We can’t let them down by forgetting their sacrifices…
“You can dent steel but not American resolve…”
~ President George Bush
So many seem to have forgotten … That is why each year I repost my original article (below) written shortly after 9/11.
At your service,
Below is an article I wrote shortly after 9/11. I repost it each year so that we are always reminded of the magnitude of this event as time passes and we forget…
Remembering 09.11.01
On that fateful day our lives as we knew them were changed; forever. And, technology played an enormous role in making this point brutally clear. After the first plane hit the World Trade Center I remembered my trip to Manhattan the previous March. The density of concrete and people made me think about how even minor damage could very easily have a major impact.
The second plane hit and I immediately entered my own personal world of panic. My fiancé, was in China on business and it was very clear to me what was happening – our very way of life was threatened – terrorism on American soil. Then the Pentagon; then Pennsylvania.
I was on my way to the office when this all began. As soon as I arrived I immediately logged on to see what was going on. MSNBC crashed. ABC News – server busy. CNN – hanging – unavailable. FoxNews.com – too busy – try again later.
In my day-to-day life most of the folks I run into on a personal level may be “online” but really only for e-mail to keep in touch with family and friends. Those who were “connected” turned to the Net that Tuesday — in masses — to get the information they needed, to try and get the comfort and information that the worst thoughts they had were not in fact becoming reality. The Web sputtered – but only for a very short time.
The Mighty Beast had been awakened . . .
Each of the sites mentioned above came back online very quickly considering what they faced. New updates by the moment, servers overloaded – trying to make sure their information was accurate and their code that was written on the fly was clean enough to get the word out. I noticed visible bracket code (>), which indicated opening or closing tags in the code were out of place. Broken icons reflecting graphics were not where they should be on the server in question were very common. Signs that the speed of disseminating information temporarily overrode the need for perfection, commercialism, and entertainment value.
Within the hour the Web had reverted back to the early 90′s where information was king. No advertisements, pop-ups, buy this, free that. Information was all that was required at that point in time and everyone scrambled to do their best to get it to us as quickly as possible. All these organizations deserve a big round of applause in doing their part to make sure we were all aware of what was happening in our Country on that historic life changing day.
At our home in rural northern Illinois, we have flown Old Glory since we bought our house over 10 years ago. The very house where no DSL is available, no Internet cable connections and computers with 56K modems are lucky to connect at 26.4K. We have always been keenly aware of what that flag represents in regard to our quality of life and in allowing us to live the life we do; chase the dreams we have.
Wednesday morning, there were 7 more American Flags in various places outside our home. I wanted to make a statement that this was one American household who would not allow, no matter how our lives may have to change, this type of act to change the heart, soul and character of what I and other true Americans are about.
The Mighty Beast had been awakened . . .
Without technology we wouldn’t be so brutally aware of exactly, graphically, emotionally what these terrorists did to our citizens – regardless of color, creed, race or religion. Those lost and as well as each and every one of us, as Americans, were targeted and most likely still are. With all the great moments of humanity, courage and strength by those who made me wonder how they were able to even continue on, it also became evident not all Americans felt as I did last week. That fact was completely foreign to my way of thinking but unfortunately not all too surprising.
It was disappointing to see the spam and the scams begin flowing shortly thereafter as though any American would really be interested in getting a diploma online for free, losing 100 pounds overnight or attaining Viagra® at a time like this. Would you really do business with anyone who would not respect what was happening by abstaining from sending their obviously trivial pitches all for a quick buck? It is times like this when it becomes clear who among us is good with true character and unabashed patriotism. It also becomes brutally clear who is so arrogantly selfish that they are unable to think there even exists a cause greater than themselves. There is no gray.
Technology can empower each of us to become better human beings than we were that Monday before our world changed. By communicating our thoughts and feelings based on what is right – to band together, to realize we have more in common that we have differences, to realize that we are all Americans. To know that it is the Country we live in, the caliber of person that you are on the inside, your words when only backed by your actions that determine your self worth. Not your “stuff”, not the kind of house you live in, not the car you drive or the amount of money you have.
The Mighty Beast had been awakened . . .
The beast within all good and honorable Americans and human beings across the globe was awakened abruptly on the morning of September 11, 2001. Those who realized this situation was larger than themselves reached out to those who needed support, they had the insatiable desire to help in any way they could. Folks were more courteous in the supermarket – even traffic seemed to have a calm that was not there before. Good folks felt depressed; others were merely perplexed at everyone’s reaction. Unfortunately, I personally witnessed several who could care less about what this attack meant to our Country and to our liberty, to their friends, to loved ones.
The mall wasn’t open and they were inconvenienced. They had their life to lead and could not take the time to check in with family and friends who were concerned about loved ones in some way affected by these unbelievably violent and heartless acts. I feel sorry for those folks. No matter what they may think, or how hard they try to convince themselves that they are happy, fulfilled, more important than family, friends and Country at a time like this – their hearts and their lives are empty. This is the kind of attitude and lifestyle that allowed Tuesday to happen. Loss of priorities, loss of self, loss of what is truly important.
The Mighty Beast had been awakened . . .
I slept on the couch all week. For some reason I couldn’t be away from the TV, the images, the multiple ticker updates at the bottom of the screen that made me feel cross-eyed trying to read them both. I didn’t want to miss a thing that could delay my fiancé getting back to our terra firma. I had my hand over my mouth in shock as tears ran down my face more often than not. The horror and images of the events that day were bad enough without my fianceé being outside our borders.
I needed every bit and byte of information I could find to know what could prevent him from getting back within the good ‘ole U.S. of A. The fear and thoughts I had were in no way close to what those who have lost loved ones or friends directly in the disaster must be feeling. My heart and prayers went out to each and every one of them. It was an unsettling feeling, like nothing I had ever, ever felt before – that would control my life until I saw my fiancé safely home again and would not be easily forgotten in the months and years ahead.
I kept in touch with my fiancé’s family and mine, as well as his business partner who without a doubt drove their company’s travel agent nuts. All of our lives were focused on him coming home, nothing – I mean nothing else mattered – we were all willing to do whatever would be needed of us to get him home and to show our support for our Country – our life as we knew it just a mere 24 hours earlier went on hold. (My fiancé’s mother was even seriously planning a “Road Trip” to go and extract him from Vancouver if he got that far and couldn’t get over the border.)
At times like this good people become closer, they rise to the occasion, they think of themselves last if at all. Others look on in dismay at what the big deal is truly unable to understand the emotions they are witnessing – those too self-enclosed to think of anyone other than themselves – even at a time like this. Sad, very sad.
I lost track of the phone calls made to airlines, embassies, and government departments. Only several hours sleep every night and my mobile and cordless phone never out of sight. Luck was on our side and my fiancé was delayed only 24 hours. To hear the excitement in his voice when he knew he had confirmed flights into St. Louis and then Chicago was overwhelming. It looked as though he was coming home! The TV remained on so I could keep a constant watch on the St. Louis and Chicago airports. My security was gone. I was not going to relax or let my guard down and assume he would just make it home safely – I would believe it when I saw it.
The Mighty Beast had been awakened . . .
Saturday, September 15 was the day for our neighborhood block party. What perfect timing!! It was exactly what all who came needed. Neighbors coming together with red, white and blue clothes, red, white and blue food, red white and blue attitudes. Technology allowed me to track my fiancé’s flights and know exactly when he was in U.S. air space, that he had landed in St. Louis early, that he was on the ground at O’Hare. As the day went on we were all waiting for the cell phone to ring to hear he was in his truck heading home.
The call came and it sounded like a college kid off to Spring Break. He made it home from O’Hare airport to where we live just short of the Wisconsin border in 37 minutes; I’m sure a new record. When he arrived in the driveway we hugged so hard it was as though we couldn’t let go. When we were walking into the house, all of our neighbors began singing God Bless America.
The Mighty Beast had been awakened . . .
Americans have been living the good life for so long they have forgotten how it came to be that they have that luxury. I believe that our Country, just like a child yearning for discipline, was thirsty for a cause greater than the status quo of me, myself and I. The good folks are shining through, banding together, flying their flags, cherishing their family, friends and the simple things in life in a way they may have forgotten before that now infamous Tuesday.
Rise to the challenge. Remember what happened on Tuesday, September 11, 2001. We have a history of forgetting way too quickly. Remember why this Country is the one others flock to be free. Remember why we had the luxury of not having to think our way of life was in jeopardy until that Tuesday. Make note of those who don’t “get it” and instead are inconvenienced or perplexed while the rest of us show dire concern – they may not be those we can count on moving forward. They are not up to a challenge that is for the greater whole if an event like this does not prevent them from thinking only of themselves.
True and good Americans are strong and the fiber and character of those who understand these concepts will be apparent. Remember those who lost their lives and those who without thinking of themselves have become our heroes at ground zero and in the air over Philadelphia. For they are the ones who firmly by example have paid the price to get this great Country back on track – we can’t let them down by forgetting their sacrifices.
The Mighty Beast had been awakened . . . God Bless America!
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