Remembrance

September 11, 2001.

It is a day that we will remember for a very long time, just as we, along with our parents and grandparents, remember December 7, 1941.

It is a day when each one of us felt a personal attack by a foreign country that jeopardized our freedom and most of all our security.  The loss of lives is beyond comprehension.  How anyone can purposely attack another nation and destroy lives without any regret or remorse is beyond our imaginations.  As a nation who promotes peace and strives for freedom for all, we are not accustomed to this kind of life.  We can't imagine anyone who is so filled with hate and jealousy, yes it has to be jealousy, for them to hate us as they do.  They are the lowest form of life on this earth and one day they will know the evil of their ways.

I remember September 11 and the horrors that unfolded before my eyes.  First it was disbelief, that it was a horrible accident and then as time moved on, very slowly, it seemed, the realization that it was intentional came into focus and my eyes were seeing but the mind was not believing that anything this horrible could be happening.

My husband and I had a poultry farm in southwest Arkansas and he had gone to get things ready so we could do the early morning egg pickup.  I was watching the Today show on TV when they broke away with a news flash that a plane had crashed into the World Trade Center.  As Matt Lauer continued talking and they were getting the information, the helicopter filming the place where the first plane hit, saw the second plane coming in and it was unreal, as if we were watching a movie, but it was real as I sat there along with the commentators on the Today show and the surprise and shock I experienced was reflected in their disbelief and words as they said, "A plane has just hit the World Trade Center and now another has hit the second tower."  Speculation began as they continued to try to get the facts.

My husband came in and I immediately told him, "I don't know what is going on, but two planes have crashed into the World Trade Center towers in New York."  He came in and stood there watching as I sat in my chair watching and listening as we heard the fateful words that the planes had been hijacked and flown into the towers.

We looked at each other and couldn't believe what we had heard but then they showed it again and again and it soon sunk in.  We had been attacked.  People had been killed on those planes from the hijackers, people were dying in the towers as the flames engulfed the upper floors.

The reports kept coming in and then a second report of a third plane that had hit the Pentagon.  Pictures were shown where it had hit and reporters were trying to find out how much damage and how many fatalities.

Just when we thought it couldn't be worse, the report came over our TV about another plane that had been destined for the White House but was in Pennsylvania and had gone down.  We later learned that several brave men aboard the plane had overtaken the terrorists and those at the control of the plane and it had crashed.  They were heroes in the giving up their lives so that they could do no more damage.  God was with each and every one on that plane as it went down and the sorrow of knowing they had given so much so that others would be safe is over whelming even to this day.  They knew they were doomed and selfishly gave up their lives for the safety of others.

We did our chores and returned to our TV to witness another horror as the towers began to fall.  When we thought we had seen it all, we never dreamed that it would destroy the buildings and take more lives, those who were there to help and to save lives.  Our brave firemen and police, clergy, paramedics and volunteers as well as those who were trapped inside all lost their lives that day.

For days, the images filled our television screens as the reports continued to come in.  Who the terrorist were and where they were from and the lists kept growing from those who had lost their lives due to this attack on us.

It has been nine years since that attack and I can still see the image in my mind.  I don't need to go look at the photos taken during and later, as they have been etched there and will always be there.  My tears fall and my heart aches just as they did on that fateful day when so many innocent lives were lost.

Perhaps the impact of this attack which was violent in its own, but being broadcast to millions through their televisions as well as the actual spectators who were there and could see it happening right before them is the reason it is so poignant and can be remembered.

I wasn't born when Japan attacked us in 1941 but I can remember listening to my mother, father and grandparents, aunts and uncles who were old enough and listened to the fateful broadcast on the radio that Sunday.  Again, it was one of disbelief.  With no visible pictures, they could only imagine in their minds as the radio reports came over the wires with descriptions of what happened at Pearl Harbor.  It was a "Day of Infamy" until September 11, 2001 when we had another "Day of Infamy."

Until our government realizes that we do have enemies and that we can not tread lightly, we will have more attacks.  We have sent our men and women in uniform to fight these terrorists but our Congress drug their feet in giving them the materials and equipment that they needed.  During World War II, when this country rose up against Japan, we had everything we needed for our fighting men and women to go into battle.  Most of all, we had the full support of our government as well as the people.

The people rallied around after September 11 as well but it was different.  We didn't have to build ships or planes to fight our enemy but we should have made sure our military did have what they needed when they went into battle.    They should have had the support of all Americans and those who opposed the war should be tried for treason against their country.

A sense of patriotism swept the nation immediately following the attack but it soon died down and the flags came down and people didn't talk about what happened, but what was going on in Iraq and why were we there if we weren't doing any good.    They couldn't see that our military was fighting every day to rid the area of the evil war mongers who ran for cover and were being protected by those who sympathized with them.  Our hands were tied until they came out into the open and then restrictions were placed on them.  Where was our support?

We all remember every September 11th and we honor those who lost their lives but until the evil is destroyed, it can happen again.  When we remember this date, we should also remember that we have to fight to keep this freedom and peace we have strived for.  If we don't, then all the lives lost on this date were in vain.  We cannot let the enemy win.

So we will remember but we should also learn and be prepared so that no enemy will ever be able to attack us again.   God Bless America and God Bless her people.