Tuesday, May 23, 2006

United Flight 93...

September 11th, 2001



Took a ride over and saw the movie "Flight 93" today and once again I am amazed at how we choose not to keep this day of attacks and the war on terrorism on the front page. It has been interesting to hear that many feel it is to early for this type of movie and that the “Pain & Terror” are still to fresh in the minds of the American people… The majority of the media has been nice enough to keep images of the planes hitting the World Trade Center subdued for it may harm the society it strives to protect. Each anniversary of the attacks we see less and less coverage of these attacks on the people of the United States…

During the first year after the attacks on the American people I began to buy many of the documentaries made about the attacks and the news coverage of September 11th. I have even found several on the structural effects and damage of the planes hitting both towers and the Pentagon. Having some engineering background I found these very interesting on how they explain the eventual collapse of the towers and the Pentagon…

I find myself pulling these documentaries out from time to time when I find myself becoming too comfortable with the history of these attacks and how I felt that day. I know beforehand that viewing these documentaries will effect me and take me back to the day of the attacks and the days following. It is to a point where I know that I will not enjoy viewing the footage of the attacks and I never sit for the whole DVD without pausing it and walking away for a bit. I do return and view the whole program and each time it brings me back to perspective that our country was attacked and 3,000+ citizens died on that day of attack.

The movie “Flight 93” is of the same caliber and will be added to the “Library” when it comes out on DVD. It was interesting to see the events of the United Airlines Flight 93 that crashed in the field near Shanksville Pennsylvania after the passengers attempted to take back the plane from the terrorists. I have read the 911 Commission Report several times regarding the events on Flight 93 but the movie brings the emotion of the attacks out to be viewed directly… This movie is well worth the effort and I believe it was done correctly so not to push an “Agenda” one way or the other…

The photo above is of the World Trade Center towers after being hit by the planes flown by the terrorists. Flight 93 never made it to it’s intended target which we believe to have been the Capitol or the White House in Washington D.C.

There is one major newspaper that will publish photos from time to time to remind us of this very important event that is very young in our history. It is the Investor’s Business Daily ( IBD) which I have used many times for facts and issues when posting to this blog. A few weeks back on it’s “Issue & Insights” page there was a large photo of one of the towers collapsing in the middle of the page with nothing but the words “September 11th, 2001” attached to it. No stories. No opinion pieces. No “Spin” pieces. Nothing. Not the anniversary but months away from the actual anniversary of the attacks. In fact to the left of the photo was the daily column “From the Left” and to the right was the column “From the Right” and neither of the pieces mentioned the photo…

We need to be reminded of these attacks so as not to become comfortable with the history of this event…

3 comments:

Lynn R. Mitchell said...

Watching the movie "United 93" with the wife and daughter of an Army Reserve soldier currently stationed in Baghdad brought home even more the impact of how 9/11/01 changed America.

This Memorial Day we need to pause to honor and give thanks to those military members we have lost throughout American history ... and those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice in the war on terrorism in Afghanistan and Iraq.

In Augusta County that would include Lance Cpl. Jason Redifer, USMC, who was killed by a roadside explosion in Iraq on January 31, 2005. He puts a local face to those who feel the call to protect our country and our freedoms.

We owe our thanks and eternal gratitude to Jason's parents, Rhonda and Scott Winfield, for the sacrifice they made when they lost their 19-year-old son. Their sacrifice continues with the summer deployment to Iraq of their older son, Sgt. Justin Redifer, U.S. Army.

Check out www.VetsForFreedom.com and www.AmericaSupportsYou.mil. Send a message to the troops thanking them on this Memorial Day.

"We will not tire, we will not falter, and we will not fail."
-- President George W. Bush
September 20, 2001

"Peace is more than just the absence of war. True peace is justice. True peace is freedom. And true peace dictates the recognition of human rights."
-- President Ronald Reagan

Anonymous said...

We will be forced to repeat the history we forget. I think that that there should be a national holiday on 9/11 just to remind people of the events of that day.

Lynn R. Mitchell said...

Bubba, I agree that a 9/11 holiday would help remind people of the tragedy that hit this country that day. I would even settle for the media covering the event on an annual basis so that we don't forget ... and so the younger generation will learn and remember.