There will be a lot of posts where people talk about where they were and how they remember hearing or seeing everything from that morning in 2001. I'm not going to talk about where I was or what I was doing. I've talked about it previously.
For those of you just joining my blog - a quick recap:
I was in college.
I dropped my children off at daycare.
I walked into my office and found it full of professors gaping at the TV.
I saw the towers fall.
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Back to what I am going to say today.
There have been moments in my life where I have truly been moved by the American spirit. There have also been moments in my life where I am almost ashamed to say I am American. The way I have witnessed my fellow American's harbor ill-will and contempt for people of a certain religion is extremely reminiscent of a 1930's German dictator and his "desire" to eradicate people of a certain religion as well. Have we not learned anything? A religion alone does not make a person good or bad. Yet, people still think that way.
I cannot and will not stand behind a statement that makes it seem as if one group is better than another. This picture floating around right now with the bikers about to descend upon DC to "confront" the Muslims is absolutely infuriating me. The moment the word confront is used, it makes it seem as if they are going with premeditated intent to harm. I sincerely hope not. Truly, I hope nothing comes of it.
There is not a single day that goes by where I don't spend some portion of it reflecting upon the events of the day and even reliving moments in my life trying to glean some portion of enlightenment. Today I am reflecting upon my years spent in the fire service.
I spent 7 years of my life as a FF/EMT and my only regret is not spending more time with it. Alas, my children needed their momma and I needed to raise my daughters. I am still raising one of them. Nothing made me more proud than to watch my brothers run into those buildings. Then, nothing broke my heart more than watching 343 of my brothers die before my eyes.
I have spent a good portion in the trenches of the fire service. Just like everyone else, I started from the bottom and worked my way up. I endured the same training as my brothers. I wore the same gear. I learned how to get my BA on and hooked up correctly (which you have to do while the tank is on your back hanging upside down) which is difficult to do in the best of conditions, much less when you are under pressure. I've hiked I don't know how many miles in brush gear with a flapper, a rake or a leaf blower fighting brush fires and a couple forest fires where we were accompanied by the forestry division. I've climbed on top of homes, cut ventilation openings and been on entry teams inside a burning building. Oh, I am certain that I have seen the Devil in person, dancing in those flames.
I have smelled burnt flesh. I have seen dead bodies. I have scraped brain mater off of roadways. I have performed CPR. I have transported injured children and cried many times after every single one. I have lost patients...young and old...mothers, fathers, daughters, brothers, sisters, sons, grandparents and those who had no family. I have become jaded in so many areas of life. Yet, I still have hope. I have witnessed humanity in it's most base form and that is what gives me hope.
The day I watched 343 of my brothers die, I also got to see hope. Hope that there would be some survivors. Hope that the phone would ring. Hope that the American spirit would prevail. And it did. I watched the selflessness of thousands as they helped in whatever way they could. Going for days and weeks on end with little sleep, little food and carrying nothing but hope.
I have hope. I hope that one day we won't judge people based on their clothing, their religious choice or their general appearance. I hope that we as a people can understand that our differences are what make us unique. I am not better than my neighbor and neither is someone in another country better than I. Just because someone speaks a different language does not make them a threat, no more than being a Baptist makes me one.
I am sure that there will be those that read this and disagree with a few things. Good. Because the one thing I have learned and that I have taught my daughters is to stand up for what you believe. Hold strong in your conviction. If you get persecuted for your thoughts or words...GOOD...it means you believed in something enough to stand up for it...don't be a sheep and get eaten by the wolves of this world.
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