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15 September 2001, Vol. III, Iss. 37

Oakie's NW Corner...

A Day of infamy!... 11 September 2001, Tuesday, 8:45a.m. EST. The day NYC & DC lost parts of it's monumental skylines when suicidal hijackers crashed into them and impacted the whole world.

As we mourn and Grief, we soon realize the awakening and change in us all! It is up to each of us how it will change us. You have a choice of how it impacts your life... Victim or Surviver!

As for me... I am a surviver. I refuse to live with a heart filled with anger, hatred and fear. Some say I have a big heart! If that be the case, then take my hand with my heart - reach out to another -- and another -- until we have encircled the world with the light of Hope, Faith, Love, Peace and Understanding to squelch the terrorists that live off of our victimized fears, anger and hatred.

NYC Skyline Before 11 Sept. 2001The NYC skyline will not be the same and will always have a hole to fill with the loss of so many. My prayers, thoughts, heart and soul go out to those who lost their family, friends on 11 September 2001, Tuesday. May we use this to come together in unity and peace as we set aside our differences to join hands to support those who need it right now. We will be survivers, coming out of this chaos stronger than ever before. We shall overcome all this together! You are NOT alone! We shall overcome this and rise from the ashes like the Phoenix to reclaim our Freedoms here in American. We will do this with our friends, allies across the seas -- hand in hand.

A Prayer to Grant us... -- Wisdom that we don't become the evil we deplore -- Give us the courage and patience to endure through these next few days, weeks, months and years.

-- Linda - "Oakie"

An open letter to a terrorist...
This came from two different sources via email

      "Well, you hit the World Trade Center, but you missed America.
      You hit the Pentagon, but you missed America.
      You used helpless American bodies, to take out other American bodies, but like a poor marksman, you STILL missed America.
      Why? Because of something you guys will never understand.
      America isn't about a building or two, not about financial centers, not about military centers, America isn't about a place, America isn't even about a bunch of bodies.
      America is about an IDEA. An idea, that you can go someplace where you can earn as much as you can figure out how to, live for the most part, like you envisioned living, and pursue Happiness. (No guarantees that you'll reach it, but you can sure try!)
      Go ahead and whine your terrorist whine, and chant your terrorist litany: 'If you can not see my point, then feel my pain.'
      This concept is alien to Americans. We live in a country where we don't have to see your point. But you're free to have one. We don't have to listen to your speech. But you're free to say one. Don't know where you got the strange idea that everyone has to agree with you.
      There's a spirit that tends to take over people who come to this country, looking for opportunity, looking for liberty, looking for freedom. Even if they misuse it.
      You guys seem to be incapable of understanding that we don't live in America, America lives in US! American Spirit is what it's called. And killing a few thousand of us, or a few million of us, won't change it. Most of the time, it's a pretty happy-go-lucky kind of Spirit. Until we're crossed in a cowardly manner, then it becomes an entirely different kind of Spirit.
      Wait until you see what we do with that Spirit, this time. Sleep tight, if you can. We're coming." -- Author Unknown

A TRIBUTE TO THE UNITED STATES
America: The Good Neighbor.

[This, from a Canadian newspaper. Widespread but only partial news coverage was given recently to a remarkable editorial broadcast from Toronto by Gordon Sinclair, a Canadian television commentator. What follows is the full text of his trenchant remarks as printed in the Congressional Record.]

"This Canadian thinks it is time to speak up for the Americans as the most generous and possibly the least appreciated people on all the earth.
    Germany, Japan and, to a lesser extent, Britain and Italy were lifted out of the debris of war by the Americans who poured in billions of dollars and forgave other billions in debts. None of these countries is today paying even the interest on its remaining debts to the United States.
    When France was in danger of collapsing in 1956, it was the Americans who propped it up, and their reward was to be insulted and swindled on the streets of Paris. I was there. I saw it.
    When earthquakes hit distant cities, it is the United States that hurries in to help. This spring, 59 American communities were flattened by tornadoes. Nobody helped.
    The Marshall Plan and the Truman Policy pumped billions of dollars! into discouraged countries. Now newspapers in those countries are writing about the decadent, warmongering Americans.
    I'd like to see just one of those countries that is gloating over the erosion of the United States dollar build its own airplane. Does any other country in the world have a plane to equal the Boeing Jumbo Jet, the Lockheed Tri-Star, or the Douglas DC10? If so, why don't they fly them?
    Why do all the International lines except Russia fly American Planes?
    Why does no other land on earth even consider putting a man or woman on the moon?
    You talk about Japanese technocracy, and you get radios. You talk about German technocracy, and you get automobiles. You talk about American technocracy, and you find men on the moon -! not once, but several times - and safely home again. You talk about scandals, and the Americans put theirs right in the store window for everybody to look at. Even their draft-dodgers are not pursued and hounded. They are here on our streets, and most of them, unless they are breaking Canadian laws, are getting American dollars from ma and pa at home to spend here.
    When the railways of France, Germany and India were breaking down through age, it was the Americans who rebuilt them. When the Pennsylvania Railroad and the New York Central went broke, nobody loaned them an old caboose. Both are still broke. I can name you 5000 times when the Americans raced to the help of other people in trouble.
    Can you name me even one time when
someone else raced to the Americans in trouble? I don't think there was outside help even during the San Francisco earthquake.
    Our neighbors have faced it alone, and I'm one Canadian who is damned tired of hearing them get kicked around.
    They will come out of this thing with their flag high. And when they do, they are entitled to thumb their nose at the lands that are gloating over their present troubles. I hope Canada is not one of those. Stand proud, America"

Mailbag & Links....

9-11-01 NYCA friend sent me this beautiful graphic that he received from someone else. I've decided to use it here with a few verses from America Beautiful.

" America! America! God shed his grace on thee. Crown thy good with brotherhood from sea to shining sea."

Americans may have a broken wing and a tear in their eyes... BUT we will fly again even stronger than before.

Candle in Remembrance, 9-11-01"PRAY FOR AMERICA and the whole World that has personally been impacted Tuesday, 9-11-01. In regards to the terrorists attacks on US soil... Tuesday Sept. 11, 2001 -- light two candles - one for the living and one for the dead. My friend and I have posted this on the chat boards and we're trying to start a trend. Say a prayer as you light each one and try to keep candles lit for the coming days or weeks." -- Angel
9-11-01 Prayer... "Oh Lord, On this day, in this country, where we have felt so safe, so protected, please help us remember that You are our only safe harbor, that You are our only protection. As we pray for the safety of bodies, remind us to pray for the safety of souls. Thank You Lord that we live in a country that allows us to pray and worship especially in a time when we are faced with the violence that we thought could never happen to us. Help us Lord, look to You and not focus on revenge but on caring, healing and justice. Amen"
World Trade Center Survivor Database... In an effort to help people find out about their loved ones, they are building this online list of survivors. They are editing out false entries as fast as they can. This is a list of people who SURVIVED. The list is updated every 15 minutes and it is alphabetically SORTED by last name.
"Linda... I read with great interest your outstanding newsletter. I haven't yet been to OK, but hope to some day. A lot of distant family members are there. Your 8 September 2001 newsletter contained the article "Pioneers - Chester (Cottonwood Corners)"... I am very interested in all the Louthan and related family members mentioned in this article, and would like to learn more about them. Please have the person who submitted this info contact me at. Keep up the great work." -- Jack in Virginia
"Just a little correction in the article about the Pioneers in the Chester community. My parents... Bill & Ersel Hedrick bought the grocery store from Lewis and Eileen Louthan. It says "Ersen Hedrick bought the condreay store." Thanks." -- Sue
GunniesGunnies & Guineas... "I stayed up all night researching the question of what ever a Guinea would eat.....obviously the list was very long but not complete. This morning, when I looked out in the yard to watch the Gunnies catch grasshoppers, I detected one Guinea that seemed to be the ringleader of the flock. I cautiousley approached her and simply asked her if fly's were on their favored list of good things to eat. She gave me a shrug and stated very simply "No, we don't care for fly's because they tastes too much like horse manure." - anonymous
9-11-01 Day of Infamy... "I am collecting the local newspapers. Washington Post had nothing but the incident in every section. The sports page and style sections, like many others, showed how the event related to that particular area. Basically, normal life was put on hold world focused on the tragedy."
9-12-01 in Germany... "Since yesterday afternoon German time, I am sitting in my office with two TV-sets running at the same time to monitor CNN and German TV-Stations. Doesn´t matter to where you switch, you only see horrible pictures. Doesn´t matter how often you see it, you are unable to believe it.
     First thing I did was calling to the States to hear if my uncle and his family, who is living there, is o.k.
     At the same time, calls of my employees were coming in to tell me to put the TV on. Even a friend and security expert from Israel called me and we both were stunned.
     Last night, I put the american flag in front of my house on half mast.
     This evening, I went to our local church, which held a special mass. It was packed with people, more than on christmas eve. We prayed for the victims of these terrorist attacks.
     It is hard for me to explain in english, what we all felt, but please accept our deep condolences.
     I cannot do very much from here, but if you want to share your feelings with the other friends of the 75th Div, please send me an email. I will try spread the messages out as fast as I can." -- Rolf, Germany
We Shall Endure... "We shall be a stronger people, than before. Already, folks in New York, are beginning to talk & visit with each other-- kinda like we do out here! Our Senior dinner, at church, tomorrow will be different than any of us could imagine. But, we shall remember the suffering, & we shall be a more united country, & a more world-wise people, than we were before. Our world will be different, but, we shall endure!" -- A.T.
9-12-01 Prayer... "Dear God, I feel so helpless, like all I can do is pray to You that things get better instead of worse. Help me to remember that You are in control. Please be with all the victims and the families of the victims of yesterday's devastation and destruction. Forgive us for taking for granted our freedom and all of the blessings upon our nation. We have been reminded that it can quickly be taken away. We seek your protection in the midst of this trial. Amen"
Candle for Unity... "Thanks for your message, Linda. I believe American is strong and our leaders will see that those responsible for the heinous crimes are punished. I will light
a candle and think of you and your message for Unity."
"Hi, Linda! I live about 45 miles from the site of the devastation in New York City. There is little to add to that which has been said except that two quotes come to mind... Robert Burns, Poet Laureate of Scotland, said 'Man's inhumanity to man makes countless thousands mourn.' (Man Was Made to Mourn) -- Abraham Lincoln, Sixteenth President, in his Second Inaugural Address, said, 'With malice towards none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right, let us finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation's wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow and orphans, to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and a lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations.'
     Finishing up the work we are in should consist in part of destroying any nation's or individual's power to attack targets in democracies, to pull all people of good will together regardless of race, nationality, or creed, and to teach the need for good world citizenship to all"
To Give Blood:
     American Red Cross 1-800-HELP-NOW
     New York Blood Center 1-800-933-BLOOD
To Make Financial Contributions:
     American Red Cross 1-800-HELP-NOW
     United Way 1-212-251-4035
     Salvation Army 1-800-SAL-ARMY
To Volunteer Services (New York):
     FEMA World Trade Center Relief 1-800-801-8092
Needs for the relief effort in NY and DC...
Here are some places that we found...
     FEMA's Global Emergency Management System
    National Emergency Management Association
    c/o Council of State Governments
    P.O. Box 11910
    Lexington, KY 40578
    (606) 244-8000
    (606) 244-8239
You Can View Webshots... At Oakie's Webshots. Just Click On the particular Photo Album you would like to view. NEW Album... "Paris Reunion 2001","Orion Oklahoma" and "Paris-Hurt Family". While you are checking out Oakie's Webshots... stop by and sign my Webshot Guestbook.
Oakie's Messageboard - Stop by! NEW Album.... PAris Reunion 2001, Paris-Hurt, . Share Your thoughts, etc. HELP US come together in unity, peace for all!

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Linda K McGill Wagner
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