nmah175.xml

nmah175.xml

born-digital

story

yes

no

2002-08-19

I'll never forget that morning. I was sipping a cup of coffee while talking on the phone with our county forrester about some problems we were having with pine bark beetles killing our beautiful, mature pine trees. I was tuned to Fox News Channel on the cable, as I do every morning. The first plane had already hit by the time I turned on the TV, but at the time no one realized it was due to terrorists. Suddenly, I saw the second plane heading directly for the second tower. I said into the phone, "Oh my God, there's a SECOND plane that's going to hit!" It was almost as though I couldn't even believe my own words as they came out of my mouth. I knew immediately that we were under attack. I couldn't take my eyes off the TV for the next several days. And every time I'd see a firefighter or policeman, I'd cry--for them, and for our country.

I've always been a patriotic citizen. I cry every time I hear the Star Spangled Banner played or sung, and I always display our flag on special occasions. But when this happened, it felt as though my heart had swelled to twice its normal size with pride in the way this country pulled together. And I'm angry, too. Angry with those who would tear this country apart by trying to convince the rest of us that this chaos was somehow caused by our own hands. I sometimes want to shake these people to wake them up to reality. This isn't some game we've been drawn into. This is all-out war, and for people to demonstrate and blame this country is an outrage. I'd like to send them all on a one-way trip to Afghanastan to see if they'd be allowed to voice such strong anti-government sentiments over there!

I'd like to remember how, for just a few moments anyway, this country came together as one, to fight against a common enemy. No longer were we something-dash Americans, we were all just simply Americans. And we were hurt in the worst way simply for our love of freedom. We all need to be reminded of the sacrifices some are willing to make so the rest of us can have the right to demonstrate and criticize in almost any manner we choose. The firefighters, police and port authority personnel who went into Hell to save innocent lives, probably knowing they'd never come out but went in anyway, must not ever be forgotten for their heroism. And our military personnel who still to this day try to route out the murderers must also have the comfort to know that their country stands behind their efforts each and every moment of each and every day. God bless them, and god bless America!!!

I have always gotten angry at those who would purposely destroy, burn, stomp on, or spit on the American flag. My father almost lost his life during World War II, and others weren't so lucky as to come home, just so people the likes of Jane Fonda and other non-patriotic radicals can exercise their First Ammendment rights under the guise of free speech. If she had lived under the Taliban's rule, Ms. Fonda would've been stoned to death for her beliefs simply because she's a woman. I wonder if she and her ilk ever think about that? It's not really all that bad here in the United States as some of them try to make you believe.