BS: Happy birthday, 09-11!

Subject: Happy birthday, 09-11!
From: Wilfried Schaum
Date: 11 Sep 02 - 04:22 AM

Six timezones away, day is light and a little bit showery. Dawn at New York soon?
Just gave my wife the flowers, gift and kisses for her birthday. But it will never be the same from now on. A former volunteer firefighter, now transferred to the Honours Platoon because of old age, I never can forget the 343 companions of FDNY killed in action, especially on this day.
I also remember the companions at arms killed in the Pentagon. The medico who saved my life 20 years ago could have been among them; luckily he was transferred before the attack.
Oh for the children born on this day! How can you happily celebrate on a day of national mourning?
My best wishes are with you; many happy returns!

Wilfried

Wilfried

Subject: RE: BS: Happy birthday, 09-11!
From: SINSULL
Date: 11 Sep 02 - 07:35 AM

Wilfried,
Like everyone else, I have given this a lot of thought - a year's worth. I have decided to celebrate September 11th as the day I finally appreciated the magnificence of life in the USA. We could have lost it. We could have fallen into a panic and destroyed our economy. We could have gone on a witch hunt, found legal means to get rid of "outsiders", and destroyed the "dream". Despite George, we haven't.

Every day is a gift. Celebrate it. Sorry if this sounds like pure tripe. I don't know a better way to express it.
Mary

Subject: RE: BS: Happy birthday, 09-11!
From: catspaw49
Date: 11 Sep 02 - 07:45 AM

Well Sins, that was a damn fine way of expressing it and one hell of a lot better outlook.

You may have moved to Maine my dear, but you still got that New York state of mind........Thanks
Spaw

Subject: RE: BS: Happy birthday, 09-11!
From: GUEST
Date: 11 Sep 02 - 08:02 AM

60 years ago, when I was born, there was another crisis.

Then,too good men and women took up arms to defeat not just a foe, but to defeat evil. My father left for war when I was but a few months old; I remember meeting him when he came back, at the train station in Ottawa when I was four. I didn't quite understand who he was; I remember asking my mom "why is that man sleeping in your bed?"

And so I didn't have my parent with me for those first years; but I don't regret it. It was necessary for him to go to war.
And now we are at war again.
This time the stakes are equally as high. Let's make clear to fanatics, dictators and extremists that it's way past time for them to change.

Rich McCarthy

Subject: RE: BS: Happy birthday, 09-11!
From: Tam the bam fraeSaltcoatsScotland
Date: 11 Sep 02 - 08:06 AM

with so much publicity about September 11, when can we expect the same for the passengers in the Iraian airliner diliberately shot down by the U.S. warship Vincennes.

I hope that you will remeber them in your prayers.

Subject: RE: BS: Happy birthday, 09-11!
From: Big Mick
Date: 11 Sep 02 - 08:52 AM

I am about to head for the hill for a bit. Me and the old Low D. I am not sure what I will think about, other than 3,000 liberated souls, the ones left behind, ....... and those that committed this murderous act. You see, ......... the hill is a place where I get just a little closer to eternity, and I let my mind commune with it. Sorry to sound corny, or trite, but that is what I do. So many conflicted feelings today. Anger, I am so fucking angry at these bastards. Sorrow for these kids and families who struggle with these feelings from an all too personal point of view. Shame at being a part of the species that continually makes its points with mad acts of murder. Intolerance. I have become completely intolerant of anyone who believes that noncombatants are legitimate targets. I will ponder what those feelings mean to me as a warrior, as an Irish American raised with strong Irish Republican views, as a Dad, as an American, and as a citizen of the world. I haven't had to face these types of thoughts since the early 70's.

So me and the old Chieftain will head up the hill, to get a little closer to The Greatest One, and let the mind wander, let the notes float out on the wind. And let the tears flow.....

Mick

Subject: RE: BS: Happy birthday, 09-11!
From: InOBU
Date: 11 Sep 02 - 09:02 AM

I am about to also go out, on a sort of walkabout, winding up at the Quaker meeting. Tommorow, I will talk about the fact that we are trying to send the others from our naiton, thousands of foriengers being deported without due process, but today, I think, is about rememberence Larry

Subject: RE: BS: Happy birthday, 09-11!
From: catspaw49
Date: 11 Sep 02 - 09:12 AM

I just reread the first thread that I started as it was happening. Indeed much has changed.......and will continue to change.......Yeah, everyday is a gift.

Spaw

Subject: RE: BS: Happy birthday, 09-11!
From: Pseudolus
Date: 11 Sep 02 - 09:24 AM

It's the little things that have been taken away as well, like the birthdays, anniversaries etc. My sister in law got married in 1999, celebrated one year in 2000 and on her second anniversary, she and her husband spent the day watching news reports as many of us did. There was a woman in the news recently who lost her husband that day and it was their anniversary as well. How can you feel sorry for yourself when others have lost so much more? But we do and that's ok....It's very somber today at work. Later on we will call my sister-in-law (she lives in Colorado) and wish her the best, but it won't be easy....

Take Care All,
Frank

Subject: RE: BS: Happy birthday, 09-11!
From: wysiwyg
Date: 11 Sep 02 - 10:11 AM

Might want to continue some of this here:

Musicians: How RU Spending 9/11?

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: Happy birthday, 09-11!
From: Amergin
Date: 11 Sep 02 - 11:11 AM

well...it is my birthday, too...and the images from a year ago are still burned into my brain....

Subject: RE: BS: Happy birthday, 09-11!
From: Pied Piper
Date: 11 Sep 02 - 11:48 AM

I was busking today in Manchester UK. There was a minute's silence signalled (somewhat alarmingly) by a loud bang at the start and finish. I thought about the 3000 that died, and the many other victims of the US government's foreign policy. I hope that the terrible events of 9/11 will make Americans look again at the things various administrations did, and are doing in their name. In sadness PP.

Subject: RE: BS: Happy birthday, 09-11!
From: GUEST,Taliesn
Date: 11 Sep 02 - 12:15 PM

(quote) "Oh for the children born on this day! How can you happily celebrate on a day of national mourning?"

Because each day is never bound to just one event as each continues to grow in each of the meanings it is given.

So too with 9/11/2001 which is followed by the hope of a 9/11/2002...2003....2004 as an endless oppurtunity to make it better. As good a working definfition of the purpose of life as any.

To quote a breath or two of dialogue from a certain Tolkeinesque film: " ...I wish none of this had happened."

" So do all who live in such times, but that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us."

One can *always* celebrate life.

Subject: RE: BS: Happy birthday, 09-11!
From: RoyH (Burl)
Date: 11 Sep 02 - 12:19 PM

Elaine and I are thinking of our American friends on this day of dreadful memory. Burl.

Subject: RE: BS: Happy birthday, 09-11!
From: GUEST,Glade
Date: 11 Sep 02 - 12:44 PM

November 22 was a loaded day for birthdays & anniversaries for a long time. It's not now. After a while, having a reason to celebrate on September 11 will not feel so heart-clutching as it does now.

Glade

Subject: RE: BS: Happy birthday, 09-11!
From: cmoses
Date: 11 Sep 02 - 12:47 PM

Today is a day in which all americans do not try to fight the feelings we all have. We have come together. And Christ has come with America. This country has a hedge around it provided by the greatest one, and let us never forget that. He will not save our civilization from wreck. He will save us from the wreck of civilization. I am irish indian. Cheyenne Moses. Happy Birthday September 11th. Let us not forget who the one is that helps us through these times.

Subject: RE: BS: Happy birthday, 09-11!
From: Amos
Date: 11 Sep 02 - 01:30 PM

Welcome to the Cat, Cheyenne!

I suspect our civilization has the legs to last a bit longer.

A