I remember that day quite well.
I was working at a call center in Tampa Florida. I actually just arrived. I walked through the door and in to the call center area and I noticed that people were crowded around a couple of computers.
My supervisor looked up at me and said "Did you hear that a plane flew into the World Trade Center". I had not heard about it even though I was listening to the radio the whole way to work.
I shook my head and exclaimed " Wow, that sucks". The only thing I thought is that it was some freak accident. Maybe there was bad weather or something like that.
I hovered over my supervisor's shoulder as she watched the live feed via CNN.com. The site of the towers really didn't affect me at the time. I was just amazed that it had happened.
Well we went on about our business and started our day. During our morning meeting, Gene who is a retired Devil Dog (Marine) and also a supervisor interupted the meeting and told our boss that he needed to speak with him. They left the room and we went on about our business.
Now we were in a call center. We set appointments for a vacation club. So the calling began and we started getting very distressed people on the line. I remember specifically one women yelling at the top of her lungs "DON'T YOU REALISE WHAT IS GOING ON!?". Now the area of the calls we were making was Salt Lake City, Denver, Plano, and Omaha. Everyone that we spoke with was glued to there televisions.
Still having CNN.com up on a computer my supervisor was watching the screen when the second plane hit. She gasp "Oh my God!" and ran into the boss' office. The calling stopped. The room got silent as everyone from the desk PC tuned to CNN.com to see what was happening.
The smoke billowing from the buildings. The people running in caos. The flames. The live video of people jumping. I still see it. I'm sure you do too.
Next I heard footsteps and turned to see Gene. His brash and presidential type stance called our attention to the front of the room. He said "Today is a sad day in America. From what I take of what is going on, we have been attacked. They are using our aircraft's as weapons against us. What we need to do is stand tall as American's. Do not let this effect you. It is OK to be emotional. But do not let this break you. What we need to do now is go home and be with our families. Pray for the people of New York" and with a swift turn, he returned to his office.
I got in my car and this time when I turned on the radio, the tragedy was being talked about all over every station.
I got to my apartment and sat there and watch everything. The Pentagon, Pennsylvania, the towers falling. I see it still. And I was in Florida. I can't imagine the feelings of the people who survived or who were on the street watching.
I called my mother to make sure she was alright. My brother, my girlfriend, everyone I could think of. I remember sitting there and going over and over with myself of how this is going to change us. This is going to change America. This changed America.
I sat at home for the rest of the night watching the recap and waiting to see if anything else was going to happen.
Here is my political statement.
This is a tragedy that not only happened to New York, it happened to the entire free world. They stopped showing the pictures and video on the television because they said it just makes American's angry. YOU ARE DAMN RIGHT! We the people, did not start this war. We the people have the right to be angry if we please. The government has no right to tell us what we can watch, listen to, or say. We the people did not hate nor dislike these people, but these people are taught to hate us. They want to kill us. What I ask for, no I demand is retribution! We have the right to turn that desert into a parking lot. But instead we fight an oil war. Yeah we bombed Afganistan, but you didn't get the job done.
Now I understand why we invaded Iraq, actually there are two reasons that I believe. Sadam Hussein tried to kill George H.W. Bush when he was in office and the fact that we have "oil men" in the White House. George W. was playing the ol' west outlaw and giving Saddam a little payback. "You tried to kill my paw! and now I'm gonna kill you!" type of mindset. The weapons of mass destruction was a fabricated reason. It was for payback and to protect our source for oil.
But guess what? American's are still dying. We have brothers, sisters, fathers, sons, mothers, daughters, cousins, aunts, uncles, friends, neighbors, girlfriends, boyfriends, and countrymen dying everyday. And for what. WHY ARE WE STILL THERE?
This war has put a strain on our Armed Forces, a strain on our economy, and a strain on our lifes. We must find a way to win this war that we started and finish what they started.
Thanks for reading.
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