REMEMBERING 9/11

Today is September 11^th, 2026. It is twenty-five years after that horribly awful day. As I look at all the faces who perished that day, I am very sad. But I also confess that I am lividly angry… let me digress for a moment

Years before, in 1997, I was stationed in the Navy overseas. While living in Spain, we received many hours of online training regarding an imminent threat, a substantial terrorist attack on US soil. This information was totally believable as we had multiple bomb threats and an evacuation of the entire hospital that included every patient, every newborn, regardless of health status. How is it possible that the American government overlooked, ignored this threat?

Two months before September 2001, several nurses and I were talking about terrorism. I explained the risk of a terrorist attack as I had been taught. Unfortunately, these educated and highly intelligent women didn’t believe my words. They said, “It will never happen.” I hoped they were right. After all the military could be wrong or just overreacting. Then, September 11^th, 2001 dawned. A day so bright and beautiful, who would contemplate terrorism on such a lovely Fall day.  

I am angry. The CIA and the FBI admit they failed the American people. The Senate and the House failed the American people. The President and his cabinet failed the American people. Today, we have been alerted to the fact that the toxic air quality from the attack of 9|11 not only lingers but was criminally covered up and hundreds, no thousands have died as a result. The government knew. The legislators of New York knew as well. The Health Insurance companies, of course were aware, people were sick and dying.

The leaders of our nation also knew that the World Trade Center (WTC) was a target. A truck bomb exploded in the parking lot of the WTC on February 26^th, 1993, killing six and injuring over 1000 Americans. According to 911tributemuseum.org. This was the first attempt to bring down the World Trade Center.

“the bomb was approximately 1,500 pounds and was designed to cause the North Tower to collapse onto the South Tower. The explosion created a crater nearly 100 feet deep and caused extensive damage to the underground structure. The attack resulted in panic and chaos as people evacuated the building leading to many injuries during the escape.”

Then, as intelligence began to pour in warnings such as, The August 6 Presidential Daily Brief: Titled “Bin Ladin Determined To Strike in US,” this memo warned that Osama bin Laden was planning a terrorist attack inside the United States, noting suspicious hijacking-related activity. However, officials later stated it lacked specific tactical details or warnings about using planes as missiles. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/September_11_intelligence_before_the_attacks

Many more warnings spanning all the intelligent agencies and government offices were posted, but  The bipartisan 9/11 Commission Report later concluded that the U.S. government suffered from a “failure of imagination” in failing to anticipate the scale and method of the attacks.

So, they knew. A yearly ceremony of remembrance is not enough. Reading the names of the dead will not negate the failure of the government as it stands today. We need a new government. We need leaders who will act like the 9/11 First Responder Heros. We need people who will step up and look beyond themselves to sacrifice for another.

Who will step up? Who will say, “Here am I. Send me.”