Remembering 9/11

Dear Editor,

In 2008 my family visited the crash site of Flight 93 near Shanksville, PA.  Flight 93 was one of four jet airliners that were hijacked on Sept. 11, 2001.  It was the only one that did not hit its intended target.  Two of the planes hit the twin towers of the World Trade Center and the third hit the Pentagon.

The passengers of Flight 93 attempted to retake the hijacked plane by rushing the terrorists.  Many people learned of the slogan that was heard over a cell phone.  That command was, "Let's Roll!"

I have traveled throughout the United States and in many foreign countries, but it was a most unusual feeling to stand there near Shanksville and imagine that high speed plane roaring in just over the tops of the trees and nearly flipping up-side-down. Hurrah for those true Americans who gave their lives attempting to save the lives of other Americans on the ground!  Hurrah for those who were brave enough to do something about the terrorists and not just sit still like sheep going to the slaughter!  Let us be thankful that God has answered our prayers and kept us safe since Sept. 11, 2001.

I have taught my government class about the direct democracy of those 44 passengers raising their hands to vote for action.  At that time they formed a democracy.  Somewhat as the Pilgrims and Strangers on board the Mayflower took time to write and sign the Mayflower Compact to be their document of government, so, in haste, these 44 random American passengers quickly make up their own emergency government on the spur of the moment. They were the governed, and with the consent of the 44 people, by the 44 people, and for the 44 people they jointly decided to take "government" action against those who opposed their lives, their liberties, and their pursuits of happiness.

This was government in action.  This was pure democracy.  This was the average Joe standing up to have his say in Norman Rockwell's famous painting about a town meeting in New England. This was Patrick Henry thundering, "Give me liberty, or give me death!"

This was a group of free Americans who refused to be the slaves of anyone, like the Massachusetts colonists at the Boston Tea Party, like George Washington and his rag-tag, ill-clad troops at Valley Forge, and like Paul Revere and the Sons of Liberty standing for their freedoms, their homes, their country, and if need be, for their very lives.

Yes, I must say that it was a different feeling standing there near Shanksville. Many times I have traveled this country from coast to coast, but this was the only time that I ever stood on American soil and looked at a spot where an enemy of America had attacked our homeland during my lifetime.

Yours for the American way,
Dan Manka
Fairmont, WV