By Mark Weyermuller -
For the past several years, I’ve joined families, kids, neighbors, and first responders to place 2996 American flags at the Village Green in a Winnetka, Illinois. This year was different due to COVID.
After a bunch of phone calls last Monday by me, it was unclear if they would be placing the flags in the park. Finally, I got a call back that the flag display would take place on a smaller level. Yesterday only 400 flags were placed to spell out 9-11.
Village officials said it would be unsafe to have a large gathering there. While I appreciate the display, I’m disappointed that only 400 flags were used rather than the almost 3000.
This year is different with COVID causing restrictions in the remembrance ceremonies. The movement to defund police is also in the news. We are reminded how police and other first responders died that day. Over 400 1st responders lost their lives, including 60 police officers on 9-11-2001.
Today President Donald Trump was in Shanksville, Pennsylvania speaking on the site of that plane crash. Trump called the hijackers “radical Islamic terrorists.” Joe Biden is also traveling to Pennsylvania later in the day.
That day 19 years ago, September 11, 2001, four airplanes were hijacked by 19 Muslim terrorists using only box cutter knives as their weapons. The extremists crashed two planes into the World Trade Center in New York City, one into the Pentagon in Washington D.C. in another in a field in Pennsylvania. On that plane, Americans stood up to the hijackers and sacrificed themselves to protect intended victims somewhere in the Washington D.C. Some say the U.S. Capitol was the intended target.
This is also a day to remember the Benghazi attack of 2012 which resulted in the deaths of four Americans. They were US Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens; USFS officer Sean Smith; CIA contractors Tyrone S. Woods and Glen Doherty. This attack and actions (or lack of) continues to be an item of discussion as Hillary Clinton was running for president. She was Secretary of State at that time with Joe Biden as Vice President. She blamed a YouTube video for a "spontaneous" attack, yet later it was shown to be a well planned out deliberate attack on the American embassy.
September 11 is a day to remember heroes like Wells Crowther along with first responders. Take a moment and read about Wells, known as the “The Man in the Red Bandana.”
It is also a day to remember the victims that lost their lives that day. Thousands were also injured that day. It is important to remember that America could be attacked again.
I believe Friday September 11, 2020 will be much the same. They say time heals all wounds yet I suspect this is not the case. For the families who lost loved ones that day, the heartache will never disappear.
God Bless America, United We Stand. We will never forget 9-11-2001.
Mark Weyermuller is a small business person, retired real estate professional, and conservative activist in Chicago. He is a citizen journalist, frequent guest on talk radio, and regular contributor to Illinois Review.
