Never Forget

My birthday is on September 11th. This time of year hits me hard. I'm sure it has something to do with the fact that one of the worst terrorist attacks that has ever taken place on American soil occurred on this day.

I still remember that morning. I was driving to work in Tulsa. I was running late but I didn't care because it was my birthday. I had the radio on. Normally I would hear the morning banter from the local celebrities but that day I heard a lot of confusion and the tone turned from playful to serious as reports started coming in that a small plane had hit one of the World Trade Towers.

I got to work a few minutes later and as I approached my team (I was the lead) on the trading floor I stared over at the three large TV's that were constantly streaming financial news. My team was responsible for the data warehouse that provided market information to the market analysis and quant teams. I picked up the phone and dialed the TV with the news so I could hear what was going on.

Ignorant to what was happening, my team was a little bewildered that I didn't greed them.

"You're late!", said one of guys on my team.

"Yes I am. Pickup the phone. Something is going on. I pointed to the large TV screens."

Then right in front of me, I saw the second plane crash into the world trade center. It was not a small plane. It was a huge jet.

It seemed like HOURS PASSED as people slowly stopped what they were doing and looked up from their desks to see what was happening on the giant screens. I watched the towers burn. I watched people jump to their deaths to get away from the flames. I felt a huge sense of anger and helplessness.

Then I saw the first tower fall.

Most of those around me failed to comprehend what was happening. They couldn't believe it. They were in a state of shock. I suppose I was too.

Then I got a call from a friend that there was an explosion at the Pentagon. Early reports were that it was some kind of bomb. There was also a report of a car bomb at the state department (turned out to be false). All hell was breaking loose. Then another plane that was supposedly hijacked was reported missing. HOW MANY DID THEY HAVE???

Then the second tower fell. They were just... gone.

Nearly a decade before I was in the World Trade center on a High School field trip. We got to observe the trade floor. As we exited the building, I saw a man wearing a suit walking off in a fit (like he lost a lot of money). One of my classmates bought an authentic Rolex from a man with a coat. Now it was a cloud of dust...

I felt sick. I felt like I was going to pass out. I told my boss I needed to go home. People still didn't comprehend what had happened. Someone asked about my birthday lunch we had planned...

"It'll wait.", I said.

I didn't ask for permission. I just left. There was no way I could work after that. I felt like the country was at war. I remember wondering what would happen NEXT? Were there more attacks happening?

I picked up some kind of hard alcohol - something like vodka or rum. I drank almost a full 5th. I didn't help.

That night I cried... HARD. I cried for the families. I cried tears of anger. I screamed through the tears until my throat hurt. I could not get those images of people jumping out of windows out of my head.

I still remember it like it was yesterday. It was a terrible day.

As bad as that day was, it's every day since that justice has not been served that angers me THE MOST.

Never forget...

• That there were warnings within different intelligence agencies leading up to the attack that were IGNORED by higher ups.

• That 15 of the 19 hijackers were Saudi nationals.

• Immediately following the attack the US government arranged to make an exception for the Bin Laden family and opened airspace so they could LEAVE the country.

• That a DECADE later and after lobbying from congressional officials that the 28 pages which was intentionally hidden from public eyes revealed that the Saudi government was directly involved with the terrorists but no further action was taken because Saudi Arabia was our "ally".

• That after ignoring Saudi involvement, the US government (specifically the CIA) fabricated evidence in order to justify a war in Iran citing things like yellow cake, aluminum tubes, chemicals on wheels and followed it with a massive media blitz via the White House staff promoting massive fear via "WMDs".

• That the US simultaneously waged war in Afghanistan under the false pretense that somehow this country was involved in 9-11 as well. Recently the Colbert Report revealed that this war was planned before the 9-11 attack.

• That no plane hit building seven. There were orders to "pull it" prior to the collapse which indicated a controlled demolition. The government still denies any controlled demolition to this day.

• That the US had plans to start a war by means of hijacking planes and attacking civilian targets(see OPERATION NORTHWOODS).

While there are many theories as to what really happened on 9-11, it appears that the government had advanced warning about the intent of the hijackers prior to the attack, prevented any action from being taken to stop it, and took steps to facilitate a bait-and-switch while hiding evidence from the public that Saudi Arabia wwas as involved in the attacks while they waged war in Iraq and Afghanistan instead. It was a terrible day that was USED to facilitate a tyrannical agenda. I will not rest until justice is served to those who colluded to make war under false pretense and the House of Saud for carrying out these attacks and that includes people at the highest levels of our own government.

NEVER FORGET... to do so would mean those people died in vain.

I won't.