Stand Tall

I did not have the opportunity to say a few words on 9/11 and so let me do so now. On September 11, 2001 I awoke as usual and got ready to go to work. As I was driving to work I thought out loud how beautiful a day it was and said a word of thanks. I arrived at work ready to work and the first thing I noticed was that I didn't have Internet connection. I immediately assumed it was due to the incompetence of our technology department and moved on to another computer hoping the problem was with my computer. Unfortunately it was a problem for everyone in the office. Then someone said that there was something going on in the city and that this was possibly the cause for the failure of our computers. Since we did not have a TV or radio in the office I went out to my car and turned on my car radio. What I heard in the next few minutes would change my life forever - "The second tower has just imploded." What the hell was going on?

I ran back to my office and informed the staff as to what I had heard and we all looked at each other in silence. In a couple of hours we got the call that the university was closing for fear that there maybe further carnage. As I drove home I listened to the radio and could not believe what I was hearing. It was at that time that I started to get really angry and didn't know what to do with myself. It was about 12noon when I got home, with a six pack of Heineken beer, and I immediately turned on the television. I tried hopelessly to get on the Internet as I watched the television in amazement. I could not believe what had happened and I was mad as hell and I felt helpless. For the rest of the afternoon and evening I drank and tried to abate my anger. I wanted to get in my car and drive to the city but every news account said not to. It was very easy to drink a lot that evening.

Six years later I'm still angry. I'm angry at the people who think that we are scum. I'm mad at the people who hate our way of life. I'm mad at the people who think that those 3,000 people are worth nothing. I'm mad that some people think that it's our fault. I'm mad that the Muslim community in the US won't stand with us and condemn this kind of hate. I'm mad but I know that America will carry on and we will win in the end.