September 11th, a date to
remmember
John Lenotte, Haverhill American Legion
September 11, 2001. 9/11. 911.
How many ways do we remember this date
that is emblazoned in our memories, in
our history. A date more horrific perhaps
than December 7, 1941.
It is certainly an event that changed our
nation and the world.
We should also remember some of the
events leading up to this date.
The attack on the Marine Barracks in
Beirut on October 23, 1983. The first
attack on the World Trade Center on
February 26, 1993. The attacks on the US
embassies in Tanzania and Kenya on August
7, 1998. The attack on the USS Cole on
October 12, 2000.
These all have a common thread. Planned
attacks by terrorists against the US. The
assassination of Afghanistan General
Ahmed Shah Massoud on September 10, 2001
is considered part of the 9/11 attacks,
to throw opposition to the Taliban into
turmoil.
Where were you that day? Those of us old
enough to remember, it is as clear as
remembering hearing about the
assasination of President John F.
Kennedy. The events that unfolded before
our eyes, as we watched on TV, Internet
or listened to the radio were horrific.
And yet there were scores of heroes that
day. Many perished and some acts of
heroism, I am sure, went undocumented.
Then the fundraisers and the concerts
began. And the feelings of rage turned
into feelings of patriotism. Yes, we
thought of how our government was going
to react and ensure that this would not
happen again. But we also saw scores of
men and women line up to serve their
country. The nationally known, like Pat
Tillman, and the local guys like David
Vicente, Evan ONeill, Derek Hines,
Pierre Raymond, Nickolas Schiavone, Scott
Procopio, Dimitrios Gavriel and Alex
Jimenez.
And the sale of US flags went up as many,
including me, rushed out to put out a
flag at our home. And the speeches
continued to raise patriotic fervor. And
the sadness began as our troops went
overseas to carry the battle to the
terrorists. And the debates over whether
we should or should not go into Iraq.
The Iraq issue is one I will leave to the
politicians and the historians. And the
sadness continues for those troops who
have made the ultimate sacrifice, some of
whose names I mentioned above.
Yet, have we forgotten what happened that
September day in 2001? It is only 7 years
ago, but in some ways it seems a lot more
time has passed. And we have grown
accustomed to the changes.
We all now get to the airport early and
go through the security line and feel
comfortable that we are safe. Are we
safe? Why are we safe?
We are safe because of the many
sacrifices our troops are making daily.
And the sacrifices their families are
making. And let us not forget our local
public safety professionals who put their
lives on the line daily. And yes, the
politicians who provide them with the
money and tools to get the job done.
But we cannot let our guard down. We must
continue to fly our flag proudly and
support our troops. And we must encourage
our elected officials at ALL levels,
local, state and national, to support our
veterans. Americans are proud, as we
should be, of the great country we live
in. We do have a commitment to those who
have and do wear the uniform of our
nation.
The way to say thanks is to give the
support that is needed. And it cant
just be words. It needs to be shown in
the actions of the general public and our
public officials.
Again, I ask: do you truly remember the
horrible day, September 11, 2001?
God Bless America and those who protect
our way of life.
John Lenotte is the American Legion,
Commander, Wilbur M. Comeau Post 4
Haverhill and Vice Commander, Dept. of
Massachusetts. You can Email him at JohnLDistrict8@verizon.net
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