9/11 – Patriot Day

Patriot Day is a remembrance of the horrific events of 9/11/2001.

At the direction of the President, the flag of the United States of America should be displayed on the homes of Americans, the White House and all United States government buildings in the whole world. The flag should be flown at half-mast as a mark of respect to those who died on September 11, 2001. Many people observe a moment of silence at 8:46 AM (Eastern Daylight Time). This marks the time that the first plane flew into the World Trade Center. Some communities, particularly in the areas directly affected by the attacks, hold special church services or prayer meetings. 

Patriot Day is not a federal holiday and schools and businesses do not close. Public transit systems run on their regular schedules. Some people and organizations may take some time out to hold prayers for the victims of the attacks. 

On September 11, 2001, four planes were hijacked. The hijackers then deliberately flew three of the planes into two important buildings, the Pentagon in Washington DC and the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York. The fourth crashed into a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania. The loss of life and damage that these hijackings caused form the biggest act of terrorism ever on United States soil. Nearly 3000 people died in the attacks and the economic impact was immense. This attack was the key event leading to the Afghan War and 10 years of conflict.

The attacks have greatly increased attention to national security in the United States. This has had huge implications for United States national and international politics. This is particularly true for the relationships between the United States and Islamic countries in the Middle East. 

The flag of the United States is often displayed around images of the events on September 11, 2001. This is to remind Americans that our country remained strong in the face of massive terrorist attacks. 

Patriot Day should not be confused with Patriot’s Day (celebrated in April), which commemorates the battles of Lexington and Concord in 1775, which were two of the earliest battles in the American Revolutionary War.

I was having my morning coffee and watching this on ABC when this video aired live:

 

Gary's Daily Reflection:

Some people are like Slinkies ... not really good for anything, but you can't help smiling when you see one tumble down the stairs.

Live Long and Prosper....