On a previous site, I had tribute pages to those who had lost their lives on 9/11. When I started this new sight, I wanted to have a memorial as well. I thought to myself, though, What makes 9/11 so special, other than the number of people we lost. There are many other times, when we watched helplessly and cryed for the loss of a stranger. We found ourselves praying for the comfort of their families and for their souls to heaven.
Though, 9/11 was among the worst disasters we've seen, we should remember other times when our hearts were broken and time stood still, as we were glued to the TV news stations. Those times are still embedded, deep in our hearts. For most people, the pain is gone, but the memories will live on forever.
April 19, 1995
The Oklahoma Federal Building
At 9:02 a.m. on April 19, 1995, a truck exploded in the street in front of the Alfred P. Murrah federal building in downtown Oklahoma City, an apparent terrorist bombing. The explosion, collapsing the north face of the nine-story concrete building, injured hundreds of workers, and killed 169, including 19 children. Most of the children attended a day-care center on the second floor.
Today, a memorial stands on a three-acre site that includes remnants of the original building, destroyed in 1995. The structure uses symbolism to communicate the dramatic impact of the April 19, 1995 tragedy. A countless number of people still bear the painful physical and emotional scars from that day.
April 20, 1999
The Columbine High School Murders
Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold murdered their classmates and teachers at Columbine High School. Per the FBI, “The first steps to understanding Columbine, they say, are to forget the popular narrative about the jocks, Goths, and Trench-coat Mafia and to abandon the core idea that Columbine was simply a school shooting.
School shooters tend to act impulsively and attack the targets of their rage: students and faculty. But Harris and Klebold planned for a year and dreamed much bigger. The school served as means to a grander end, to terrorize the entire nation by attacking a symbol of American life. Their slaughter was aimed at students and teachers, but it was not motivated by resentment of them in particular. Students and teachers were just convenient quarry.
The killers, in fact, laughed at petty school shooters. They bragged about dwarfing the carnage of the Oklahoma City bombing and originally scheduled their bloody performance for its anniversary. Klebold boasted on video about inflicting "the most deaths in U.S. history." Columbine was intended not primarily as a shooting at all, but as a bombing on a massive scale. If they hadn't been so bad at wiring the timers, the propane bombs they set in the cafeteria would have wiped out 600 people. After those bombs went off, they planned to gun down fleeing survivors. An explosive third act would follow, when their cars, packed with still more bombs, would rip through still more crowds, presumably of survivors, rescue workers, and reporters. The climax would be captured on live television. It wasn't just "fame" they were after. They were gunning for devastating infamy. Their vision was to create a nightmare so devastating and apocalyptic that the entire world would shudder at their power.”
September 11, 2001
Day of Infamy Two
I think most of us have heard all we want to hear about this day. It still sickens my heart. Let it suffice to say, I do not know a single person I didn't see in tears that day and I saw people praying that I've never seen pray before.
For a list of the victoms, if you choose, go to
http://www.september11victims.com/september11victims/victims_list.htm
April 17, 2007
Worst U.S. shooting ever kills 33 people and wounds 15 on the
Virginia Tech campus In Blacksburg, Virginia
In the midst of the confussion and fear, Professor Liviu Librescu (LIV-ee-oo lih-BRESS-cue), 76, from Israel, blocked the door to his classroom with his body, against the approaching gunman. He saved the lives of many of his students by telling them to flee. Many started opening windows and jumping out. He sacrificed his own life, when the gunman started shooting through the door, then moved on. I believe a special memorial should be built on the campus grounds, in honor of this selfless and loving man. Students, for all time, should know what courage is and what it sometimes costs.
In the middle of all the devastation and pain are the firemen.
I'm not a fireman and I remember knowing only one, my entire life. I was proud to call him my friend. At the risk of their own lives, they try to help others. They expect no recognition and no reward. They do it, because their heart tells them to. The next time you see a fireman, just say thank you, because he won't ask for it.
Santa Maria, Santa Teresa, Santa Anna, Santa Susannah, Santa Cecilia, Santa Copelia, Santa Dominica, Mary Angelica, Frater Achad, Frater Pietro, Julianus, Petronella, Santa, Santos, Miroslaw, Vladimir, and all the rest
a man is placed upon the steps, a baby cries and high above the church bells start to ring and as the heaviness the body oh the heaviness settles in somewhere you can hear a mother sing
then it's one foot then the other as you step out onto the road how much weight? how much weight? then it's how long? and how far? and how many times before it's too late?
calling all angels, calling all angels, walk me through this one, don't leave me alone
calling all angels, calling all angels, we're cryin' and we're hurtin' and we're not sure why...
and every day you gaze upon the sunset, with such love and intensity, why it's...it's almost as if, if you could only crack the code, then you'd finally understand what this all means
but if you could...do you think you would, trade it in, all the pain and suffering? ah, but then you'd miss the beauty of the light upon this earth and the sweetness of the leaving
calling all angels, calling all angels, walk me through this one, don't leave me alone
callin' all angels, callin' all angels,
we're tryin', we're hopin', we're hurtin', we're lovin', we're cryin', we're callin'
'cause we're not sure how this goes
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