Moms who support George Bush
Author: The New York Mom that began this site
Our mornings begin like so many others’, getting up before the kids, putting the coffee on and going outside to get the newspaper. My husband sips some coffee and then I stand at the front door and wave to him as he pulls out of the driveway and heads to the train station. He commutes on Metro North into NYC. That is the reason we bought our home in this Hudson River town, because of the quick commute into Manhattan.
He told me then, as we were courting, that he could commute like this for the next thirty years. I thought how wonderful, that he can look ahead and feel comfortable about his future, the career path he had chosen, the home we bought, the family we would have.
We commuted together for five years. We were in the process of beginning our family and it was decided that I would stop working. We were blessed in 2001 with beautiful twin daughters that we adopted from China. Life was grand.
We were home from China only three months when September 11th happened. Our lives, like so many, changed forever. I will never forget the neighbors that came rushing into my home. They too had loved ones in NYC. We watched the TV in horror. We were constantly on the phones, we cried, we prayed, we held each other. When they said the Pentagon was hit, I called my husband and told him to get out of NYC. He did not even say goodbye to his coworkers, he just walked out of his office and onto Sixth Avenue.
He knew the city was “locked down” but he was determined to get home. He began to walk. He told me that if it meant swimming across the East River to get home, he would do it. He did make it home, thank God. It has touched my heart often to realize so many other wives did not have their husbands return that terrible day.
Personally, I know that I am a different person. I did not sleep well for a long time after the attacks. Especially at the start. I was still dealing with being a new mom, and wondering what was ahead for our country, my family. I cried when I watched the President standing at Ground Zero. When he gave his speech to Congress and the nation and when he held up the shield of fallen Port Authority Officer George Howard, a friend of mine from earlier days.
I suppose like many, I jumped at any loud noise, a low flying plane, even some not so loud noises. I would panic if the TV or radio went out because I wondered why. I now have to have the radio or TV on all the time because I just have to know if something is happening somewhere that may affect our nation, my husband working in New York City, family and friends around the country.
We now have lots of batteries and bottled water stored up. Potassium Iodide Tablets and emergency phone numbers for family members. As a family, we have an evacuation plan, a spot to meet in upstate New York. But I would never have imagined I would have important files of the girls’, awkwardly placed in our bedroom, in a plastic bin, ready to be thrown into the car if something happens and we need to race out of our Hudson River town.
I lost it once, during a “High Orange Alert” in 2003. Some construction scaffolding from our neighbor’s house crashed into our home and I thought that was it, Indian Point was hit. I just broke down and cried. The twins ran over and placed their loving arms around me, oblivious to the reasons for my tears.
Many others say, “life goes on” or “if your number is up it is up.” I admire them for their ability to not live in fear. I try to coddle my emotions, but 9-11 changed so much. Does life really go on, status quo? By the current extreme bipartisan we are witnessing each day, I guess for many it does.
Personally, during a normal election year, I would be right up there on my soap box. This year is so very different. The issues outside of our fight on terror are not as important in the big picture today.
You see, if we do not take the proper steps to win this war on terror NOW, the domestic issues will never matter. If we do not take steps NOW to prevent as best we can future terrorist attacks in the U.S., who cares if we have campaign finance laws? If we don’t show these terrorists that we are the superpower, that we are NOW, and that they can’t mess with us NOW, they will win. They will continue to plan actions against us. They will take innocent lives, they will harm our infrastructure, they will try to control our politicians, our economy our lives.
Is this the future we want for our children? Our grandchildren? Do we want to worry about them in a way we never thought we would have to worry about them? Many of us just anticipated we would worry about school grades, or piano lessons or sports. We would joke what it would be like when our children are teenagers and begin to date or learn to drive.
I pray that I am not alone, that I am not the only one that feels it is only rational that we take the steps NOW to insure that our children (and their children) are given the opportunity to live a safe life from terrorists, similar to the life we had lived prior to 9-11?
It has been almost three years since the horrors of 9-11 touched us so. No further attacks have happened in the United States. Some say this is happenstance. I say it is because of the leadership that we have. Leave politics aside for a moment and consider if this is really the time to risk change in our country. History demonstrates that strong leaders affect history, affect what our enemies think of our strength and endurance.
Remember how Iran released the hostages on THE DAY of Reagan’s inauguration. They knew they did not want to deal with a leader that would show resolve. Someone that would not allow foreign terrorists to threaten our livelihood.
George W. Bush has demonstrated the determination we all should admire. Think what you want about other political issues with this current administration. But next time you see the President speak about our WAR on terror, really look into his eyes. I have. He is a man determined to do the best for our country, our future, our children’s’ future, his children’s future.
Stop and contemplate just how different this 21st Century is. We are at WAR. We are at war with terrorists that have chemical and biological weapons that they would just love to unleash inside our once safe shores. The war should not be politicized. We have servicemen and servicewomen in harms way that need to know we are supporting them in their dedication to our country to help make our country, our states, our towns, and our neighborhoods safe from terrorists.
How very upsetting it is to me to witness some people, as they sit comfortably in their homes or offices and feel that they have the right to be passing judgment, when our troops are fighting for their very right to be safe and comfortable. I do believe we have become complacent and take way too much for granted. Sure we all had our Patriotism renewed those days immediately following 9-11. Sadly, that same patriotic spirit is not there for many, not here at a time when we need it most. The war with the terrorists did not end in Afghanistan. It is a global war, that the President honestly informed us would take time.
We can not risk change at this time because of domestic issues. These issues will not matter one iota, if we are being attacked by terrorists. Let’s keep our country safe and then we can all come out of our respective corners and hash out those other issues we may have a passion to fight.
We need to be courageous.
We need to remember 9-11.
We need to remember those that gave their lives that day trying to save others.
We need to remember all those servicemen and women that are in harms way.
We need to show respect, to the memories of those lost on 9-11, and in the Military; that their tremendous sacrifice was not in vain.
We need to keep our future in our hands and not in the hands of other world leaders.
This is not their country, this is our country.
I want to feel safe again.
I want to enjoy trips into NYC again.
I want all my family and friends to know there is a safe future for their children and grandchildren.
I know that I am not in a position that can legislatively make things happen. I am just a mom. A mom of two beautiful girls. A mom who passionately cares about their future. A mom who dreams of a future for them filled with love and happiness, trials and tribulation, dating and marriage – but not terrorist attacks against them. A mom that dreams of a day when all mothers will again feel safe.
I felt saddened, when about a year after 9-11, my husband shared with me that he no longer enjoys the commute along the majestic Hudson River each day. This man that so looked forward to doing this for thirty years, has lost his spirit. It has been replaced by fear. Sure, perhaps not every day. But it is there.
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