9/11 Remembered, 10 Years Later

There are millions of stories of how that fateful day, 9/11/01 impacted lives, some directly, some indirectly.....this is mine.

Before 9/11/01, this is how we remember the New York skylight.

 It was 11 September 2001 and I had just gotten up and was getting my daily news brief as I was packing my bags to head out of town to visit my father.  By the time I had turned the news on all the stations were just starting to report that a plane had hit World Trade Center Tower 1.  I did not have a good feeling about this from the beginning, and I remember telling myself that this was no accident.  I called my father to tell him what had occurred and to turn on the news.  I told him that I had finished packing and would be leaving shortly and we talked about what we would have for dinner that night but decided to figure it out later.  I hung up the phone and as I was putting my boots on the second plane impacted World Trade Center Tower 2.

At 0903 United Airlines Flight 175 impacts Tower 2

This is one of the most dramatic images of the second impact.

I called my dad back and told him that I would probably be called into work and would not be able to make it to see him, and within 30 seconds of this call with my dad I was called into work.  This was the start of many long days, increased checkpoint activity, counseling fellow workers and the one thing that really struck home………seeing  two F-16’s outfitted with missiles in a low flight pattern fly directly over me.  This resulting in these planes circling the capitol of the state I lived in, from my location I was on the outskirts of the pilots patrol area and could clearly see directly above me each time they circled around, this continued for several hours with the constant rumble of the fighter engines.

Some of thing things I observed on t.v. were the people in the windows waiting for help that could not come.

One of the most disturbing things I will remember however is not the fall of the buildings, but seeing people jump from the towers.  To actually see a person fall instead of a building solidified the human toll.  Having the choice of a slow death by fire, many decided to jump.

Two people decided to jump together.

This was a brother, a son, a husband or a father.

Many of these images not only brought feelings of hurt, but also rage toward the ones that carried out this attack.  Then what we were afraid would happen, did. We then watched the second tower fall which engulfed the city in a cloud from the disintegrated building remains, only seconds before one of the tallest buildings in the world.

This is a satellite image of the debris cloud that could be viewed from space.

Many more stories came out after this occurred, some of the most troubling were from the first responders that were in the 1st floor and were able to get out.  One interview I seen detailed one firefighters account of hearing something outside the window, as he turned to see what this was it was not debris, but it was the people that had jumped, impacting the ground.  He described this by saying that when they hit, they just exploded, I will never forget this.  I could not imagine actually being there and seeing this first hand.  We watched and hoped more people would be found alive as the days passed, but the flag draped bodies were brought up and there was no happy ending for the people in the building on this day, in this life.
This of course resulted in a war in the middle east, many soldiers have died since.  I wear a black memorial bracelet with the name Cpl. Kevin William Prince, he died in Iraq from an IED.  I put this on every day, this reminds me of the soldiers that died, and based on why he was there, this reminds me of 9/11.  I am happy to explain this to people when they ask, "What is that black bracelet for?".  Hollywood is also a constant reminder of 9/11, the Twin Towers was a popular backdrop to so many movies, this is another reminder that comes up when we least expect it.  One minute you are watching an old movie, and the next you think to yourself "wow, there they are" and I find myself pointing this out to my wife, or telling my children about what happened.  We need to tell the next generation, this is history, and we can't ever let this fade.
So, for all of those that went to work on the morning of 9/11/01 in New York and the Pentagon and found there place in eternity, we remember you today.  The the victims of Flight 93 that went down in Pennsylvania, we remember you.  For all the family left behind, our prayers for strength to make it through today is with you.  For all of the soldiers that have fallen because you fought when we as a nation were hit, we remember you.  For all the ones that still stand ready, Military, Law Enforcement, Fire, EMS, and the countless other first responders that would proudly enter a "hell on earth" to try to save others, we remember you today as well.  Your life has been impacted, and you are ready for the call.

Provers 27:1 "Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring."

I hope you enjoyed my views and information about 9/11, was able to reflect, and maybe even learn something.  I guess this is the "More" part of the "Guns, Gear, and More" blog, I felt it fitting to add this to my site.  It is important to remember that not all Muslims are murders, but I would debate the "peacefulness" of the religion.  I would offer three of over 100 examples from the "holy quran":
Quran (2:216) - "Fighting is prescribed for you, and ye dislike it. But it is possible that ye dislike a thing which is good for you, and that ye love a thing which is bad for you. But Allah knoweth, and ye know not."  Not only does this verse establish that violence can be virtuous, but it also contradicts the myth that fighting is intended only in self-defense, since the audience was obviously not under attack at the time.
Quran (3:151) - "Soon shall We cast terror into the hearts of the Unbelievers, for that they joined companions with Allah, for which He had sent no authority".  This speaks directly of polytheists, yet it also includes Christians, since they believe in the Trinity (ie. what Muhammad incorrectly believed to be 'joining companions to Allah').
Quran (8:12) - "I will cast terror into the hearts of those who disbelieve. Therefore strike off their heads and strike off every fingertip of them"

I have a simple answer that can be summed up with my last picture:

Hope you enjoyed the post today, long live America, God bless you all, and stay safe out there.
Jack.