The Land of the Free: 9/11, President Bush, New York Yankees & Roger Clemens
September 1, 2009 · Patrick Read · Jump to comments
Article Source: Bleacher Report - New York Yankees
Moral Courage Lifted A Free World To Its Feet Again
Washington DC
September 1, 2009
Intended for the youth, this is the true story about 9/11, the New York Yankees and how a free people showed their courage by way of the All-American past-time.
I offer my solemn prayer to those who made the ultimate sacrifice, including to the NY Fire Department. They climbed those stairs leading up to towers ablaze while weighed down by more than just equipment.
Their courage in the face of overwhelming odds is truly something we can all learn from, which is to never quit and never surrender, even when up against unparalleled odds. The outcome of their action on 9/11 saved thousands of lives and all life is precious. Every single one.
Some may not remember what happened on 9/11—perhaps you were too young and have only heard bits of information.
Allow me to share with you the true story about 9/11 and how President Bush, Baseball and Roger Clemens came to lift the spirit of those living in the “land of the free” after having suffered an incredible attack.
They also lifted the spirits for all people in other nations wishing to become free too.
I was working at Cape Canaveral Air Station (CCAFS), where rockets blast off into outer space. Next door to CCAFS is the Kennedy Space Center, home of the Space Shuttle.
I know what power it takes to launch a rocket, a power sometimes confused with something unnatural or fake. The power used to launch a rocket is not artificial; rather it comes right from the salt of the earth and not from a laboratory.
I was a Turnover Technician in 2001, working for a company that was building and starting-up Launch Pad 37B. We were hired by Boeing, who is a manufacturer of aircraft for air & space travel and had just built the world’s largest ever rocket called the Delta IV.
I was a little overwhelmed about having such an important job, but was focused on just doing my best everyday and working as hard as I could.
I said my prayers every night and asked God to help those in need. Sometimes people get lost on God’s highway and they are the ones I was taught to pray for—never for self.
I was going through my normal daily routine at the office on Sept. 11. It involved a lot of flipping through actual scientific data, following up with the building contractors, calling Boeing to make sure that each system was “set for go” and that they approved of what the builders had constructed.
I was sitting on the right side of our group arrangement when all of a sudden the phone rang. Thinking it was Boeing—who I was about to call—I picked up the phone and got the biggest shock of my life. My daughter hadn’t been born yet, which was also a shock because the miracle of life far outweighs everything else on the planet.
It was my supervisor calling from his cell phone on his way to work, “Pat, a small passenger plane just flew into one of the World Trade Center Towers in New York City!”
His voice was excited and he was clearly upset. He knew I had a background in Air Traffic Control and that I served the United States Air Force for six years, with another two years serving in the private industry. That job is kind of like being a traffic cop of the sky.
At first I didn’t believe him, “No way,” I reacted, “Large sized passenger aircraft can’t fly that low over heavily populated areas in this country.”
“Oh no—Jesus!” he cried, “Another one just hit the other tower!”
I heard the crash in the background on his radio and thought to myself, “that was no accident.”
I immediately left the field engineer trailer and hurried over to the site safety trailer. I rushed inside and saw it on TV, two large passenger jets (767’s) had crashed into the World Trade Center Towers, one after the other.
“They were hijacked,” I said aloud. The field engineer from Boeing looked at me. “That was no accident. That was an attack,” I uttered.
His hand flew to his forehead, “We have people in there,” he cried. “I know,” I shuttered, “I am a New Yorker and have people in there too.”
Who is respnsible? The hijackers are responsible, they’re hate is and those allied to them are responsible.
And thus the war is against terror. Their hate kills and their distortion is what is being used to control others enough so that some bad guys half way around the world (some right here, like the Lackawanna-Six) would change their own history and convince others to fly themselves into buildings that were packed full of innocent human life.
The bad guys did this only to serve their selfish want and desire.
The question is: Who benefited the most from the War on Terror?
The answer is simple: The same country where the 9/11 hijackers all lived and where Osama Bin Laden is from too is who benefitted most. The Kingdom that leads OPEC is the one who benefited the most. Saudi Arabia benefited the most from 9/11 and its resulting War on Terror. Why? They control the gas prices, which were very, very high and have been ever since the War began.
On the other hand, it is time for all people to be free and now they are being freed over there. Afghanistan proudly displayed blue-inked fingers after freely voting for the first time in their country’s history. For the first time ever.
Smiling faces are unimistakeable of their approval of freedom’s ring which should be a lesson to the Saudi King to save the jewelry and just let all be free.
I am not blaming all of Saudi Arabia, just the elite and royal few; who prey on the massive amount of poor people, distort their history all while drinking from golden beer mugs, wearing big bling and handing out funny chains to foreign delegates that make them happy. Sadaam Hussein was much like that too.
Attention: In America we do not take kindly to monarch style governance, nor do we take kindly to the practice of slavery.
The Saudi should tell their people that the “fight” is internal to each individual; not external to others and that it is relative their own mind, body and soul.
Do you think they will? Of course not. Why? It is cheaper to keep them enslaved and it’s seemingly all about the money for the Saudi royalty. And their “chains.”
It can be said that 9/11 was an attack on the entire free world–whose capital city is in New York. They then sent their Crowned Prince into New York City to offer his charity for the sins of their sons.
The Prionce may have expected Rudy to bow down, because he said “It was American’s own Imperialism that was the cause of 9/11.”
Rudy Giuliani swiftly scoffed at the Prince, turned away his so-called charity and immediately showed him the door out of our country. Rudy has been there and done that before with some pretty bad guys. He displayed sheer leadership that day and he made all New Yorkers and all Americans proud when doing it.
“Stand up for America,” was the lesson that Rudy taught.
Awe inspiring is that one jet, loaded with those having moral courage, was taken back by heroic Americans who overtook the flying-coward. Their action ultimately resulted in a suicidal-pilot crashing that plane into a remote area where no one else could be injured.
Awe inspiring was a man named Todd Beamer (go to his memorial site) on that plane, who gathered a band of patriots and shouted “Lets Roll!”
America has nothing to apologize for, President Obama. They hit us, not the other way around.
We’re just a free people and they hate us for it. Imperialist? We do not stay where we are not asked, just ask the Irish-American about slavery and Imperialism. Ask them what war they’re most proud of too–the Civl War is the answer. We won for all and all for one.
Stop the lies, because there is only one Imperialist country and it is not the USA.
America and President Bush “did do right,” despite what inaugural poets might prose over. America will continue the fight to emancipate all and that means everyone, because “ALL are Created equal” and ALL were created to be free. Even you, even me.
CCAFS closed down for a long time after that attack of hate founded in distortion; and I sat glued to the TV watching on in disbelief. Utterly depressed and shaken to my core–those were people, not viruses.
The military blood in my veins boiled and my emotion ranged from complete despair over to anger and back to despair again. This roller coaster happened every single day and each American was on it.
“WE WILL NEVER FORGET”
What pulled the country up form that dark depression, that utter sense of helplessness, hopelessness and anger?
For me, and millions of other people around the globe, it was the All-American pastime. It was baseball.
Does the ESPN still remember, as does the MLB? I think so, but some of their partners are pretty querstionable; like NBC; who likes to use the bully pulpit and pick their winners for all of us; instead of letting it all play out on the open, and free field. They like to interefer with their cheer. Note to NBC: Special favors only serve to sell out liberty in the land of the free.
What lifted this nation back to its feet again after 9/11?
It was President Bush who did the talking for all of us after the attack. While standing in the rubble of Ground Zero and shouting on with the construction worker, ironworker, the police and firefighter—the country and the whole free world listened up.
“The people who knocked over these buildings will hear all of us soon!”
A thunderous applause erupted and ALL of Congress (even Nancy Pelosi) voted and passed a Declaration of “War on Terror.” Not just one group or man, but all Terror and they are still out there too.
I will not forget, I promise my fallen brothers, it smolders in my soul like the rubble at ground zero. I will not forget.
“The nation sends its love.”
“Go get ‘em, George!”
“God Bless America!”
“USA—USA—USA!”
It’s called patriotism and as a country, we lost that somehow and are now only interested in name calling and hate. I think we learned that hate is a killer though, so don’t hate–but try and forgive.
The type moral courage displayed at Ground Zero lifted us all, as one nation under God, once again. We stood united; we stood for justice, for peace and we stood for those who couldn’t stand anymore. United, we stood.
For now, our effort over there (play this as loud as you can) is focused on those who distort the Koran for their own selfish purpose and are the same that have had this country under attack for more than fifty years.
Moral Courage Lifted A Free World To Its Feet Again
For some reason that part of our history is not taught in school.
Maybe the teachers are only serving their so-called “union,” who donates their money to one political party in order to win favor. Again, special favors only serve to sell out liberty in the land of the free.
In the end, only truth will prevail.
The great “Union” Army of the Civil War freed all and gave all independence—even the Irish Catholic who was brought here in shackles too. They used Irish salves to free slaves and our country has not stopped freeing slaves ever since.
I can say that the War has been a success and hope has been spreading throughout the Middle East ever since. They had blue ink on their fingers, President Obama. Recall Afganistan, the women with the blue ink and their smiles of sheer joy. They are now another freed slave.
Our “reconstruction effort” is going just fine, Mr. Olberman–Count that if you can. That silly “how many days since the end of the war” propaganda is annoying to those who serve.
Of course, Keith would already have known that our military is in the normal process of reconstruction had he ever served. He didn’t serve though and that is why he doesn’t know. He just doesn’t get it.
Which brings me to Chris Mathews: this is a guy who thinks that the Democrats won the Battle of Gettysburg and he gleefully proclaimed it so on election night. Great, except for one thing–The Republicans won the Battle of Gettysburg–regardless of the chill up Mathew’s leg.
His name was Abraham Lincoln and he “weren’t a democrat.” The distortion against our beautiful American history is purposeful and self serving, much like those who distort the Koran.
So again, what lifted the United States of American back to its feet again?
It was the type moral courage that Bud Selig once had when he cried, “play ball!”
It was the type moral courage that a man named Jack Buck, (watch his poem) who courageously stood on a baseball field after a terrorist attack on the free and addressed the whole world, saying:
“We are a blessed people and have rushed to help other nations; anything, anytime, anywhere…War is not in our nature… We won’t start it, but end the fight and will always protect what is right…We have no choice…and as our fathers did before, we shall win this unwanted war.”
I do it no justice; the fans did much better and so did Mr. Buck.
This is the type of courage that I like. It sends a chill down my spine and on my arms. The 21 gun salute didn’t hurt either.
And so it was, “play ball” and teach us all about moral courage—like our fathers did before and their fathers did too and so on through our great country’s history (though not taught anymore).
We can fight it out on a field during any given game and watch on as spectators, like they did the Civil War, where men display courage to do the right thing.
It was President Bush who displayed Moral Courage when he flew to Yankee Stadium only mere weeks after that attack. We sat in fear for his safety, each of us, together as one.
Ole George stood up, stood tall, he walked right out to the mound after having received advice from another great American, the modern-day Joe DiMaggio, Derek Jeter who said, “Throw from the pitcher’s mound and don’t bounce it,” he smiled, “They’ll boo ya.”
Good ole “Joltin’ Jeter” has a lot of courage himself and knows how to keep people loose when the pressure is on as proven time and time again. Thanks for that advice, Jete.
Our president, with the United behind him, walked tall and walked proud out to that mound. He glanced at the guest mound and shook it off without hesitation. He toed the professional rubber and gave the crowd a thumbs-up sign—who responded as loudly as I’ve ever heard any stadium—and he threw a fastball for a strike.
The whole world saw it and it defined what moral courage is all about. His approval ratings were the highest of any President in American History, afterwards some tore him down for their own selfish reason. They sold him out so they could win.
But, the man who put the whole country on his shoulder wasn’t wearing a flak-jacket that day.
Thaaaaaa’aaaaa Yankees WIN!
He had nothing on but a pinstriped baseball uniform. He was a gritty, aging bull-dog from Texas. He is on twitter.com @RogerClemens
I recall an interview from that time. Clemens recollected the city in the aftermath of the attack. He would drive to the Stadium in between stops at the local Fire Departments, while trying to cheer them up and offer some solace.
He could smell that fire burning its sickness everyday. And though drained from it all, during Game Three of the 2001 World Series, he approached Babe Ruth’s Memorial and rubbed his forehead for luck.
When he was on the mound he frequently looked to the sky for reassurance and noted the sickening orange-gray glow which replaced a clean, crisp, free air . That polluted air was brought to us by terror and it had surrounded the New York City sky line for over a month. It eveloped all.
He looked out at the stadium and saw all eyes fixed on him. Tired, they were looking for hope, for answers, for joy, for understanding, for a miracle, for anything to believe in again.
He must have reached deep-down to achieve what happened next because he got mad and the Rocket’s red glare carried him, the team, the city, the country and the free world back to a winning spirit.
He did it by using his moral courage. He did it by feeling their pain and responding to a once free people knocked down to the ground. He picked that free people right back up and shouted, “we ain’t done yet!”
Two Texans, neither to be messed with, stood up for this country. Those actions will speak louder than any words spoken by the most blow-hard of all newsmen. Both already proved their character and honor in the wake of 9/11.
On that night, after the President had left the field, we all worried that someone might take a shot at Roger Clemens, who had no flak-jacket on.
Yet there he stood in the wide open field of play, before a maxed-out stadium filled with 55,820 weary fans and an entire planet looking on.
With each passing second, the City came back to life, back to smiling, back to shouting, jumping and cheering. It had been over a month since they had an outlet and it was the President and Roger Clemens who gave them one. The two had actually delievered a day, which I never thought possible.
And it didnt matter what team you rooted for on that day, we were all rooting for the Country. This is what Legend is all about.
Roger Clemens threw for seven innings, allowing only three hits and one earned run. He even picked off Craig Counsel, the speedy Diamondback second baseman who thought he might get a false lead on New York and on Clemens. He was wrong and got called out.
Clemens threw for all of us that day. He gutted out 109 pitches and 68 strikes. He walked three and struck out nine; and provided his own bridge to Mo (he didn’t even need any federal bail out money to do it).
The game took place on Oct. 30, a night game with field conditions “unknown.” The Yankees won that game for the world and did it with the help of its ever loyal market watching on.
Baseball healed a nation. Baseball lifted the Free World back up again, to its feet, for those who couldn’t stand anymore. Once upon a time in New York City, after terrorst got us in the back, we all finally stood united.
I remember the day that we got divided again. Nancy Pelosi stood on the House floor in 2003 and proclaimed Bush as evil. She had to say something to try and win the next election. She lost it and hasn’t stopped trying to divide us since.
I thought I would take the time to remind you of some historical fact—not taught in school for some reason, but taught during the tribulation of life and recorded for those interested in truth.
I’m not sure where George is, but I know he took a bad beating in the press while others were looking for “what’s theirs.” He took that beating so much he has yet to defend himself properly. His courage and resolve have been shaken.
I do know what has happened to Clemens though. I’ve paid attention over the years. He has maintained his resolve and is still resilient.
Part 1 & Part 2. Those two articles are as complete as you will find anywhere about the recent Clemens drama, but by far, his performance in the wake of 9/11 drastically overshadows anything he ever did or didn’t do relative baseball.
He used his moral courage and added a drive to succeed to power him self.
He relied on strong roots passed onto him from his days growing up in a good and decent family who had some tough times, but one with a lot of love and faith.
Pictured above is Roger in 2001, had he been using steroids, then his shoulders would have been bigger than Arnold Schwarzenegger’s in the 1970’s, with a neck the size of Atlas. Clemens was known for his work out regime, it was the toughest in all baseball.
The affluent will never get common folk at all. They don’t understand the drive, so they just make it up to cover for their ignorance.
Roger had an unparalleled work-ethic and he taught it to Andy Pettitte who recently taught to Joba Chamberlain.
See Nolan Ryan and his philosophy relative success for any pitcher. Work out harder than anyone else and you’ll do better than anyone else given your field.
Clemens also passed a urine test in 2003 and we now know who failed, though not in its entirety. But these are incidental to the bigger picture…
Clemens ain’t hiding from anyone. He never has either. He demanded to go to the Hill. He demanded to be heard in court. Yet, no court wants to hear his case.
His case involves the right to a speedy trial, privacy rights, and defamation of character, interstate law and the loss of life, liberty and pursuit of happiness. I can understand why no court wants to hear the case. It is a whopper of a case, to say the least.
He has been under investigation since 2005 and still there is no affirmative answer. Yet the Daily News promises they know the answer, as do those at NBC’s oartner–ESPN. Give me a break with the boat load of lies.
Has he made some simple mistakes in life, not relative baseball? Yes and so have you. Did his life become unmanageable? Yes, especially via ESPN and the Daily News’ docudrama. Does he believe in the Creator and does he help others to this very day? Check out his foundation.
Clemens is on Twitter @RogerClemens. Search him out and go say hello . Pay some respect to him for at least what he did in 2001. And yes, he will respond to you as he does everyone else.
He carried our country, nay the entire “free” world on his shoulders one magical day in October—where two Texans took the mound—one without a flak-jacket.
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