9/11

Random Thoughts on Paper

By Crystal Laramore

9/11


September 11th, 2007. It’s Tuesday again. Just like when Elvis died and JFK was shot, when Princess Diana was in a car crash, when the space shuttle challenger exploded, you remember where you were on Tuesday, September 11th, 2001, don’t you?

If you had loved ones in danger as did I, you were no doubt riveted to the television and only accepting pertinent phone calls. Maybe you missed work. And, even if you did go to work, how much did you actually get accomplished that day?

My Colonel/Uncle Bill was assigned to and inside the Cheyenne Mountain Operations Center that day and my Aunt Cheryl (they simply will not tell me what they do or they indicate they must harm me), DoD Contractor extraordinaire, were foremost on my mind that day. BTW, I spoke with my Uncle this morning. No longer on Active Duty, I am certain that he and Aunt Cheryl are financially able to retire completely. But, for some reason they seem to be busier than ever. I know somehow that both he and my Auntie Cheryl are still involved in the GWOT (Global War on Terrorism). And, therefore, I do not bug them too much about coming to Texas and visiting their favorite Niece. Someday, when they “refocus” (I do not believe they will ever retire) they promise to tell me some “secrets” and maybe what it was like inside the mountain on that day…..

Of course, my Uncle was a little too busy on 9/11 to worry with minute details like calling me immediately to ease my fears. God first, country second and in times of National Crisis they are so close to proximity it’s probably and indiscernible line…as well it should be.

While I was putting out my Flag before sunrise this morning I was deep in thought. I’m not sure I put out my flag on July 4th this year. And I’m sure I didn’t get weepy on that day. As I held my flag in my hands today, taking care to not let it touch the ground, tears welled up in my eyes. For many reasons I’m sure; over 3,000 people died that day, I’ve served in Baghdad, Iraq and have too many memories sad and happy, to recount; I fiercely love my country now; and I am more patriotic than ever before.

I wasn’t around on the day we claimed our Independence from Britain, but I was around when terrorists tried to destroy our country’s spirit. That day has meaning for me. Not that July 4th doesn’t, it’s just that I’ve only been told the stories and mostly in a classroom, by a boring teacher while I was a teenager who was more interested in the Friday night football game than the blah, blah, blah. But I experienced September 11th. I lived it, breathed it, touched it, felt it, and helped fight against it (in my own small way).

There is talk of not continuing the memorial services at ground zero. Maybe five years was enough. What? As long as people continue to forget that terrorists boarded airplanes headed toward major U.S. targets, with the specific goal of destroying our country, then we must have the memorial services.

We must remember the scores of people who jumped out of windows to escape an exploding inferno only to fall to their death anyway. We must remember they had wives, husbands, children, parents and friends who miss them terribly and whose lives will never, ever be the same without them.

We must remember the picture of the Statue of Liberty standing over the harbor, while a terrorist attack on the very thing that she stands for unfolded while we all sat in terror and likened it to Armageddon. That was September 11th.

On September 12th we were (truly) One Nation under God, Indivisible…

Not only did the terrorists not destroy our spirit, they lit a fire in our bellies. We got to know our neighbors, enemies became friends, the color of our skin wasn’t seen, our religious differences were ignored and our political affiliation no longer divided us. And, we had one race for a moment in time-American!

Our leaders and our neighbors were united. Our country stood up and looked crisis in the face and we reacted with immense bravery and tireless dedication to people we had never met. Our heroes came in many forms; the New York Fire Department, NYPD, Mayor Rudy Giuliani, first responders, EMS, people walking down the street, and so on.

We prayed. Reverently and without ceasing. Then, we prayed some more. And some of us are still praying. But, I fear many of us have stopped. And, I fear that is dangerous for our country.

Its six years later and we’re back to the same old in-fighting, name calling politics.

Will it take another major catastrophe to once again unite us? Or can we just remember that day and what we are fighting for/against. It continues to amaze me that the solidarity this country showed the day after, the year after, seems to fade every moment of every day.

I have never been so proud to be an American. How about you? How do you show it? Do you remember? Do you support our troops? Do you support the leader of the free world? Do you want to stay free? Have you enjoyed the last six years of terrorist free incidents? Would you like another six, then another? One of my favorite quotes is:
“A champion is someone who pursues the goal long after the mood in which they set it has left them”.

That is what we must do. We must continue to pursue the goal. We must support our troops. And, I don’t mean send them candy or razors (although they do love that), but I mean send them letters. Let them know you appreciate the sacrifice they are making so you don’t have to. Let them know you appreciate the fact that they are wearing 80 lbs. of gear in 120 degree heat so you can sleep soundly, without fear, in an air conditioned house. Let them know that you understand they are sleeping alone without the arms of their loved ones around them, without their children near by. Try and empathize with the fact that each time they go into the red zone they may not come back-just so you can get in your car and not be afraid to put the key in and start the engine. Let them know you are praying for them as they stand on the tarmac in the middle of the night at Dover Air Force Base to accept the “HR’s” (Human Remains) of their fellow soldiers.

Respect them and what they stand for by not trashing the war on terror and denigrating their sacrifices. Don’t mock your leaders. Again, show some respect. Stay the course. And I don’t know about you but,


I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all.