I have been spending some time trying to get my personal thoughts together as 9-11-03 approaches-the anniversary of the murders of thousands of Americans --- but for the purpose of what WE do, as firefighters, the 343 members of the FDNY.
In the days and months following 9/11/01, we (firefighters) all mourned in our own way-but we all mourned... as the events shocked us into action ... to do "whatever we can" to help. Many attended FDNY funerals-to show our love and support for our Brothers and Sisters in NYC. Many other firefighters rallied in their own communities to raise funds to help support the families of the lost in FDNY. We looked around and suddenly the politicians seemed to notice firefighters....most for their own personal agendas -- but we'll get to that later.
We bought and wore t-shirts, hats, stickers and emblems with slogans such as "9-11-01: NEVER FORGET" and "FDNY-IN HONOR OF THE LOST" and other related items to display our HONOR, PRIDE and our ANGER. We even found ourselves flying the American flag more often-as we saw in all of our neighborhoods, the flags flying high. It was a bitter sweet time, as firefighters many felt "more" like firefighters-but on the other, much more important hand, firefighters were murdered and our Country was attacked.
And so, as it always does-time marched on. And, as even a poor sighted person would see, slowly but surely, the flags started to disappear. But then-as we approached 9-11-02, the flags started to come back up again-and as a Country-and as Firefighters-in almost every community in the USA-we honored those Americans who were murdered. It seemed that our "flame" was re-ignited. We had services in parks, city halls, firehouses, local churches. mosques, synagogues and houses of worship.
There was even a church in Ohio that placed one American flag, in a large field, for EVERY American who was murdered ... it was wonderful --- until some misguided and clueless dope from that church decided that "we should place a WHITE flag in the field as well, for each TERRORIST that died, because the terrorists families suffered "the loss of their loved one as well."
Yeah -- I don't make this stuff up.
Some FDNY friends who were with us that week to dedicate our 9/11 memorial went with me and we all saw it. We spoke to the "leaders" to protest our disgust, that there should be NOTHING representative of the bastards who murdered thousands of Americans in NY, Va and Pa, (not to mention the earlier attacks on Americans ... this crap didn't start on 9-11-01, folks) without exception. Their logic was the "God loves all his children and everyone, including the terrorists and their families suffered on 9-11."
Yeah-well, God loves all his children that plays by God's rules-and for those who don't, I believe, like any Father who's child has gone astray-God cries. No one can tell me that God "loves" rapists, molesters, terrorists and murderers....not the God we were taught about and learned to believe in. The "white" terrorist flags stayed amongst the 3000 American flags, to our disgust.
For the most part though, America properly and respectfully HONORED the lost AMERICANS who were MURDERED on 9-1-01, one year later, on 9-11-02.
And now, as 9-11-03 approaches-things look different. A lot different-and have looked different for a long time. I won't spend a lot of your time reminding you that the politicians have, in many cases, forgotten who the FIREFIGHTERS are...the one's they so warmly hugged and posed with you following 9-11-01 ... Whats the proof?
Just look at the budgets, the staffing and the support now. I don't have to show you, that in most cases, the AMERICAN FLAGS have disappeared ....and I don't have to tell you, that for the most part, many Americans "just wanna move on with their lives" and have an attitude that "enough is enough." Huh?!!
But this commentary is for and about FIREFIGHTERS-so let's just talk about US for a few more seconds.
While many Firefighters HAVE made a serious effort to make sure that America DOES NOT forget-so many other Firefighters have not. While a small group of 9-11 FAMILIES fight to insure that appropriate land is dedicated to a Memorial at the WTC site, they remain a small group. While several communities HAVE memorials dedicated to those lost on 9-11-01, so many more do not. While several communities and FIRE DEPARTMENTS have activities planned for this Thursday, the 2nd Anniversary of the attack and murders of Americans in America, so many more do not. Why?
Many firefighters have simply forgotten.
But lets look at some facts.
Recently, Firehouse.com did two polls which had somewhat surprising and upsetting results. The majority of represented fire departments responding (63%) have nothing planned (moment of silence, display, etc.) in an unscientific survey on the site, of over 5,400 responses.
READ THIS: 63% of the 5,400 FD's that responded to the poll have nothing planned to honor the memories of the MURDERED FIREFIGHTERS of FDNY on Thursday, 9-11-03. Nothing. Nadda. Squat.
The second part showed about the same amount of Fire Departments had no permanent type of community memorial to those lost on 9/11.
Also there doesn't seem to be as much interest in 9/11 related stories as there once was. Who knows how many will even bother reading this.
Now what?
Is this a "do as I say -- not as I do" situation? Do we go around with stickers on our apparatus, personal cars and anything else we can get that says 9-11 or "FDNY" on it to "appear" that we actually give a damn? If that's the case-the decals, stickers and shirts aren't worth the material they are printed on. Throw them out, rip them off, remove the emblems. There is no reason to display them....unless, like a big, fancy firehouse with poor staffing -- we only want to APPEAR to give a damn.
Why do some FD's have services and related honorable activities planned while others do not? Odd's are-there is leadership within the ranks (official or unofficial leadership) that has taken the time to remind their members and their community to NEVER FORGET -- and they "put their money where their mouth is" and have something planned, a service, a march, a concert -- SOMETHING to honor those lost.
Those FD's who don't? Why not? It may be due to the fact that 9-11 was a "flash in the pan" and they have "others things to worry about now" ... important stuff like their new car, the new recliners in the firehouse, a softball game -- or, as one agency said "hey -- we have a meeting that day."
If a FD doesn't have anything planned-what does it mean for:
- The Community?
- The Fire Department?
- Their Culture ... or OUR culture ... and our future?
It means that the community WILL forget..that the Firefighters HAVE forgotten (who ELSE will remind the community if WE don't?) and it means that OUR culture of BROTHER AND SISTERHOOD takes one more step to becoming extinct.
What about another group? Perhaps the MOST IMPORTANT group? THE FAMILIES of those murdered on 9-11-01 ... and, again, for the purpose of this commentary-specifically, the FIREFIGHTERS' FAMILIES.
How do WE as "America's Heroes" explain that of the nearly 3,500 FD's who responded to the simple survey, have nothing planned for 9-11-03...have no services...no memorial...nothing. WE, the one's who said "we'll always be there for them" and the one's who said "WE must NEVER FORGET?
Be Where? Do What? Forget What?
Some may say "We are burned out over 9/11" ... I guess that's a very personal issue to some folks. And I am not talking about FDNY folks -- who have an entirely different understanding to what happened to their FD. This is not about FDNY ... this is about the "other" FD's out there. But unless you lost a close friend or relative, how can 3,500 FD's be burned out? And these aren't 3,500 VOLUNTEER FD's or 3,500 CAREER FD's...it's a mix of all.
Those who say that "they are too busy" or "burned out over all this 9/11 stuff" are full of crap and just too lazy to get motivated to HONOR the firefighters who were killed. Odd's are, it's the same folks who get annoyed at serious training, don't want to do equipment checks, rarely are found when "firehouse duties" must get done, cut their pinkie finger and take 15 workers comp days off, don't show up when their pagers goes off-until after the fire is out, hide when it's hose rolling time and generally are slugs that others have to cover for.
How tough is it for you? Did 9/11 "effect" you to the point where you can't even muster a small amount of energy to show some respect and honor? Come on!! Knock it off and cut the crap. Even if a few in your FD don't want to get involved-why don't YOU take the lead? How can we let this day EVER pass by without some sort of memorial activity taking place-every year-in every commuinty-at every firehouse on 9/11-forever. There is NO excuse ... none ... simply put: "where there is a will, there is a way."
Anyone can wear the 9/11 shirts, display the stickers and all that other stuff. But just like "anyone" can get dressed in bunker gear and APPEAR to be a firefighter-you know and I know what a FIREFIGHTER is. And one of the things we are is HONORABLE, especially when it comes to the loss of OUR OWN.
We can "high five" and "hey brother" and all that stuff we do with and to each other all day long-but this is all about ACTIONS...NOT WORDS (or stickers, t-shirts, emblems or hats).
We are quick to whine and bitch that the politicians have forgotten us. We are quick to get annoyed when the public doesn't support us and we are fast to react when some bosses don't take care of us. But then, when and where did we get the right to NOT REACT over time, when 343 of OUR OWN from FDNY, and the thousands of others MUST be remembered to EVERYONE in our community? When did we get a "free day off" to NOT SPEND TIME HONORING AMERICA and those who were murdered?
We do not have that right. As we are sworn to respond when help is needed-we also took a silent "oath" to take care of one another. We all know it because we usually do ... but we have to keep the momentum to honor their memories in an endless plan, when those like "us" are lost.
Whatever the reasons we have forgotten, knock it off. Get back in focus. REMEMBER what those bastards did to OUR Country, to Americans and especially to FDNY. REMEMBER those who responded to the Pentagon ... and those who responded in Pennsylvania. Your "Brothers and Sisters" who responded to those scenes will absolutely NEVER FORGET.
WE must never forget-and when WE REMEMBER-we must have activities and events to insure our COMMUNITIES, current and future generations, NEVER FORGET.
Is it too late?
No-get your all of your Firefighters together (page them, call them or whatever it takes -- your FD probably has no trouble spreading gossip --- so use those same means to do some good ... and GET everyone in on Thursday morning, afternoon or evening) and FIND a quiet place to spend time together ... remembering.
Maybe have a member of the Clergy lead you in prayer ... maybe do it yourselves. REMEMBER WHAT 9/11/01 FELT LIKE and pray for the souls and the families of those lost ... pray for the soldiers who are fighting for us ... right now, and PRAY for our Country-those scumbags are not done trying to break our spirits.
And when you are done ...... start planning for next year's 9/11 memorial activity, and maybe even start planning a community memorial-so YOUR community, and YOUR DEPARTMENT NEVER, EVER FORGETS.
