Saturday Morning, Sept. 11, 2010, (911), people should begin gathering by 9 AM.
Town of Ulster Park, (formerly Post Park), at the new fishing dock.
With all that is wrong with the world, so many firefighters and policemen gave their lives unselfishly as did many ordinary citizens trying to save the lives of men and women they did not know. Over 3,000 died and thousands of their family members and friends are still searching for answers and justice.
Dismiss for the moment those who politicize and demean their sacrifice for profit and self interest and just as improtantly dismiss the many others still at war with us. Instead celebrate the American Experience. We are all Americans on 911 just as we are on December 7th. Americans have stood tall and made the ultimate sacrifice for millions of people the world over.
Time and time again we spend our blood and treasure to offer liberty to a reluctant world. There are those of us who would rather offer appologies for our actions throughout our history. Saturday morning at 9:03 WTC South Tower, 9:43 The Pentagon, 10:05 WTC North Tower and 10:10 Somerset County, Pennsylvania. Let us offer our prayers for those who died and the families and friends they left behind, let us not insult their death, their memory and their sacrifice with appologies for our way of life, our liberties and our freedoms.
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I have great respect for the people down in NYC that risked their lives to help when the terrorist attacked the world trade center.What we have to realize is it was not just fireman and police that died helping during the attack,the people that worked in and around the buildings also helped and died, even though all we hear about is fireman and police helping.If you look at the videos the fireman were running away from the buildings faster then the people they were their to help.My biggest complaint is that people everywhere are using this tragedy for their own benefit.If you didn't lose a family member or friend then we should just pray for those who lost their life.These big ceremonies are just grandstanding to score points.Why don't we try celebrating togetherness on any other day then September 11th.Lets leave this date for the families who actually lost a love one.
ReplyDeleteAnon 8:16 PM I have sitting in front of me pictures of 343 firefighters who didn't run, and died doing their job. Your statement is such an insult to all the firefighters, police and other rescuers who risked their very lives, that I am almost at a loss for words. The firefighters outside of the buildings as they collapsed ran because that was all that they could do. And when the towers fell, they went back and picked up where they had left off, and continued to work there for days and weeks afterwards. How can you so casually throw insults at these people, people who were responsible for the savings of so many potential victims inside of the doomed buildings?
ReplyDeleteI don't take anything away from all of the victims who died on 9/11; the difference is that those occupants of the building who died, died because they were already in the buildings. The firefighters and police who died, died because they went INTO the building after the fact. Simple comparison.... who is braver, the homeowner trapped in a burning house or the firefighter who enters the burning building as a rescuer?
As for your statement that the ceremonies being "grandstanding"....those of us who are putting on the memorial, the fire departments of the Town of Ulster, aren't looking for and don't expect any return on our work. We are doing it because 343 of our brother firefighters lost their lives trying to help others. If it is grandstanding to come together to mourn our lost brothers and recall their bravery, to try and emulate their selflesness and learn from their sacrifice, then I plead guilty. If it is grandstanding for a group of men to stand together and shed tears for our lost brothers, then yes, we are grandstanding. I have no argument with praying for them and their families; lord knows I do it often myself and not just on 9/11. But that in no way conflicts with the need to show our commitment to their memory and to publicly honor them for what they did.
I would like to say that I respect ALL public servants , not just firefighters and police. My wife lost a cousin that worked in the trade center that fateful day, but let me say that firefighters are PAID to GO INTO burning buildings. It is not a question of bravery and at this point it is thier JOB! However, when a civilian runs into harms way they are a true hero because they are not paid to do so nor are they compelled to do so under any contract. We need to put things into thier proper perspective and stop this hero worship we have for our paid servants (firefighters and police) since they know what they are getting into upon hiring and then they go thru training to provide that service to thier city,period. They are paid well with good benefits and an early retirement so...I do agree with 8:16 that we need to honor and pray each sept. 11 for those that have passed and STOP the hero worship for our PAID servants that are there to do thier jobs.
ReplyDelete8:16 & 8:58 respectively: GO FUCK YOURSELVES.
ReplyDeleteDoc,
ReplyDeleteI could not agree with you more. Although many people lost their lives on that tragic day, the EMS workers chose that as a career. A career to risk their lives each and everyday to help others. How can anyone put a price tag on that?
I harbor no resentment to anyone who feels a sense of loss on this day. It was a national tragedy. A tragedy I compare to the day President John Kennedy was assassinated.
9:58, thanks for the suggestion,good buddy! LOL! If you just count to ten and maybe go for walks and when the special bus comes in the morning make sure you wear your helmet,sport! (i say that respectively,of course). Hey, if you dont like our opinions, tough shit, dude! My family actually lost a loved one down there, but I STILL believe that if you put in for a firemen's job, you know what is expected of you and you are being paid WELL to do so. And guess what, ALOT of folks feel the same way we do,good buddy. so, enjoy your day and dont take any wooden nickels!
ReplyDeleteStop all the grandstanding every year by the fire depts.s that have TOTALLY exploited the most tragic event this country ever experienced! I honor and salute all of those good people that lost thier lives that day, but the grandstanding that goes on by fire depts. is a turn off.
ReplyDeletethe firemen get to use the big, noisy shiny trucks today. Yippeeee!!!
ReplyDeleteI can't really believe what i am reading here. The fire departments are grand-standing by holding memorial services for fallen brethren?? Please, someone tell me how that is grandstanding?? Is it grandstanding to hold a wake or memorial service for a departed loved-one? Is it grandstanding to return to the grave of a family member on a special day to remember them again? Is it grandstanding to have a memorial-day parade for fallen soldiers and sailors? That is all that we are doing...we are taking a day to remember our fallen brothers in the service to others.
ReplyDeleteAs to the comments about firefighters being paid... does it make it less admirable to risk your life for another that you do that as a job? By this reasoning, there should be no heroes in any profession, no medal-of-honor winners in the military because, "It was their job", no police heroes who die protecting a civilian because "It was their job". What a strange outlook. And I think it fair to say that no one, NO ONE, could ever imagine an event like 9-11, so none of those firefighters, police or EMS workers "knew what they signed up for". And even if they did, they are still brave, because at some point in their lives, they raised their right hands and agreed to take on those risks. If you think it easy, give it a try.
And just as an aside, in this county EVERYONE except those in the city limits of Kingston are protected by volunteers. We don't get paid a single cent for our service; in fact we spend a truckload of time and energy protecting your butts. And we were out today "grandstanding"!
Please, any one of you, tell me how we are grandstanding? I am completely and totally confused by your line of thought and would like you to spell it out for me. In the meantime, I will attend my memorial service and stand tall in remembrance of all those who made the ultimate sacrifice, whether paid or volunteer.
anon 11:55
ReplyDeleteYour comment warrants only one response....complete silence. But I'll waste a moment to point out something to you. That big red truck and those riding it are willingly putting their lives on the line for you every minute of every day
Well then no one should have any problems with the Town of Ulster Ceremony since they are all VOLUNTEERS not paid public servants.
ReplyDeleteAs far as firefighter's being trained to go into burning buildings, you may be right. But they are also trained to leave before they in a situation that will likely kill them. The fact that they stay in kind of goes above and beyond what they are being paid for. They do this in some cases for ungrateful people such as some of the ones posting on this blog.
Hinchey seems to like 9/11 and firefighters. Look at all the free publicity that giving money away to them got in the Freeman today.
ReplyDelete11:55 is just mad that he had to take the lights and siren out of his car. Kept the tinted windows though.
ReplyDeleteAs a person who has been the recipient of the good work of said volunteers. My hat is of to you today and everyday.
ReplyDeleteDoc, You are a man of great integrity and conviction. All of those idiots who post negative things about our loyal volunteers are not aware of what it means to get help when you need help. I hope and pray the day never comes that they do need the services of our volunteers, but if it does, I am sure they will change their tunes rather quickly.
Surprised , even flabbergasted. Here we are jsut 9 short years after a devistating blow to our security and even our liberty and we seek ti criticize rather than celebrate what it is to be American. We have men and women on the front lines giving of themselves, even their lives, whether the wars in Iraq & Afghanistan are just will be judged by our children and their children but we should all take pride in the American Spirit and celebrate, (and Memorialize), the men and women who have sacrificed, the Armed Forces on the battlefield, our Police, Firefighters and EMS workers and our fellow citizens who showed and do show the best of the American Character.
ReplyDeleteThe Service was one i will remember for a long time to come. Thank you Town of Ulster, Police, Firefighters, EMS workers, volunteers and town employes for conducting with dignity and respect today's service.
ReplyDeleteFor the entire week it has been nothing but politicized in the media and by every political pundit and talking head. Thank you for the reverence shown here today!
I further congratulate those representatives who appeared on the platform and in the audience for haveing the sense of respect to keep politics out of the event and away from the area.
hey, big ups for the volunteers! Having said that, I agree with earlier posts that the PAID firemen know what they are getting into upon hiring. Kingston firemen could give two shits for ANY volunteer outfit because they feel threatened by the very presence of a volunteer movement in Kingston. Paid firemen are just that, paid to do a job and thats that.
ReplyDelete5:08 you shouldn't allow the actions of a few paint the picture of the entire group of career firefighters in Kingston. Many do not feel threatened by and in fact are volunteers themselves. And in many other parts of the country combined volunteer and paid departments work very well together for the good of the community.
ReplyDeleteAs far as what they are paid to do, what does a Kingston firefighter make 45k. Doesn't seem like enough to risk your life for, but they do it anyway whether it is a 5 year old kid or some burned out crackhead. In addition most have to work second jobs to make ends meet just like anyone else. They don't do it for the money and we shouldn't treat them any differently than the volunteers that serve this community. Nor should they get any special treatment above and beyond volunteers during tough financial times either.