Tag: 9/11 Memorial

AOC and Mamdani take heat for apparently laughing as 9/11 victims’ names are read off

Posted on by Leave a comment

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) are under fire from Republicans after the two socialists were captured on video apparently sharing a laugh as the names of victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attack were being read off. Mamdani attended the 25th anniversary ceremony in New York City on Friday, during which family members of the fallen read off the names of nearly 3,000 victims who were killed in the attack.

As the names were being read, Mamdani and Ocasio-Cortez seemed to giggle with each other. See Options › Already a member? Log in The exchange quickly gained traction online and caught the ire of Republicans, who viewed the moment as being “disrespectful.” Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) responded to the video, questioning how they could be laughing at such a serious event. “How the hell do you laugh while the names of those murdered on 9/11 are being read aloud?” The senator said. “Why would you do so?” Rep. Randy Fine (R-FL) also responded and did not mince his words in condemning the two lawmakers.

“AOC and Jihadi Mamdani should not be anywhere near that hallowed ground,” Fine said. “They do not mourn this country — they mock it. Have some damn respect.” Mamdani has faced scrutiny surrounding his attendance at the ceremony due to past statements on U.S. foreign policy and his appointment of Ramzi Kassem to be the city’s chief counsel. Kassem represented Ahmed al Darbi, an al Qaeda associate who pleaded guilty to war crimes charges. The mayor has defended his attendance at the ceremony, saying he intends to keep the day focused on the victims of the terrorist attacks and the first responders who died trying to save people trapped in the buildings.

However, Mamdani, who is Muslim, posted a statement Thursday about attending a memorial mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral to honor those lost in 9/11. In the post, Mamdani said he was remembering those “who died on 9/11,” which did not sit well with Republicans. Rep. Riley Moore (R-WV) responded to Mamdani’s post with outrage. “DIED?? They were murdered by Islamic terrorists!!” Moore said. Former Los Angeles mayoral candidate Spencer Pratt also took to social media to sharply criticize Mamdani’s characterization of 9/11.

“No mention of terrorism,” he said. “We just… ‘bore witness to unimaginable suffering’. Like it was a natural disaster. Did a hurricane hit NYC on 9/11? What exactly happened on that day, Commie Mamdani? What’s with these ‘some people did something’ foreign muslim politicians always downplaying 9/11?” “At least Ilhan Omar acknowledged that people did it,” he continued. “Zohran can’t even do that. He is just a very nasty, spiteful animal. You saw it in that clip where he was yelling over the police like a rabid chihuahua. You see it in his dark, dead eyes when he drops his Manchurian smile.”

25 YEARS LATER, FOX REPORTER REMEMBERS TOLL OF 9/11: ‘LIKE AL QAEDA HAS INVADED OUR HOSPITAL ROOMS’ “This is the darkest anniversary of our nation’s defining tragedy because we all have to suffer the indignity of watching this piece of s*** try to erase our history bit by bit,” Pratt said. “He doesn’t hate the muslim terrorists like we do. It pains him to even address 9/11. You can tell. He doesn’t care. He, like Hasan Piker, thinks we deserved it. F*** off.”

Several other responses took issue with what they saw as Mamdani speaking about the attacks as if they were a “natural disaster” rather than the result of al Qaeda terrorists hijacking planes, killing nearly 3,000 people. Thousands of others have died or gotten sick from the poor air quality in New York City following the collapse of the Twin Towers.

Source: AOC and Mamdani take heat for apparently laughing as 9/11 victims’ names are read off

He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?
Micah 6:8

Hunted for Following Jesus

In some communities, Muslims who leave Islam to follow Christ face rejection, threats, violence, and even death because of their faith. For Muslim-background believers, choosing to follow Jesus…

Keep reading

Something went wrong. Please refresh the page and/or try again.

Field of Flags marks 25 years since 9/11 at Kennesaw Mountain

Posted on by Leave a comment

At the foot of Kennesaw Mountain, 2,977 American flags now stand as a reminder that every person killed in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks had a life and a story. People of all ages joined first responders and community groups to plant the flags at Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park. Each flag represents one person killed in the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. “It’s the feeling of giving back,” said Ernie Wagoner, president of the Kiwanis Club of Marietta. “Just look at the crowd we have here. We’ve got firemen, policemen. They just want to give back.”

The Kiwanis Club of Marietta first organized the Field of Flags in 2002. This year’s display is its sixth installation, according to the city of Marietta. The memorial is displayed every five years. Wagoner said more than 1,200 people signed up to help this year, with additional volunteers arriving without registering. “It brings the community together,” Wagoner said. For Melissa Tanner, volunteering was also an opportunity to teach her grandchildren about those who died and the first responders who risked their lives to save others. “I brought my grandchildren with me, and I wanted them to remember,” Tanner said. “I don’t want it to be sad. I want it to be a remembrance of those who gave their lives.” Roger Ball said the tribute offers younger generations a chance to understand the country’s history and learn from it. “The main thing is understand your history,” Ball said.

“Learn from it. How can we move forward and not let what happened to us happen again?” For Ball, planting the flags also brought together people who may not have otherwise met. “Anytime you have an opportunity like this to participate in an event where you are recognizing milestone events in America, it’s also unifying,” Ball said. The Field of Flags will remain on display through Sept. 19, according to the Kiwanis Club of Marietta.

Source: Field of Flags marks 25 years since 9/11 at Kennesaw Mountain – CBS Atlanta

Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.
John 3:36

Powerful earthquake shakes Panama

A major earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.7 has struck Panama, according to the US Geological Survey. Local media are reporting structural damage in some parts of the…

Keep reading

Something went wrong. Please refresh the page and/or try again.

9/11 Never Forget; An Awesome Tribute

Posted on by Leave a comment
the statue of liberty against the background of the new york city


Created by Steve A. I hear a song and that song evokes an emotion and that emotion in me helped in the creation of this tribute video. While I wish all of the images were high resolution….some images of that day were caught with low quality equipment and the images I chose all seemed to fit with how I was feeling. I witnessed the events of this day like many of us did and it changed me forever.

It will always feel fresh in my mind and feel like it happened yesterday. Having experienced such a tragic day….your outlook on so many world events changes. It is amazing how divided the world seems right now but how unified we all were after the events of 9/11

Source: 9-11 Sounds of Silence -Tribute by Steve A Disturbed (((MIRROR)))

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Matthew 6:33

Plague in Russia?

Russian authorities have sought to allay global worries over the death of a young woman who worked at a Siberian anti-plague laboratory. But moves to isolate her contacts and introduce new disease-control…

Keep reading

Christian Persecution September 25-October 2 2026

Recent reporting (roughly September 25–October 2, 2026) on Christian persecution centers on continued lethal violence in Nigeria, house-church detentions in China, and related pressures elsewhere. Nigeria Attacks attributed to Fulani militants continued…

Keep reading

Something went wrong. Please refresh the page and/or try again.

25 years after 9/11, Indiana man who survived World Trade Center attack still making sure America never forgets

Posted on by Leave a comment
Lower Manhattan skyline with the original World Trade Center towers

Across the country on Friday, ceremonies will honor the thousands who lost their lives 25 years ago in the 9/11 terrorist attacks, and among the survivors, a Dyer, Indiana, resident is on a mission. On Sept. 11, 2001, Don Bacso was working as an IT consultant for a Chicago-based company. When American Airlines Flight 11 hit the north tower of the World Trade Center between the 93th and 94th floor, Bacso was on the 57th floor.

“I was loading software into a computer when the first plane struck. It hit at 8:46 a.m. Eastern Standard Time,” he said. “It was unbelievable. It was terrifying. You could hear beams creaking in the walls.” Bacso said the scariest moment for him was when the World Trade Center started to sway. “I thought to myself, ‘Oh my God, I am in this building, and it’s trying to fall. Which way do I run?'” he said. He ran to the stairs like many others “People were having panic attacks, asthma attacks.

Every once in a while you would hear, ‘Injured coming down, move to the right,’ and that was the first time I saw how badly burned some people were as they brought them by us,” he said. It took about half an hour for Bacso to get down the stairs, find his way through the smoke and debris, walk to his hotel, and call his young family. “I said, ‘Just know that I’m okay. I’m fine and I will come home. I will get home,'” he said. When he looks back on that day, Bacso can’t believe it’s been 25 years. “It passed by so quickly. I look back on that day and everything that I saw. I mean, the destruction, the devastation, the pain, the suffering, all that; but I saw so much courage in that, too,” he said.

He’s talking about the medical personnel, firefighters, and police officers who went into the World Trade Center after the planes hit. “I’ve never seen anything like it. They were going in and we were coming down. People have said to me in the past that, ‘You’re a hero,'” he said. “No, the heroes were going up that day. I was going down.” More than 400 emergency responders died during 9/11, the vast majority of them firefighters. Bacso’s mission the last 25 years has been doing his part to make sure America never forgets by sharing his story of survival. “We can’t forget that day. We can’t forget the sacrifice and the loss of lives from that day, and the courage and patriotism,” he said.

Bacso plans to leave a suitcase with his clothes, shoes, and World Trade Center ID badge from that day, along with other mementos, to his sons. He wants them to carry on his mission to continue sharing his story. “All these things, the badges, you know, the articles, things like that, I’ve got to turn it over to my sons for their families,” he said. “A lot of people don’t understand how precious your life is until you experience something like that.” That’s what he plans to do as long as he can, so America won’t forget “If I can express to them when I go out and speak, and talk about life, and talk about how it affected my life, I feel like it’s a great benefit to them, and it benefits me too internally,” he said.

Source: 25 years after 9/11, Indiana man who survived World Trade Center attack still making sure America never forgets – CBS Chicago

Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.
1 Corinthians 7:2

Trusting God Amid Life’s Storms

 Storms often reveal what we truly believe about God’s presence and power. He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? How is it that you have no faith?” Mark 4:40 Focus:When…

Keep reading

For God so Loved the World

“God loved you enough to send His Son, Jesus loved you enough to give His life, and through faith, you are offered a hope this world can never take away.” “For God so…

Keep reading

2 Timothy 3:12 

Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted Paul was reminding Timothy that following Christ does not guarantee an easy life. When we choose to live our…

Keep reading

John 15:18–20

“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not…

Keep reading

Galatians 1:6-10

“When truth becomes negotiable, faith becomes vulnerable so know the Gospel, stand on God’s Word, and seek His approval above the world’s applause.” “I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him…

Keep reading

Isaiah 45:2

“I will go before you and level the exalted places, I will break in pieces the doors of bronze and cut through the bars of iron, This verse reminds us that God…

Keep reading

Something went wrong. Please refresh the page and/or try again.

Man who plants thousands of 9/11 memorial flags in West Sacramento will retire, hopes tradition lives on

Posted on by Leave a comment
american flags on grass field

More than 2,000 miles from ground zero, thousands of flags were planted into West Sacramento soil to help sow the seeds of remembrance for the victims of the 9/11 terror attacks on the World Trade Center. It’s an annual tradition led by volunteer John Vinson, who first started a memorial at the corner of Jefferson Boulevard and Locks Drive with just 14 flags in 2003.

Since then, the memorial has grown every year and now includes thousands of flags of all shapes and sizes, one to honor each of the 2,753 people who were killed when the Twin Towers collapsed, including flags for the 343 firefighters who died that day as they rushed in to try and save lives. “We have a flag for each one and the country they were from,” Vinson said. Friday marks 25 years since the terror attacks of September 11, 2001.

Wednesday morning, volunteers rolled up their sleeves and got to work placing each and every flag one by one. The flags stand at attention, waving at passersby along the busy stretch of Jefferson Boulevard. It is an invitation to slow down and reflect. “I think it’s just important people remember that and how precious life really is,” Vinson said. “A million tears have poured out here on this field.” Also erected on the site are two replica towers honoring the former World Trade Center. “I built these years and years ago,” Vinson said about the towers. “In fact, they’ve been touched up so many times the paint is probably thicker than the wood.”

They stand as a symbol of resolve. Vinson started the West Sacramento tradition 23 years ago and other volunteers have helped him keep the memorial growing every year since. He calls it his calling. Still, health and age have slowed Vinson down over the years. After this Friday, he will retire from the volunteer service and says he hopes to leave the tradition to be carried on by other volunteers. “That’s probably the main reason I did it one more time is because it was the 25th anniversary this year,” Vinson said.

It is entirely a volunteer effort to organize and place all of the flags and displays. Matthew Ferguson came out to help for the first time on Wednesday morning. At 23 years old, he was not alive during the 9/11 terror attacks but represents the next generation who do not remember, but recognize the events of that day all the same. “I’m very proud of my country, and I thought it’d be nice to volunteer today to help memorialize all the people who lost their lives,” said Ferguson.

Ferguson plans to join the United States Navy in the near future. Neighbors paused on Wednesday afternoon to soak it in as the display grew. Barbara Morris brought her young granddaughter and said when she sees the flags she thinks instantly of sacrifice. “It’s all the lives. All the lives lost and what they sacrificed for us,” Morris said. It has become a place to heal over the years for both those with direct connections to the 9/11 attacks and those without any. It’s been protected and preserved for decades.

“One of the things I’m really kind of strict about is I don’t let people talk about politics or religion here. I want to keep it real simple,” Vinson said. The site serves as a roadside reminder to never forget. The memorial will continue to grow over the next few days as volunteers add to it. It is expected to be finished by Friday, September 11. Anyone who wants to volunteer is welcome to come out and all are invited to stop by the site and pay their respects.

Source: Man who plants thousands of 9/11 memorial flags in West Sacramento will retire, hopes tradition lives on – CBS Sacramento

Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Matthew 11:28

Proverbs 21:23

Whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue keeps himself out of trouble. This verse emphasizes that people who carefully watch what they say will protect themselves…

Keep reading

Psalm 5:8

Lead me, O Lord, in your righteousness because of my enemies; make your way straight before me. In the verse David is praying in the morning…

Keep reading

Something went wrong. Please refresh the page and/or try again.

Boston Public Garden flags honor 2,977 lives lost in 9/11 attacks 25 years ago

Posted on by Leave a comment

Volunteers and students came together Thursday evening in Boston’s Public Garden to plant nearly 3,000 flags, each one a tribute to the lives lost on Sept. 11, 2001. Behind each flag is a name, a family, and a life representing the 2,977 people killed in the terrorist attacks. Twenty-five years later, the sea of red, white and blue stands on the Public Garden as a reminder to never forget. Among the flags, one is honoring Mark Bavis, who was aboard one of the two hijacked planes that took off from Boston’s Logan Airport that morning.

Teaming up with the Massachusetts 9/11 fund, his brother Patrick has now made it his mission to make sure younger generations understand what happened that day and always remember. “It seemed like yesterday,” said Patrick Bavis. “The young kids are the future of this country, they got to understand that life isn’t fair and people get taken from you. For us in Boston, 206 victims were taken that day.” Helping put the display together were the Navy Junior ROTC at John D. O’Bryant School and Scouting America who were learning while remembering.

“I want to give them my respects as well as honor them because that’s a really big moment in our history even though it wasn’t the best one, it’s something we all want to pay attention to,” said ROTC student Karissa Jean-Michel. The impact of 9/11 heightens our appreciation for our first responders and service members like retired Air Force Gen. Jonathan Treacy, who commanded Otis Air National Guard Base fighter jets to respond to the attacks. “It’s a little surreal, 25 years have gone so very fast,” said Treacy.

“Those lessons that we’ve learned from 9/11 aren’t something that get passed on unless every generation has a sense for what happened, why it happened, the incredible impact of what happened and the loss of life.” And as long as the flags stand, they also symbolize the resolve of our country after one of its darkest days. “Nineteen terrorists took us to our knees that day, yeah they beat us that day, but the next day America came back, and I want the students today to understand that we can be strong together,” said Bavis.

The 9/11 commemoration events start at the State House on Friday at 8:30 a.m. with a reading of the names of the 219 victims with ties to Massachusetts, a moment of silence at 8:46 a.m., and the presentation of the Madeline “Amy” Sweeney Award for Civilian Bravery inside the House Chamber.

Source: Boston Public Garden flags honor 2,977 lives lost in 9/11 attacks 25 years ago – CBS Boston

For we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body.
James 3:2

Something went wrong. Please refresh the page and/or try again.

Flight 93 Memorial ceremonies today mark 25 years since 9/11

Posted on by Leave a comment
american flags on the field

Today marks 25 years since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, and observance ceremonies will be held at the Flight 93 Memorial near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, to remember the lives lost that day.

Nearly 3,000 people died and thousands more were injured as terrorists carried out coordinated attacks on the World Trade Center skyscrapers in New York and the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia.  United Airlines Flight 93 was headed for the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, D.C., but the passengers and crew members fought back, leading to the plane crashing into an empty field in Somerset County. 

Remembrance ceremonies will begin at 8:30 a.m. near the Wall of Names. They are expected to run until 10:30 a.m. and will include a reflection on all the attacks from 25 years ago, the reading of the names of the Flight 93 passengers and crew, and the Bells of Remembrance will be rung in their honor.  

A memorial wall made of marble panels, featuring engraved names and a small bouquet of flowers placed at its base, along with a figurine.

SHANKSVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA – SEPTEMBER 11: Flowers are placed at the Wall of Names during a ceremony commemorating the 23rd anniversary of the crash of Flight 93 during the September 11th terrorist attacks at the Flight 93 National Memorial on September 11, 2024 in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.  / Getty Images

The afternoon ceremony, scheduled from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., will feature remarks, keynote speakers, music and a wreath-laying ceremony at the Wall of Names. Then, on Saturday, at 7:30 p.m., there will be 40 candle lanterns brought to the Wall of Names as the sun goes down. Thousands of people are expected to attend today’s events at the Flight 93 National Memorial. 

Source: Flight 93 Memorial ceremonies today mark 25 years since 9/11 attacks – CBS Pittsburgh

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
John 3:16

Something went wrong. Please refresh the page and/or try again.