Sept 11, 2006

Old Glory is retired from the Smithsonian National Museum of American History by the Army Old Guard Aug. 7, 2006. It will never be flown again. On Sept. 12, 2001, a day after the terrorist attacks, this flag was draped over the side of the Pentagon, where it remained for a month before it went to the museum. Photo by J. Leipold.

This is what I wrote last year.

I started to watch the Court TV special about 9/11 and I couldn't get through it. I know if it wasn't for that day my husband wouldn't wake up from yet another nightmare that he'd been shot, captured or killed. Children would be with their fathers. And I think we forget sometimes that children of 9/11 victims have to relive it everyday, see their parent die on TV whenever we see a clip of a plane slamming into a building. What hell.

But it's impossible to think, "what if?"

You know what was the hardest about the documentary? Seeing the clip about all those who jumped from the WTC buildings rather than die a fiery death. What a terrible day that was. And it's like people are already forgetting. Soldiers are being blamed already. At one point in time, the country supported the soldiers in Vietnam you know...

I wonder myself what we can do. I guess we can do our best to never let it happen again, but I fell like there is something more. For now, this is all I can do.

For the civilians murdered.

For our fallen soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines.

For the wounded.

For those who live with war in their minds.

For those who continue to fight.

For equality, justice, compassion.

For the future of freedom.

Never forget.