Thoughts After 9-11

October 10, 2001

It has been such a long time since a journal entry I thought it best to make a couple of notes instead of a day to day or week to week entry. Important life changing events should be noted. The day was September 11, 2001. At about 8 A.M. Pat and I were contemplating getting the day started, awake, but still in bed. A phone call came from Gene Knowles saying that there was news on the TV about planes crashing into the World Trade Center buildings in New York.

That Tuesday has changed the American way of life, and not for the better. Terrorists from mid-eastern countries had hijacked 4 commercial jet passenger planes and crashed two into the World Trade Center buildings -one in each tower, another into the Pentagon and another attempt into the Capital or White House. Apparently passengers took charge and the last plane went into a field. All on the airplanes were killed, 500 at the Pentagon, and 5000 in the buildings including 200 firemen and policemen who were trying to get people out safely. As many as 10,000 people may have been in the buildings. We may never know how many were killed as the buildings fell with such force many bodies were never found.

As a result of this insult to the people of this country, things changed quickly. Airports were shut down, travel was suspended. Many people were out of work, and this is a time of threatened recession. A show of unity among the people was similar to that shown by the action of Pearl Harbor. Flags were in short supply. Cars, houses, bicycles, hikers, everything carried an American flag. The People were united as was the Military on the issue of getting revenge. An immediate problem developed. Who were they to get? All foreigners were suspect, Muslims were most distrusted, but that was wrong because it was an evil group promoting war that was to blame. Omer Bin Laden was the leader of the terrorists and he was using his heritage to bring on the evil. It will take some time, but justice will happen.

We are at war. Troops have been called up, and planes and ships have been bombing the headquarters of cells of the terrorists. Many nations are combined with this purpose to stamp them out. England, France, and several small Muslim countries along with NATO have combined to end the possibility of more terror.

It appears that our lifestyle will be changed. People are afraid. Security is a necessity. Before you can get on a plane or train or bus you must be searched. Sporting events are carefully screened many cancelled. America is still free but much more restricted.