Reflections on 9/11

September 11th is America's tremendous bug-a-boo day.  Fifteen years ago, the nation realized that it really was not as secure and tranquil as we believed it to be.  I was seated with my husband in a courtroom in Manassas, Prince William County, Virginia, when the news first broke.  We were witnesses in an accident case.  We gave our testimony, and within 30 minutes, the courthouse closed.  We went home and watched the seemingly crazy news reports for several days.  I had to scramble to find a way to work, four days later, because I normally took the subway at the Pentagon - but no trains could stop there.  The stories, videos, and photographs were shocking.  I was very lucky that I was in court, and not at work on that day.
   Fifteen years later, I live 2,000 miles to the west of the east coast madness. I did not know anyone who lost their life in the multiple tragedies that occurred on that day - but I have a lot of friends and acquaintances who did lose family members.  I still grieve with them and for them.  I believe that all of those who lost their lives - innocent victims and first responders - should always be remembered with love, sadness and dignity.  I remember my feelings of horror and disbelief on that day, and in the first few weeks that followed.  America has never felt safe since then.  It feels safe to me, but not to the majority of our citizens.
  At the age of 60, I now wonder whether I feel safe because I have lived for this amount of time; if I feel safe because I am, primarily, a historian; or if I feel safe because I am (I think/hope) a pragmatist. As I look at things happening in the Middle East, and the rising tide of jihad in Islam, I feel as if I'm looking at the time period before the Crusades in the eleventh century.  Are we going to have a "Holy War" -  Christian versus Muslim, again?  But what about all the other great religions of the world, and their followers?  I do not want to see the world at war in my life time - over religion, over food and water, over natural resources, over any belief system.  I don't believe that religion can rule the world, nor do I believe in a dictatorship, either.
  It is a sad thing that the United Nations are neither united, nor representative of all the people on our planet.  We, the people of the world, of all nations, of all colors, of all creeds and beliefs, need to unite and be heard and moderate a way to mutual understanding and trust.  Otherwise, our world and it's knowledge will be lost....

Thoughts

The fine drizzle of yesterday morning cleared and we had bright sunshine in the afternoon.  A light rain is currently falling, but the weather folks say it will, again, clear by noon, and be sunny.  But then a cold front is coming in, and we are expecting a rain and snow mix around midnight - we'll see if the weather gurus are correct....   - The kits let me sleep until 7:45 this morning, and, after caring for them, I started for the bakery and a fresh bagel for breakfast.  I ran into a neighbor at the building door; she was wearing a T-shirt, a sweatshirt, and a hoodie sweatshirt over all, jeans and boots, I was wearing a T-shirt, jeans and sneakers.  Meredith informed me that I needed to go back and get a coat or jacket because it was "freezing out there!"  I went on out and opened my umbrella as I stepped out the door - it was a trifle chilly (45 degrees), but it was nowhere near freezing. I felt chilled, but not cold, on the walk to and from the store - of course, I had the brolly, while she was getting rained on...
  I didn't go to the bank or the library yesterday - I just lounged with the kits and did a little bit of research - so I'll need to go to both places today.  A big "Thank you" is owed to Hillbillygator for suggesting a new series of mysteries and two other books by different authors - I'll try to get them today, and/or will request them.  I owe you!
   So, yesterday, today and tomorrow are first anniversary of the three worst days of flooding from the "Thousand Year Rain" that Colorado experienced.  The newspapers, magazines, and local news stations are giving remembrance stories and then-and-now stories a flogging.  And, of course, today is September 11th, so there is also the usual out-pouring of grief and patriotism on this day.  Last night, the President talked about ridding the world of ISIL/ISIS with the assistance of other countries.  I honestly don't know how I feel.  A huge number of people were impacted strongly, and are not yet recovered, from last year's flooding.  The world will never be the same again, and hasn't been, since the destruction of the World Trade Towers and the crashed hijacked jets in 2001.  Now it seems that our nation will be at war again in the Middle East....   I know that the President said air raids only, with no US soldier setting foot in the affected countries - but, to me, air strikes equal war.
   I am in no way a complete and total pacifist.  I also know that I don't have all the information and (hopefully) facts, that the President and his advisers have.  But I feel despair that killing and maiming people seem to be the only way that human beings can make any kind of statement.
   Most folks would truly be appalled if I set out exactly what I believe and don't believe in the religion arena.  I believe in a Live And Let Live society - I am happy for you to believe in whatever you wish, as long as you don't try to make me believe as you do.  Why is one person's belief better than another's?  I realize that religion and resources are the only reasons that we human beings resort to war.  It's a very sad thing.  None of us is God, or anywhere near God-like.

   Why can't we just live peaceably together, and allow each person their own belief?
 

September 11, 2012

Eleven years ago, America learned that it was not immune to international terrorism.  It was a truly awful day in the history of our nation.  All of those who died that day, or due to injuries from that day, or from incurable illnesses that resulted from the attack, or happened because the person was one of those heroic first responders, should be praised, prayed for, and thanked from the bottoms of our hearts. 
   America came about because the first settlers wanted religious freedom - it is extremely sad to think that religion was the cause of the attack on this date.  America has lost many citizens in wars and in terrorist attacks.  I salute all of you.  You have all given me the life that I am able to freely live today.  Thank you.

Respect for Those Who Died

Ten years ago, a lot of good people lost their lives.  They should be remembered with respect, tears and love.  The majority of those who lost their lives had no idea that it was going to happen.  An act of terrorism removed them from their normal daily lives.  It was something that astonished America.  We, America, the land of the free and the home of the brave, were attacked on our soil, using hijacked US airliners.  It was unthinkable.  It was as outrageous as the bombing of Pearl Harbor.  It finally brought the idea of terrorists, which many other countries had been dealing with for years, home.  I respect and mourn for all the innocents who lost their lives on September 11.

Prayer for Relief won the Super Derby yesterday; he led from the starting gate to the finish line.  My pick, Trubs, finished seventh of nine.  - But, Gung Ho, the son of Kitten's Joy, did win the Sunday Silence Stakes.  ....  And there was a dead heat in the Irish St. Leger Stakes: Jukebox Jury and Duncan finished together in the last Irish Classic race of the season.  Duncan made it quite a day for his trainer, John Gosden, as Masked Marvel (also Gosden trained) won the English St. Leger 30 minutes before his stablemate won the Irish version.

Most of my college football teams won yesterday.  The CU Buffs didn't; and it was a hard-fought loss. Most people remembered last year's 57 to 0 blow-out by California, and pretty much expected that to happen again.  But the Buffs and the Golden Bears were tied at 33 when time ran out.  California got a field goal that CU couldn't match in over-time, and so they lost a heart-breaker.  And I loved seeing South Carolina beat the Georgia Bulldogs!    Today I'll be rooting for the Redskins and tomorrow night, I'll be up late watching the Broncos.  ....  Enjoy your Sunday.

Heroes

It's raining softly here this morning; and it sprinkled most of yesterday evening and last night, too.  At least we aren't getting the inundations that folks have had to put up with from Irene and Lee!  Remy and Rosie positively hate walking in the rain and are very hard to dry off, so today's walk is cancelled. We can definitely use this light rain, but I also wish it would fall over the 85+ wildfires that are burning in Texas! - They need it much worse than we do.

I'm in a "preaching" mood this morning, so I thought I 'd just let it all spill out.....
We are, of course, nearing the eleventh of September, and terrible things happened in our country that day.  We, and other countries, lost innocent lives ten years ago to Islamic terrorists who were identified as being followers of Osama bin Laden, the leader of a group called al-Qaeda.  Very few people who were politically aware, or who were caught up in the events of that day will ever forget it.  It was horrifying.  My husband and I were attending a court proceeding that day in Manassas, Virginia; so I was lucky not to be at work in downtown Washington, D.C.   People wandering in and out of the court room were the ones who brought the news of the World Trade Center towers.  Those of us in the courtroom couldn't believe it.  Once we had testified, and were excused from court, my husband and I went to the car and immediately turned on the radio.  Our favorite classical station had been taken over by their sister-station, an all-news, all the time, station on the outskirts of Washington.  At that time, we heard of the collapse of both towers, the other two missing planes, and, it was being reported, that the Washington Mall had been bombed and was on fire.  We went home and sat down in front of CNN on the TV.  I did not personally know anyone who died on September 11 - but I know a lot of people who lost friends and family who were on board the planes, or were in buildings that were struck or damaged.  It was an appalling loss of life.  And it made a lot of people very angry, while it made others extremely sad.  I grieve for all of the people whose lives were lost during September 11th, or from their wounds and hurts that were incurred trying to save others on that day.  There were 2,996 deaths that occurred on 9/11, and more than 900 related deaths (fire fighters, police, and medical workers) have followed.  Again, I am grieved for this loss of life, and I feel for those who lost loved ones.  

On September 17, 1862, two armies met near a town named Sharpsburg, Maryland, which was near Antietam Creek.   The Union Army was led by George B. McClelland, while the Confederate Army was led by Robert E. Lee.   It was a devastating day for both the North and the South.  Americans were fighting Americans, cousins and brothers were shooting at each other.  After the fighting had ended at Sharpsburg, there were 3,654 dead.  There were 17,292 wounded casualties.  Reported missing, and presumed captured, were 1,771 men.  Some members of my family, and members of my husband's family, died that day.  I grieve for them, also.

Whether we are remembering every-day people who lost their lives without prior knowledge of a "war" being declared, or whether we are praising those who actually signed up for war duties, we should always remember them, and salute them, with thanks, blessings and grief.  Whether they died ten years ago, on September 11th, or whether they died 149 years ago at Sharpsburg/Antietam, or at the Battle of Bunker Hill on June 17, 1775, these people gave their lives for us to be free Americans.  I am very grateful.  I am humbled by their sacrifice. 

Both of those days were tremendously awful days. I understand that "9/11" occurred only ten years ago.  I know that people know exactly where they were when they heard the news of the planes hitting the Twin Towers.  I know that America has felt itself to be invincible, and that attacking our country, in our country, was what made September 11th so horrifying.  -  I am not going to turn my television set on until it's time for football this Sunday.  Why?  Because I do not wish to see all the regurgitated news about that sad day.  I saw enough of the news to last a lifetime during that first week, and on each anniversary since.  -  What about the numbers of soldiers who died in all the preceding wars?  What about the human experiments conducted on the Jewish people by the Nazis?  Why do we not have National Days of Remembrance for all of the atrocities that have occurred since the world began?  Why? - Because then we would be remembering the dead every single day of the year. 

Humans are animals.  They are much worse than normal, wild animals, since they can "think."  Those who have fallen are, in my books, heroes...  and I thank them and grieve for them each and every day. - Not just on September 11.

45% Containment + A Comment

OK - This morning, there was 45% containment of the Four Mile Canyon wildfire. The fire did not spread yesterday; but we do have high and swirling winds today. Some areas that were evacuated on Monday, including Grandma Anne's house, were opened for residents to return after 9 a.m. this morning - but with the knowledge that they might have to evacuate again with little to no warning. (Grandma Anne was going to head back up to Sugarloaf at noon today.) And the warning for possible evacuation is still on for western Boulder, from Broadway to the west and from Spruce Avenue north. Sammie and Tuppurr's Dad has decided not to go on his trip, so I will get to sleep at home at night until Monday.
Neddy is chasing a grasshopper that has gone under the love seat, so he is performing all sorts of acrobatic stretches trying to reach his prey. Lovey keeps coming to tell me how much she loves me, and that she wants me to ignore the keyboard and focus on her. The Rs were good this morning, and had an excellent time chasing a couple of squirrels. Suki and Boo were their usual selves. Sasquatch and Tugger are taking advantage of their parents' absence - when I arrived yesterday evening, I found they had somehow gotten the screw cap off their glass jar of organic catnip, knocked the jar onto the floor, and had the entire kitchen floor covered with catnip. They were both high as kites. I swept up all the herb, and returned it to it's jar, then placed the jar inside a cabinet door I know they can't open. This morning, they had shredded a roll of toilet paper in the main bathroom, so it looked like there'd been a snow storm in there. They are typical boys!

Tomorrow is 11 September, and it will be the 9th anniversary of the attacks on the Pentagon and the Twin Towers. I send out my thoughts, compassion, prayers, and love to everyone who lost someone due to this awful event. It was a terrible act of unnecessary destruction by religious terrorists. I do believe it was aimed at the United States, but several other countries also had deaths incurred by this horror. ... I believe that the United States were formed by people who wanted their own religious freedom. As a whole, the United States has embraced immigrants who have professed every religion found on this planet. The Pilgrims arrived in search of religious freedom, the Quakers and the Mormons were persecuted for their religious beliefs here in the United States; but they persevered and their descendants thrive today throughout this country. People who follow the teachings of Jesus Christ, the One God (who shall remain nameless), Buddha, Krishna, Allah, - even the old gods - are not evil in and of themselves. The crazed followers of any religion, who interpret the teachings of their God as a being who preaches death and destruction, are lost. They are the people who cause unrest and incite (and excite) hatred in others. Pastor Terry Jones, who wants to burn copies of the Islamic holy book, would have fits if someone were to burn his Bible. He and the members of Al Qaida are cut from the same cloth. Hatred is their creed, attention is their goal. All should be denied, disdained, and ignored.