I remember the scenes of the people jumping to certain death to escape the flames. I remember the anguish and pain in the survivors and first responders on the street. I remember the towers falling, sealing the fate of so many.
I remember hearing of a group of terrorists called Al Qaeda taking responsibility. I remember finding out they were Muslim extremists. I also remember the shots of people in the streets of major metropolitan areas in the whole of the Middle East celebrating the blows dealt to us - The Great Satan. I do not remember any sort of condemnation from any Muslim leaders. I do not remember any significant condemnation from the so called "moderate" Muslims. CAIR says they condemn terrorism, but I don't remember any of their spokepeople doing so in a large public forum. They say they did, but I don't remember that.
I remember that these so called terrorists were overwhelmingly Muslim Middle Eastern males within an age range. I do not remember there being any Western European elderly ladies or men, or any of the other profiling victims of the TSA having any sort of involvement with the terror attacks.
I remember finding out about fatwas, and the teachings of Mohamed regarding infidels. I remember the moral equivalence crowd insinuating that Christianity is equally guilty of similar crimes. I do not recall the Pope or any of his Bishops calling for a fatwa against Salmon Rushdie or anyone else. I recall from history books that these Christian crimes did happen, but hundreds of years ago and in a similar struggle against the same religion we are engaged with now. I do not recall local ministers advocating the torture and killing of women to preserve some warped sense of male honor. I do, however, remember seeing mullahs support the mutilations and murders of young women. I also do not remember seeing any major Middle Eastern government condemn this sort of thing.
Don't accuse me of racism. If you do, you haven't read the definition and are a knee jerk idiot. The followers of Mohamed are not a race. Other people of Middle Eastern descent are Jewish. In order to be racist, I'd have to hate them, too. I do not.
I might be considered a bigot. I'd be more inclined to agree with that assessment if someone could point out to me how I am wrong in what I've seen from the Muslim religion in the past thirty odd years. Prove to me how they are the Religion of Peace and that all the horrors we have witnesses are not seen as a good thing by the majority of said followers. You cannot. If I was being unreasonable, I would be a bigot. I am merely noting actions, which if you'll recall, speak louder than words.
I also note that the term "prejudice" may apply as well. OK, prejudice means an unfounded hatred, fear or mistrust of a group of people. Show me how my feelings are unfounded. Prove it. Then we'll talk.
Too often we are forced to ignore the elephant in the room. We don't want to hurt "tender feelings." Those who are offended and have such tender feelings should have spoken up and taken action a long, long time ago if they want my sympathies.
I remember all right. I remember I'm pissed.
If you cannot reach me by clicking on the "COMMENTS" link, please email me at cimarronkansas@yahoo.com with "I REMEMBER" in the subject line.
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I too remember the 911 Islamic terrorists’
attacks against peace, freedom, and
democracy. On that fateful day, I was at
work in a government building, not far from
the Pentagon, when we heard the news of the
WTC bombing. We were all glued to our radios
listening in disbelief, and then, about 45
minutes later, we heard that the west side
of Pentagon had been hit by an American
Airlines’ plane. Within the hour, we learned
that the direct hit was on the Army side. I
worked for the Adjutant General of the Army,
and on that day two of our management
officers from across the hall were over at
the Pentagon briefing the Deputy Chief of
Staff for Personnel, Lieutenant General
Timothy Maude. Gary Smith and Max Beilke
both perished in that explosion in LTG
Maude’s office along with another friend,
Sergeants Major Larry Strickland. Two hours later, we were instructed to evacuate our buildings and leave the area. It was total chaos getting out of there; traffic jammed the streets, highways, and interstates. Public transportation was nearly halted into, out of, and around D.C. Buses, cabs and commuted trains were operating sporadically. People without the cars were looking for any means possible to exit the metro area. I walked a mile and half to nearest metro line that was operating. After an hour I managed to catch one to the outskirts of the beltway where we had to debark and await further bus transportation out of the area. After another hour or so, I finally caught a bus south to Fredericksburg, VA, where I lived. Once home, I stayed glued to the TV for two days watching with the rest of the world. Yes, everybody I knew was highly pissed at all Arabs and the Islamic world. We all looked for our President to do something. When George W. Bush made pronouncements on the atrocities committed by terrorists on behalf of Bin Laden, we were proud of his calm and steady leadership in our time of peril. Love him or make fool of him, you cannot deny his convictions and intentions were in our country’s interests….he did not waffle like our current President but instead he spared no menacing words to our enemies. "There’s an old poster out West, I recall, that says, Wanted: Dead or Alive." -- George W. Bush on Bin Laden, 9/17/01 “I can hear you! The rest of the world hears you! And the people who knocked these buildings down will hear all of us soon!" -- George W. Bush from the wreckage of the WTC "We will make no distinction between the terrorists who committed these acts and those who harbor them." -- George W. Bush, 9/20/01 "Whether we bring our enemies to justice or bring justice to our enemies, justice will be done." -- George W. Bush, 9/20/01 "We will direct every resource at our command -- every means of diplomacy, every tool of intelligence, every instrument of law enforcement, every financial influence, and every necessary weapon of war -- to the destruction and to the defeat of the global terror network." -- George W. Bush, 9/20/01 "And we will pursue nations that provide aid or safe haven to terrorism. Every nation in every region now has a decision to make: Either you are with us or you are with the terrorists. From this day forward, any nation that continues to harbor or support terrorism will be regarded by the United States as a hostile regime." -- George W. Bush, 9/20/01 I too remember, Jeff Borland; and with the killing of Bin Laden, we as a nation remain the preeminent power and the force for good around the world. Mike Thorpe. |
| Great response Mike. You have a knack with words. There is always an opening on the faculty here at PU. Pete. |
| VERY VERY good writing Mike Thorpe - and thank you too, for the input, we all should take the time to read both Jeffros Borland's and Mike Thorpe's articles on PU ------ thanks for taking the time to inform all of us. Janie Wehkamp Arthurs. |
| Jeff and Mike, thank you for your words.. Both of my boys served in the wars that followed. I have sat and watched what was happening with a very heavy heart and lots of prayers! |