9/11...Will this day ever get any easier?

I'm headed to the city right now. The fifth anniversary is certainly a daunting day.

I am thinking about a line that the leader of the northern alliance said to a US operative when leaders in Washington would not give the go ahead to capture UBL when we had the chance.

He said, "Are there no more men in Washington, or are they all cowards?"

We reaped the consequences of thier fear and lack of heart on 9-11. We must stand united now and say to those bastards, " There are MEN in the US, and we are coming to kill you, and all those that support you.".

Sad that the only thing keeping us from winning this war is US.

Axe, although I only knew one firefighter that was lost, it is still hard to think about it. Hang in there brother.

Words absolutley fail me when it comes to this time. My heart breaks and my blood boils at the same time. So I pray. That day has taught me to pray for our nation like no other. I pray for those who serve, and all those in our land whose lives were changed for ever because of the insidiousness of men that would hate us even to point of such horrific violence.

I thank those of you here that serve, putting your life on the line for people you dont even know. To mention a couple DD and Capt. Thank you men from the bottom of my heart. Everyday I pray that God would watch over you both individually. Thank you for your service.

No, I do not think it will get any better, and it should not.

We should be sad, lost, angry, determined with our very last breath.

The people that were working in the buildings and riding in the aircraft had no idea what was about to happen to them. For the most part, they died without knowing why.

The rescuers knew exactly what their job was, to save lives. They did not have a chance to do theirs.

I did not know anyone that was lost that day, but I remember every one of them.

Just got back a little over an hour ago. Pretty somber mood in the city today. The massive security presence I was expecting wasn't in Grand Central, although the security you DON'T recognize was around, I'm sure. I just expected something like a tank parked in the middle of Grand Central Terminal, with a battalion of military and hundreds of cops. To be sure, security was obviously heightened in the city, but I've seen a lot more, even recently.

I also had to go to my chiropractor up in the Bronx, and there were a lot more cops on the subway system, even as far up as I went, than usual.

I also noticed that although it was obviously a work day in the city, there were not nearly as many people as usual. I'm sure many took off, perhaps some are on their last week of vacation. It was very quiet, people didn't have their usual hustle and ebullience. I have to admit the same about myself. I spent the whole day thinking about all the lost lives, the TEN Axe named, along with the one I lost, Officer John D'Allara of ESU-2, ex-training partner and friend from 30 years ago, when I first met him. I thought about all the dead, and the footage I watched this morning, planes hitting, people jumping, buildings falling. It was eerie all over again today.

I took my usual commute into the city Via the Path Train that runs through the WTC site. I knew today was 9/11 but oddly enough when I took my normal commute it completely slipped my mind until my Train broke from the tunnel and followed the track around the Hole of the WTC site and there was a MASS SWARM of people in the hole around the hole, EVERYWHERE. At that point I felt mixed emotions of PRIDE, UTTER SORROW, and EXTREME PATRIOTISM. I turned off my I-Pod and decided that today I would listen to the buzz around the WTC. I was astonished...With all the masses of people swarming in and around the site...there was utter silence. Moreover, I was amazed to see the nature of the people was different as well...nobody exhibited the "new yorker personas"...Everybody seemed to be moving casually as opposed to the quick stepped people in a rush commuting to work. Moreover, everybody was polite and where there was a blocked path I saw people standing talking to guards...not arguing or fighting like they would have been. It was so surreal. I've never seen New York so humble. Then I saw it...and i was PISSED :argh: :censored: :banghead: :screw: Two kids walking around with "Investigate 9/11" Sweatshirts on. However quickly I just let it go. After a stressful day of work the trading floor of the NYMEX held a ceremony and I literally stood side by side with Rudy Giuliani, the Police commissioner of NYC, and some other guys that had a huge role that day....I was awe struck. Anyway, after a very nice ceremony, I made my walk back to the WTC...and again I grew very very ANGRY :ar15: :banghead: ...the two jackasses in the investigate 9/11 turned into a HUGE Group of people, with signs and sweatshirts yelling out their propaganda. A lot of them had people ,with the same reaction to their prescense as i did, yelling at them and arguing with them (and extremely detroying the fools in their debates).

I don't know, I was just real pissed seeing it...Everybody is entitled to their opinions, as naive as they are. But today was a day of rememberance, mourning, and respect for those who lost a loved one... they had no right to bring up their propagandism on this day...and i found it extremely DISRESPECTFUL. Anyway I'm just venting.... everybody who lost somebody on that, you have my condolences...

Seems as though the mood among the general populace was the same downtown as it was in midtown and even the Bronx. As for that Investigate 911 crowd, ahhhhhh, c'mon, give 'em their due, everyone KNOWS Bush and The Jooz did it. They put charges in The Towers, c'mon, get on board.

:roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll:

:banghead: :banghead: :banghead:

I have watched two specials on TV this week about the events that happend on that terrible that day, and my heart goes out to all the brave men and women who worked so hard to bring NY back to where it once was.

Many died to protect and to serve, and now many more are sufferring the debilitating effects of the chemicals and dust that were thrown into the atmosphere on that terrible day. But the words of one of the survivors echos in my mind. He said that knowing now what would happen to him and his health when he was called to work at ground zero, he wouldn't have it any other way - he was proud to do his job then, and would do it again if he was called to. Those are the heroes that we need to remember, and God forbid that something like this ever happens again.

Makes you wish you could fill the hole with those 'Investigate 9/11' a-holes---But, unfortunately, I think that that action would demean the deaths and sacrifices of those who unintentionally perished. I say unintentionally, because, personally, I don't give a rat's sphincter for the ones that committed these atrocities! If Islam truely believes itself to be a religion of peace, they should give up the radical militants1(I won't hold my breath waiting!)

Today...well yesterday actually I went into the city by the train to see Emeril live. I try to go in every 9/11. Yesterday was alittle tough for me due to the weather conditions being almost identical to 01. What put a lump in my throat this year was when the skyline first came into view, the sky was cloudless with the exception of a narrow band of low clouds that stretched from lower manhattan to the south that resembled the smoke from 9/11/01. It was a bit of a deja vu like effect because on 9/11 I travelled up a closed down NJ Turnpike responding to ground zero and it looked similar. NJ/NY people can you imagine being the only car on the NJ Turnpike? I didn't make it to ground zero today/yesterday due to time constraints, but will most likely pay a visit next week when I head in for the San Genero festival.

Yeah Muerte, it seems like no matter who you were, or where you were, the fifth anniversary was an eerie day for all of us. And when you go to the festival, don't forget to pick up some cannolis, and . . .

meet me at the corner in half an hour. :sm_angel: