Something has to be said, but what hasn’t been said already?
Last year — the 20th anniversary — delivered an orgy of remembrance, anger, sadness, sickness.
For the Millennials, it was their Day of Infamy.
For Boomers it was Nov. 22, 1963 again.
An unspeakable tragedy, a tape measure of America’s shattered invincibility, 9/11 stained us and changed us.
Not just our psyche, the gut punch closed down our economy for weeks. We had never experienced anything like that, but it turned out to be a dress rehearsal for when COVID locked down our economy for many months. And we survived.
So, here it is 21 years later, an odd elbow of a anniversary, one that will be marked, surely, but without the torrent brought by the 20th.
Although a generation ago, it is still fresh.
The anniversaries of JFK’s assassination (along with Martin Luther King and Bobby Kennedy) slip by almost unnoticed, along with Dec. 7.
A few stories about 9/11, some clicks, nothing on Page One, and we moved on.
I don’t think we spend enough time on remembrance.
I think it is important for us to remain vigilant. We are not impervious.
What were the most jarring memories of that tragic day?
Jetliners crashing into sky-high towers, a plane plowing into the Pentagon, the implosion of skyscrapers into their footprint, the sound of bodies hitting the pavement at Ground Zero, the mind-searing sight of Americans throwing themselves out of windows to escape the hell of burning jet fuel licking at their bodies. Beyond grim.
No one should be ever forget the American heroes on United Flight 93 who forced the al Qaeda terrorists to crash into a Pennsylvania field, rather than the U.S. Capitol.
9/11 was a kick in the balls, striking us where we least expect it.
A devious enemy struck where we were soft.
Most of the terrorists came into this country legally and killed 3,000 of us.
Now we have hundreds of thousands entering the country illegally and the Biden Administration seems to think it’s barely worthy of mention. The jackass Homeland Security director insists the border is “closed.” The only thing “closed” are his mind and his eyes.
I am not saying the hundred of thousands of illegals are terrorists. Not at all.
But 21 years ago, it took only 19 foreigners to kill 3,000 of us.
How many of the estimated 2 million who will cross our border this year are bad actors?
It’s not just Central Americans coming across. There are people from Africa, Haiti, the Middle East, Central Asia, and places you never heard of. We know some are dangerous criminals. Border Patrol confirms that.
We are deeply vulnerable and our government is asleep at the wheel.
The next 9/11 will be even worse.
Great post Stu. You made some interesting observations and I cannot disagree with your take on our situation except for one very important thing.
I feel if there is a next attack it will come from within. Jan 6 started the attack, and those loonies will be a big part of the next one, maybe even in collaboration with outsiders.
Ditto H. You make an excellent point.
I understand your feelings, as Wanda’s. I stand by my response to her.
When triggered, just mention January 6th.
Coffee was cold at wawa? January 6!!
Shoe lace broke? January 6!!
95 traffic a nightmare? January 6!!
We should all be concerned with domestic terrorism if the white house suddenly stops handing out free gifts for votes.
Yes, we are deeply vulnerable. But not altogether from the illegals, although you already know how I feel about illegal immigration, being an immigrant myself. I daresay that our greatest vulnerability stems from the failure of our institutions to hold people accountable for their criminal behaviors. This goes from the criminals being released by ultra-liberal and misguided DAs across the country, to the failure of the justice system with regard to years of grifting by Trump and those in his orbit. Now we are in a situation where our intelligence and those who work in intelligence have been compromised. I think that is far more of a threat to us than illegals crossing the border.
There is more than 1 threat. I chose the most obvious. To me.
Stu correctly states that the monsters who flew those planes into the buildings on 9/11 came into this country legally. That speaks volumes to me. There a lot of signs missed and mistakes made that led to 9/11. However, the VAST majority of crime in this country has been committed by people who were born here. Happens every single day. I agree with Wanda that the biggest threat to the United States today comes from the inside, not the outside. Not that we shouldn’t remain vigilant to potential external threats and enemies. But now we unfortunately have to watch BOTH sides of the border. And that sucks.
When a President refuses to enforce our laws and allows millions to invade our borders. How can you not expect an uprising from within our borders. You get what you vote for.
A huge part of what allowed 9/11 to happen 23 years ago was the infighting between federal agencies whose mission and purpose was (and still is) to protect us. The FBI would not talk to the CIA, the CIA would not talk to the NSA, and so19 murderers from Saudi Arabia slipped through holes cut into the fabric of intelligence by these federal turf wars. I have no faith that these agencies are now talking to each other. And I fear the next attack will be a small nuclear weapon, perhaps a so-called ‘dirty bomb’ designed to spread lethal radiation that will kill for years and render large parts of the US inhabitable. I’m of many years of age, so I am ready to face my Maker, but I fear for my children and grandchildren, who will ask themselves “Why did we not see this coming?” The answer? See the second sentence, above.
I totally agree with Stu on the possible threat coming over our border but not migrants looking for a job but millions of possible carbon copies of those who were here legally on 9/11. It only takes a suitcase with a nuclear device to destroy a large section of our country and being democratic, Republican or independent has absolutely no bearing on the bomber. Biden along with his chiefs of staff must prioritize control of our borders to avoid the possible destruction of a large part of our country and the recovery would be endless.
HAPPY FRIDAY !!!
pallie,
Good job as always. If you made the blog longer you would be discussing every myriad – no matter how remote – of the endless possibilities.
‘Sleeper Cells’. Anybody out there remember that term from the ’80s ? They’re out there and they are here. Every country out there has used them, including us. And as was mentioned by most. The danger will come from within.
911 was truly a project to be remembered. Well planned and years in the making. Nobody snuck in to harm us. They came through the front door – and enrolled in flight school. BRILLIANT ! But as was said earlier. A smart or dirty bomb could be the next big catastrophe.
sidebar: many years ago. 4th of July . I was riding through Delaware on my cycle. I’m on route 9, all by my self ( and the millions of bugs ) when I came on to a bridge which happened to be directly across from Salem, New Jersey. I’m watching the fireworks on a brilliant night. Full moon, bright sky and the backdrop is the Nuclear Reactor in Salem. A truly beautiful site. Me, of questionable character, said to my self. “What a site. One Bomb would level the entire area for 100s of miles. ( There were four reactors at manmade island at the time.
The point of that little story is this. Our infrastructure will be our undoing ! Just as a bomb could blow up a reactor. Bombs could take out our electricity, fuel, fresh water and everything else. Sleeper cells. One martyr per location.
Tony
When triggered, just mention January 6th.
Coffee was cold at wawa? January 6!!
Shoe lace broke? January 6!!
95 traffic a nightmare? January 6!!
We should all be concerned with domestic terrorism if the white house suddenly stops handing out free gifts for votes.
LOL