Busy Weekend

On Thursday, I was invited to attend a memorial service for some of people who died in the attack of the pentagon 8 years ago.
My invitation came due to the fact that I know my way around the streets of Northern Virginia, and two of the women that were going needed a driver.
Besides the fact that I had become a chauffeur, I felt honored that I could attend the gathering and have a chance to talk to some people that were in the building when the attack happened.
Hearing for myself some of their own personal stories, and actually being at the Pentagon just hours after then plane had struck the side of the building brought back some terrible feelings

On Saturday, my driving skills were put to good use again as I was volunteered as a commuter van driver to shuttle people into D.C. from Stafford Virginia, just a short 45 minutes away.
On my last trip, I had parked the van and joined the group of Americans that had assembled to send a message to government.

As I made my way through the crowd, I found that different streets contained different feelings of the march.

I had no sign, and no shirt expressing my views, but because of the crowd I was with, I was called racist, redneck, hillbilly, and right wing nut.

As I got closer to the platform that was assembled for the Freedomworks people, I was handed a wallet sized copy of the constitution, and the woman that handed it to me said " This is a gift for you, don't lose it "

Out of all the speakers I heard, out of all the speeches, out of all the signs and t-shirts that had clever slogans on them, that one comment hit me the hardest.

............" Don't lose it "

Why would anyone want to lose their freedom, their rights, or liberties ?

Why would anyone just hand them over ?

Her words were the most power full to me that day

On Sunday, I shared what I had seen and heard the last few days with some folks over breakfast at our local gathering place, and everyone there said with the same breath " How did we get this far ? "

Out of control government did not start with Obama, and it did not start with Bush

This greed and corruption has been building for years.

I have spent the morning reading left wing blogs that make fun, and ridicule what the people stood for on Saturday, and read a few that scream 9/11 was an inside job.

The people came together Saturday and made one voice, loud and clear, that our representatives are not doing what is right.

They came out in plain view and let America know that they are ready to make a stand.

Where were the left wing supporters ?

Where were the ones that criticize, and write names about those that are willing to put a stop to big government ?

I will tell you where,

In the shadows,

In the darkness,

Hiding behind their keyboards.

They are too ashamed to let others know they are content in having the government take care of them.

They are ashamed to let real Americans know that they are nothing more than sheep.

They are ashamed to let us know that they cannot think for themselves.

Our current situation will not be solved by blaming Bush, or believing that opposition against Obama is racially motivated.

It will be solved by stepping forward and calling out corruption, pointing out the waste, and punishing those that break the rules.

If you break the law, if you cheat the people, if you lie,

YOUR FIRED !

It's that simple

Where Were You ?

Do you remember where you were when we were ATTACKED ? It is important that you do. It's important to remember how you felt. We should all remember what we heard and what we saw, and we should have learned something from it all

When it happened, I lived about 40 miles south of the Pentagon, straight down I-95. I was working in Richmond VA installing fiber optic cable at a military base. My crew and I were approached by the military police and I was told to shut down all construction and secure my equipment. As I had my guy's lock everything down, I tried to call my office, but could not get through. I hit another worker on my direct connect, but nothing would work.

When the area was secured, my crew and I went to our off-site to get our personal vehicles, and I continued to call my office and co-workers, but the cell phone would not dial out. We then decided we would all load up in my vehicle and go to our main office in Chantilly VA, about an hour and 45 minutes away.

Just as I was leaving the Richmond city limits, my phone rang. It was my wife, and I answered jokingly " how did you know I was coming home ? " I heard her crying and screaming, and then she told me we were being attacked. She told me about the towers and the Pentagon. She told me she was so scared, and please come home now.

My phone died after she said that, and we all tried to call family, but the lines were so jammed we just gave up and sped up I-95 to our homes.

I-95 was closed near the Pentagon for some time, but the next day, my wife, some friends, and myself went through the parkway past Reagan National Airport, under the 14th street bridge, and past what was left of the Pentagon. It was still burning, and the area was still full of smoke. I will never forget what I saw, and I will never forget that smell. We knew what needed to be done back then, and we need to remember what needs to be done now. NEVER FORGET !