By Mark Weyermuller -
September 11, 2001 is a date that will be remembered by people in my generation forever. This being the 15th anniversary is no different for me: I'm as traumatized, scared, and sad as ever.
Fifteen years ago, four airplanes were hijacked and two crashed into the World Trade Center Twin Towers in New York, one into the Pentagon in Washington DC, and the fourth in a Pennsylvania field. Nineteen Islamic terrorists hijacked the planes, killing over 3000 Americans. The country remembered with tributes and remembrances last Sunday.
My day started by waking up as usual with cable news shows. They were showing the reading of the names, the victims killed on that tragic day fifteen years ago. It was very hard to watch on TV yet very hard to turn off. Each name is a story, a family, a devastating loss and a person that was loved and will be missed.
After watching the names scroll by on the screen, I headed over to a tribute in Winnetka, Illinois, where volunteers set up 3000 American flags in Village Green Park. On the main flag poll, the flag was at half staff. Hundreds of people stopped by Maple and Oak for the display that was up for only 24 hours.
We did a small front lawn display in our Chicago area suburb. It included 300 flags along with a tribute to Wells Crowther. He is known as "the man with the red bandana." On 9-11-2001, there were reports of a young man wearing a red bandana over his face who helped more then a dozen people to safety after the planes hit. Crowther's body was found in March 2012 at the site. Find out more on this ESPN clip and watch for the upcoming documentary. http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=11505494
This is also a day to remember the Benghazi attack of 2012 which resulted in the deaths of four Americans. They were US Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens; USFS officer Sean Smith; CIA contractors Tyrone S. Woods and Glen Doherty. This attack and actions (or lack of) continues to be an item of discussion as Hillary Clinton runs for president. She was Secretary of State at that time. She blamed a YouTube video for a "spontaneous" attack, yet later it was shown to be a well planned out deliberate attack on the American embassy.
September 11 is a day to remember heroes like Wells Crowther along with first responders. It is also a day to remember the victims that lost their lives that day. Thousands were also injured that day. It is important to remember that America could be attacked again.
I believe Monday, September 11, 2017 will be much the same. They say time heals all wounds yet I suspect this is not the case. For the families who lost loved ones that day, the heartache will never disappear.
God Bless America, United We Stand. We will never forget 9-11-2001.
Mark Weyermuller is a small business person, real estate professional, and conservative activist in Chicago. He is a citizen journalist and regular contributor to Illinois Review. Mark can be heard weekly on the radio in a "man on the street segment" at 10:31pm as a regular guest on the Stephanie Trussell Show heard Sunday nights 9pm-midnight on WLS 890-AM.
