Sunday, September 11, 2011

Ten Years - 9/11/11


Please click on the image above to see the full-sized version.

On this solemn and terrible anniversary, there is no way that I can accurately put into words what I'm feeling, or express how much my life and worldview changed on that horrorific day.

In these past ten years, I have tried (and struggled) to channel an overwhelming flood of thoughts and emotions into being a better and more conscientious citizen. I am much more aware of the importance of protecting our American institutions from threats within and without, and realize that this is not a duty I can simply hope others will do for me. It's the reason this blog exists.

My respect for the heroes who serve this country in the military, police, and fire departments grew immeasurably on 9/11. I am in awe of these men and women, and know myself to be inexpressibly in debt to them and their families.

For me, 9/11 isn't simply an event that happened 10 years ago today. It's something that started on that date, and continues with the same urgency and immediacy every day. It was the beginning of a new America that we're still exploring, still creating, and still fighting for.

Please take time today to think not only of the lost lives of 9/11, but also about ways to honor those losses. This is a day to mourn our dead, but also a day to celebrate the strength and inherent goodness of our country and our citizenry.

A day to rededicate ourselves to protecting the principles that our enemies thought, erroneously, they could bring down with cowardly attacks on the innocent.

Let's roll.

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15 comments:

79firebirdman said...

And may we as a country united get our house in order and grind our enemies from within to dust along with the islam cult of violence and murder.

Shang said...

May their souls and all the souls of the faithfully departed rest in peace. Amen.

The Old Man said...

Read yours after I wrote mine. You're one of the bloggers I referenced...

http://dont-sir-me.blogspot.com/2011/09/in-memorium.html

KHarn said...

I was stunned by the picture, to see it all in one collage just brought the whole thing together in a way that all the footaage in series couldn't.
I have known several muslims in my lifetime and can tell you that those people see our "try not to offend anyone" methods show weakness to them. If we had fought them as we had fought the world wars, it would have ended two or three years ago.

KHarn said...

I didn't edit my post too well; it should read:
>those people see our "try not to offend anyone" as weakness.<

KHarn said...

"METHODS"! Dang it!

John the Econ said...

Excellent artwork @Stilton. Completely captures the day; both the horrible and the noble.

Jim Hlavac said...

Well, like Lincoln said, no words can hallow the ground on which the blood was spilled. But today you could listen to endless blather, if you wish. I do not. I know this too intimately for any politician to say anything I don't already know or feel.

But today, at my blog, I merely pointed out that while today in our world there are some who think "god" talks to them, and they are called Muslims, throughout history other "gods" have pushed people to unspeakable slaughter, and all because the slaughtered had the 'wrong' "god."

And what these "god" people don't realize, is that if God wanted us all to be alike He would have made us so, and He did not. The Creation is diverse; and humans, arguably among the most complex thing within Creation, have no more ability to be all alike than a sequoia tree could be a hummingbird. Diversity is key, and I shall talk to my "god," to put a good word in with yours, and especially to the "god" of the people who think that slaughtering people is what "god" wanted, so we all live in quiet peace with each other.

And I shall definitely warn people: be extremely wary of politicians who think they know what "god" wants; for it is doubtful their "god" is yours.

Jim Hlavac said...

And thanks, Stilt, for not using one of those pictures of the big explosion or collapsing towers. Egad, I cringe every time I see it. My morning newspaper had it huge on page 1, and I threw it down in disgust. Must we look at horror to remember it? Yours was uplifting; but just as thought provoking.

gray lady said...

I tried to watch the 9/11 Memorial Services today but when Barak Obama started quoting the Bible I got so nauseous I had to stop. Instead I watched "Taking Chance" which (by the Grace of God) had been sent by Netflix the day before. Read the story at the link below:


Click here: A Soldier's Story: "Taking Chance" - CBS News

gray lady said...

Well, I've never posted a link before and evidently did something wrong. But you get the idea. Read it or see the movie..... it's a great story.

Stilton Jarlsberg said...

@79firebirdman- These days I worry much more about the enemies within than the ones from foreign shores.

@Shang- Amen.

@The Old Man- You found a wonderful way to observe this day, and I think you expressed yourself with plenty of eloquence.

@KHarn- Our desire "not to offend" at any price is correctly seen as weakness in the rest of the world.

@John the Econ- I wanted to assemble a bit of art that represented my feelings. There's no one image that would do it. No single moment.

@Jim Hlavac- Slaughter committed in the name of any God is an insult to that faith and all others. And I'm glad you approve of today's artwork; to me, a somewhat symbolic approach was necessary because 9/11 is bigger than even the events of that day.

@gray lady- I've been avoiding most of the ceremonies specifically out of fear that I'd encounter something like Obama quoting from the Bible. I couldn't endure that.

I'll also be looking for "Taking Chance." It's the very highly regarded true story about an older Marine (played by Kevin Bacon) who accompanies the flag-draped coffin of a 19-year-old Marine, killed in Iraq, on the journey back to his small hometown.

79firebirdman said...

@ stilton

100% agreed. The enemy within is far more dangerous and harder to vanquish. But at least public enemy number one, George Soros, is old and is not gonna be around much longer.

79firebirdman said...

And the day that Soros kicks the bucket should be declared a red letter national holiday and day of celebration.

pryorguy said...

Stilt, you said in yesterday's blog...

"And I consider these enemies of our nation and freedoms to be far more dangerous than Al Qaeda was on its strongest day."

You are so right about that...the crazy left actually 'hates' America, and why... I'm not sure, but they do...they hate their homeland; what a bizarre place to be! Such as a Christian lives among those who hate God, patriotic citizens live among those who despise their nation! Go figure!!!