On September 11, 2001, I was working as a telemarketer. To me, it was just another day at work as I sat at my desk calling people to encourage them to buy some totally worthless product they didn't need or want. I'd been there for two hours, when suddenly the supervisor came into the room and told us to put down our phones. She then said that The Twin Towers had been attacked. Then she added another bombshell: The Pentagon had also been destroyed. The shock and the horror echoed throughout the room. What was happening? We were told to go home, but we would be paid for the entire shift. Just as an aside, the company only paid us for two hours.
Out in the parking lot, people listened to their car radios to find out more. The unthinkable had just occurred : America had been attacked by Al-Queda terrorists. How could this have happened? Myself, and many others, believed that something like this could never, ever happen to us. We held the mistaken notion that America was invincible. However, in reality, we were vulnerable. And it was scary. After all, this hadn't occurred before. All of America had been living for years with a false sense of security.
We were bombarded with reports of the attacks and were trying to sort out all of the information as it was being broadcast. Everyone was going home to watch the news reports on tv. As I was going to my car, a fellow employee, Godford, ran up to me in a panic saying, " The Pentagon was destroyed." Although I was in a state of shock, I replied, " Let's get more information from the news reports when we get home." He grabbed my shoulders and said loudly, " The Pentagon is gone! It's all gone." I tried to calm him down by saying, " Godford, let's go home and find out what's happening." He agreed.
I spent most of the day riveted to my TV as reports came in. The images of the destruction and the devastation were both horrible and disturbing. I remember the rage I felt when a news report showed Islamics chanting gleefully at news of the attack. One women, a rather ugly one at that, was waving an Islamic flag and making victory sounds. How I would have enjoyed wiping that smile off her face. Now, I' m not going to lump all Islamic people together. That would be unjust as well as unfair. I'm talking about radical Islam. Let's get that straight.
I personally know of several people who would not leave their homes, because they felt the attacks would find their way to Delaware. I told one person, " If you refuse to leave and stay holed up in your apartment, the terrorists win." Around three in the afternoon I went for a drive to clear my head. There were firemen taking donations in my area to help the police and firemen in New York City. I gave what I could to help out.
But despite the terrorist attack, America showed the world what we're made of. People from all over rallied to the aid of New York City. Some went so far as to drive up from other states to offer their services. The terrorists struck America a terrible blow, destroying property costing many innocent lives, but they didn't win. We banded together to show the world that you can injure us, be you can't defeat us. We became more patriotic as a result as a nation.
However, along with the heroes, there were scoundrels, people who profited from the attack for their own financial gain. There were reports of black owned radio stations whose on air staff told their black audience to support their Muslim brothers and destroy The White Devil. I have no way to verify this, and believe me I've done my research, but if it's true these radio stations should have their FCC license's revoked and the announcers tried for treason.
There were psychiatrists who felt the terrorists should be given counseling and treatment. I guess these mislead professionals firmly believed that with enough love and understanding we could turn them into our friends. Well, in theory that sounds quite wonderful. But when they state, " Join us. Kill us or be killed.", that doesn't present us with a whole lot of choices.
My personal favorite was hearing about the lawyer, or lawyers, I can't remember which, who wanted to defend Bin-Laden if he were taken to trial. Really? While it might be a boost for their career as a lawyer, if I were them, I could not in all good conscience defend a murderous thug like Bin-Laden and be able to look at myself in the mirror without wanting to vomit.
In the end, many of the terrorists were killed, culminating with the assassination of Osama Bin-Laden, who after many years of hiding finally paid for his crimes. As we Americans cheered his death, his followers claimed " We will turn your laughter into tears." Sorry you radical towel heads, I'm still laughing. You may have wounded America, but you damn sight didn't destroy us. Let's always remember 9/11.
