Honor those we lost on 9/11

Never forget

Regarding “‘Don’t focus on hate’: World marks 20th anniversary of 9/11,” (Sept. 10): On the morning of 9/11, I was at Hobby airport, in line to get my boarding pass, when the second plane hit. All flights were canceled.

I had an older friend in college named Rich Aronow. A lawyer at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, Rich was killed in one of the towers when they were attacked. He was a good guy with a wife and baby.

After 9/11, I went to New York. I asked a cab driver to take me as close as possible to the site where the cranes were still working. I got out and walked toward the crane lights. I remember walking quietly with strangers, who like me, just wanted to pay their respects. The air had an acrid smell, like an electrical fire. Two firefighters in full gear were walking in our direction. I shook their hands, offering my thanks and condolences. Their faces were blank with exhaustion. I made it as far as I could go and, with others, stood and watched the cranes work through the night. I was on Liberty Street. All of the buildings and businesses nearby were closed; most had sustained serious damage. I looked up and saw an American flag still flying.

A few years later, on a 9/11 anniversary, I was walking to court and noticed none of the flags were lowered. After calling the county judge’s office, the issue was fixed. We must never forget this day.

Robert J. Fickman, Houston

We must be united

Regarding “Bush warns of domestic extremism, appeals to ‘nation I know’,” (Sept. 11): As I watch the memorial for the 20th anniversary of 9/11, I can only wonder, what happened to America? Those moving and emotional memorials rekindle in me what America can and should be.

When those planes crashed into the Twin Towers, the Pentagon and the field in Pennsylvania, we weren’t Democrats or Republicans. We were the United States of America, united behind President George W. Bush to bring to justice those who would do harm to our great country. Those firefighters and police officers running into the Twin Towers weren’t asked their political leanings. They were American, doing what Americans do.

Now we stand here in this moment in history as a country fighting itself, no longer working for the common good of every American, but fighting to defeat our fellow Americans.

We cannot let all those lives lost be in vain.

We should take the feelings that united us during past challenges as a way forward. Failing to work together is only bringing death by a thousand cuts to American democracy. We must seek compromise to save ourselves and this great country.

Lester Tyra, Magnolia

Regarding “Editorial: America after Sept. 11 is still a night at Shea Stadium and strangers dancing Zydeco,” (Sept. 11): This is a collection of editorials by a collection of writers who expound on the memories of that infamous date in history. Certainly it changed some of us, but decidedly not all, as it is still possible to find loyal Americans who believe in the future of the country — a future that I hope will be good for my children, my grandchildren and my great-grandchildren.

I was fortunate to have moved to the United States as a high schooler and, every day, I appreciate this great country.

Lawrence Keen, Pearland

Nation building

Regarding “Tomlinson: U.S. still has lessons to learn from 9/11, must stop living by the sword,” (Sept. 10): Reflecting on Chris Tomlinson’s beautiful essay, and Ahmad Rashad’s reflections reported by Elizabeth Trovall, I’m trying to embrace the lessons that we need to learn from this past somber 20 years, that went unlearned

from the Cold War and Vietnam.

A society is a group of participants with shared values and common purpose. The society of the United States of America is based on inherited values of Western culture: respect for common law, freedom to choose with minimal interference of others, capitalism and respect of others unlike ourselves.

In our hubris of being only 245 years old we expect people from millennia-long cultures — in Korea, Vietnam, the Middle East and South-Central Asia — to wholly embrace our society. If they don’t, we’ve demonstrated a heavy reliance on violent intervention to impose our way.

The emboldening of our repressive and violent tendencies on our own soil is aided and abetted, not by other societies we call terrorists or communists or socialists, but by our own hand. This reliance on violent means to enforce our way on other countries will change our society for the worse as surely as it does not create new benign and prosperous societies abroad.

Walt Lind, Houston

After reading Chris Tomlinson’s cogent and well-informed commentary on the 9/11 attacks and the events that followed, I have only one thing to say: Amen. It should be required reading for anyone with discretionary powers over when, where and if this country ever goes to war or attempts to engage in nation building again.

Mark Edge, The Woodlands