A Hollywood Republican

This blog is for an open discussion on politics. My views will be to the right as will be most of the posters. But, we are willing to post alternative viewpoints as lons as they are well thought out. I started this in response to the Obama election and will continue it as long as it feeds a need.

Sep 10, 2009

Hallowed Ground by Ira Schwartz



It was a crisp, clear September morning in New York City, the kind of morning most New Yorkers looked forward to as they perspired through the heat and humidity of August. Millions of people settled in for a normal day at work; millions of people went about their daily routine never realizing that today, Tuesday, September 11th, 2001 would be the day America was changed forever.

At 8:46 am, the normal hustle and bustle of rush hour in downtown New York came to a horrifying stop as American Airlines flight 11 crashed into the North Tower of the World Trade center. Seventeen minutes later, at 9:03, United Airlines flight 175 slammed into the South Tower. Minutes later hundreds of emergency personnel responded to the calls for help.

While the drama in New York unfolded on National Television a second American Airlines Flight #77 dove into the pentagon at 9:37 am and 26 minutes later at 10:03 am a fourth airliner, United Flight 93, crashed into a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania. Several days after the attacks it was confirmed that passengers aboard Flight 93 tried to regain control of the aircraft from the terrorists and if the plane hadn’t crashed it was destined to hit the White House. By 10:30 am all the attacks were over and both towers of the World Trade Center were piles of burning debris. An hour later all commercial aircraft flying over the United States had been grounded and fighters patrolled our skies. Twenty five days later we would be at war in Afghanistan.

It would take several years before the world would know the full cost of this cowardly attack. 2,751 innocent fathers, mothers, daughters, sons, wives and husbands were killed at the World Trade center. Among those were 343 firefighters and 60 NYPD and Port Authority police who ran into the building to save people’s lives. 184 died at the pentagon crash site and another 40 perished in that field in Pennsylvania.

If the terrorists that planned this attack thought the United States would simply roll over and cower under a rock as a result of 911 they, like many before them, were making a terrible mistake. The Germans and Japanese made the same mistake in World War II; Muammar Gaddafi did it in the Gulf of Sidra in 1986; Saddam Hussein did it when he invaded Kuwait in 1990 and now it’s Al-Qaeda and Hezbollah's turn. Many say the United States simply does not understand the people of the Middle East. I say it is the Middle Eastern countries that fail to understand the people of the United States. Americans can scream and yell at each other, even severely criticize their leaders but when you threaten us we unite as one behind our government.

When Admiral Yamamoto wrote those now famous words after the attack on Pearl Harbor, "I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant and fill him with a terrible resolve" the rest of the world should have been listening. If they had a lot of innocent people might be alive today. If they had we wouldn’t be entrenched in a war to ferret out the nest of rats that planned this cowardly attack. But these cowards will be found and they will be brought to justice. But they also need to be made an example for the rest of the world to see; a warning that if you mess with the United States or its people we will find you and you will be punished.

After the attack on the World Trade Center New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani said “Tomorrow New York is going to be here. And we're going to rebuild, and we're going to be stronger than we were before... I want the people of New York to be an example to the rest of the country, and the rest of the world, that terrorism can't stop us.” I hope this time the rest of the world is listening.




In Memoriam 9/11/2001
May they all rest in peace and May We Never Forget

©2009 by Ira Schwartz

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16 Comments:

Blogger bruce nahin said...

Thanks for posting this moving note, have a blessed day

September 10, 2009 at 4:51 PM  
Blogger Frank T. DeMartini said...

All I can say to Mr. Anonymous is if you feel the way you obviously do, you should leave America. Those who love it will stay here. You should be ashamed of yourself.

September 10, 2009 at 5:51 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Ira I told you after first viewing this it left me speechless and reading it here has the same impact. It's so astoundingly beautiful in nature and reality that I would challenge anyone who possesses an ounce of compassion not to be moved by it. I am humbled by your literary gifts and honored to call you friend and fellow citizen

September 10, 2009 at 6:10 PM  
Anonymous Jfestra said...

This was a pleasure to read and brought me back to the emotions I felt that day and beyond. However, I am compelled to state that the resulting military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan since that day, the fact that clearly a few large companies with ties to former elected officials are profiting from these operations, and the disclosure that warning signs were mistakenly overlooked by high ranking officials prior to that day... still leaves me unsettled and without closure. History has shown us that democracy, religion, and imperialism all have a death quotient to factor when proclaiming victory. I dare predict this shall not change in my lifetime... so kill 'em all, right?

September 10, 2009 at 6:19 PM  
Anonymous Ira said...

Jfestra..Sad but true. Even when this action is over I would be pressed to call it a victory. Kill em all.....naw. They'll do it all by temselves without any help from us.

Ira

September 10, 2009 at 6:43 PM  
Anonymous Shirley said...

As always, Ira, very eloquent and timely. Thank you. Ah, if only progressives and intellectual idiots would remember honestly and care more about preventing another such tragedy.

Instead we hear feel-good rationale to diss all those things done to make us safe 8 years and make us vulnerable again. Nee a partisan persecution of all those and the policies that protected us.

Going into Iraq was necessary in the war on terror. A more stable and democratic Iraq, surrounded by states sponsoring and hiding terrorists trying to kill us, was critical. Only those with a long-term vision can see that and that the payoff may not be recognized for decades.

WMD's? That's too long been just a topic for "diversion" and those who only need a simplified reason.
(BTW, there were WMD's - ask the Kurds. Or read Saddam's own directives to bring 'em back.) The yellow cake found in Nigeria, destined for Iraq, wasn't to make cupcakes. Valerie Plame's husband reported that connection in his security report to the Administration. Not a well-known fact.

Yes, it was good to get rid of Hussein. And yes, we totally messed up there the first years in how we conducted that effort.

I hope the change in direction in Afghanistan - similar in approach -will prove as effective. Getting bin Laden is overrated; just frosting on the cake. However, I think the execution of that mission is being compromised by some military FUBAR - lack of organization and direction.

Talk isn't cheap. My son was in Iraq 15 consecutive months pre-surge and surge. He's in Afghanistan now. I fear for him 24/7 and I hate him being there. Only the knowledge and belief in the lessons of history and a long-term view, shared by the vast majority of those common soldiers and me, sustain us.

September 11, 2009 at 10:26 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Oh boo hoo, we do have freedom of speech here the the USA in case you forgot. Your site is full of moronic republican talking points and the 9-11 "tribute" was schmaltzy and tacky. If you want to be patriotic, respect our current commander in chief you hypocrite.

September 11, 2009 at 11:19 AM  
Blogger Frank T. DeMartini said...

Try having the guts to identify yourself. And, by the way, I do respect the military and Obama's right to be commander-in-chief. I just wish he respected the military as well.

If you don't like the site, don't read it. And, if you don't love the United States of America, leave. I'm sure they would be happy to have you in Iran, North Korea, Venezuela, China or Cuba!

September 11, 2009 at 11:46 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

In what way doesn't Obama respect the military? btw, I love the site... you are so extremely partisan, it's like looking at a science experiment --- you have no concept of the world outside of FOX, Rush etc. Again, I have no interest in moving, I love having the freedom of speech to heckle you and your narrow minded opinions.

September 11, 2009 at 12:22 PM  
Anonymous Ira said...

Just to let you know anonymous I happen to be a democrat. But I'm not an ass kissing one that blindly follows the party like you. Go talk to the survivors who lost their loved one's that day and ask them if remembering is "schmaultzy". And you can always say what you want here because we ARE in America but try to do it without constantly putting your foot in your mouth.

September 11, 2009 at 1:56 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Ira don't kid yourself you are an ass kissing Conservative. Personally I am left of the Democratic Party. I know survivors, they don't want to be constantly reminded of their pain especially when it is used to make a partisan statement you Republican.

September 11, 2009 at 2:34 PM  
Anonymous Ira said...

I guess those 400 or so survivors that showed up in NY yesterday, in the rain, really didn't want to remember. And what partisan staement would that be?

September 11, 2009 at 2:40 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I guess since 15,000 people survived, 400 is a paltry amount.

September 11, 2009 at 3:21 PM  
Anonymous Ira said...

Tell that to the 400 that showed up. And do me a favor if you are going to keep posting anonymous at least click on one of the advertisers so something good will come from this.

September 11, 2009 at 3:37 PM  
Blogger Unknown said...

This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

September 12, 2009 at 1:15 AM  
Blogger Bill S. said...

I'd just like to say that I remember exactly where I was and what I was doing that day. It is forever etched into my memory, we cannot ever allow it to disappear.

For people like "anonymous" I have simply one question - do you also want to do away with Memorial Day, and Veteran's Day?

We as Americans need to remember this every single day. Those who will not learn from history are condemned to repeat it.

September 26, 2009 at 1:16 PM  

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