The Sixth September

[olde_fashioned]

It's been six years. Do you remember where you were when you heard? What you were doing, how you felt? Do you remember watching the television in horror, perhaps even crying, wondering what kind of monster would do this, how could a loving God let this happen?





It's been six years. And yet it might as well be six hundred, since we as a nation have such a short memory. We're supposed to "forgive and forget", even though the scumbags responsible such as Osama bin Laden have yet to be apprehended and held accountable for mass murder.



It's been six years. We're back to bickering amongst ourselves and pointing fingers. We've taken sides-- whether Democrat, Republican or otherwise -- and we fight a war of words across the aisle against each other instead of against the enemy whose lust for American blood is still unsatisfied.



It's been six years. Six years since 2,974 people lost their lives, including children as young as 2 and 3. I wonder how many of them expected to die that day?


click the thumbnail for a full-sized collage of all the victims

It's been six years. Six years of suffering for some, six years of normalcy for others. And what are we doing? Some of us are overseas, fighting for faith, freedom, liberty, and justice for all, sometimes paying the ultimate price. They are heroes, fighting (for the most part) without the support of their fellow countrymen.



It's been six years. Do you remember? Or have we already forgotten? I know I don't stop and think as often as I should. And I know I was blessed enough to not be personally affected by this other than most people, but I will never, ever, forget. I was asleep when it happened, but after the second plane hit my mom woke us up and we watched the news in our pajamas, not even bothering with breakfast. I will never forget that feeling of disbelief, and helplessness, watching people die, watching those towers crumble into dust. Even if I could, I wouldn't want to. And I don't think any of those 2,974 people would want us to, either.



God bless America, and America bless God!

Comments

[britishness.livejournal.com]

that last picture is beautiful - thank you!

[olde-fashioned.livejournal.com]

I couldn't resist using it -- it looks like a cross is shining through it.

[iane-grey.livejournal.com]

I think almost everyone can still remember. I didn't find out until I was home from school that day, when my mother called me and told me to turn on the TV. I'll never forget walking into an off license the next day and seeing a row of papers, each one with the same picture of the towers on it.

[olde-fashioned.livejournal.com]

Thank you for commenting on this. I don't think I've ever watched as much tv as I did that day. I was kind of in a daze after the planes hit, but when the towers started to collapse I couldn't take anymore and began to cry.

[penguinsrpals.livejournal.com]

The last pic is gorgeous! :) ♥ Tiffany

[olde-fashioned.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I think it looks like God's light. I wish I could claim to have taken it, but I've never been to New York. I always wanted to touch the towers, ever since I was little.

[penguinsrpals.livejournal.com]

I think the last pic looks like a cross, with the light coming out from it!

[olde-fashioned.livejournal.com]

I think so too, that's why I posted it.

[liz-hiebert22.livejournal.com]

When I heard I was still in school. They stopped school and they set up a TV in the Library. I felt sad and angry. How could someone do that.

[olde-fashioned.livejournal.com]

How could someone do that? I could answer that question, but I don't want to start another fire. Instead, just remember that these "people" are doing what they believe to be right. They believe murdering innocent women and children is perfectly acceptable so long as you do it in the name of a holy war. They believe their god commands -- rewards them -- for doing this. And yet we're told that Allah is the same god as the God of Abraham? There is only one supernatural being I know of that would commend such hideous behaviour, and his name is Satan.

[ladyneferankh.livejournal.com]

No, I haven't forgotten, but I think many people have, I've heard no one mention it all week--not even--Oh irony of irony--in my history classes--in previous years you'd see all sorts of "memorial" things going round....but it seems that since we're now past the fifth anniversary...people are ready to forget...never mind the forgiving.

I don't want to forget, and I pray I never will.

God bless America, and yes, let America bless God as well.

[olde-fashioned.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I wonder how little coverage the news will give it tonight? And how they'll "balance" it with praise of muslims in general and how awful we white people are. We're supposed to remember stuff so long as it's politically correct and doesn't "offend" our peace-loving muslim brothers!

I like that, "I pray I never will." I feel exactly the same way.

[ladyneferankh.livejournal.com]

I agree, they tend to worry so much about "offending" people.I mean, look, we're not slandering, or flinging racist slurs at Muslim people--we're just reporting the facts.

About the "how awful we white people are" I've noticed this too--it's as though Americans are both ethnocentric--thinking we know best--yet at the same time wallow in self-loathing, why can't we just hold our heads up high--so to speak--while at the same time acknowledging our flaws and shortcomings? I love your current default icon btw, very fitting.

[(Anonymous)]

hi i'm a friend of your brother spencer. and i couldn't resist clicking his link to this post. and i must say that it's really great. a nice way of making ppl think.

-jane AKA amy

[olde-fashioned.livejournal.com]

Hello Amy!

Thank you for the compliment and for the comment. I'm glad I succeeded in making people think, and it's nice to "meet" you! Any friend of my brother is more than welcome here. ;-)

~Lauren

[girlonfilm85.livejournal.com]

Very moving pictures and thoughts - thanks for sharing them. I was a sophomore in high school, in Algebra when it happened, but we didn't find out until the next class. Someone came in and told us, and our teacher ran out of the room because her daughter worked in New York (she was okay). I still remember upon hearing the news, without seeing any pictures or anything on TV, that my very first thought was "I hope no one was hurt".

The rest of that day and the rest of the week we had a classroom with a TV broadcasting coverage all day long. I would say 90% of everyone watching was in tears. I know I was, even though I wasn't connected personally to any of the victims. I was just too unreal to see it happening, and to see it happening *live*.

But I do personally know people who were there, who saw and heard and felt the second plane fly past their office building and crash into the tower, and who are still traumatized with nightmares about it to this day. They (and I must imagine some of the victims) include Christians, Jews, Hindus, atheists, and yes, Muslims. I notice that many people tend to generalize groups and cultures, but I keep reminding myself that for the most part, the greatest percentage of people in these groups and cultures are normal, real people, who have beliefs and values that support them and help them survive life, however different or similar these beliefs are. But there are fanatics in every society, unfortunately, and some (even more unfortunately) with devoted followers. Look at Hitler, Stalin, Pol Pot, Hussein, and so many others who have caused so much death and carnage - some to their *own people*.

I find that looking back on the last six years, the events of 9/11 have made me want to try and see everything from all perspectives, but I know that that's impossible. I can't understand how anyone could do a thing like this in the name of religion, just like I can't understand why anyone could rape someone, or could abuse a defenseless animal, or a child. I find that I *can't* watch the news now, because it seems that every single story is about someone being murdered, or some awful political scandal, or some new law that's about to be passed that takes away more of our freedom than we've already lost, or more money that's about to be cut from educational systems to fund the war. And *that's* a whole other topic that I can't deal with now. There is so much going on that it's impossible for me to have a firm stance on the war, simply because there is too much to consider, and I can't make a firm, constant opinion without being informed about everything that's going on from an objective view. And *that's* impossible too, because it's impossible for personal opinions not to filter through the media through which we receive our news. And I have to quote Lizzie Bennet here, "The more I see of the world, the more I am dissatisfied with it." Except I'm not just dissatisfied, I'm depressed, frightened, pessimistic, and angry. I really and truly do love my country - I'm very proud that I come from so many different backgrounds - some of which have been here since the 1600s, and some of which have only arrived within the last century. But the more I see of it covertly becoming a totalitarian society, the more I mourn for it.

I'm not very religious - I believe in God, though I have so many doubts - but I do pray for peace, and for everyone's safety. For Christians, Jews, Hindus, Buddhists, Muslims, atheists and everything else. Every-single-body is entitled to their beliefs. I can describe myself as a tree-hugging liberal vegetarian animal-loving peace-loving daughter-of-hippies try-to-see-and-love-the-best-in-EVERYBODY type of person. But the more I find out about myself, the more I am confused with the rest of the world.

I suppose that six years later, I'm no nearer finding the answer than I ever was. Maybe I never will.

...

So, uhm, I'm sorry about sticking this rant right in the middle of your thread. But it really got me thinking about things again, and it was therapeutic in a way to get everything into words. So thank you for that, and God bless. *hugs*

[olde-fashioned.livejournal.com]

I don't mind rants, and thanks for sharing your feelings.

As for the majority of your remarks, I must confess I'm rather at a loss to know what to say to you, especially since I too have been guilty of feeling fed-up with Iraq and Bush's war. But I have never wavered of my staunch admiration, gratitude, and support for our troops and their sacrifices. I don't think we should up and run away from Iraq, though I really don't want to get into a discussion about it right now.

I agree with you when you said everyone should be entitled to their own beliefs. I also believe, however, that in order to have a more perfect freedom of speech we must also be willing to accept the consequences of those beliefs. We have to be willing to accept the fact that there will be differences of opinions, and there will be wars fought over words.

[(Anonymous)]

I mentioned this on your brother's blog, but when I can I try to compliment people directly. But, I really like that line, "God bless America, and America bless God!" It puts things in a proper order; for us to receive the Lord's blessings, it is by obedience to His laws. Too many in America are forgetting that.

--Nathan

[olde-fashioned.livejournal.com]

Hello Nathan!

I'm flattered that you stopped by, and as I said to Amy, it's a pleasure for me to "meet" you.

Thank you for the comment! I agree with you utterly and completely, and I really believe that in order for God to bless America, America must first bless God. Unfortunately there seems to be precious little of that these days, and it's always the innocents that end up paying the price.

Just for the record, families that have loved ones in the military have my utmost respect, as well as gratitude, so, if you'll permit me to say it, thank you.

~Lauren

[midenianscholar.livejournal.com]

A picture to add to the collection:
http://www.af.mil/shared/media/photodb/photos/091103-N-3235P-003.jpg

The flag is now in the American History Smithsonian.

Very touching pictures.

[olde-fashioned.livejournal.com]

Your own picture is touching as well. Do you know any of the men in the photo?

[midenianscholar.livejournal.com]

No. I wasn't there when they first put down the flag (or maybe I was driving by, I don't remember), but they kept it up for a few months, so we saw it a lot.

[(Anonymous)]

yeah i love reading blogs and will probably come back and comment from time to time. cuz spencer is cool so you must just be equally awesome by association.

but i have to say that i can remember exactly where i was when this all happened. i was in my 7th grade choir class. we all just sat shocked at what we were seeing on the tv. amazed this could actually be happening to us. worrying about those friends who know ppl in New york... still gets me even now.

-amy aka jane

[olde-fashioned.livejournal.com]

I'd like that! I like reading blogs, too. Anyone who thinks my brother is cool has excellent judgement! ;-) And thank you for the compliment. I love him to death and even though I'm sure this would embarrass him if he read it, I think he's the best. :-D

It still gets me too, Amy. I was almost crying looking at all the photos while blogging them. It's still so incredibly sad, even now.

[oldfashioned84.livejournal.com]

Everybody I came into contact with this week didn't mention anything about it.

I haven't forgotten what happened though, and it's still shocking to think that this actually happened and so many people lost their lives.

I didn't know anyone personally who was involved with it, but I did come across some people who were affected by it in some way. My town lost a lot of people on that day.

My dad called me and told me about it that morning. I couldn't believe it at first and I watched the tv almost constantly that day. I also remember going down the road to the water and being able to see the smoke from the towers. There were a bunch of people gathered around and everyone was so shocked at what had happened. :(

[olde-fashioned.livejournal.com]

I was going to ask you if you knew anyone personally.

[hominygrits.livejournal.com]

What a beautiful entry! It makes you think! Anyway, I found you through period_stills and I see that we have some things and friends in common. Can we be friends? :-)

[olde-fashioned.livejournal.com]

Thank you! That was my goal, to make people think. ;-)

I do recognize your username, and you're right, we have a lot in common! :-) Adding you...

[hominygrits.livejournal.com]

Thanks so much! I look forward to reading your posts! :-)

[olde-fashioned.livejournal.com]

Haha, I fear you will find me very dull...unless you're very fond of icons. ;-P