Author Topic: Thoughts on 911 and America  (Read 5902 times)

Offline Mikekoz13

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Thoughts on 911 and America
« on: September 12, 2011, 11:25:58 AM »
I'll state right up front that this will be a Pro-American thread, so if that offends you stop right here. There will probably be some mention of God so if that offends you, stop right here. This thread is not meant to be a political diatribe of any kind so before you post that nonsense in my thread just move along. If you feel the need to criticize this thread, I respectfully ask you to do it directly to me in PM form.

Now ...on with the thread..........

Yesterday was a difficult day for most Americans. In our home, we talked to our kids about what the day meant to us as their parents and as Americans. We explained that our parents dealt with Pearl Harbor and that my generation was dealing with 911. Thru tears brought on by remembering that horrible day ten years ago, we talked candidly to our kids and answered all questions the best we could.
The NFL games and the simultaneous commemorations that took place yesterday were moving and powerful. You can't believe how quiet two 51 year old men and a 14 year old boy can be when watching something so moving has grasped their hearts. We all swelled with Pride as the chants of "USA!" roared thru stadiums all over the country, all day long.

Last night, my wife and I watched a POWERFUL documentary called "102 Minutes that Changed America". It was simply a compliation of videos, both amatuer and professional that were done by regular people on the morning of 911. There was no narrator.... only the videos and an occasional text screen showing a timeline. You heard emergency responders and people trapped in the towers on cells and other communication devices. As I was listening to them, I knew that nearly everyone of them, if not all, would perish minutes later.
This was a sad,emotional documentary to watch. The thing that struck me most about the videos in the documentary were that as the people of New York were shown, there was such an obviously wide range of Americans from every ethnic background. All were scared, all were sad, many were praying, and all were  helping other Americans regardless of race, ethnic background, or standing in life.

Finally.... the commemorations at the crash sites. I saw bits of each and each one was extremely powerful. I recently visited Shanksville, Pa. where the plane went down in the field as brave Americans fought with the terrorists for control of the plane. This was an incredible experience for me and my wife. As I stated in a previous thread..... I will NOT try to explain my emotions that day because I could do the place no justice.
I believe that EVERY American should visit one of the crash sites. While there, every one of us should Pray for the Families of those that were taken Home on that day. While there, each of us should look at our own lives hard and ask ourselves, "Am I a good American?". While there, each of us should reflect on what is good in life, important in life, and if we have kept those things in the fore front of our own lives. While there, each of us should remember what made America the great country that it has been.... and each of us should make the small changes to get America back to what we know it really is.
I will be taking my children to Shanksville next year so that they can know, so they can feel, and so that they can have ingrained into them even further what it takes to be a REAL American.

God Bless America!!!
« Last Edit: September 12, 2011, 01:04:48 PM by Mikekoz13 »


"What contemptible scoundrel stole the cork from my lunch?" W.C. Fields

Offline tomgallagher

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Re: Thoughts on 911 and America
« Reply #1 on: September 12, 2011, 11:34:19 AM »
What still amazes me is the number, over 1000, of all nationalities that are still missing and unaccounted for even after 10 years. I was in Lower Manhattan in August and stopped by the site and said a little prayer. It still breaks my heart.

Offline Chavster

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Re: Thoughts on 911 and America
« Reply #2 on: September 12, 2011, 11:46:23 AM »
Why would anyone criticize that?? :o

I'm not in to the God thing (not in respect of 9/11, but in general. I dont have a religious bone in my body), but that doesnt mean you shouldnt be, and anyone criticizing you for having your beliefs or faith would be a little dim, IMO.

Can I make one teensy weensy comment though?

When you say:

I believe that EVERY American should visit one of the crash sites you're obviously speaking as an American, which is logical, because thats what you are. And the four attacks took place on American soil, so I can completely understand where you're coming from. However, from an international perspective, I have to say that I think your statement should be a little wider. I think everyone should visit a crash site. Obviously, not everyone can. Not everyone can afford a transatlantic or transpacific flight (etc), but the 9/11 attacks might well have taken place on American soil and they might well have been an attack on (mostly) Americans, but this was a global event, and it was an atrocity on the world.

I think there's still quite a big percentage of the American population that sees this purely as an attack on America. Again, an understandable viewpoint given the location of the attacks and the (aforementioned) patriotic thing America has going, but an inaccurate one, because the attacks were actually attacks against the world.

Most of us werent in America that day, but no matter where we were, we shared every single moment, because this was a global tragedy, and not only an American tragedy.

So please dont take this as a criticism, because it isnt one. But do try to remember that the world is a very big place, but on 9/11, and on most days since then, its been much smaller and also much scarier, and we're all in it together.

I should also mention the 7/7 attacks on London, and the other attacks that have taken place around the world. Smaller attacks, but attacks fuelled by the same fire, so as I said, we're all in this together, and thats why I think your comment should be a little wider than it was. I have visited ground zero and was humbled, and there were many other nationalities there visiting it at the same time. We all felt the pain of the attacks, although obviously (those who lost friends/family etc) felt it more deeply, but nonetheless, this was a global situation, rather than only an American one.

Apart from that, great post  :@`


Offline Razor X

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Re: Thoughts on 911 and America
« Reply #3 on: September 12, 2011, 12:29:46 PM »
Excellent post, Mike.  Well said. 

Offline Chavster

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Re: Thoughts on 911 and America
« Reply #4 on: September 12, 2011, 12:31:09 PM »
OMG, he smiles!

Offline Mikekoz13

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Re: Thoughts on 911 and America
« Reply #5 on: September 12, 2011, 01:03:46 PM »
That's a great thought that EVERYONE should visit one of the crash sites and anyone that visits the US should if they want to. I just don't think that it would have the same impact for those from other lands. Just my opinion and I could very well be wrong (because the emotions stirred by severe human tragedy and loss of life has no boundaries obviously).

"What contemptible scoundrel stole the cork from my lunch?" W.C. Fields

Offline Chavster

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Re: Thoughts on 911 and America
« Reply #6 on: September 12, 2011, 01:18:40 PM »
I think it would have the same level of impact, but possibly for different reasons. I dont think any two people (Americans included) were touched in the exact same way. Nonetheless, I think these are places people should see (if they feel compelled to, obviously).

NYC is the obvious place for people to visit from overseas. Washington doesnt get too many international tourists, and Shanksville PA is somewhere nobody (apart from a few) had ever heard of before. So NYC would be the place most people would go, and I think the memorial they've built/are building there is fabulous. Those two waterfall things are amazing.

Anyway, just my thoughts :)

Speaking purely for myself, I'd like to see Shanksville very much. I dont feel too compelled to see the Pentagon, but Shanksville, definitely.

Offline D.A.L.U.I.

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Re: Thoughts on 911 and America
« Reply #7 on: September 12, 2011, 01:25:51 PM »
The world, not just we in America, was seriously offended by the WTC attacks, not only by the cost in human terms but the fact that so many nationals from so many countries were also victims.  Then you add the London Underground, the Mumbai attacks--it brings home how small the world has become and how vulnerable our lives have become.  I think, no I believe strongly, that at the end of the day the terrorists will be defeated and soundly so.  A few days ago one commentator pointed out that the new democracy movements sweeping Eygpt, and Northern Africa to Syria have rendered Al Quaida obsolete--what is universal in the human condition is to live free of unnecessary constraints and that's what democracy can provide.  Al Quaida isn't about democracy, it's a 19th century fanatic's view, a defective view, of what the world should be and that view is dying by the day.  Every day that Ayman al-Zawahiri, awakes is a day that could be his last, every night could be his last--he is the walking dead.  

Offline Chavster

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Re: Thoughts on 911 and America
« Reply #8 on: September 12, 2011, 02:18:29 PM »
at the end of the day the terrorists will be defeated and soundly so

I disagree, but only because once something has been invented, it cant be uninvented. I think the struggle will go on forever, and there will never be a winner or a loser. Its going to go through ups and downs, quiet times and times of pure terror, but I dont think the terrorists will be defeated. To do that, we'd have to defeat terrorism itself, and whether terrorism manifests itself in a 9/11 way, or by a man/woman being raped in Sudan, or by a kid being bullied at school in Popcornville Iowa, terrorism is here to stay, and as long as its here, there will always be a nutcase who wants to take it to an extreme.

The most recent horrifying event - the shootings in Norway a few weeks ago - show that no matter how hard we fight, there will always be someone new raising their ugly head to 'teach us all a lesson'. And even though the Norwegian police have that guy firmly in custody, you can be absolutely sure that somewhere in the world, there's someone admiring him, and someone wanting to emulate him, and someone wanting to carry on his 'good work'.

I admire your post though, as always, and I'd like to think you're right and I'm wrong

Offline D.A.L.U.I.

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Re: Thoughts on 911 and America
« Reply #9 on: September 12, 2011, 02:31:28 PM »
I was only speaking to terrorism as utilized by Al Quaida--and that is a very moving target admittedly.  Terrorism, like war is a symptom of the failure of politics, many times an inevitable failure.  But Al Quaida is dying--it's basis is too limited in an extreme interpretation of an extreme view within a religious sect.  There is little room for it to grow--but the rage that exists within that area of the world isn't religious at its root, it is economic, too many people chasing too few goods and too little economic opportunity.

Offline Chavster

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Re: Thoughts on 911 and America
« Reply #10 on: September 12, 2011, 02:42:16 PM »
I was only speaking to terrorism as utilized by Al Quaida

I know :)

The thing to remember is that Al Qaeeda (as we call it) is an ideology, and not a fixed organization. Shutting Al Qaeeda down would be like (for example) saying 'Im going to make Walmart go out of business'. Walmart is a massively powerful entity, but its not immortal, because it is a singular conglomerate with a central point of focus. Al Qaeeda, on the other hand, is a belief. Its almost like a religion, and its followed by all different types and groups of people, all over the world (including right here in the UK, and right there in the US). Because there isnt a physical bond between those groups, I dont think it can ever be defeated.

But as I said, I pray (even though I'm not religious :D) that you're right and I'm talking out of my backside.

Offline TheSlyBear

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Re: Thoughts on 911 and America
« Reply #11 on: September 12, 2011, 04:53:30 PM »
Well put, Mike.

Watching yesterday's coverage moved me and partner to tears often. But it's important to remember that day, to remember the victims -- which in many ways includes all citizens of the US and the world -- , to remember the heroes who gave their lives or put themselves in peril.

I look forward to the day when I can visit NYC, and the other crash sites if possible.

Offline xnewyawka

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Re: Thoughts on 911 and America
« Reply #12 on: September 21, 2011, 01:16:34 PM »
I'm late on this, but excellent post Mike. I share your feelings when you say Americans should visit at least one of the sites. I myself have not been able to get back to NYC, but I'm sure when I do it's going to be very emotional, and very stirring for me.
I did have to work that day, but at the checkpoint that morning we all said the Pledge of Allegiance, and at 5:46 mountain time, we had a moment of silence. It was a very reflective minute for me, and I definitely felt a lot of strong feelings come back as my eyes watered up. I also felt a lot of strength and appreciation for this great country we live in. It was great to see pride and warmth in people that day, and I wish it would carry on.  O0

Offline Chavster

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Re: Thoughts on 911 and America
« Reply #13 on: September 21, 2011, 01:21:42 PM »
I'm late on this, but excellent post Mike. I share your feelings when you say Americans should visit at least one of the sites. I myself have not been able to get back to NYC, but I'm sure when I do it's going to be very emotional, and very stirring for me.
I did have to work that day, but at the checkpoint that morning we all said the Pledge of Allegiance, and at 5:46 mountain time, we had a moment of silence. It was a very reflective minute for me, and I definitely felt a lot of strong feelings come back as my eyes watered up. I also felt a lot of strength and appreciation for this great country we live in. It was great to see pride and warmth in people that day, and I wish it would carry on.  O0

Well said :)

Im afraid I'm still a fan of widening that 'Americans should visit the site' to 'everyone should visit the site' sentiment, because this was a global tragedy, not an American tragedy, in spite of it happening on US soil, but nice post :) I love the patriotism you all show.

Offline xnewyawka

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Re: Thoughts on 911 and America
« Reply #14 on: September 21, 2011, 02:00:11 PM »
Thanks GSG, I really do believe people of all nations should visit the sites, just as I would like to visit important sites in other countries. I just feel that Americans living here, and those who have chosen to live here, should definitely get around to seeing these sites.

 



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