September 11th, 2007…a Tuesday…only one thing to do…
GET ON A PLANE!
On September 11th, 2006, I flew from Los Angeles to Oakland. I wanted to fly to New York, but business took me there a week earlier.
This year, everything was organized in advance. September 11th, 2007, at 8:46am, has me in route to New York.
I am not scared. I am emboldened.
I am not a hero. Heroes are people that serve our military worldwide. However, I am an American, and I remain forever enraged at the brutal murder of 3000 of my fellow New Yorkers.
If we refuse to fly, the terrorists win. If we let fear defeat hope, the terrorists win.
I will not back down. I will not give in. One day I will die, and while it might not be on my terms, it will not be on the terms of savage barbarians.
Upon landing at the airport, I will visit my grandmother in Brooklyn. She is 99, and still going strong. Then I will spend some time on Wall Street for business. Then I will make my way to Six Flags Great Adventure for Sean Hannity’s Freedom Concert.
Lee Greenwood is headlining the concert, and the proceeds go to the orphans of 9/11 victims and fallen soldiers.
I will be wearing a t-shirt with the photo of Iwo Jima on it that says, “These Colors Don’t Run…Or Burn.”
My necktie will have the three soldiers on it. I wish I could meet these men and thank them myself.
On September 13th and 14th, I will be celebrating the Jewish Holy Days of Rosh Hashanah. However, on September 14th, I will leave temple for a few minutes to go to ground zero. I will look to the sky, and quote President Bush. “I hear you, the rest of the world hears you, and pretty soon the people who knocked down these buildings will hear from all of us.”
On September 20th, 2001, the President promised us that, “We would not falter, and we would not fail.” He urged people to fly. I urge everyone to do the same.
For those of you that face delays at the airports, take a deep breath, and remind yourself that delays are caused by people, and that longer delays are caused by larger amounts of people. I prefer that flights start and end on time, but I would not mind waiting if thousands of my fellow Americans are exercising their God given right to be free…and fly.
Let the Eagles Soar. Let September 11th, 2007, be a day when America shows its resolve.
Bring it on. I am ready to fly.
eric
“My necktie will have the three soldiers on it. I wish I could meet these men and thank them myself.”
Thank any of us. It’s important to know that people like you still care.
As such, I invite you to read my latest on the subject:
http://arclightzero.wordpress.com/2007/09/10/six-years-later-where-are-we-now-where-were-we-then/
Your words are (and always have been) deeply appreciated, Eric. Thank you for the great post, and enjoy your flight. I am confident you’ll make it there in one piece.
Say “howyadoon” to my native Brooklyn, will ya?
JMJ
Good for you Eric.
Say hi to the city for me.
If you can make it to Broad and Pearl, drop into the Fraunces tavern. Tell them Micky sent you.
My prayer is that yours are answerd. I have faith they are for the right thing.
It really is remarkable how little it seems we think of the absolute loss we felt just six years ago. I know that we can’t let 9/11 take over our lives, but the power of event that size is life changing.
Fraunces? Man, Micky, you really are all Red, White and Blue! :)
JMJ
Awesome idea. Have fun in New York.
Each day, every day, I remember the moments of September 11th. Even though I am no longer living there, to paraphrase JFK, “Ich bin ein New Yorker.” Perhaps on September 11, 2001 at 8:48am, we were all at once New Yorkers, or all a unified group of Americans.
Fly as you will. I will, as I do each year, remember, and I will relate my stories of what I saw. And I will, whether in public or simply to myself, sing God Bless America (I sound nothing like Kate Smith)…and shed tears for those who perished, and shed even more tears for the perpetual changes to our lives that began at that moment.
I was the head waiter and didning room manager at Fraunces tavern shortly after the towers were built.
I would catch the train down from 231st and Holland every morning. Get of around church st. and grab a dog and newspaper as I walked a few blocks to work. Each and everytime passing the towers in totall awe and always stopping to look. I was 20 yrs old , raised in Hawaii and 2 years out of college and had never seen anything so beautiful.
Every other weekend I would pay the 6.00 to go up to the observation deck and take in the splendor of what the human spirit can accomplish.
When I watched the towers collapse all I could think of were the vendors and people I used to say hi to every morning.
Eric, if you are by any chance near ground zero all I ask is that you whisper my name.
Thanks
Eric-
Thanks for keeping up the good fight on your end. Like arclightzero said it’s important to know people still care, even if we are too humble to think we are really doing anything but our job over there.
Have a blessed time, sweet friend.