September 11, 2003
Je Me Souviens
As I suspected would be the case for a number of weeks, I'm afraid I don't have much stomach for sports blogging today. Like many others, I find my thoughts turning to the horrible mass murder of nearly 3,000 people that took place two years ago today in New York, Pennsylvania and Virginia.
But while I struggle with my memories, unable to get through any account of that day without my eyes welling with tears, it seems that all around us there are far too many people who would prefer that we forget. Images of that day seem locked away forever in the archives of television networks, with craven broadcast executives chary of showing them every again for fear of. . . who knows what.
What to do when so many seem eager for us to "move on"? For me, the answer is simple. For a number of years now, whenever I've heard news of some horrible tragedy, I've taken a moment to learn the name of one of the victims, and remember for a moment a life that was taken from us far too soon.
Once, the name was Robert Stethem.
Another time, it was William Higgins.
Another, it was Scott Michael Spicher. As it turns out, though their deaths came years apart, they all died in the same war.
They had lives. They had families. They were loved. And we lost them all, and far too soon, because there is evil in this world. Evil that others would have us ignore at our peril.
And when it comes to September 11, 2001, the one name that I will carry to my grave is a high school classmate of mine, Tim Welty.
Tim Welty
On September 10, 2001, Tim was alive, and vital. He and his wife Delia, and their two children, Jake and Julia, lived in Yonkers, New York. He bungee jumped, rode a motorcycle, and played volleyball and ice hockey. Eventually, Tim began doing work as a carpenter while he was away from his day job, and hoped someday to get into the business full time.
On the morning of September 11th, Tim was at his day job as a firefighter with Squad 288 in Maspeth, Queens. When the call came in shortly after 8:46 a.m., he jumped on his truck, and rode it into Manhattan with his brother firefighters.
Like hundreds of other firefighters that day, he never came back.
When folks ask me why we're fighting this war in Iraq, Afghanistan, and so many other points on the globe, I think of Tim. I think of his young widow, and his orphaned children, a family shattered by his death, his friends continuing to grieve for him to this day and for the rest of their lives.
And in that moment, I swear that what happened to Tim and his family and friends can never happen again. That the pure evil that murdered him, and thousands of others that day, cannot be allowed to survive anywhere on the face of the earth.
To do any less would mean dishonoring the man, his memory, and the sacrifice he made so that others might live.
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» A couple of memories from tenorman
TPM and Off Wing Opinion. [Read More]
Tracked on September 11, 2003 11:54 AM
» with utmost respect, from all-encompassingly
"we remember the lives lost. we remember the compassion, the decency of our fellow citizens on that terrible day." --president bush [get some perspective]... [Read More]
Tracked on September 11, 2003 12:04 PM
» I Remember from BehindTheNet.org
Eric McErlain says in French on his blog what I said in English on my AIM away message, borrowing the motto of the province of Quebec: Je me souviens -- I remember. The night before, all I worried about was... [Read More]
Tracked on September 11, 2003 03:40 PM
As good a post as anyone will write today. Nice job Eric.
Posted by:
at September 11, 2003 09:51 AM
Eric -
Very well put. I find it somewhat disconcerting how scaled back many of the commemorations are. Even here in Texas, there are just not that many events planned, especially when compared to last year. I know that some of that is to be expected, but come on, it's been only two years.
Your point about the images of that day being locked away in archives is well taken. The TV I saw this morning was more interested in talking with politicians like Rudy and Hilary than in reminding viewers of how we were attacked.
Oh well, I guess that just reminds us of how important it is that each of us do our own little part to remember. Your tribute to your classmate is an excellent example of that.
Marc
Posted by:
at September 11, 2003 10:50 AM
Posted by:
at September 11, 2003 01:44 PM
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