A Page from My Journal

The United States is under attack. The World Trade Center has been hit by a small commuter plane. One tower is in flames. It's about 8:50 AM New York time. Thousands of people work within that building and near to it. The second tower was struck by a large 757 jet. Within an hour the first tower collapses and then the second not long after. A plane has crashed into a helicopter pad near the inner circle of the Pentagon. The explosion destroys a section of the Pentagon building, or did the plane actually hit the building?!So much news to absorb! A large jet crashes in the Pennsylvania area. There is speculation it was headed for the White House. President Bush is in Florida. He is immediately taken aboard Air Force One and into the air. Reports are terrorists may have high-jacked 4 or more airplanes. President Bush is declaring a state of emergency and has declared these actions as an Act of War. Mrs. Bush is safe. No one, not even the press, knows of the Presidents whereabouts at any given time; but he is safe.

Manhattan Island has been shut down, no one is permitted to enter. All planes in our Nation have been grounded. Those in the air have been ordered to land at the nearest airports. So many people will be stranded. All major buildings including federal, museums and monuments in New york and Washington, D.C. are being evacuated. Two war ships have been stationed in New York Harbor and the airs around New York and D.C. are being guarded by our military fighter pilots. All of our military are on highest alert. Thousands are dead and many more are wounded. Fort Riley has been shut down. All non-essential personnel have been ordered to leave the base. It will take years to fully understand what has happened here and how it could have happened.

Hoarding of food in New York has already started. The commissary and PX on Ft. Riley are closed. I wonder what impact this will have on our American Economy. The cost of heating fuel and gasoline has been so high and I am sure this great tragedy will cause it to go even higher. I wonder if food costs in our Nation will go up also. There will be so much money needed to clean up the great mess left behind and to rebuild buildings, families and our faith in our safety in this country.

Reports are still being guessed upon as to who is responsible for these horrible acts. Many are likening this attack to the attack on Pearl Harbor. The attack on the Federal Building in Oklahoma was a tragic event and yet it seems not nearly as tragic as what has happened today. How can I even begin to compare such destruction? There is no comparison. Any lose of lives and loved ones is horrific. Is this the beginning of the next World War or the end of our way of life as we know it? I feel scared...for our future. Whoever did this has accomplished shutting down our great country. All museums in major cities are now closed. Military installations closed to civilians. Air line travel is stopped. Our President and Congress evacuated and hidden. If we retaliate will it cause more destruction? If we don't retaliate will our non-action cause other countries to attack us because they will have no fear of retaliation in response? So many questions...

What if this was an attack from within, such as McVeigh and the Oklahoma bombing? God help us if it was. Or has God turned on us...if there is a god! I honestly feel as if there is and we are somehow being given a wake-up call. We have become lax, complacent; are we being punished? What is it that we need to do to fix what has happened and stop it from happening again? I had begun to feel safe, in my home, in my town, in my life...
Now I wonder if I'll ever feel safe again.

Teresa Mahieu
An excerpt from my journal dated 9-11-2001.

This reads as if rambling and I guess I was. Rambling on paper and now re-reading and re-writing this I feel the same fear and anger as I did that awful day back in 2001. So much has happened since that day. The price gouging at the gas pumps; shame on them. The clean-up at what has come to be known as ground zero. The many lives lost fighting in the wars overseas and here. And yet we also have seen so many come together to fight to fix this wrong. We are a strong Nation and we are a proud Nation. We may be struck but we will not go down without a fight. God bless America!! And God bless ALL of those fighting to keep our country safe and free. To the firefighters and law enforcement, the military and civilians; thank you for your service.