Why. Why do I look at the images. Why do I cry. Why do I do this to myself? I know the Red Cross says to take it easy. I know it is sensory overload. So why do I do this to myself... and to this I respond...To remember. To not forget. To steel my resolve in the coming years ahead. My life and my daughter's life has changed forever. Sure, I am a goofy American. Sure I have made fun of my fellow goofy Americans. But that was only because I am free to do this. My county has always prided itself in freedom of speech and a whole bunch of other rights. I know this from seeing pictures of that old written piece of paper in the Smithsonian museum in DC. I always figured I would go see it "sometime". That sometime will not come soon enough. I want the real thing. No more paper images in magazines and books. I am going to reclaim my heritage. No longer am I an Italian American. Today...today I am American. Today I will remember what that means.
My Grandparents were involved with World War II. It's been, what? 50+ years since Hitler? I read somewhere that we have forgotten how to fight. That we are soft and unwilling to to go the full mile. I guess some people figure we will forget about our murdered citizens and go back to eating Big Macs and french fries. Yes, we will eat our burgers and drink our cokes. But you have to admit, the dinner conversation no longer centers around the current fashions and fads. Now conversations center around retributions and justice. Soft? Yes. Stumbling in the dark? Of course. But then again. I always thought that was what Boot Camps were there for. To turn the fat to steel.
Now we have to choose our new path. Now we have to learn the rules to the game. We have to feel our way in a very dark world. Luckily there are some shining points of lights. Australia. Canada. England. Thank you. France. Sweden. Italy. Thank you. How do I say thank you to all those lights? How do I show appreciation? It's not possible to really show all the gratitude... I think we should gather all these points of lights and turn them into a bonfire. Take that raging fire and destroy the shadows where these parasites of humanity live. Light the way so other children will not have to live in fear.
Have you thanked a fireman or policeman today?
I got this in an email. Interesting and invigorating
By now everyone has been hearing the death toll rise
and reports of the destruction from the terrorist
attacks on the US. These were deplorable acts that we
will never forget. But now is a time to look at the
other side of the numbers coming out of New York,
Washington and Pennsylvania. The sad but somewhat
uplifting side that the mainstream media has not
reported yet -- the SURVIVAL rates and some positive
news about the attacks.
*** The Buildings ***
* The World Trade Center -
The twin towers of the World Trade Center were places
of employment for some 50,000 people. With the missing
list of just over 5,000 people, that means 90% of the
people targeted survived the attack.
A 90% on a test is an 'A.'
* The Pentagon -
Some 23,000 people were the target of a third plane
aimed at the Pentagon. The latest count shows that
only 123 lost their lives. That is an amazing 99.5%
survival rate. In addition, the plane seems to have
come in too low, too early to affect a large portion
of the building. On top of that, the section that was
hit was the first of five sections to undergo
renovations that would help protect the Pentagon from
terrorist attacks. It had recently completed
straightening and blastproofing, saving untold lives.
This attack was sad, but a statistical failure.
*** The Planes ***
* American Airlines Flight 77
This Boeing 757 that was flown into the outside of the
Pentagon could have carried up to 289 people, yet only
64 were aboard. Luckily 78% of the seats were empty.
* American Airlines Flight 11
This Boeing 767 could have had up to 351 people
aboard, but only carried 92. Thankfully 74% of the
seats were unfilled.
* United Airlines Flight 175
Another Boeing 767, that could have seated 351 people,
had only 65 people on board. Fortunately it was 81%
empty.
* United Airlines Flight 93
This Boeing 757 was one of the most uplifting stories
yet. The smallest flight to be hijacked, with only 45
people aboard out of a possible 289, had 84% of its
capacity unused. Yet these people stood up to the
attackers and thwarted a fourth attempted destruction
of a national landmark, saving untold numbers of lives
in the process.
*** In Summary ***
Out of potentially 74,280 Americans directly targeted
by these inept cowards, 93% survived or avoided the
attacks. That's a higher survival rate than heart
attacks, breast cancer, kidney transplants and liver
transplants -- all common, survivable illnesses.
The Hijacked planes were mostly empty, the Pentagon
was hit at its strongest point, the overwhelming
majority of people in the World Trade Center buildings
escaped, and a handful of passengers gave the ultimate
sacrifice to save even more lives.
Don't fear these terrorists. The odds are against
them. United we stand........
And just to show that we Americans have not lost our sense of humor...
A message to Osama...Click here
In an LA Times editorial letter (9/19/2001), Shelley Bookspan wrote:
"Forget threatening to bomb Afghanistan and the Taliban if they fail to turn over Bin Laden to us. Instead, let's threaten to gather up all of their women and send them to college. In fact, why don't we do that anyway?"
Yet another message...Click here
Yup. Another one...Click here
QUOTE FROM THE PRESIDENT: When asked what is taking so long.
"When I take action I'm not going to fire a $2 million missile at a $10 empty tent and hit a camel in the butt."
-President of the United States, George W. Bush (No, it's not an urban legend)
I love this one...Click here
"Last night the Taliban offered to release eight Westerners if the U.S. promised not to attack. The State Department declined but thanked the Taliban for the offer, saying it really felt good to laugh again."
—Tina Fey on Saturday Night Live's "Weekend Update"
An Open Letter...((Quite frankly, this letter kicks ASS!))
Well, you hit the World Trade Center, but you missed America. You hit the
Pentagon, but you missed America. You used helpless American bodies, to
take out other American bodies, but like a poor marksman, you STILL missed
America. Why? Because of something you guys will never understand.
America isn't about a building or two, not about financial centers, not
about military centers, America isn't about a place; America isn't even
about a bunch of bodies. America is about an IDEA. An idea that you can go
someplace where you can earn as much as you can figure out how to, live for
the most part like you envisioned living, and pursue Happiness. There are
no guarantees that you'll reach it, but you can try!
Go ahead and whine your terrorist whine, and chant your terrorist litany:
"If you can not see my point, then feel my pain."
This concept is alien to Americans. We live in a country where we don't
have to see your point. But you're free to have one. We don't have to
listen to your speech. But you're free to say one. Don't know where you got
the strange idea that everyone has to agree with you. We don't agree with
each other in this country, almost as a matter of pride. We're a collection
of guys that don't agree, called States. We united our individual states to
protect ourselves from tyranny in the world. Another idea, we made up on
the spot. You CAN make it up as you go, when it's your country, if you're
free.
Yeah, we're fat, sloppy, easy-going goofs most of the time. That's an
unfortunate image to project to the world, but it comes of feeling free and
easy about the world you live in. It's unfortunate too, because people
start to forget that when you attack Americans, they tend to fight like a
cornered badger. The first we knew of the War of 1812, was when England
burned Washington D.C. to the ground. Didn't turn out like England thought
it was going to and it's not going to turn out like you think, either.
Sorry, but you're not the first bully on our shores, just the most recent.
No Marquis of Queensbury rules for Americans, either. We were the FIRST and
so far, only country in the world to use nuclear weapons in anger. Horrific
idea, nowadays isn't it? News for you bucko, it was back then too, but we
used it anyway. Only had two of them in the whole world and we used both.
Grandpa worked on the Manhattan Project. Told me once, that right up until
they threw the switch, the physicists were still arguing over whether the
Uranium alone would fission, or whether it would start
a fissioning chain reaction that would eat everything. But they threw that
switch anyway, because we had a War to win. Does that tell you something
about American Resolve?
So who just declared War on America? It would be nice to point to some real
estate, like the good old days. Unfortunately, we're probably at war with
random camps, in far-flung places. Who think they're safe. Just like the
Barbary Pirates. Better start sleeping with one eye open. There's a spirit
that tends to take over people who come to this country, looking for
opportunity, liberty, and freedom, even if they misuse it. You seem to be
incapable of understanding that we don't live in America; America lives in
US! The American Spirit is what it's called and killing a few thousand of
us, or a few million of us, won't change it. Most of the time, it's a
pretty happy-go-lucky kind of Spirit. Until we're crossed in a cowardly
manner, then it becomes an entirely different kind of Spirit. Wait until
you see what we do with that Spirit, this time. Sleep tight, if you can. We're
coming.
Charles Brennan (This kid is only 18. Makes me damn proud...)
National Anthem
First Verse
Oh, say, can you see, by the dawn's early light,
What so proudly we hail'd at the twilight's last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars, thro' the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watch'd, were so gallantly streaming?
And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air
Gave proof thro' the night that our flag was still there.
Oh, say, does that Star-Spangled Banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?
Second Verse
On the shore, dimly seen thro' the mists of the deep,
Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows half conceals, half discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam,
In full glory reflected now shines in the stream;
'Tis the Star-Spangled Banner, O long may it wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.
Third Verse
And where is that band who so vauntingly swore
That the havoc of war and the battle's confusion
A home and a country should leave us no more?
Their blood has wiped out their foul footstep's pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave:
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.
Fourth Verse
Oh, thus be it ever when free men shall stand
Between their loved homes and the war's desolation!
Blest with vict'ry and peace, may the heav'n rescued land
Praise the Pow'r that hath made and preserved us a nation!
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto, "In God is our trust"
And the Star-Spangled Banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!
