August 16th
According to reports - the terrorist attack that was being "tested" yesterday was planned to happen on August 16th. Prior to this Post I had heard August 22nd was a big day, and than someone told me yesterday they read that it was set to happen on the 5 year anniversary of 9/11.
The world is full of mean, mean, mean people. If those that plan these things felt even an iota of the pain that was inflicted on our nation that day - I would hope they would stop their terrible plans.
Apparently in one of the locations raided by investigators, they found airline tickets for Wednesday, August 16th. 8/16 doesn't have the same ring to it as 9/11. But then again 9/11 didn't sound like anything to me until 5 years ago.
Since 2001, the months leading up to September seem to make me a little sad. Or, not sad, reverent. Dismayed. 5 years ago today I was planning to go to a party or talking about my Junior year of college or excited about seeing my boyfriend again. Times have changed since then. Not just in my life, though that is very true, but in the world. Nothing was the same after 9/11 yet nothing was different. Children still woke up and went to school, couples still married, people still bought houses. Travel became different, foreign policy became important again, and terrorism and WMD's became household words. But on a basic level, the world still turned. 9/11 happened, and it didn't destroy us.
And yet I remember that morning with perfect clarity and time stood still. I remember seeing the second plan strike. And I remember knowing, in that moment, that we were under attack. And since then I think I carry a little piece of that with me. A little bit of that edginess, of unease. And there's no real policy to protect against people bent on doing bad things. There's no city safe enough, no rule strong enough to keep a person from being terrible if that person is set on doing it. They will find a way. And if foiled once, they will try again.
The terrorists we are running into are exactly like that. They are smart, creative, and determined to suceed. There's no rule that can stop that kind of ambition 100% of the time.
When my friend told me he thought it would be on the 5 year anniversary I wondered ... would that be? Is 5 years a big enough anniversary that would matter to them? It's just another year ... another sad day. Another day to remember the heroism of the American people. Of the American servicemen and women who scaled those buildings to help save their fellow man. Is that day a good day for them to try again?
Last year on 9/11 I didn't do anything different. I went about life as normal. I don't even know if I thought about it. I was an engaged person, a happy person, a busy person.
On a certain level I see many people have become complacent again. And I'm hoping that we take this recent threat seriously, and we don't just laugh it off and say it wasn't a big deal. Because it is a big deal. It's important to move on from 9/11 and to not let the terrorists lick us by not living our lives, but its also important to protect ourselves. Not because we are afraid, but because we value our lives and the lives of our countrymen. Of our fellow man. Regardless of what country they are in. I don't want to live in a country afraid of terrorism. But I don't want to live in a country that has it's head buried either.
These people are out there, and they want to hurt us again. If carrying on your hair gel is that important to you, please, drive your car instead of flying to St. Louis. Until they figure out a way to keep the bad guys off the airlines, I'd rather be safe than sorry. Losing hundreds of lives to the terrorists cause is not something I want to see happen. Passengers on those planes are someones husband, wife, mother, father, son or daughter. Their lives are worth more than a tube of toothpaste.
The world is full of mean, mean, mean people. If those that plan these things felt even an iota of the pain that was inflicted on our nation that day - I would hope they would stop their terrible plans.
Apparently in one of the locations raided by investigators, they found airline tickets for Wednesday, August 16th. 8/16 doesn't have the same ring to it as 9/11. But then again 9/11 didn't sound like anything to me until 5 years ago.
Since 2001, the months leading up to September seem to make me a little sad. Or, not sad, reverent. Dismayed. 5 years ago today I was planning to go to a party or talking about my Junior year of college or excited about seeing my boyfriend again. Times have changed since then. Not just in my life, though that is very true, but in the world. Nothing was the same after 9/11 yet nothing was different. Children still woke up and went to school, couples still married, people still bought houses. Travel became different, foreign policy became important again, and terrorism and WMD's became household words. But on a basic level, the world still turned. 9/11 happened, and it didn't destroy us.
And yet I remember that morning with perfect clarity and time stood still. I remember seeing the second plan strike. And I remember knowing, in that moment, that we were under attack. And since then I think I carry a little piece of that with me. A little bit of that edginess, of unease. And there's no real policy to protect against people bent on doing bad things. There's no city safe enough, no rule strong enough to keep a person from being terrible if that person is set on doing it. They will find a way. And if foiled once, they will try again.
The terrorists we are running into are exactly like that. They are smart, creative, and determined to suceed. There's no rule that can stop that kind of ambition 100% of the time.
When my friend told me he thought it would be on the 5 year anniversary I wondered ... would that be? Is 5 years a big enough anniversary that would matter to them? It's just another year ... another sad day. Another day to remember the heroism of the American people. Of the American servicemen and women who scaled those buildings to help save their fellow man. Is that day a good day for them to try again?
Last year on 9/11 I didn't do anything different. I went about life as normal. I don't even know if I thought about it. I was an engaged person, a happy person, a busy person.
On a certain level I see many people have become complacent again. And I'm hoping that we take this recent threat seriously, and we don't just laugh it off and say it wasn't a big deal. Because it is a big deal. It's important to move on from 9/11 and to not let the terrorists lick us by not living our lives, but its also important to protect ourselves. Not because we are afraid, but because we value our lives and the lives of our countrymen. Of our fellow man. Regardless of what country they are in. I don't want to live in a country afraid of terrorism. But I don't want to live in a country that has it's head buried either.
These people are out there, and they want to hurt us again. If carrying on your hair gel is that important to you, please, drive your car instead of flying to St. Louis. Until they figure out a way to keep the bad guys off the airlines, I'd rather be safe than sorry. Losing hundreds of lives to the terrorists cause is not something I want to see happen. Passengers on those planes are someones husband, wife, mother, father, son or daughter. Their lives are worth more than a tube of toothpaste.
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