall. OK. Not a private plane. The I heard about the UA flight in PA and the AA flight at the Pentagon. This is won't be good. I do remember being surprised that it took this long for violence to reach our shores. I am still surprised that it has not happened more often.

I went over to a friends house and we watched the news the rest of the day. I remember a pair of jets flew over their house headed to DFW low and fast. REAL FAST!!! Very eerie to be living in DFW near the airport and not seeing a single plane in the air for close to a week.

I worked for AA at the time and needless to say the next several weeks were miserable. And yet they were really good. Most people wanted to help. Both at work and around the world. Some FA's were clamoiring for flights to show their resolve. FA's were coming up to crew skd with food and good wishes. Our sworn enemies around the world were offing help. Cuba even offered what help they could provide. Why does it have to take a tragedy to bring people together? Why can't we just skip that part and just help out when needed?

The one call that will stick with me is a FA who called up and offered to pick up a sequence. She did not want to but she felt she had to. She wanted to show her resolve. As I recall, it was a long call. She was scared. Had a kid or two and wanted to be their for them. She ended up picking up a turn. She asked me to promise her that we would not reassign her or extend her. I told her that I could not make that promise but no one could make her do something she did not want to do. She was crying and so was I. I took a short break after that call. And then went back to work. Worst weeks at work I have ever been through and yet some of the best if that makes any sense. No idea who she was. To much happened during those weeks. She was a stand up lady though.

The next several months merely sucked and after that it just blew. Never went back to normal. The new normal was FUBAR/SNAFU. I am disappointed at the aftermath. The good will was soon forgotten. The daily animosity came back. 9/11 turned into a campaign slogan and has been commercialized. You turn on the TV and that's all you hear about. And not in a good way IMO. Everyone seems to be trying to make a buck off it in one way or another.

Yes 9/11 was bad. Worst terrorist attack in history. But terrorism is not unique to the US. It's been going on for a long long time. Countless thousands have dies in countries all over the world. They just die in smaller numbers and in unknown or uncared about places. I think I am just frustrated. This attack happened and it does not seem like anyone has learned a damn thing from it.

 

[SparrowHawk]

You just couldn't leave the politics alone could you. I added two Images, one from my Father's Generation and one from 9/11.

There were no Republicans, Democrats or Libertarians on the site that day. Just Americans. Unfortunately we were yet again reminded that Freedom is never free.

View attachment 9174

View attachment 9175

 

[SharoninSAT]

Can't Cry Hard Enough (911 Tribute)

A Beautiful Tribute.

We will never forget.
GOD Bless America

 

[tech2101]

In Florida working out of MCO. The aircraft all had to be moved off the gate to a remote area. That fell on us, the maintenance folks, to taxi the aircraft out. I was on the phone with my wife when she told me the first tower was collapsing. I could no believe it.

 

[Seatacus]

I will never forget. I went through just about every emotion there is that day. I can't imagine what it would be like to lose someone in that way. My heart goes out to those who survived the loss.

 

[delldude]

On the phone.............she said "check out CNN, the WTC is on fire".......I looked and thought.....this seems weird...............the hole looked like an impact event.....I thought...missile...??? They were saying aircraft.......while watching CNN the other plane impacted......" Jessus Christ, we're under attack".

 

[signals]

Never Forget! 9/11 will never repeat itself as long as we are vigilant. Being Eurpean, I was 9/11 since the Munich Olympics of 1972. Then came FCO of 93 and the gloves came off. Grazie Oriana Fallace per dire quello che io sapevo h34r: