Four Years Later: 9/ 11/ 2005

Gary Norris Gray

Four years ago America stood as a strong and powerful nation that could stand against all odds. Four years ago Islamic fanatics attacked America. Four years ago America got suckered, hoodwinked, and fooled. What the truck bomb did not accomplish in 1998, four fuel loaded airplanes would.

Middle Eastern Islamic terrorists boarded planes on the morning of Sept.11, 2001; if you look at this date it spells out 9-1-1. Yes, it was an emergency call to all Americans. It was an emergency call for all Americans to help those who are now in need. It was a wake-up call for all of those Americans who thought the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans protected them from harm’s way.

America's pain four years ago became the world's pain. New York was damaged but not broken. It will come through in flying colors. New Yorkers know how, because they have been taught by their neighbor and sister state New Jersey.

Heroes always come out of tragedies like this. Heroes, like firemen and policemen who will never be forgotten. The first responding firefighters to come to the Twin Towers, just doing their jobs, responding to the calls for help, will never go home again, having fallen into the rubble of the Twin Towers.

Heroes of the New York City Police Department, like their fellow fire fighters (NYFD), went into the towers wanting to save lives-- at the cost of their own.

A hero is a man who stayed with his disabled friend on the 100th floor. He stayed with flames, smoke, and falling metal coming down all around them. He did not want his disabled friend to die alone. We should all have friends like this man. Within an hour they would both fall one hundred floors to their deaths. His spirit will live on for many Americans. How many friends would do that, knowing that they could have saved themselves by just leaving the building?

Heroes are the two people who carried another disabled person from the 68th floor. They lifted her out of her motorized wheelchair, one of them on each side of her. They had to carry this person down sixty-eight flights of stairs. The stairs were filled with smoke and other people trying to leave in the same direction- stairs that were filled with falling pieces of metal and hot jet fuel dripping from the above. They carried this person to safety, seven blocks away. Thank God these two were thinking of a possible collapse of the building. Yes they were all HEROES!!!

The terrorist took two flights from Boston’s Logan Airport and two flights from Newark International Airport, in my home state of New Jersey.

Three of the four planes hit their targets. Three of the four planes caused much death and destruction. The fourth dove straight into the Pennsylvania countryside, killing everyone aboard. The passengers and crew on that fourth plane once again showed the American Spirit, American Pride, and American Determination. They gave their lives to save thousands of other American lives in Washington, D.C.

Here is a message to other terrorists:

You Failed
If you the terrorist wanted to break the American spirit, YOU FAILED
Americans are helping New Yorkers and Washingtonians, like Americans have always done in tragedies.
If you wanted to break the Americans' pride, YOU FAILED
The American flag now flies in every state, in every county, in every city, in every building, and in every household.
Even little kids are flying flags over freeway overpasses from New Jersey to California
If you wanted to crush Americans' determination, YOU FAILED
Americans are cleaning up the Pentagon and the Twin Towers
And vow to rebuild both, bigger and better.
If you wanted to stop Americas' financial business, YOU FAILED
Wall Street returned the Monday after September 11,2001.
If you wanted to break America’s heart, YOU FAILED
Americans have raised over two billion dollars for the families affected from the attack.
If you wanted to dismantle current American alliances overseas, YOU FAILED
Countries all over the world have come to our assistance even your Muslim brother countries.
If you wanted to create racial disharmony, YOU FAILED
Black, White, Asian, Latino, Arab Americans all are hand and hand, united as one. AMERICAN
If you wanted to create religious turmoil, YOU FAILED
Jews, Christians, and Muslims are now one, AMERICAN.
Yes, we Americans fight amongst ourselves on different issues, at different times.

But when an outsider attacks one of us, then it’s an attack on all of us--it’s a family matter.

The Islamic fanatics who flew those jets into the Twin Towers failed to comprehend or understand this beautiful and unyielding spirit. Yes, Mr. Terrorist, you may have taken down the twin towers, a building, but you will never take down the American drive to live, the American drive to make the world a better place for all, Mr. Terrorist. Now the shoes will be put on your feet.  Mr. Terrorist, can you state the same claims?

FOUR YEARS LATER:

Fear has griped the world with random car and train bombings from Madrid to Manila. America has made more enemies then friends in the Middle East Territories. Racial tensions have increased in America’s inner cities, Since the recent events in New Orleans, Southern Alabama, and Southern Mississippi.  Hurricane KATRINA has frayed racial unity.

The unemployment rate has doubled and in the African American community the rate is almost forty five percent. This is unacceptable in any era. American industries have been moving overseas to gain corporate profit rather then employing Americans. Women’s Rights and Disabled Rights are in jeopardy with the changing Supreme Court. American seniors are making life decisions, either buy food or buy medicine. 

The Bush Administration has put American military personnel in a protracted war in the Middle East. Americans still support the troops but not this illegal war. Reminding every American of the Viet Nam era protest.

American Gas prices have gone through the roof the last four months with no end in sight. The housing market has now become the base for the current shaky American economy. Four years later America’s future is in question and in doubt.

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