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[OM] From Triumph to Tragedy

Subject: [OM] From Triumph to Tragedy
From: Ken N <image66@xxxxxxxxx>
Date: Wed, 12 Sep 2001 11:00:30 -0700 (PDT)
>From Triumph to Tragedy.

Yesterday morning started out as one of the most glorious
mornings I have experienced as a photographer.  I had left the
house early so I could walk in the prairie.  The fog was
lifting, the sunrise was golden and the air was pretty still
yet.

Everything was coated with a heavy dew and there were hundreds
of beautiful orb webs.  Every step encountered a web of some
form.  Dozens of butterflys were already flying about and the
birds were singing cheerfully.

Everywhere I looked was a photograph for the taking.  I was only
carrying an OM-4 with a 50/3.5 lens and wasn't lacking.

Back at the jeep, I changed in dry clothes and turned on the
radio.  Had it turned to NPR and they were yabbering about some
forgetable feature on a film festival or some such nonesense. 
Top of the hour news was boring stuff.  Little did I know what
was REALLY happening because NPR's tape delay system (for non
Eastern Time Zones) was overriding the current news.  (I
designed the system so I know what went wrong--human error).

I arrive at work all cheerful and ready to write about my
experiences that morning.  I was going to write about the shot
of the geese taking off in mass in the fog (probably my best
picture ever).  I was going to write about how I was blessed
with such a perfect morning.  I was greated with the news of the
WTC.

Instantly I knew what was going on.  I have friends in the media
that have known about this risk for years, but considered the
odds and chose to let live.  Two of these friends worked on the
very top floors of the North Tower (RF engineers), and as far as
I know they are still unaccounted for.  These gentlemen were in
the building during the first bombing and expressed what
probably was trademark NYC mentallity of invincability.  "Hey
the building didn't come down, a little smoke didn't hurt me."

I look up and I see a completely blank sky.  We live below the
busiest east-west air corrider and the ONLY planes flying are
military.  There was a mass of planes when Air Force One flew
over, but that was it.  This morning yielded only a cloudless,
sky with no contrails.

Our lives are kinda on hold since ALL of the doctors that my
wife needs to see are on call to leave today and tomorrow for
NYC.  I didn't know that Des Moines, Iowa was the primary
medical support and blood supply for NYC.  One entire medical
complex here may nearly shutdown as the personnel are relocated
east or will be jammed as the injured are transported here.

A tragedy such as this has ties everywhere around the world. 
One of my neighbors had an office in building seven.  We live in
Iowa, but she spends half of her time in NYC.  With four
airliners involved, and the hundreds of companies that had
offices in the complex most people in this country will have
known somebody killed,  injured or directly affected  in these
events.

Not too long ago, we had the tragic earthquake in Turkey and
again in Central America.  We hear  about thousands getting
killed, but watching these events unfold in places you've never
been to and to people you've never met who speak languages you
don't understand is different than when it happens at home.

Watching the towers crumble with all the lives inside and
underneath was the most sickening sight I've ever seen. 
Hollywood, when they "recreate" this for the dozens of movies
that WILL follow could never attain the terror or the knowledge
that you are seeing thousands die before your eyes.

Nor the heroism.  The "interview" of the firefighter getting his
equipment on and entering the building moments before the
collapse was sobering.  "Somebody's got to be a hero" he said. 
I don't know if he is still alive, but that man IS my hero.

When tragedies strike around the world, Americans are there to
help dig out and risk our own lives for those we don't even
know.  These same rescuers are now rescuing our own.  This time,
it's personal.

We have no idea what the future holds.  Will America now live in
a state of terror like many other countries have done so for
years?  I hope not.

I don't understand the hatred that was behind these acts.  I
understand the mentality of war, but not that of pure hatred. 
Why must an act against a symbol have to employ the caloused
destruction of the innocents?

America has an opportunity to show the world what we are made
of.  Will we respond to terror with terror?  Or will we respond
in a manner that the world can look to and respect.  We must not
remain quiet, nor can we "give in" and stop supporting our
allies or our values.  America is America for a reason.  We've
given up only one fight in our history and that was because it
wasn't OUR fight.  If we give in now, the victims will have died
in vain.

I AM AN AMERICAN!  I am proud to be an American.  Do I dislike
other races more now than before?  No.  I'm disappointed and
disgusted with the actions and choices of certain intollerant
individuals.  Hatred is wrong--period!  A "Higher Power" will
revenge the guilty.  We may stike back in the physical, but each
person will have to answer for his/her actions for eternity.

What was hoped for by the perpetrators was to bring America to
its knees.  It succeeded.  Not in our giving in, but to prayer. 

Ken N.

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