this is why i do what i do......

9 years ago, today. this is the reason i do what i do. im sure you all have your reasons, but im also sure a lot of you fight for the same reasons i do. yea sure, as military branches we all knock each other on how the army is better or the marines or air force or whatever, but we all fight for the same reasons. im reminded every year on this day of what those f*cks did 9 years ago and it just pisses me off more and more each year.

God bless this beautiful country, all it stands for, and all of you that serve right along beside me

 

Thank you very much for protecting our way of life!

 

Thank you for your service. My prayers go out to all the service members for their safety no matter where they are. God Bless you all.

 

Thank you for protecting our country.

 

x2 I was just watching that special on the history channel

 

First and foremost- thank you for your service. Not only you, but every cop, Marine, Navy, Army, and Coast Guard puke on this board. It's still hard for me to watch the videos of the planes hitting the tower, and I think of you guys every time I think of that day.

Now on to something I was going to start a thread on: Flag waving patriotism.
We, as a country, have done some dumbass things. We, as a country, are not bad people, but we have made mistakes. Afghanistan and the invasion of Iraq, in my mind, have become mistakes that I would not have committed to if I were running the country.
We have a country teetering on bankruptcy because we've made some dumbass financial decisions- dems and republicans alike are guilty, and we don't seem to understand simple economics well enough to stop the dumbass things we're doing.

That being the case, I still fly my American flag, because I believe in the goodness still resident in the American people. Spoiled? You can bet your ass. Arrogant? Sometimes. We make make mistakes, as do every other nation in the world. But I'm damned proud of America as an ideal and of Americans as a whole... so on days like today (still an undeclared holiday) July 4, Labor Day, and Memorial Day, you're going to see a flag at my house.

My neighborhood is firmly middle class, and as I was walking the dogs this afternoon I took care to count the flags in the 5 block route. Eight flags, including mine, out of the 35 houses along the walk. I figure there's 15% middle Eastern, maybe 20% Hispanic, 15% Black, and the balance WASP.

This makes me say WTF is wrong with people, with the memory of the towers still fresh in our minds... that some people have relegated this day to the cellar of bad dreams? The Middle Eastern families, I can somewhat understand even though I admittedly carry some prejudice. But why the hell would they have come to this country if Islam is so damned great?

The rest of you- born Americans, naturalized citizens.... SHOW SOME DAMNED PRIDE in your country! You chose to be here, so celebrate with us, and mourn with us... or go the hell home.

 

I attended a 9-11 service this morning. My heart is heavy every year on the anniversary of this terrorist act that changed our country forever. Born and raised in NY and working in Law Enforcement. God bless all the Police, Firefighters, Emergency Responders, and Military. Stay safe.

 

Great posts, X2.