9/11/01

I guess anyone who is old enough will remember where they were when they heard the news of 9/11/01.  I was on the playground with my kids.  Lyn, my principal and good friend, came out with a post-it note with the words,"an airplane crashed into one of the twin towers" written on it.  At first we thought it was an accident.  Then the second plane hit.  We knew we were under attack.  I remember the sadness, the patriotism, the fear. I know you do too.  It is etched in my mind.  I am old enough to remember the JFK assassination (OK I was in first grade – but I DO remember), Martin Luther King’s assassination, the moon landing and other historic events.  9/11 stands out in my mind in a big way.  Our world was changed that morning wasn’t it?  I suppose that every 9/11 for as long as we live we will remember.  

Every year on this day it comes ringing back.  On my way to work this morning I was listening to NPR.  There is a little segment on Friday mornings called Story Corps.  It is only about 3 minutes long.  Today’s installment was from a New York City firefighter.  He was the father of two young men, one also NYC firefighter, the other an NYPD detective.  Both lost their lives at the Twin Towers on 9/11/01.    

If you want to read/listen to that piece click here.

 Probably every American singer/songwriter alive at that time wrote their own song to capture their reflections of 9/11/01.  These are the lyrics to a song I wrote on 9/12/01.  It was originally called "6,000 Souls" because that is how many we thought died that fateful day.  Later that month when the brave crisis workers who sifted through the rubble determined the true number of people who died, the title was changed to "3,000 Souls".  A friend of ours, a principal at a school not far from ground zero, told us a heart-wrenching story of her students watching as folks fell or jumped from the building in flames.  From their vantage point the falling victims looked like birds on fire.

3000 Souls 

Late summer day, They make their way to work

Mid-September morning, It's a beautiful day in New York

Three thousand souls, In their daily grind

Going to the office, Nothing special on their minds

(CHORUS) Kissed their loved ones good-bye

Just like they did the day before

Now we're left to wonder why

What was their dying for?

Brothers and sisters, Not soldiers fighting in a war

Just everyday people, But now forever so much more

Innocent children wonder, Why are the birds all on fire?

Teacher doesn't answer, She cannot make herself a liar

(CHORUS) Kissed their loved ones good-bye

Just like they did the day before

Now we're left to wonder why

What was their dying for?

Al of those dreams never dreamt, All of those habits never shaken

All of those tears never cried, All of those chances never taken

So we've got to have faith, We've got to try to understand

And we've got to believe, They didn't die in vain

(BRIDGE) Just don't call it a holy war

That's not what their dying was for

I don't know what justice is

But I pray - it will prevail

And that our spirit remains strong

And I pray - our love won't fail

Just don't call it a holy war

That's not what their dying was for

It's the home of the brave, And the land of the free

And we've got to believe, That it's still going to be

Late summer day, They make their way to work

Mid-September morning, It's a beautiful day in New York.

I can't help but include in this post a direct quote from Glen Beck about his feelings concerning 9/11 victims.  I will not comment on them.  I cannot.  I don't need to.  His words speak for themselves.

BECK: You know, it took me about a year to start hating the 9/11 victims’ families. It took me about a year. Um, and I had such compassion for them and I really, you know, I wanted to help them, and I was behind — let’s give them money, let’s get them started, and all of this stuff. And I really didn’t — all the 3,000 victims’ families, I don’t hate all of them, I hate about, probably about ten of them. But when I see 9/11 victim family, you know, on television, or whatever, I’m just like, ‘Oh, shut up.’ I’m so sick of them. Because they’re always complaining. And we did our best for them. And again, it’s only about ten.

I'd be interested to read what you think.