Hello,
Being a volunteer fire fighter, I have always wondered why you don’t have anything on your web site dealing with WTC or 9/11. To strive to be a respected site you must respect those who have fallen for this country and I find offense that you don’t respect the 343 brothers we lost that day or the soldiers dying over in Iraq because GW wants the oil. Instead of picking on whackers all the time you should show some respect for the real thing and maybe you would gain their respect a little more. I almost think you don’t like the real thing since you don’t have anything on any part of your site that has anything to do with 9/11. Every day I remember the brothers I lost on that day and what I was doing when they gave their lives. I was in school at the time and have been a volunteer fire fighter for almost two years now and still feel the connection 6 years later. I have a triangle 9/11 sticker on every vehicle I have and we have them on every fire truck at the station. 9/11 is a day for remembrance of the brothers we lost and I hope that you post an update on your front page as I think the lack of any caring on your site is pretty close to being sacreligious towards the fire fighter community. I don’t agree with a lot of your stuff and this is just another thing we can disagree on also. You can post this letter because it is the same stuff a lot of us fire fighters think of you and your site.
Sincerely,
Steve H.
I received this letter two days ago. Out of respect, I didn’t choose to post it until today but I did mention it on our forums. Let’s look at the letter for starters, it’s well typed out and has a lot of thought behind it. However it is typical of some volunteer fire fighters who forget they are only volunteers and think they are full timers who live the dream. I’ll explain this in a bit but my response.
Sometimes I’m not the best at putting my thoughts and feelings into text but my post in the forums sums up my opinion/feelings on the 9/11 tragedy.
I got a letter the other day asking why I don’t have any of the “9/11” stuff mentioned on my web site. They went on to say it’s almost “sacrilegious” not to have 9/11 mentioned on a public safety oriented web site. To be honest I do care but I have came to terms and have moved on. I don’t know anyone involved in the incident and and have never been to the areas. I never plan on going to those areas for the specific purpose.
In reality, I get tired of hearing about the day as it happened yesterday. Locally and abroad the volunteer departments plaster the 9/11 and FDNY stickers all over their POV’s and sometimes fire apparatuses. I see it a lot less on full time departments. I could understand it for about five years but after that it’s time to move on. I’m actually getting annoyed with people who have the stickers plastered all over their vehicles and equipment and make it a point to advertise them at the first chance they get. The same goes for web sites. I think it’s the same as those types who have “RIP Bo Ripley 08/03/81 – 01/09/01, We will always miss you” in huge letters on their back window. There’s a time to move on and remember in your own way. No need to let everyone and their family know how you remember in your way as to keep reminding him of the incident. I’ve seen full sized rear window murals on volunteer POV’s going on about 9/11. Sorry but those types are just screaming wannabe and “this makes me closer to the real thing.”
Maybe I have a twisted view but I’ve moved on and worry about issues that have a more recent impact and those that affect me now. 9/11 was tragic but most of us are different people now and this is almost a new generation. Katrina had a larger impact than 9/11 for this country (IMHO) and it’s largely forgotten now and date that it hit the coast was barely a blip on local news stations broadcasts this year. I’m not saying it is/was more important but it’s impact and actual event date is a lot closer (2005) compare to 9/11 (2001). I don’t know, I don’t mind the ceremonies as they are a tradition but the stickers, memorabilia, and drooling a lot of vollies sometimes do is getting a little thin.
One thing I have been noticing is the “probies” or newer volunteer fire fighters who were still in school when 9/11 happened jumping on the “remember our brothers” bandwagon. I personally find it irritating. They probably didn’t give it a second thought years later but now plaster the 9/11 stuff all over their equipment and vehicles to feel “one with their brothers” like they were there or around on a fire department at the time. I guess it’s hard for me to explain.
A forum member put it best what I honestly think of the people like the above email with the whole incident:
It is kind of like when the captain of the football team is killed and everyone at school is suddenly one of his best friends. Everyone jumps on the bandwagon of knowing him so well to be part. Just on a much larger scale.
I remember that day in my own way. I don’t dwell on it on a daily basis and think it is time for some people to move on. A lot of things the above types tend to forget is a lot more than 343 people died that day. There were people from all walks of life and all types of religions, races, genders, backgrounds, not just fire fighters and police officers. There were many hero’s that day but they didn’t don a uniform that morning and rush off to the rescue. They went to work at their job in the WTC towers like most of us do and stepped up to the plate when the situation was needed. The fire fighters hopping on the band wagon never mention those nameless heros, they only repeat the phrase “remember our 343 brothers we lost that day.” Like the above mentioned, there are a lot of volunteer fire fighters who were still in school or otherwise, not fire fighters on that date. Although they share something in common, by being on a volunteer department across the country doesn’t automaticly make you “one” with the fallen fire fighters on 9/11/01 and plastering stickers all over everything you own doesn’t make you any closer.
I just ask that everyone remembers all who passed away on that day and those who are serving our country as a result of it.
