91101 Remembered - Again, And Again, And Again

A TERRIBLE ANNIVERSARY
Today is the fifteenth anniversary of the attacks on the World Trade Center Towers, the Pentagon and wherever Flight 93 was headed before Todd Beamer and the other heroes aboard foiled the hijacking by crashing it in a field near Shanksville, PA at the cost of their lives and all aboard.

I'VE WRITTEN ABOUT THIS BEFORE
I've written about this terrible event many times, most recently a year ago, HERE.  In that short essay I gave you links to many others that I've written.  I know most of us have been inundated with remembrances of that terrible day over the past few days.  In fact, I've recently watched a television  series on the event and the aftermath which only dredged up my anger again.

THEY WERE PEOPLE
If you remember no other person, remember Christine Hanson, the youngest person to die in those tragic events that day.  Remember how Christine's life was snuffed out when the airplane she and her parents were flying in crashed into the World Trade Center.  Remember how they, along with nearly 3,000 other victims of those attacks, were pulverized - shredded like meat through a grinder - as the towers imploded.  Remember that those horrific clouds of dust and debris carried chunks of humans as they rolled up Manhattan that day.  Remember those poor people who chose to leap to their deaths from 80 floors in the air rather than be incinerated by the heat of those fires estimated to be 2,000 degrees.  Remember those brave first responders - more than 300 of them - who entered those burning buildings to try to help others escape, only to be trapped as the buildings collapsed.

REMEMBER
Remember that day....  Teach those too young to remember just what happened, and why it's important to remember.  I think it's critical that all Americans remember what happened that day, and what it has meant to our country and the world ever since.  To learn more about the victims of 91101, CNN has maintained a site for that purpose.  It will reside on my home page for future reference, but for now you can reach it HERE.  Clearly, we must remain vigilant, as demonstrated by the recent attack close to home in San Bernardino.  We must NEVER let our guard down... and we must NEVER FORGET.

And It Continues...

AN UNFORGETTABLE,  TRAGIC DAY
Fourteen years ago today, September 11, 2001,  the United States of America suffered a horrendous, coordinated attack by Islamic extremists that took nearly 3,000 lives at three separate venues.

HORRIFIC
That date produced tragedy and heroism - and a lifetime of grief for those with loved ones who were killed in those cowardly attacks.  Those innocent people who died that morning, and the brave first responders who went into the bowels of the World Trade Center Towers and the Pentagon looking for survivors, will remain in my heart forever.  On this anniversary of that date I want to specifically remember two of the victims - the youngest and one of the most heroic.

AN ANGEL...

Today Christine Hanson, who died along with her parents when they were vaporized when their airplane crashed into the World Trade Center, would have been sixteen years old.  She would have been a junior in high school, perhaps on the cheer squad or a star on the soccer team.  Or, perhaps, she would have been a budding musician or actress.  Or, she might have been an outstanding student.  Or, perhaps she would have fallen in love by now.  We will never know, because that young life was snuffed out.

"LET'S ROLL..."

Todd Beamer was a 32 year old software salesman, father of two sons and a daughter that would be born in January, 2002, just a few months after 9/11/01.  She is 13 years old today.   Beamer and other passengers attacked the hijackers of Flight 93, keeping it from attacking the apparent target in Washington, D.C.  The plane crashed in a field outside Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
 

PREVIOUS LINKS
I've written about this attack for several years on or around this date.  Here are links to what I've written in the past.

2014

2013

2012

2011

2010

2009

2008

2007

NEVER FORGET..... NEVER FORGIVE

The City Of Costa Mesa Marks 91101

REMEMBRANCE EVENT TOMORROW
Tomorrow, Friday, September 11, 2015 the City of Costa Mesa will hold a remembrance of the tragic events that occurred on that date fourteen years ago.

Here is the full text of the City announcement.

City to hold a remembrance ceremony to mark 14th anniversary of Sept. 11 terror attacks

 

Posted Date: 9/10/2015

 

This Friday, Costa Mesa Fire and Police Departments will join with city employees and residents to hold an official remembrance ceremony. Each year, Costa Mesa and other fire and law enforcement agencies throughout the region (and the country) gather to honor and pay a special tribute to the members of the uniformed services who perished (343 members of FDNY, 23 members of NYPD, and 37 members of the Port Authority Police) and all of the innocent victims who perished (2,574).

The Costa Mesa Fire and Police Departments will hold ceremonies at City Hall and at all of the city’s fire stations. The gathering area at City Hall will be adjacent to the flagpole from 8:30-9:05 a.m. on Friday. 

Timeline for City Hall ceremony

• 8:40 a.m. - Brief opening comments – Fire Chief Dan Stefano and Police Chief Rob Sharpnack.

• 8:46 a.m. - Representing the time the first plane struck the WTC Tower #1; all fire apparatus will be pulled out on the front apron of the fire stations and all radios will be turned on in apparatus.

• 8:55 a.m. - Everyone will gather near the flagpole for a moment of silence.

• 9:00 a.m. - Uniformed personnel will be at attention and the regional emergency communications center will make a countywide broadcast acknowledging Patriot Day - A Day of Remembrance.

• 9:05 a.m. - End of official remembrance ceremony.

91101 And Another Middle Eastern War

A SAD REMEMBRANCE

Today, September 11, 2013, we mark the 12th anniversary of that horrible day on September 11, 2001 when nearly three thousand Americans lost their lives when cowards crashed commercial airliners into the World Trade Center Towers and the Pentagon and a fourth plane was crashed in the rolling hills of Pennsylvania to avoid another Washington, D.C. tragedy.

IMAGES BURNED INTO MY BRAIN

I've written about this each year since I began my blog and every year this exercise drags back into the forefront of my mind the horrific images many of us saw unfold that morning.  One of the ones that sticks with me the most is the image of dear little Christine Hanson, just over two-years-old at the time, who was killed with her parents that morning - their bodies shredded and vaporized as the building imploded.  There are so, so many more...

PREVIOUS REMEMBRANCES
You can read what I wrote for the past several years by clicking on these links:

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

ABOUT THIS DAY

You can also read the Wikipedia entries about Patriot Day - the official name of this date has now been changed to Patriot Day and National Day of Service and Remembrance - HERE.

ABOUT THAT DAY
You can read the Wikipedia account of the events of that day a dozen years ago HERE.

ABOUT THE VICTIMS
And, you can read the CNN Memorial site for the victims of that day HERE.  I've had it on my homepage for many years, so you can click on it any time you wish in the future.

THE RAW NUMBERS
And, the raw numbers from and as a result of that day will stagger you, HERE.

NEVER FORGIVE AND NEVER FORGET

As our president prepares to, perhaps, launch us into yet another Middle Eastern military adventure, I think it's very appropriate to stop for a second and consider what the Iraq and Afghanistan wars have been all about.  We should never forgive and never forget.

A Paradox - Defending Freedom And Stifling Dissent

SPARSE TURNOUT
On a humid, overcast morning fewer than 100 residents and city staffers met on the City Hall lawn this morning for a brief remembrance of the events that occurred on September 11, 2001.

SHORT AND SWEET
Public Affairs Manager Dan Joyce coordinated this remembrance, which included a brief speech by him, recognition of a flag that had flown at the World Trade Center site and a moment of silence.

CMFD PARTICIPATED
A fire truck and crew were on-hand, as was Deputy Fire Chief Fred Seguin, to help with this remembrance.  

CMPD, TOO
Police Chief Tom Gazsi and members of his command staff were also in attendance.

SOME POLITICIANS
City Council candidates Harold Weitzberg and John Stephens attended and signed the banner that will be shipped to New York City.  The only current elected official I saw at the event was Jim Righeimer.



STAFF AND COMMUNITY TOGETHER
The members of the city staff and from the community paid their respects.

AN IRONY
It was a great irony that, as this group gathered to recognize the threat to our freedoms that occurred eleven years ago, some city employees are having some of their freedoms abridged.

 POLITICAL ACTIVITY PROHIBITIONS
In a two-page memo to employees, City CEO Tom Hatch, shown here contemplating the 91101 event, provided them with "Guidelines for City Employee Involvement in Political Campaigns", a list of five things employees may do and eleven things they should not do regarding political activities.

SPEAKING OUT...
Among the things that are prohibited is this statement, "Don't make public statements or press appearances in favor of or against a candidate or ballot measure during normal work hours, during official city meetings or break times."  That emphasis is mine.  The way I interpret this prohibition, City employees will be forbidden to speak out at City Council meetings on, for example, Jim Righeimer's Charter.  I suspect this is a violation of their protections under the First Amendment of the United States Constitution.

PENALTIES?
I also wonder what the penalties are for NOT signing the forms and for violation of the "guidelines"?  Nothing in the memo indicates the penalty for transgression.
 
WHAT ABOUT THE CITY COUNCIL?
I also wonder how this applies to City Council members who are, after all, employees of the city, receiving a salary and benefits for the performance of their jobs?  Who will enforce these "guidelines" with members of the City Council?

STIFLING DISSENT
In my opinion, this is just one more example of the current government of this city attempting to stifle dissent.  The City Council majority does it on a regular basis by chiding speakers before them and disparaging their views.  Now they are trying to silence opposing views from within the city operations, too.  This is just one more example of why Jim Righeimer's Charter is a terrible idea.  It will provide the structure for the installation of a dictatorship - the signs are clear as crystal.

September 11, 2001 Recalled, Again

ANOTHER YEAR...
It hardly seems possible that we have reached yet another anniversary of the attacks on our country that occurred on September 11, 2001, and yet, here we are.  I've written about that dastardly event each year since then that I've had this blog.  You can read my post from last year HERE.  There you will also find links to several others.

WE GOT HIM, BUT...
On May 2, 2011, just a few months short of the tenth anniversary of the attacks, United States Navy Seals - Seal Team Six - located Osama bin Ladin in Abbotabad, Pakistan - a country we curiously consider an ally - and killed him, closing that particular chapter in this horrendous event.  While I felt some degree of relief when I heard the news, I didn't feel particularly safer.  I never did expect bin Ladin to show up on my doorstep with an AK-47.
 

THE MONSTER, OSAMA BIN LADIN...
When Osama bin Ladin was killed sixteen months ago - you can read the Wikepedia account of his death HERE -  I was happy that the mastermind of the 91101 attacks had been killed, and I was also a little disappointed because, even though he apparently died of gunshot wounds, it's unlikely that he suffered sufficiently for his crimes.  My preference would have been to capture him alive then submit him to exactly the same kind of death those thousands of people in the Twin Towers suffered that morning.  He should have been run through a wood-chipper alive and those pieces then shot from a cannon for the same result.  Yeah, I know... how barbaric of me.  Well, take a look at this photo of Christine Hanson, the youngest known victim in the Twin Towers.  When the towers came crashing down on her and the others in the buildings they were vaporized!  Several shoes were found in the debris, but no bodies and few body parts big enough to identify were located.  Yeah, I think my preference would be the right one.  If you wish to know more about the victims of 91101, CNN has maintained a site for us.  I've kept the link on my home page - over on the right - for your use.  Or, just click HERE.

CASUALTIES CONTINUE TO MOUNT UP
According to a recent Washington Post report, more than 6,570 U.S. servicemen and women have died in Iraq and Afghanistan since then-president George Bush launched our response to the events of September 11, 2011.  I am deeply saddened for those loses.  I have a 20 year-old great-nephew presently deployed in Afghanistan with the United States Army as a rifleman - shown on the left of this photo while on patrol - and I worry about his safety every single day.

COSTA MESA REMEMBERS ON TUESDAY
Tuesday, September 11, 2012, the City of Costa Mesa will hold a remembrance ceremony at the City flagpole to which the entire community is invited.  The event begins at 9:45 a.m. and there will be a moment of silence at 9:59 to honor the 2983 men, women and children who died that day.  I hope you will join me and other neighbors for this short remembrance.  I also hope none of you will ever forget the events of September 11, 2001, just as my generation will never forget the attack on Pearl Harbor December 7, 1941 - as then-President Franklin D. Roosevelt stated, "a date that will live in infamy".

NEVER FORGET AND NEVER FORGIVE

Except For 91101 Remembrance A Slow Week Ahead

WHEW!
Finally, a breather!  Next week, with the Study Session canceled, is going to be a slow one in Costa Mesa politics.  Thank goodness!  I can use the rest. 




91101 REMEMBRANCE
However, the City announced a brief ceremony to recognize the events of September 11, 2011 at City Hall on Tuesday, September 11th.  Here's the text of their message.

On Tuesday, Sept. 11, the community is invited to join City staff for a short ceremony and moment of silence to honor those who died during the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. The event begins at 9:45 a.m. at the City Hall flagpole. An American flag flown over the World Trade Center site will be at half-mast and a moment of silence will take place at 9:59 a.m. to commemorate those who lost their lives that day.

I look forward to seeing some of you there for this important, yet brief, program.