Because We Are Americans Page 4

  WTC security officers

  Military personnel

  FBI personnel

  State police

  Various other federal and state law enforcement personnel

  With special acknowledgment for those ordinary working people who showed enormous tenacity and heroism in assisting their fellow citizens in the midst of an unimaginable horror.

  No words could possibly describe what it was like in there that day. It was an honor to have been by your side.

  “I know we’re all going to die; there’s three of us who are going to do something about it.”

  —THOMAS BURNETT, ON A CELL PHONE TO HIS WIFE JUST BEFORE HIS PLANE WENT DOWN OUTSIDE OF PITTSBURGH, Newsday 9/13/2001

  FROM AN AOL POST, 9/20/2001 10:10 AM EDT

  SUBJECT: LET’S ROLL

  I don’t know the name of the young man who spoke to a telephone operator before he and some other passengers decided to try to overpower the hijackers. But I did see on TV that his wife said that just before they made the move to take over, the phone operator heard him say “Let’s roll!” His wife said this was a quote the young father used quite often at home when he wanted to get the family moving.

  I think the cry of “Let’s roll” should be the battle cry of our war on terrorism, just like “Remember the Alamo” was to the Texans!

  FROM AN AOL POST, 9/19/2001 10:19 AM EDT

  SUBJECT: THANK YOU FOR THE FIRST OF THIS WAR’S HEROES

  Thank you for resisting. Thank you for calling home and calling out so we may know some of what was happening up there in the skies.

  Thank you for making us all PROUD. This can’t help your families since they are without you, but thank you for showing us all the thoughts we should have. Not to just let them win. But if we are to die, we die on OUR terms, NOT theirs.

  FROM AN AOL POST, 9/16/2001 3:22 PM EDT

  SUBJECT: ACCIDENTAL HEROES

  I am so impressed and proud of the goodness and bravery of those men (and women) on the plane that crashed in Pennsylvania. Wow! In the span of 30 to 45 minutes, with knowledge of what had happened to the WTC from cell phone conversations, they formed a team and decided to take their chances by acting to disrupt the hijackers, who certainly were headed for the White House or Capitol.

  They did it for their country and to save other lives. They did that knowing they were going to die. They acted for what was right, in the face of what must have been their abject terror. The fact that they could act in that way is an example to me of the grace of God and the heroism that lies deeply within all of us.

  There was also something peculiarly American to me about that act or maybe it was just the last words of one of those accidental heroes who said something like “Ready guys? Let’s roll.”

  But we’d be kidding ourselves if we didn’t acknowledge that the propensity to act for evil is in all of us as well. It’s up to us to choose which path we’ll take; those choices often present a very slippery slope.

  My heart goes out to the families of these heroes. I’m sure you knew of their goodness and bravery. Now the whole country does and unites to thank these extraordinary patriots.

  FROM AN AOL POST, 9/15/2001 8:37 PM EDT

  SUBJECT: THE NEXT VICTIMS AND HEROES THAT ARE BEING FORGOTTEN

  I am a female soldier in the US Army. I have to say—not out of selfishness for myself, but as a member of the greatest military in the world—that I am amazed that we have all pulled together as one during this, civilians and military alike.

  However, I believe that civilians are forgetting what lies ahead: a war that will probably involve biological warfare and the loss of many, many lives. The military are about to become the next victims, and heroes, as well.

  As a soldier, I am fearful. I think I can speak for most military members when I say that we are all scared. Most of us have been taught to be strong and never show weakness, but in us all is a fear of the unknown. We really have no idea what exactly we are up against.

  I myself do not fear dying for something I believe in: the freedom of the United States. But in talking with other soldiers I have realized that as they prepare for war, their mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, friends, and relatives are grieving for the possible loss of their loved ones in the same way that the victims of the WTC and Pentagon are.

  As you all slowly begin to pick up the pieces of your lives, please don’t forget that other families are not so lucky. The fear will be in them until this is resolved and our soldiers are brought home. It takes a strong parent to send one’s own off to fight a war and risk their lives, and a stronger parent to support the effort their children are giving.

  I fear that our guys will be overlooked by the majority of the population, as are the guys in Kosovo and Bosnia. I urge all of you to remember and pray, on a daily basis, for the military and their families until each and every one returns home, be it as a victim or hero—don’t let them be forgotten over time. We all need your support and prayers now.

  FROM AN AOL POST, 9/15/2001 10:10 PM EDT

  SUBJECT: RUNNING FOR HIS LIFE BUT STOPPED TO HELP

  This is a short tale of Ed Cooke, an electrician who was on the 52nd floor of the second tower to be hit. The plane slammed into the 80th floor above him. He and his buddy started running to the stairs and down as fast as they could.

  Ed stopped to help an older guy who was having difficulty going down the stairs. Ed stayed with him, watching firefighters pass them heading upwards; he got the guy a shot of oxygen and made sure he rested every ten floors or so until he got his breath back.

  Both Ed and this man made it out just minutes before the building collapsed. These are unsung heroes, with their deeds going unnoticed, and watched only by God.

  “The bravest are the tenderest

  The loving are the daring”

  —BAYARD TAYLOR, “SONG OF THE CAMP”

  FROM AN AOL POST, 9/15/2001 10:13 PM EDT

  SUBJECT: LADDER CO. 8, 1ST UNIT AT WTC

  They were responding to a reported gas leak, and were testing at a sewer. There was a French cameraman with them, looking for footage of a fire, as he had been all week. Suddenly a jet flew over, very low. They all looked up, as the Frenchman continued to roll tape. Watching in horror and awe, Ladder Co. 8 (from the Tribeca section of New York City) saw the jet fly into the WTC.

  This is the real story behind the only video of the first crash.

  My nephew—my hero—and his company did not have to wait to be dispatched.

  They were in full gear and the rig was running. They were first to arrive at the crash site and immediately went into the building.

  I was just waking up and having my coffee when I turned the TV on. (I’m a NYC subway train engineer, and Tuesday was my day off.) I was shocked, and immediately worried about my nephew, who lives in an apartment in my house. He was 25 years old, a volunteer fireman for two years already; he’d only been out of the fire academy for 2 months, following in the footsteps of his deceased father, a decorated firefighter.

  I watched as the phone rang. My sister called from Manhattan to make sure that her son wasn’t working. I couldn’t lie to her. Then WTC 2 went down. I could not believe that after withstanding the impact of the plane, it still went down.

  Shortly after that, my sister called again. Thankfully, Jim called her and said, “Mom, I’m okay, I’m on the 30th floor of WTC 1.”

  Fifteen minutes later, the second WTC building, #1, went down. For an hour and 45 minutes, we waited and watched this nightmare unfold. Then my sister called—she saw Jim on NBC news, and he was ALIVE!

  Thursday night he came home for a little while and we talked. They never got the order to get out, but they sensed that it was time to go; the other building, the second one to get hit, had gone down what seemed like a long time ago. He ran down the stairs and reached the exit as the building came down around him. The fireman behind him received burns to the back of his neck. The firefighters behind him did not make it out.

&nb
sp; This is the story of my nephew, the NYC hero firefighter.

  FROM AN AOL POST, 9/16/2001 12:00 AM EDT

  SUBJECT: THE REAL HEROES

  I am a New Jersey police officer who spent many long hours at “Ground Zero” with a shovel looking for anyone who may have survived. The scene was so horrific that I could only describe it to my wife as a peek at the end of the world. But I believe that there are some real heroes who need to be recognized:

  above all, the innocent men and women who gave their lives to help others when everything was exploding around them

  the firefighters and police officers who gave their lives to save people they never even met

  the civilian volunteers—the iron workers, construction workers, Red Cross volunteers, and all the other people who simply came out to help in any way they could

  There was a teenage girl from the Red Cross who was there when I got there and was still there when I was leaving. She was handing out food, coffee, etc., and cleaning up after the exhausted workers who were going back to the rubble. This young lady and her fellow volunteers are true heroes. They exemplify the spirit of America: the readiness to help others despite the toll it takes on them.

  I thank all of those dedicated, caring people who helped keep everyone going in this monumental effort. God bless you all.

  FROM AN AOL POST, 9/17/2001 8:39 AM EDT

  SUBJECT: RESCUE DOGS

  Please remember that these rescue dogs are our heroes as well. Sadly, one of the Coast Guard’s search dogs perished last night due to heat exhaustion. The animals work tirelessly and to the point of exhaustion. One rescuer was interviewed last night on TV. At his side was his exhausted dog, laying on its side, completely worn out. These animals do all this hard work out of their undying love for humans.

  They are walking on very hot rubble and steel sharp enough to cut their feet. They do not stop and sit down when they get tired—they keep going as well.

  On television they just showed live pictures from the WTC disaster site. Two rescuers were bringing their search dogs into the rubble, and one fireman turned from what he was doing and patted each dog as it went by, to show his appreciation of the hard work they are doing.

  Don’t forget our four-legged heroes!

  FROM AN AOL POST, 9/23/2001 7:42 PM EDT

  SUBJECT: WHAT THEY REDEFINED . . .

  When I used to ask my little sister who her hero was, she’d say (with all the enthusiasm she could muster in her tiny body) “SpongeBob Square Pants”—a child cartoon character.

  Across the schools of America you could have walked into any fourth-grade classroom and asked that question. I guarantee you would have heard something along the lines of “Pokemon” or “Powerpuff Girls”—but not today.

  These men and woman have redefined the term “hero”; they have placed it back into that special category opposite “saint” and “angel.” Their courage and humanity have opened our eyes to what a real hero should be.

  When your little sister can look at you and say “Those men are my heroes,” then you know something special, something truly amazing has managed to reach in and touch all of America’s hearts. Those men and woman who are still digging through the rubble, who haven’t slept, who continue to work day in and day out for people they’ve never met are the true heroes of today.

  I want to say thank you and God bless.

  FROM AN AOL POST, 9/20/2001 2:29 AM EDT

  SUBJECT: TRIBUTE

  As a firefighter in NYC for 38 years—now retired, but with a son and son-in-law now in the front lines—I think these words of Rudyard Kipling really express the brotherhood that is theirs, and was mine:

  “I have eaten your bread and your salt, I have drunk your water and wine,

  The deaths you died I have watched beside, and the lives you lived were mine”

  In memory and gratitude for the years with some of the bravest, most compassionate men on earth . . .

  FROM AN AOL POST, 9/14/2001 9:37 PM EDT

  SUBJECT: BEING A HERO’S LITTLE GIRL

  Eight years ago I was faced with a tragedy I thought for sure I would never see again. My father, a fireman, was at the first WTC bombing doing what he loved, saving peoples lives. He came home about 20 pounds lighter but in one piece.

  On Tuesday morning it started all over. My father—still a fireman—and my brother, an EMT, were some of the first on the scene.

  Daddy pulled a woman out of a burning car, turned around to his truck, and the WTC fell on his head. I am a lucky one. He is alive, and will heal.

  My father fought in war, saved a man from an explosion some 30 years ago (suffering severe burns), and did countless other heroic things just by being a fireman. My father will take a long time to heal, but he has no plans of retirement.

  I am my father’s princess, and he will always be my hero—now he is yours, too.

  FROM AN AOL POST, 9/14/2001 10:55 PM EDT

  SUBJECT: RE: BEING A HERO’S LITTLE GIRL

  You are so lucky to be blessed with such a father. And he to have such a gracious daughter.

  I remember one of my daughter’s classmates asking her close friend, “Why would your father want to be a firefighter? What money is there in that?”

  I’ve always wished I could have been there to answer that silly boy.

  Being a hero is a greater reward than any money could bring. You get to save a life, maybe many lives.

  There is an Indian saying that goes something like, when you save a life, you become responsible for that life, or something to that effect. This is joy, this is bliss. To look in another’s eyes and see life, a life you have been instrumental in preserving, must be tantamount to reaching out and touching the face of God.

  This service and sacrifice raises us and those around us up to the clouds. Of course, there are those who would argue it is human nature to be selfish. But I have heard it said that nature is what we are put here to rise above. And I truly believe this of your father.

  God Bless him and those like him.

  “Courage is the ladder on which all the other virtues mount.”

  —CLARE BOOTH LUCE, Reader’s Digest, 1979

  LOVING

  “It is time to hug your neighbor and embrace your nation.”

  —BOB HOPE, Salon.com 9/24/2001

  FROM AN AOL POST, 9/19/2001 5:17 PM EDT

  SUBJECT: A NEW AMERICA

  In the wake of this tragedy, a renewed spirit of love and patriotism seems to have overtaken us. Even as candles burn in vigil, a more positive spirit seems to be prevailing. Perhaps the younger generation had never before connected with the enduring might of our forefathers from previous eras, who knew what it was to gain strength through adversity.

  But now something exciting has awakened. The simple Biblical command to love thy neighbor is an ideal slightly more within reach. The lyrics of the Louis Armstrong classic “Wonderful World”—about friends shaking hands, implicitly saying “I love you”—ring as shafts of light from heaven amidst the smoke and rubble.

  We used to wave flags because it was tradition on the 4th of July, and kids used to say the Pledge of Allegiance, holding their hands over their hearts, because the teacher told them to. But they’d become rituals. We’d grow slightly impatient singing the national anthem before baseball and football games, never paying attention to the words “gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.” But now we will. And we’ll be more patient. Now the song and the image of the waving flag have taken on new meaning.

  In my own Los Angeles neighborhood on the Friday night after the terror, hundreds of people lined the boulevard in an impromptu parade of honking, flag waving and shouts of “God Bless America!” America loves a party, but this was no casual Independence Day barbecue. Candles burned along the sidewalk, reminding us what happened, but the palpable determination of hope it awakened led to a swell of joy and the feeling we would somehow all be okay—even if the standards of what defines that have changed.


  The terrorists try to change our way of life, to bring out our greatest fears, but as we see, their acts have only made us stronger. If I ever doubted the goodness and potential for selflessness of most people in America and throughout the world, the response to all this—be it prayer, blood, cash and food donations, literal life sacrificed in the civil service duty of rescue, those few brave souls on the plane in Pennsylvania—shows me, beautifully, that love conquers, compassion endures, and heroes still exist. As the Apostle Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians, “love never fails.”

  “I am just struck with this city’s desire to congregate, to heal. I’ve never been so proud to be a part of this culture.”

  —A MAN WHO HAD JUST BEEN HUGGED BY A STRANGER WEARING ANGEL WINGS, The New York Times 9/14/2001

  FROM AN AOL POST, 9/17/2001 10:10 PM EDT

  SUBJECT: LET US LOVE EACH OTHER; BE CAREFUL OF HATRED

  As we move forward, pray we refrain from mean insults, comments, and violent or angry attacks on people (especially children!) in the U.S. who “look like terrorists” based on their nationality or physical characteristics.

  If we attack ourselves (we are made up of all ethnic, racial and religious backgrounds), we are giving into and perpetuating terrorism.

  The U.S.A. has learned much about racism, hatred, and infringement on human rights: Hitler’s actions against the Jews horrified us. Our own history includes enslaving Africans and decades of prejudice against the Irish, Italians, Jewish, Indians, and other groups. U.S. citizens still suffer from past acts of fear, hatred, and anger toward people of different racial and ethnic origins.

  Do not hate your neighbor because of what they look like. Many Middle Eastern people came innocently to the U.S. over the years to flee war, escape religious or political persecution, and to have their children and families safe. The attack on the U.S. is not representative of the peoples of the Middle East, which is made up of many countries.