Departments



Articles

Editorial: Anti-Environmental Bill: Save Florida From Harm
May 16th, 2013

Editorial: Problem Ordinances
May 8th, 2012

Editorial: Cedar Key Arts Show
April 28th, 2012

Editorial: Cedar Key Arts Show
April 20th, 2012

Editorial: Status of Nuclear Power as Savior
March 15th, 2012

Editorial: Advice to Letter Writers
February 13th, 2012

Editorial: 2011 is History
January 7th, 2012

Editorial: The History of Island Nations
December 24th, 2011

Editorial: Why You DON’T Pay for the Cedar Key News Online
November 11th, 2011

Editorial: Hoppin’ John ***
November 3rd, 2011

Editorial: What Decline?
October 10th, 2011

Editorial: Notes from a Slightly Bigger Island
October 8th, 2011

Editorial: Barking Mad
October 5th, 2011

Editorial: Fix the Bridges!
September 11th, 2011

Editorial: Catching the Right Wave
July 27th, 2011

More

Guest Editorial: Never Forget

Guest Editorial: Never Forget

Guest Author

Bin Laden`s death was a time for reflection.


By Bobby McCabe


The newscaster made an announcement that the president would speak to the nation within the hour about a topic of great importance. I was immediately gripped with a sense of dread. Sunday night, the late hour, I worried the news might be bad. Before long, news leaked that Osama bin Laden was dead and had been killed by American forces.


My feeling of anxiety was replaced by a sense of relief that a terrible force of evil had been eliminated and could do no more harm. Much past that, my reactions were subdued.

I had been among the rescue workers at the World Trade Center in the days following the September 11th attack and was exposed to unimaginable heart ache. Having spent four days at the site and at a firehouse in mid town, I quickly learned to keep my emotions in check.

When I was there, I met and spoke to people who had very good reason to be desperately sad and angry because they had lost friends and family. My friend and fellow Hillsborough County firefighter Brian Muldowney was hoping beyond hope to find his New York fire fighter brother Richie alive in the ruins of the south tower. In the evening when we returned to the firehouse after digging all day, an exhausted Brian would often sit at the kitchen table hug and cry with Richie`s buddies who in their hearts knew there was really no hope.

I listened to Rosemary Cain tell stories about the "guys." Her son George was last seen with Richie and other members of Ladder 7 entering the south tower. I watched a mountain of a FDNY lieutenant walk to a corner of the firehouse and sob. As he leaned his head against a wall his shoulders shook up and down as he was overcome with grief.

Even though there was more than enough reason to cry or be openly incensed by the event, I was just an observer. My family was home safe and I really had no right or reason. I kind of felt the same way on Sunday evening. Brian, Rosemary and the thousands of others who were directly affected by the tragedy were the ones that could openly rejoice. I just sat there and remembered, admired the courage of our service men and women and quietly cried. For some reason I felt it was okay. Let`s not forget.

Click for printer friendly version

Email this article to a friend

 

 

© 2013
Cedar Key News

cedarkeynews@gmail.com