Sunday, September 7, 2008

911


First let me say that since I am a former 'First Responder' my opinion on this subject may be strong and myopic, due to my personal experiences. That said, let me continue.

Victims do not choose to be a victim; they are thrust into a situation by outside forces ... so choice is not a factor for them. Then the first responder comes into the fray. They have a choice. They are not victims, and they can if they so choose, walk away from the danger. No one can force them to go into a burning building, or engage in a firefight on the streets. They choose to walk forward, while all others walk backwards. They choose to go into Hell, and bring back the victims, sometimes at a very heavy cost--knowingly. Most of them had a job when they got this one; the exceptions are you, the military service members, you are compelled to do so in your duties.

First Responders' all feel connected by being part of those who Attack the threat, instead of acquiescing, thus avoiding hard conflict. This attitude brings the humanity into the choices rather than the outside view of those not at risk. This anti-media action versus act-when-politically-viable brings down the sanitized-statistical-score keeping-numerical media-geeks, who say things like, "2700 people were killed at Ground Zero today." Those are 2700 people, each with their own story to tell, but only those who survive tell the tales. This same vulture blood counting view happens in our military operations as well, within the periphery and scope of the story being told. Again, a great example of, “If you don’t have a pony in the race, you ain’t got an opinion!”

As we get close to the anniversary of the attack on the World Trade Center on September 11, all of this comes back to my mind like a hurricane of emotions riding an adrenaline rush from the past. Those who know the pain, the love, and the loss from doing service for others … will understand that side of such events as we remember our brethren on the streets and around the world at risk. Remember this day, that past, and use it as a lesson for tomorrow.

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Photo:
I shot this photo of the Cross of the World Trade Center on location years ago. It is a result of the real beams of the tower that broke off into a cross…

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The Pittsburgh Steelers won their first game of the year! Score: 38 for us, 17 for the Texans.

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Keep your head down,

Henry Hill, Plum Pennsylvania

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