We forget that Islam attacked America on September 11th of 2001.
3,000 American lives were lost that day. First estimates indicated that, due to the number of persons customarily occupying those buildings early in the morning, upwards of 50,000 Americans could theoretically have been killed. It was by the sheerest dint of luck that this didn’t occur.
3,000 or 300,000 — Islam would have killed as many as humanly possible that day, to include the entire Pentagon and our nation’s Capitol.
And yet, only after 9/11 did we as a nation begin focusing on the rights and existence of Muslims. Why is that?
What happened to the rights of the man above?
Did he wake up that Tuesday morning thinking he would be left with no alternative to his life but jumping out some window or ragged hole made by the trauma of an aircraft impacting his place of work?
And yet, there he is, clothed, dark pants, light shirt, dark shoes — jumping — head-first towards what he knows to be concrete below.
What he knows to be his death below.
And so what was his alternative? Scalding strips of flesh hanging from his arms? An onrushing flash flame created by burning Jet A fuel?
Is that a decision at all?
To my knowledge no one has yet determined the identity of this man. And yet he clearly had a family and a name and a past and parents and possibly children.
And but for today, he is primarily forgotten.
THAT, you see, is our national legacy.
Eight years later.
BZ
I don’t believe “Islam” attacked us, but Al-Queda.
I will never forget. I will not be happy until Bin Laden has been brought to justice. It’s an open sore. No, America has not “moved on”.
Tim, thanks for commenting but I disagree. I fervently believe that Islam is as Islam does and AQ and its supporters all work in one direction, motivated by Islam primordial. Bin Laden is, yes, a festering wound. I’m not certain he’s still alive. But predominantly America would just like to sit back and wonder why Paula Abdul was rehired for American Idol.
BZ
That’s like saying all Christians think exactly alike. I don’t buy that. If that’s true then what should we do? Nuke the Middle East, Indonesia, Turkey, Albania, and large swaths of the former USSR? Just wipe them all out? Or maybe we should make them convert to Christianity or cut their heads off.
Now if you focused that beam of hatred on Wahabi Clerics from Saudi Arabia, I might be more inclined to agree.
On a few subjects we are in 180° opposition to one another BZ, on this one, were are 100% in agreement!
Folks, PLEASE, just a reminder, and a request, no tacky comments, not today…
Tomorrow we can re-declare war on the left and Obama’s Day of Service, but PLEASE, just for today, civility and dignity…
I also agree with this post. There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t think of these people and what they went through, I lost friends in these attacks.
Just think how many innocent men, women and children would have been saved throughout history if Islam, Christianity and Catholics didn’t exist. What a much better place this World be without these religions in it.
No self-respecting, educated human being would ever believe in such non-sense.
Ranando, how sad for you.
BZ…..I’ve said this since a few years back and I believe it backs your post up “What do you have to DO in America to get any respect around here…kill 3000 innocent people?”
Before 9/11, what muslim butcher wouldn’t cut pork, what muslim cab driver could kick you out for having a dog or booze with you…what muslim couldn’t study without having places for feet cleaning around the school? NONE
Not till 9/11.
There’s a documentary about the photographer and this photo. It includes the search for the man’s identity. It’s embedded on my blog on today’s post. http://randomactsofpatriotism.blogspot.com/2009/09/eight-years.html
Semper Fidelis
Semper Memoria
ASM826
Oh, and Tim? You don’t have to believe it for it to be true.
3,000 American lives were lost that day.
A fellow blogger reminded me a few weeks back that many of the first responders suffer illness to this day from their work on 9/11. I think that a few of those first responders have died and will continue to die from exposure to dangerous chemicals, dust, etc.
Two of my students had fathers in the Pentagon that day. One worked on the other side of the building, the other in the room that took the direct hit. Thank God the one who worked in the room that took a direct hit was unexpectedly called over to the Justice Department at 8:15. Because cell phone service was interrupted, for several hours we thought he was gone.
Avenging Apostate, a former Muslim, has posted this as his 9/11 post. The post provides insights we don’t often hear about firsthand.
To my knowledge no one has yet determined the identity of this man.
I’ve heard that before.
Very strange.
BTW, my cousin’s friend worked in one of those buildings at the WTC complex. She saw up close what happened to those jumpers and helped with the cleanup. She was never able to go back to work in the complex– she was that shaken. And she was federal law enforcement too.
We all know there is more video and more photos of those persons who decided their BEST fate lay in jumping through thin air to the concrete below.
In my opinion, Americans need to SEE those photographs — because I don’t think, even now, many of us “get” what a terrible day that was for those persons trapped in the WTC buildings.
BZ
Let us not forget.
Anything.
Yeah, no attacks on the left today…because it’s was the right who let it happen!
Anonymous said…
Yeah, no attacks on the left today…because it’s was the right who let it happen!
*****************
That is a topic for another day.
Why do you insist on being such an uncouth lout?
Fred: you’re so correct. Anon, that’s a topic for another day entirely, not on this day.
BZ
Today is the one day I’m putting aside partisan politics and focusing only on those who died. I can’t imagine what could be worse, to burn to death, to choke on noxious smoke, or to jump.
Whichever, this person should forever be burned into the consciousness of every friggin’ American. It’s the remembering that counts, and the forgetting that lets it happen again.
Thank you BZ for doing your part to keep this day in remembrance. I for one will never get over it.
I will always use Sept. 11th to remember. If Nobama wants it to be a day of service also, that’s fine. Maybe he would do us a truely GREAT service and resign?
ASM826 said: “Oh, and Tim? You don’t have to believe it for it to be true.”
On the other hand: a thing isn’t always true just because you believe it.
Anonymous,
An excellent point to bring up with any Truthers you meet.
In my opinion, Americans need to SEE those photographs — because I don’t think, even now, many of us “get” what a terrible day that was for those persons trapped in the WTC buildings.
I’m a little surprised you didn’t post any of the graphic photos.
Prayers for the fallen and those family members who go on and struggle in this floating world.
I’m with Tim in not believing that it is “Islam” that attacked us. But Islam definitely plays a role.