FIRST – 21 years ago, on 9/11/2001, I stood on the open 2nd floor of the barn we were building at the farm I owned with my former partner. I had just heard about the first plane and I thought that we were entering WW3. David and I climbed down the ladders and headed inside the house where we joined Nancy and watched live TV coverage as the 2nd plane hit the other tower. Then the Pentagon. Then the field in Pennsylvania. Stunned, sick to our stomachs, and fearful we all started calling everyone in our respective families. Cell phone lines were jammed, there was trouble getting through to some people as everyone in America was doing the exact same thing in that moment. In that moment the world stood still; stock still. Every life in America changed on 9/11/2001. From those harrowing moments on we knew of “life before” and “life after” America was attacked by terrorists hell-bent on killing as many Americans as possible as quickly as possible.
Almost 5,000 people died that day. And many more became victims as illnesses from the contaminated sites where they were working so hard to find survivors; rescue the living and retrieve the dead, slowly killing them months and years later. Every living American was affected that day. Those who would be born after that fateful day would read about it, maybe someone would try to explain. But no one could ever put into words exactly what happened inside of each of us; how we felt, how we cried and what our worlds were like before that day. Many things we are now used now were not even thought about before the planes hit those towers and souls ceased to exist. Things changed.
Like everyone that day, I was confused, then super sad as I watched lives being snuffed out in real time, then angry as fuck at those who perpetrated the crimes against America that day. We stopped barn construction that day and the barn went untouched for the following couple of weeks, as my partner and I were as stunned and unsure of what was going to happen. Was our country going to war? Who did this and why? Were other places at risk? What the fuck is happening???
It’s a day I will certainly never forget. If you were conscious there’s no way you could forget. It was a pivotal moment in our country’s history, in world history and in our personal lives.
Americans pulled together over 9-11. Our country was at risk. We knew we had to show solidarity.
The next major historical moment in our history would happen 20 years later, on Jan. 6, 2020 when an insurrection against our country was spawned by an egotistical man who could not accept that he lost an election fair and square. He had been working diligently for the previous 5 years to tear us apart, to get us fighting against one another; destroying the fabric of American pride piece by piece. It’s a well-used tactic that Hitler and Mousellini both used when they decided to rip their own countries apart out of greed and power hunger. Trump studied it well. And here we are…our democracy is now at risk. It’s time for us ALL to come back together as American people and fight to save our country from the evil within this time.
There’s a lot more to say, but I need a break.
Pay attention, shit is about to get very real across this country. It’s no longer just one man, he’s built a fascist army of red hats, his MAGA Red Army, who are working at his will to help him become King. We are all just considered to be collateral damage at this point – unless we pull together and do whatever each of us can do to fight back against them. Speak up. Vote. Do not stay silent, that just gives them your permission to continue their behavior in your presence. WE do not have to accept this. WE out number them and love is always greater than hate. Good will prevail.
~MB
MainelyButch: Private Label 
Greetings Mainely Butch,
As always, it’s good hearing/reading you out here.
Yes, like countless others, I remember that day and probably will remember it forever.
The moment the radio I had at my work desk suddenly went weirdly silent. I stopped typing and looked at the radio quizzically. What the hell? Then one radio staff, his older, deeper voice sounded like he was fighting off a choking sensation in his chest. ‘Ladies and gentlemen, [short awkward pause, maybe in confusion, maybe in disbelief] it appears there may have been an accident in New York City. It seems a plane has collided into one of the World Trade Towers. We will let you know as more information comes to us.’ The radio went silent again and then some quiet, kind of sullen music played for a few minutes.
My eyebrows furrowed as I mumbled to myself, ‘Accident? Well, maybe. But how?’ It was a beautiful Fall morning with crystal clear skies. How could anyone accidentally crash into a huge building on a crystal clear morning?
I turned my attention back on my work, but it would only be for a few minutes. The news started up again.
My nerves turned into a twisted knot. I needed a smoke, now! At that time, the company I was working for had an indoor smoke room. And the room even had a TV in it, but I didn’t turn it on right away. I went to a window, opened the window, and lit my smoke. The twisted knot of my nerves got larger. On a street that was normally constantly busy and noisy, skies that frequently had airplanes heading to and from Harrisburg International, suddenly it was completely, utterly, weirdly dead silent outside.
It felt like all the world in that moment was holding its breath.
That’s it, I thought, I’ve got to call her. “Mouse?” that was the nickname my Mother went by. She was a WW II Survivor from East Germany; may she rest in peace and Bless her Spirit. “Mouse,” I asked stupidly, “is this war?” There was a horrible moment of pause before she finally and simply replied. “Not yet.”
The rest of that day is in the history books and innumerable accounts. For me, in my memory, it is a day of horror and a kind of uncertainty I cannot describe, all forever frozen in my memory.
Rest in Peace, all who were lost on that day and in the days, months and years to follow. Bless all the Heroes, the First Responders, the Police, the Firecrews, the EMTs, the shop owners who pulled people off the sidewalks of Manhattan before the deadly dust mass plowed through every street, all the Boat Captains in New York Harbor who spontaneously formed an impromptu rescue regatta ferrying people off the island off Manhattan, every person that tried to help, every person who tried to listen, tried to speak, tried to understand and somehow keep their wits about them as best that they could, and Bless all the Rescue Dogs who helped locate victims of that horrible, terrible moment in our Nation’s history.
Thank you, Mainely Butch, for your words and Bless your good heart.
“Cap’n” Toni with my Pups Lady Coco, Maya and Carly, and All the Animal-Kids of the lil Haus…
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania….
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