Friday, September 9, 2011

9/11 Remembered: It's time for the Medal of Freedom for President GW Bush and Rudy Giuliani

altI'd like to start off by stating that I'm not a supporter of Rudy Giuliani for President nor do I think he should enter the race for President. This is different.

In just two days, we will be coming upon the 10th Anniversary of the 9/11 attack.

For myself, like the assassination of President John Kennedy, I can remember exactly what I was doing when I heard the news that a plane had crashed into the twin towers. And then another.

Many thoughts went through my head that day. fear, hatred, sadness, and aggression. America was in total shock. Everyone wondered or feared for the worse of what might happen next.

In the immediate hours and days that followed, NYC police, firemen, and volunteers, both local and from afar, searched for survivors. Our thoughts and prayers where focused on the victims, their families. and the rescuers.

Up to this attack, most of America had taken our nation's security for granted. Wars and battles were always fought elsewhere, or so we thought. Many of us were feeling vulnerable for the first time in our lives and needed assurance that:
  • Someone was still in-charge
  • That NYC and our country would come out of this tragedy stronger and better.
  • This would not happen again.

Rudy Giuliani:

In NYC, someone was in charge that day. Rudy Giuliani took a deep breath, rolled up his sleeves and went to work, I can still remember the videos of him coordinating the efforts at ground zero. The reassuring press conferences every day on the progress of searching for survivors and efforts to bring the city back to life. Then, the many funerals that that followed.

Mayor Giuliani put together security efforts to insure that the city was not in any more immediate danger. As a result of those efforts and over time, NYC has become the benchmark for security precautions and procedures for large cities.

President George W. Bush:

As the rescue efforts went on and the rest of the country and world watched, President George W. Bush made it CLEAR that He was in charge of the situation and that it was under control. I remember when he went to the site to see it first hand. The look on his face as he took in the devastation. Then his constant public appearances to insure Americans that things would get better. President Bush went on to create the Department of Homeland Security and to make every effort possible to insure that an attack like this could never happen again.

President Obama:

I'd like to make a suggestion to President Obama as the 10th Anniversary of that day approaches. The 10th anniversary of the worse tragedy in American history. A time for reflection, a time for continued healing, and a time to honor those who brought light to one of the darkest days in America's history.

I would ask that President Obama revisit the efforts of Rudy Giuliani and former President George W. Bush during those trying times. Then consider them both for The Medal of Freedom. Only God knows what would have happened if both these men had not taken the immediate actions that they did including reassuring NYC, America, and the world, that all efforts were being made to insure that this tragedy would never happen again.

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The following are a few of the many videos related to this period. I won't deny, that viewing these again brought back strong emotions and memories for me. It also reminded me of how fortunate we were to have the leadership of Rudy Giuliani and President Bush to rely and lean on during this period in American history:

Rudy Giuliani Interview with Peter Jennings (9-11-01)



News/Amateur Video of immediate rescue efforts:



President Bush's Post 9/11 Speech (9-11-01)

To put the following videos in the proper context, remember that President Bush was only months into his new Presidency:



President Bush's Bullhorn Speech (9-14-01)



President Bush's addresses Congress Part 1 (9-20-01)



President Bush's addresses Congress Part 2 (9-20-01)



Thank you Mayor Giuliani and thank you President Bush. America will never forgot your efforts, nor should they.

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3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I dont give rudy g too much credit. I think any mayor would have done and coordinated and acted like a leader, he was the mayor. During 2008 this was his message, that he should be president because he ran 9/11 like any mayor or leader should have? I dont think it qualifies him for anything other than a thank you for doing your job.

Anonymous said...

I am not a Rudy supporter, either, but not all mayors are leaders. Just look at the mayor of New Orleans before Katrina; he was a disaster.

Rudy Giuliani and President Bush were leaders in the face of real adversity. Obama has had more chronic problems to deal with, but he never takes responsibility for anything, therefore, he is not a real leader.

AZ

Anonymous said...

I meant that Obama's problems have been chronic in nature rather than horrific challenges such as 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina. I didn't mean to imply that GW and Giuliani didn't have to deal with chronic problems, as well.