nmah6730.xml

nmah6730.xml

born-digital

story

yes

no

2004-09-11

I was sitting at my computer doing routine early-in-the-day work as a weather forecaster for WOON, a small AM radio station in Woonsocket, Rhode Island. In the background I was listening to a regular 8-9 a.m. local panel show broadcast by our station. Just as the show was coming to its finish the panel moderator said that a troublesome news flash had just come over the wires to the effect that a plane of some sort had hit the World Trade Center in New York. I interrupted my computer work and went out and turned on the news on cable TV. For the rest of the morning I sat kind of hypnotized as each event unfolded on the TV screen. First the second plane hitting the second WTC tower. Then word from Washington that a plane had crashed into the Pentagon. Then reports of a plane having crashed in Pennsylvania. Then each WTC tower falling to the ground. In my heart, for reasons I cannot explain, I has an intense feeling that this was Saddam Hussein seeking revenge for his Kuwait defeat in 1991. I have never abandoned that feeling. I phoned my wife who was at work at the Providence Journal and told her to get to a TV, but she said people in the Journal office were already watching events unfolding. I started to cry on the phone and I said to her, "This is Saddam Hussein. I know it is Saddam Hussein". Many will say I was wrong, that Osama Bin Laden alone was the villain. I cannot shake my initial feeling that morning. I will always believe it was Saddam Hussein and that he planned, collaborated with Al Quaida or whoever he could muster, to carry out what happened that day.

On the morning of 9/11 feelings were mixed going from rage to being unable to help people in peril to intense pride at the stories of heroism that began to be told. I remember taking a drive throughout my neighboring towns to see people everywhere showing support with lighted candles, flags, flowers and symbols of religious faith. It brought back memories of when I was in grade school and people worked in solidarity during the days of World War II. It made me realize that 9/11 had unified us and started a long journey which could not end until terrorists are brought to their just end, no matter how long that takes. My life, my attitude toward everyone and everything has been changed by 9/11. I once had some sympathy for certain groups in the Middle East but once I saw them celebrating what had happened on 9/11 I changed forever. I do not care what their political agendas are. They have no right to commit acts of terror for whatever the reason. I am a sworn enemy of any terrorist. I wish I were not 70 years old and could go back 40 years and take an active part in the fight. Since I can't go back I will just have to watch out and be vigilant and God help the terrorist who crosses my path.

The great lesson to be learned is that this is a cowardly enemy who fights for no particular government but only for an attempt to stop progress. The terrorists are themselves terrified by the unstoppable flow of information brought about by modern technology. They know that there devilish and outmoded ways are being swept away by the march of time itself. While in such terror, they will seek to inflict more death and destruction upon those who do not conform to their beliefs. Since they are many it will take a long time to being about their demise. Therefore great patience is the first lesson to be learned in continuing the fight against these enemies. Very often I think of the folks who died on 9/11, ordinary folks who were just starting what they thought would be an ordinary day. Very often I think of ordinary folks who that day were called upon to do inestimable acts of heroism and did such acts without a moment of hesitation. Very often I think of TOdd Beamer and his fellow passengers who somehow overpowered the devils on that plane and thus prevented it from crashing into another place where great death and destruction would have occurred. Very often I think of what level of courage it must have taken for all those folks that morning. I am ashamed to think how my own level of courage might pale in comparison to theirs. And so I do only what I can and that is to very often say a quick and silent prayer for all those folks and to try to reach up to heaven and tell them how thankful I am that they did what they did and so renewed our faith in what good people can do and in the way they made me proud to be American. God bless them, God bless you, dear reader, and God bless America.

I have flown the flag on my vehicle since 9/11. I always cherished the flag from childhood. Even at the age of 70 I still will reach down to pick up any flag, no matter how small it is. So 9/11 only intensified my feelings of reverence toward Old Glory. I recall being in the Air Force many years ago and how I felt pride when retreat was sounded each afternoon. If you were outside on the base at the time you were required to face the base flag and render a salute. It was always a special moment for me. It has never changed. The events of 9/11 make the flag even more vital to me. May all those who serve under the flag in the lengthy war on terrorism be protected from Above.