Thursday, September 11, 2008

Unsung Heroes

One of the more amazing events on 9/11 was the "national ground stop" performed by air traffic controllers who cleared the nation's skies within a few hours of the attacks without a single accident or incident. Several officials have taken credit over the years but the impressive part was really the actions of those talking to the airplanes.

Unfortunately the web is a dark cesspool of conspiracy theories, including suggestions the FAA and NORAD were part of the theatrics we "sheeple" commonly refer to as 9/11. It's really sad. Even this heartbreaking exchange between Cleveland ATC and United 93 has been called a smoking gun because some people reported on frequency of seeing a smoke plume near the ground. In other words, the black ops people had secretly crashed it in advance of their switcheroo.

Most of those sites comically feature the word "truth" in their title yet couldn't tell it from the broadside of a barn. Preposterous yes, but it besmirches what should be a sacred memory from a somber day.

In truth many ATC folks were mentally shaken up like the rest of us but continued their mission and helped get a nation full of air passengers down safely and efficiently. That's called focus. So, on this seventh anniversary of 9/11, here's to the memory of their fine work on that fateful day.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Not long ago, I watched a History Channel documentary on the 9/11 conspiracy theorists. Mechanical Science magazine published a refutation of every theory (based on bad science and plain ignorance), but I must tell you I am ashamed that this country has produced people such as these “theorists.” Whether it is borne of an over-abundance of Ritalin or sheer idiocy, it is simply disheartening.

A.C. McCloud said...

I was discussing this just a moment ago with Mrs. AC. They've taken a day that should have been revered like Pearl Harbor and turned it into a twisted confused mass of doubt and hate, all because THEY hate conservatives so much.

You're right, it's sad. Not a good sign for this country.