9/11 Seven years later.

I have been trying to avoid mentioning the significance of this day. Not because I don't remember or because I don't care, but because it is so difficult for me. That is a selfish way to avoid an uncomfortable situation, and I feel selfishness is one of the biggest problems in the world. So for me to avoid this day is an even greater wrong than forgetting about it. Its called accountability, and it's relatively unheard of these days; but as I know about accountability that makes me even more accountable for my actions or the lack them. For a blogger to preach about accountability in our government and then avoid such where he himself is concerned, is inexcusable. I am terribly sorry for the late post on this my friends; it is my own desire to maintain my comfort level that has brought this about.

On September 11^th of the year 2001, on a bright and clear Tuesday morning at 8:45 am, the world became a much smaller place. I say that because until then I knew without question that the problems of the Muslim world did not affect me or my family and friends. Their troubles were exactly that, and my section of this vast planet was unaffected by their beliefs or petty disputes. Sure some of them were professing their hatred for us, but that was over there, and they most assuredly only a small portion of a much larger group of people. After all, I knew some Muslims and they were not trying to do me in. Obviously there were a few extremists ruining things for good Muslims the world over. And that was how I believed until 8:45 am.

At 8:45 am a hijacked passenger jet, American Airlines Flight 11 out of Boston hit the north tower of the World Trade Center. At 8:55 my wife called me and asked me turn on the TV, because she heard there was an accident in New York and it had something to do with a plane. I was half asleep (I worked 2^nd shift then) but I got up and went to the TV and the first thing I saw was a flaming hole in the side of the tower. Telling my wife what I saw and that it was defiantly a plane that hit it, according to channel 8 news anyway and trying my best to take it all in, we began to speculate on how a plane could accidently hit such a large building. After a few minutes we watched in horror as a second plane hit the other tower. I immediately told her what I saw and at that moment we both knew it was not an accident.

At 9:03 am a second hijacked airliner, United Airlines Flight 175 also out of Boston, crashes into the south tower of the World Trade Center. At this point we were in shock. The word actually doesn't do it justice as it was something I have never felt before or since. My wife and I were speechless for several minutes, until she asked me if I thought there might be more. I was dumbstruck; what if there were more? What would I do? Should I go get the kids from school? Anyone who could do this could just as easily attack a school or nuclear power plant. These and so many other frightening thoughts raced through my head in a flash. Somehow I managed to tell her that I will call the schools and get them ASAP, and for her to stay at work until we know more.

We hung up and I began to call the schools, my fears grew as I found their lines were all too busy to take any more calls. At this moment my 2 year old daughter came walking into my bedroom rubbing sleep from eyes and asking," Can I watch cartoons in your room with you?" My fear suddenly disappeared and my dad instinct took over. First I need to protect my youngest and then find out about my other two. So that is what I did; I gave her the living room TV and told her to stay right there, then I began calling the school again.

Keeping one eye on the news and on eye on my daughter I called my wife back and gave her the situation on the school, and asked if she could call as well. She agreed and as soon as I hung up the phone rang and I was overjoyed to hear the voice of my oldest child telling me that she and her brother were alright and they were in the school gymnasium. I felt the world lift from my chest as I asked her what she new and if she wanted to come home. She replied, "why?" I knew then that she didn't know exactly what was going on and that was probably for the best right now. She said her teacher let her use a cell phone to call home, and that there was an accident in New York. I told her I loved her and to look after her brother until I come for them. I then talked to the teacher and thanked her for her thoughtfulness. She explained the situation and advised me to keep the kids there until we knew more and I agreed.

At 9:43 am American Airlines Flight 77 crashes into the Pentagon. I had just walked back into my room when the news flashed to the Pentagon. Oh My God! I thought as I saw the gaping hole in the side of the building. 3buildings and 3 planes what's next? I called my wife and gave her the information I had, she explained they had brought a TV in from the conference room and where watching it now. I thought, okay, we are good now we can get information, and assess the situation equally thereby making our decisions more quickly. We agreed that the older children were safe where they were for the time being, and that we should each stay where we are until the situation changes.

At 10:10 am United Airlines Flight 93 crashes in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, southeast of Pittsburgh. This was most assuredly another attempted hijacking I thought. Surely either the hijacking failed in disaster or the Air Force shot it down to prevent another catastrophe. One thing stuck in my mind though; this was not the act of one or two wakos, but the work of a well organized group with no problem killing innocents to make their point.

At 10:05 am the south tower of the World Trade Center collapses and at 10:28 am The World Trade Center's north tower collapses. Minutes before the first tower fell from the angle shown I could see people falling from the upper levels; this was immediately changed to another camera. I was completely numb from what I had already experienced that day; all I could do was watch silently in reverence to the visions before me. After seeing the second tower fall I ran to the living room and grabbed my daughter in hug to end all hugs.

That is all I wish to share with you on this, the rest is mine to contemplate; just as it is and should be with all of us. Do the best thing you can do for yourself today; hug your wife and kids, kiss your best girl (or guy), or whatever makes you feel better about the world.
We are all as different as can be in so many ways; maybe for one day we can embrace all that makes us alike. Maybe for one day this world can get smaller again, but this time for the right reasons.

In closing I want to say I do not hate Muslims, Arabs, or anyone else as a group. I will continue to treat each person as their behavior would warrant, be they black, white, Hispanic, Asian, Arab or Jew. I will reserve judgment solely for those who do or plan to do harm to me, my family, and my country.

However, if you do plan harm, harbor hate, or attempt violence to even the least of us, all I'm going to say to you is;
"come get some". We may be separated here by party affiliations, religion, race and creed, we may also be complacent and lazy at times, but do not mistake any of this for a weakness of spirit or lack of strength. We are the sleeping giant that Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto of the Japanese navy referred to when he said, "I fear we have awoken the sleeping giant" shortly after the attack on pearl harbor. Nothing will unite a group of individuals into an army of one faster than when an outsider comes in and attacks.

To those responsible for 9/11, you will be found and you will be held accountable, in this life or the next. What will you do if upon standing before Allah in the afterlife he asks you why you killed so many in his name? What if the things taught to you were nothing but the twisted ideals of a would-be messiah possessed by his own fears and hatred? What will you say? Will you point to the one who told you Gods plan and will? Will God then say to you, "it's okay, you were led astray by evil" or will he cast you to same fate as the demonic messiah? What if you were wrong about Gods will? What will his wrath be like? If man was made in Gods own image and man can hate and kill this well, what level of hate could God bring forth? I wouldn't want to know, and I bet you wouldn't either.

That is all from me tonight; good luck, good night, and Godspeed to all our brave troops out there.