Local Newsman Remembers 9/11

From Kris Ketz'Facebook page today.

"A personal note. 

Sunday. 15 years since 9/11. And on a day when the Chiefs open the 2016 season at home - for me - who could forget that first football game after the attacks. At Arrowhead. And it was the New York Giants in town. I'll never forget walking to my seats that morning and catching a glimpse of a sign hanging from the club level. 'KC NY.'

We all loved New York for all the obvious reasons. 

Anyone or anything from the big apple was a special guest that day. I don't know about the other 79,000 fans in the stadium that day but for me it was hard to think about football - yet - it was good to see it. It was more than a game. It was a step towards returning to some form of 'normal' and at a time when nobody knew what 'normal' would be. We all wanted to see how America and Americans would respond to what happened - long term. We were all so anxious to help in whatever small way we could. 

There was a big "fill the boot" effort in the stadium thanks to members of the KCFD (at least in my section 134) who were busy raising money for the recovery effort in NYC. I may be wrong on the numbers but I think Chiefs fans raised something north of $200,000 that day and then the Chiefs matched what was raised. The singing of the National Anthem that day meant more. 

Like most fans around us there was a lump in my throat and for once we all ended by singing 'Home of the Brave', Chiefs players & coaches had American Flags in their hands. Like I said we all wanted to help. We all wanted to do something. We all wanted people in NY to know that people in KC had their back. I don't recall the final score that day but I remember leaving the stadium thinking in any other environment this would have been just another football game. 

15 years later - KC still 's NY."

In Memoriam, 9/11

To the estimated 4,347 American soldiers who died in the war we were all lied into (see Casualties in Iraq),

Links:  The Bush White House Was Deaf to 9/11 Warnings

Bush Received More Warnings About 9/11 Than We Realized

Bush Warned of Hijackings Before 9-11

Another poignant, touching commemoration of "that day"

Again, from the original post (a Story Corps recording): " Always a Family On the morning of September 11th, Michael Trinidad called his ex-wife, Monique Ferrer, from the 103rd floor of the World Trade Center's North Tower to say goodbye. In the wake of his death, Monique tells the story of Michael's lasting legacy—the family they built together." Story Corps link: http://storycorps.org/

One of the best ways to commemorate this day

From the original video post and NPR:

"John Vigiano Sr. is a retired New York City firefighter whose two sons followed him into service—John Jr. was a firefighter, too, and Joe was a police detective. On September 11, 2001, both Vigiano brothers responded to the call from the World Trade Center, and both were killed while saving others. Here, John Sr. remembers his sons and reflects on coping with his tremendous loss."

Story Corps link: http://storycorps.org/

On 9/11

I will forever be tired of September 11.

First because it never should have happened. If we merely had in place just a few of the most basic rules of safety and security that Europe and, honestly, the rest of the world has had in place for at least decades, it would never, never have happened.

Second, because it's been so politicized and used as a political football by the very Repubican party who was in charge of our same safety and security at the time, it makes me nauseous.

Third, simply because so many people died and for no reason and that it's just so disgusting and sad.

Pocket knives and box cutters were allowed on airplanes. And George W. Bush "kept us safe for 8 years"?

Another, new reason to dread 9/11 this year

I've grown to annually dread September 11 (or 9/11 as it's so repeatedly referred to). The original New York/Pennsylvania/Pentagon tragedy was bad news enough. Now so many people want to run it back up the flag pole, every time it comes around, so we have to live through it (salute it?) one more time so they can be all falsely patriotic and shove it down everyone else's throats. So just when I don't think it can possibly get any worse, it does. Check this out from the same Sarah Palin/Vanity Fair article I posted earlier today: ...Glenn Beck has booked the Dena’ina Center, the largest venue in Anchorage, for a speech on September 11, 2010... “Listen, listen, listen: Why in the world do you imagine Glenn Beck would come to Anchorage on 9/11? You think he might have a special guest? With a special announcement? Oh,” she says, her whole face falling as the implications of a Palin campaign kickoff hit her, “Jesus Christ.” My sentiment exactly. I think I'll unplug everything that day. Link to original article: http://www.vanityfair.com/politics/features/2010/10/sarah-palin-201010?currentPage=all