Not Soon Enough!
It has been over four and a half years since the events of September 11th, 2001. Everybody now knows that four planes were hijacked that day and everyone knows what happened afterwards. The world was changed and every American lost loved ones that day, whether they knew the victims or not. Today, the film "United 93", based on voice recordings and theories surrounding the plane that went down in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, is released. Many have cried, "too soon!" To them I say "Shame!"
The story of United flight 93 should not be kept tucked away and spoken about in whispers. It is a story of triumph. It is story of selflessness and of love. It is one of the most beautiful stories in American history.
I haven't gone out of my mind. I have not forgotten the sick feeling in my stomach when I saw the smoke of doom billowing from three of the nation's grandest buildings. I have not forgotten the utter sense of despair when I saw the towers crumble. I was asleep when the attacks began and I don't remember what I saw when it first happened, but the images played and replayed burning themselves into my brain. I cannot forget that sadness.
Those are stories of terror. Stories of sadness, anger, deperation, confusion. Those were not the story of United 93.
On United 93, thirty-three passengers knew of their certain death and decided to make the most of their final moments. We know certain things from telephone calls and the cockpit recording. These brave men and women became of one mind, one spirit, and with one purpose: to end the tyranny of their hijackers before any further damage could be done, even at the expense of their own lives. How can anyone think a story with this magnitude of heroism can be told "too soon"? If anything, it's should be shouted "not soon (or often) enough"!
While war was declared on America loudly and suddenly, nearly 3000 of our countrymen lost their lives. Things looked grim for us. But America won a battle that day. We had reason for hope. Todd Beamer said "Let's roll!" and United 93 became the United 33. That's when the rest of country saw that the American spirit can not be hijacked by murderous thugs. That's when our great loss became a great victory. That's when a story that began with hatred transformed into a story of courage, hope, and love.
And a story like that can never be told too soon.
posted by Dan Marrero @ 1:38:00 AM
2 Comments:
Okay, so I've just returned home after having actually seen the movie. I can now offer insight from experience.
"United 93" is a moving and accurate portrayal of the events on the "fourth" plane and in air traffic control in almost real time. I can confidently call it accurate because many of those who were on the scene that day (in air traffic control and such) actually portrayed themselves in the movie.
I have to admit that I was moved to tears. I am not so sure that it was the film as much as the recalled memories of all those little parts of the story that suddenly came rushing back to me. What really got me were the phone conversations from the plane to loved ones on the ground. Those last "I love you"s and "Goodbye"s will really haunt you.
But for all my tears (and exposed innaccuracies--assumedly) I still maintain that the story is one of triumph. Those brave men and women of flight 93 stood tall and fought hard, all while facing certain death.
"United 93" is a must see, though paying money to watch it made me feel morbid. If it achieves one thing, it will remind us that while we are always vulnerable, there is nothing in the world that can extinguish man's basic human right to freedom and an American's will to fight for it.
Amen!
And happy birthday, danny boy!
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