Remember, Remember, the 11th of September....

No, I will say any words here.  I will let the videos and pictures speak instead.

On September 11th, we are all Americans.

 

 

The attack on the Pentagon

And the final words:

The 2,996: Cmdr. Dan Frederic Shanower

In honor of September 11, the Valley stops Politicking to remember those who have passed:

2006: Donna Marie Rothernberg;

2009: Patrick O'Keefe 

And this year, the Valley honors Cmdr. Dan Frederic Shanower

He worked at the Pentagon on the morning of 9/11 and is buried at Arlington National Cemetery. 

Commander Shanower of Naperville, IL was working in Navel Intellegence the day he died.

Here is what the Washington Post wrote about this hero:


Navy Cmdr. Daniel F. Shanower had been posted around the world in his 15 years as a naval officer, but he was happy with his transfer to the staff of the Navy Command Center just more than a year ago, said his brother Jonathan Shanower, a lawyer in Naperville, Ill.

"He loved being in Washington," Shanower said. "He had spent some time there as a student at American University in the 1980s, and he loved politics."


Daniel Shanower, 40, was a lanky man with an easy smile who liked to spend his weekends hanging out at a Xando coffeehouse, his neighbors in Vienna said. On hot days, he was often seen behind his condominium complex washing his Lexus.


Jonathan Shanower said his brother was a very private person and revealed little about his personal life or much about his work, which had taken him to Japan, the Philippines and, for several tours, the aircraft carrier USS Midway.


"We didn't talk business," Shanower said. "Family was important."


Shanower grew up in Naperville, one of five siblings and the son of a schoolteacher, Patricia, and a retired college professor, Donald.


He went to Naperville Central High School, where he graduated in 1979, and then on to a private liberal arts institution, Carroll College in Wisconsin, where he graduated with a communications degree in 1983.

He applied and was accepted into naval officer training in Pensacola, Fla., shortly thereafter, his brother said. Shanower lived quietly in a town house community and was studying to receive his master's degree at Georgetown University, his brother said.

There is an award given by Naval Intelligence in his honor:

The Chief of Naval Operations Commander Dan F. Shanower Intelligence Specialist of the Year Award was established in 1995 and endowed by the family of CDR Shanower in 2002.  The award recognizes leadership, performance of duty, special accomplishments, and overall contribution to command efficiency, morale, and welfare of the command to which the individual is assigned. Four awards are given annually: both a junior (E1-E4) award and a senior (E5-E6) award to Intelligence Specialists assigned to an afloat/operational command and a junior and senior award to Intelligence Specialists assigned to a shore-based command. The award consists of a Certificate of Recognition, a $250 cash award, and a 1-year membership in the Naval Intelligence Professionals.

10 years later, we honor the fallen and wish them G-dspeed.

I am lucky to have honored Cmdr. Shanower this year. 


Never forget the fallen

Nine Years Hence

On the morning of September 11, 2001, New York City had a mayoral Primary race going on (where Alan Hevesi, Jack Chartier's [my friends father] boss, was running).  It was another morning for the Pentagon and those in Congress and the new White House.  Even though the Administration had a delay in having their people appointed (by the Election Overtime), life still moved forward. 

At 8:46 AM, the world shifted on its axis.  (Timeline here)

Anyone who reads books knows the lesson of "Foreshadowing,"  Bin Ladin and Al Queda made their message known in 1993 and throughout the multiple bombings in the 90's. 

No one knew what to expect on that Autumn Morning. And those who use the partisan attack "Bush knew," seem to forget that there was no detail on how the attacks were to happen or what Bush should have done.

Should President Bush have arrested every single Muslim on September 10th?  Those who protested against Gitmo would have surely raised a stink if President Bush did that.  The hypocrisy is that thick.

On the morning of the attacks, President Bush was in a school in Sarasota, Florida with Rep. Dan Miller (FL-13), the man whom I interned with during the beginning of the 104th Congress.  Again, the partisans who hated Bush would have attacked the former President whatever his actions.  No matter what he did, it how he did it, he would still have been attacked. 

Politics used to stop at the Water's edge; No longer.

Those who, nine years hence, ask for "unity and support," during this current Administration have forgotten their actions during the last one.  Don't ask if you cannot give, and if you couldn't give during the former Administration, don't be surprised that no one is giving alms today.

The GZM and the Koran burnings are the flip side of the same coin.  Remember when Theo van Gogh was killed? Remember the fire of the "Mohammad cartoons?"  Or "Draw a Mohammad day?"  Or South Park's creators being under attack for the  same issue?

During the last Administration, the talking class said whatever the Bush Administration did created more "terrorists,"  Looking at the examples above, anything is a provocation, so the arguement fails. 

No Koran burnings and no GZM is the only answer.  But tolerance is a two way street.  When there are multiple Minyans in Mecca and Israel is recognized, in toto, by the Arab League, then I will listen kindly on Islam's worries. 

As long as there are stonings, hangings, and "Honor killings,"  (all under Sharia Law), then I don't want Americans to ally with those whose thinking is not beyond  the 12th Century.

In the end, we can only pray that no more attacks occur.  But if everything we do is a provacation, then do anything you want. 

Nine years from today, I hope the Towers are built by Wall Street and Liberals re-learn how to love Americans of both political persuasions by the Waters edge. 

Your thoughts?