April 19

[SGTUSArmy]

Well, tomorrow is a sad day for me. It ranks up there with Sept 11, April 16, and March 18 (I got married on Mar 18.)

On April 19, 1995, at 9:02 am there was an explosion at the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building. 168 people died, many were innocents merely conducting business at the building. I ask that everyone offer a moment of silence for those who died in that tragedy.



I once wrote a speech for a college class, and memorialized those who died during this tragic incident. Once I find my thumb drive, I will post the speech, used with permission of my speech teacher.

[SGTUSArmy]

Honor

Jared

It started out cool, but the day was looking up. The high was supposed to be in the 70s. An ordinary day, it was just like the day before. Parents were heading off to work, dropping their kids off at daycare on the way. At daycare the kids would be playing and spending time with their friends. 9:01 AM a few last minute drop offs were made, and parents and kids settled in for another day. 9:02 AM and the world changed forever, not just for those who worked for the Federal Government, but for all in the state and the nation.

On April 19, 1995, the explosion from a truck bomb ripped through the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City. 149 adults lost their life. When one body was being recovered from the building, an Air Force Colonel helping with the search and recovery sent a United States Flag into the rubble, to be draped over the body as it was removed. When the flag draped body was being carried out, all work on the site stopped and two lines had formed. As the body passed, crewmembers removed their headgear and everybody saluted in some way. The body was of a Captain in the United States Marine Corps who was being carried out by Marines.

In addition to the 149 adults who lost their lifes, 19 children also lost theirs. The youngest, Gabreon was only 3 months old. He was killed along with his mother on the first floor in the Social Security Administration. Another kid, Kayla age 3 and a half, was there as a matter of chance. Her dad was a Non-Commissioned Officer in the United States Army, and she and the rest of her family were there so that her dad could sign into his unit with the Army Recruiting Station on the fourth floor. Her father and mother both lived.

Then there are the children who live on, without their parents. 219 children lost at least one parent. 30 were orphaned. Brandon was only 5 when this happened, though he was not in the building, he has scars that may never heal. At the 5-year anniversary, the dedication of the memorial, he stood holding onto the chair that bore the name of his mother.

While this is a solemn affair, it is not one that we should forget about. Like the gentle flow of the creek through the grassy plains, life moves on. While 168 people lost their lives, we should honor those lives. These persons who died are not just names on chairs. The survivors are not just names carved in stone. They were just like you and I. They were living their lives, and happy to be alive. Honor them with your own life.

As I leave you today, I wish to leave you with the words etched on the entrance to the place that has forever enshrined 9:02 AM on April 19, 1995: We come here to remember those who were killed, whose who survived, and those changed forever. May all who leave here know the impact of violence. May this memorial offer comfort, strength, peace, hope, and serenity.

[762xIan]

I always try to look at the positive rather than the negative ....see my sig line...

[762xIan]

The other April 19th though.....you know the one in 1993.....WACO...where our own GOVERNMENT murdered 79 people 21 of which were children.

This was allegedly McViegh's motive for the OKC bombing.

Lest we forget.

[762xIan]

A little blurb from Wikipedia:

British troops dispatched to sieze arms....

Lexington
As the British Army's advance under Major Pitcairn entered Lexington at sunrise on April 19, 1775, about 75 Lexington militiamen, led by Captain John Parker, had emerged from Buckman Tavern and waited on the village green watching them, and spectators (somewhere between 40 and 100) watched from along the side of the road. Of these, nine had the surname Harrington, seven Munroe, four Parker, three Tidd, three Locke, and three Reed. Parker made a statement that is now engraved in stone at the site of the battle: "Stand your ground; don't fire unless fired upon, but if they mean to have a war, let it begin here."

Rather than turn left towards Concord, British Marine Lieutenant Jesse Adair—at the head of two of the advance companies the 4th and 10th regiments light infantry—decided on his own to protect the flank of his troops by first turning right and then leading two companies down the green itself. These men ran towards the Lexington militia loudly crying "Huzzah!" to set up a line of battle. Major Pitcairn arrived from the rear of the advance force and led his three companies to the left and halted them. The remaining five companies lay behind the village meeting house on the road back towards Boston.

Pitcairn then rode forward, waving his sword, and yelled "Disperse, you rebels; damn you, throw down your arms and disperse!" Captain Parker told his men to comply, but some did not hear him, some left very slowly, and none laid down arms. Both Parker and Pitcairn ordered their men to hold fire, but a shot was fired from an unknown source.

The start of our war for independence, which gave us our Constitution and our United States....and the current crop of politicians perverting the legacy of these great men....

Will we live to see the day of a modern Major Pitcairn?

[SGTUSArmy]

The other April 19th though.....you know the one in 1993.....WACO...where our own GOVERNMENT murdered 79 people 21 of which were children.

This was allegedly McViegh's motive for the OKC bombing.

Lest we forget.

So two wrongs make a right?

How does he justify the killing of innocent men, women, and children in retaliation for the killing of men, women, and children? The ATF was on the opposite side of the building from where his bomb exploded. On that side of the building was a daycare, the Social Security Administration. How can you possibly come back with the fiasco at Waco as a justification?

Because the insurgents kill indiscriminantly, let's start carpet bombing all major areas in Iraq.

[762xIan]

How can you possibly come back with the fiasco at Waco as a justification?

I didn't, it happened on April 19th also, April 19th seems to be a big day in US history.

Face it, if WACO didn't happen then OKC would not have happened...the events at WACO is what McVeigh in his own words said gave him moral justification for the bombing of OKC.

In the case of McVeigh, justice has been meeted out, he has been executed...he was one disturbed person and he has been removed from the gene pool.

Let me know when any of the WACO killers are in prison, oh thats right, they were religious wackos so it's OK...the government told me it so and they are always right.

Two wrongs do not make a right, Both of these instances are WRONG and the worse of the two in my opinion is WACO, OKC was a couple of guys....WACO and the coverup, lies, killing, from the top down with several different gov. agencies, is more disgusting and disheartening in my opinion. Because it involved hundreds if not thousands of people who thought they were justified because they had badges.

Either way I am celebrating Lexington today and the Militia...much more of a reason than any other.

Cheers.

[Justin]

i think its revolting to try to argue which of the two tragedies is better or worse. they were both horrible things, and many people died. lets honor those who have passed, and leave it at that.

p.s. it is also disgusting beyond belief that you try to defend the actions of mcveigh. regardless of what went on in his head, and what excuses he had for doing it, he killed numerous innocent people, and if you feel that kiling innocent people is in any way a justifiable retaliation, then....well, i'll leave it at that.

[762xIan]

p.s. it is also disgusting beyond belief that you try to defend the actions of mcveigh. regardless of what went on in his head, and what excuses he had for doing it, he killed numerous innocent people, and if you feel that kiling innocent people is in any way a justifiable retaliation, then....well, i'll leave it at that.

I in no way defended or side with McVeigh or his actions....reread my posts please.

My point was which is the greater evil? One or two idiots killing folks....or a couple of hundred with badges and government sanction?

Either way these instances have ruined the date of April 19th...one that I used to look to in pride at our Founding Fathers and what happened in Lexington that fateful day.