Karen Lynn Vidra, The Texas Tornado, click
here to update your pages on AuthorsDen.
Louisiana's Thoughts And Musings: Remembering September 11, 2001. by Karen Lynn Vidra, The Texas Tornado
Monday, September 10, 2007
Rated "PG" by the Author.
Tomorrow, Tuesday, September 11, 2007, will mark the six-year anniversary of one of the worst disasters our nation has ever faced.
Six years ago, our nation was attacked by foreign terrorists who have absolutely no regard for human life. Because of hate, the Twin Towers are no more; they are but a distant memory. Because of hate, nearly three thousand people--men, women, children--lost their lives. Because of hate, the Pentagon in Washington DC isn't nearly as impenetrable as it once was.
Because of hate, we no longer trust people with darker skins, or a religion that is both different and mysterious than what we believe in. Because of hate, we no longer trust each other, and we are more than ready to pin blame at the least little bit of opportunity.
Because of hate, we don't feel safe, and airports, train stations, and other public venues have stepped up security efforts, and people are being searched/questioned at will.
It was a very dark time in history, and every year, it--the pain, dealing with the memories--doesn't get any easier. I think of my friends who perished in the attacks, and my heart breaks all over again. Why did this have to happen? Why couldn't we as a nation have protected our borders; why couldn't we have found these terrorists before they struck; why are we having such a hard time finding Osama bin Laden even after five years?
Why are we at war like this; why are our men being charged with murder while those who kill at will, using their women, elderly, children, the handicapped as human shields, get away with murder? Why aren't THEY being caught, charged, or punished for their crimes? THEY are the enemy, NOT us!!
I remember the first time I saw the Twin Towers in person. We'd gone to New York to see a television program, and I was struck by their magestic height, their beauty. All I could do was look--up--and worry if I was going to get a stiff neck from continually looking at the sky. LOL When we got to the top of the building, at the observation deck, it nearly took my breath away as I scanned at the vista below me, hundreds of feet below. It was incredible, and I will never forget it as long as I shall live.
Now the towers are no more, and never again will I or my family have the opportunity to see them up close and in person. New York City no longer looks the same without the World Trade Centers, and every time I see the NYC skyline, my heart gets stabbed all over again as I remember.
I think of all those people who died. My heart still breaks for them. I still have a thousand unanswerable questions. I still grieve. I still cry.
I guess I always will.
I still think back to how we were before the attacks as opposed to after, and to the present day. I see that we have gone back to the "pre-9-11 mentality", that we think we can't be hit again. Well, we can be hit again, and we must do everything in our God-given power to protect our nation from another attack.
Our nation is still vulnerable, ol' Osama ("one-of-fifty-two children") bin Laden is still spouting his verbage, threatening us yet again, of another attack, and it appears that we aren't doing anything to prevent it from happening again. What gives??
We should go to that part of the world, scour every square inch of that desert (or wherever he is; how difficult can it be to find someone who is over six-five in height??), find the son-of-a-gun, and GET HIM, NO questions, bring him to justice, put him to jail to rot forever. (One of my nurse friends suggested that we inject him with either the AIDS or ebola virus and let him suffer--SANS pain medication.) Make sure Osama IS found, and then put him out of commission so he can't strike again!
Tomorrow we will take part in our city's community-wide 9-11-01 observances. There will be prayer, appropriate songs, speeches, films, even eulogies for the victims. We will remember, and we will choose not to forget. This is the way it should be.
To forget something like September 11, 2001 would only spell certain disaster for our nation. As I alluded to above, we are still prone to another terrorist attack--and the next time, it may very well be worse--much worse. This is one reason why I choose to remember, reflect, and grieve once again for those people who were lost.
Because of this event, we have been at war for several years now. It is a scary, uncertain time we live in now, and our children's futures are on the line. If we don't do something to end these terror threats, we are going to go down on our knees, which is what the terrorists want. Well, we don't WANT that, so this is why we choose to fight, to defend ourselves in any way possible.
I don't like the war any better than the next person, but I am one who supports our troops. I have seen first hand what war does to a person after they come back, and it is not a pretty picture. War not only affects them physically: it affects them emotionally, mentally, spiritually. It affects the whole person, not just what you see on the surface. I want to do all I can to help our veterans, and I am extremely pro-military. (I should be: I'm the daughter of a veteran: my daddy is a veteran; he was in the Air Corps.)
This is why I volunteer my time one week a month to help the veterans at the local VA hospital, and I love being with them. I know they love my being there too; it is nice to let them know that someone at least cares for them, their well being. I get such joy being with the veterans, and it makes them feel good to know that I'm there, helping them, boosting their morale, just letting them know I support them.
In any event, I will be remembering the anniversary tomorrow, and I will be spending my time in prayer as I reflect on the horrors of that unforgettable day. I have to. I want to. I need to. I need to do it for the memories of my friends who perished that day.
It not only affected the people who worked there or were there that day: it affected each and every one of us; somehow, somewhere, everybody around the world was affected. It wasn't just America.
*God Bless America Again* *NEVER forget!*
~Written by Louisiana Sandusky, September 10, 2007. >tears!<
Watch out! the goody good doers don't want you to defend yourself or your country, just to love the enemy to death, if I see one i will start kissing him until he's gone.
Georg
