A Day of Rememberence

From Our Founder:

”Where were you on 9/11 ?

If you ask that question to any American who was alive at the time they will be able to tell you instantly. I was in the simulator at RAF Lakenheath taking a checkride. Normally these are chock full of scenarios and malfunctions. Ours was at first; during the latter stages it seemed too easy. Some battle damage and a simple UTIL-A failure which was a relatively benign emergency. So much so that the back seater and I were a bit paranoid that we were missing something and worked harder than we needed to so that we could find something that we hadn`t found. We landed and completed the check.

When we exited the sim a solemn faced evaluator told us he didnt want to interrupt the check—so he had let the checkride run—that we passed, that the debrief would be short and consist of the fact that we passed, and that something had just happened that would change all our lives. He explained that two aircraft had been flown into the World Trade Center towers and they had collapsed.

Our first response was disbelief; I exclaimed “Bullshit !” because I viewed this as unfathomable and he was making it up. The examiner reiterated he was deadly serious and that our squadron commander had the TV on in his office and maybe we should all have a look and see what was going on.

The situation was surreal; many of my colleagues and friends were gathered around the television set with feelings of sorrow, chagrin, anger, and disbelief as we watched the horror replayed and towers collapse. A feeling of frustration because there wasn’t anything we could do at the time to help. We sought further information from the intel guys in the vault where it became evident this was a deliberate terrorist attack on the United States. I imagine those who had access to radios and teletypes at the time of the Pearl Harbor attack looked and felt much like we did that day watching the events unfold on the television. Feelings, thoughts, and prayers were overwhelming. And I couldn’t imagine the horror of the final minutes of the people onboard those airplanes or in New York and Washington.

And of our feelings of resolve never to forget and that it would never happen again. That those evil perpetrators would be punished and anyone trying it in the future would be stopped.

Up until 9/11 hijackings were large crimes of asylum, insanity, or profit. Crews were generally trained to go along with hijackers and that outside forces would resolve the situation. And up to then it’d kinda worked; there were a few hijackings where aircraft and people were lost but the majority resulted in some type of resolution with people on board being saved and hijackers eventually punished.

9/11 changed all that; no one fathomed that an airliner would be taken over and used as a missile by homicidal maniacs. So crews were caught completely off guard by a lack of training that this was a possibility. That fighting back even if it meant losing the aircraft might be necessary to prevent further loss of life on the ground. The brave souls on United 93 would discover that in-flight, and their heroic efforts would stop the evil and prevent further loss of life even though it meant losing their aircraft and all aboard.

It won’t happen again; pilots fly armed and have barriers to slow would be terrorists. Air Marshals fly on aircraft. Passengers and crew will stop any bad guy that tries to get control of any aircraft and no matter what intervene as necessary to incapacitate or kill the bad guys. The paradigm changed; evil will be met with force and stopped.

The thing I found disconcerting in the aftermath was the fear it provoked and a seeming willingness to change how WE live our lives to accommodate a perceived threat. While one need be on guard and prepared to engage a threat, if one allows warrantless searches and loss of liberty the terrorists are winning. The key being that WE don’t lose liberty and we continue to boldly live life unencumbered to the fullest; remaining vigilant of threats but not being cowered by them. Not letting them affect US. Perhaps being ready to shoot a bad guy but not having it overrule your life.

America is unique–and historically is and has stood alone–on our planet. The shining house with bright welcoming lights on the hilltop. Where people can go about and live their life free and unencumbered by collectivism (although groupthink and collectivism do raise their heads here from time to time). We are a constitutional republic which has inviolate rights (bestowed by our creator) affirmed in our Constitution. With fire and vigor we defend those inalienable rights. We boldly go, and boldly speak out. We don’t go out of our way to offend, but we’re not afraid of blatantly promoting and speaking the truth. We carry guns for defense of oneself, family, and nation. We tolerate all forms of religion and speech right up to the point those are used to physically hurt another. We don’t silence critics and fully allow even the most bigoted and ignorant to express their viewpoints–choosing to debate people publicly and letting people weigh ‘who’s right’ for themselves. For those who do advocate hateful things will flame themselves out and discredit themselves as sources through their words. We don’t suppress viewpoints. We don’t censor. Nor do we tolerate violent acts against another; that being solved on site (through our inherent right of self-defense) when the bad guy is stopped, or later through punishment according to law. When we have terrorists or other miscreants attacking our nation, with overwhelming force we erase them from the planet. And we live life freely.

So, I’d urge all to pause for a moment today, say a prayer, and take a few minutes to remember that day on 9/11 and all those Americans who lost their lives. Reflect on that day in history. And pledge during your watch that you won’t let it happen again and will take each day as a blessing and live your life to the fullest.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t express my sorrow of the loss of our good friend Charlie Kirk yesterday. A great man of strong faith with wonderful family who championed peacefully speaking out and using debate to resolve issues. Never compromising principles while also encouraging dissenting viewpoints to make their argument based on logic. A very strong force for America and what she stands for. An evil perpetrator tried to silence him with a bullet but his voice will live on by those touched by his life. Moreover, like minded individuals will continue to speak out boldly and carry his message forward.”