09/11/2021
“On what started as a beautiful morning (just like today) 19 years ago at 8:46am I was teaching JiuJitsu to my Special Forces Team when the whole world witnessed the horror of what our naive concept that everyone wants to live in peace and enjoy freedom just like us can cost us.
I have been contacted by friends, old teammates, and SF Brothers all morning.
It is a uniquely melancholy day and I am awestruck by how vividly I remember the ominous feeling of what had been set in motion for all my SF Brothers on that day. I remember seeing all the impending possibilities as if being Nostradamus himself having a prophetic vision. It was uncanny the things I pictured as I pondered the gravity of the catastrophe as it was fresh in the moment. Seeing the images of Muslims celebrating all over the world and even in America at the blow they had struck. They were widely broadcast across all media and now we don’t dare speak of that unless we are to be labeled racist or worse.
We all knew in the moment they had no idea what they had done and what the repercussions would be.
I saw clearly the devastation they had ignited and directed their way. For in that moment and for awhile all of our country even the majority that exists as self absorbed, pop culture consumed, and trend crazed zombies were no longer distracted and realized there is an enemy out there that hates us for our freedom and despises our very existence. Sadly we have forgotten, like complacent children that forget to lock the door in a bad neighborhood.
This morning I drove off to get my morning smoothie like I usually do, and the first thing I saw was a US flag at half mast, that’s when the Memory of that ominous feeling struck me. The realization that our freedom is in just as much danger today if not more from within. Along with the Memory of the vision of things to come, that moment of numbing destiny and impending history before it was realized. The moment before I knew the names and numbers of the friends I would sacrifice and how my life would be altered.
As I stand outside looking at the flag at half mast to write this, ironically and symbolically I hear the cry of a hawk. I remember my friends that got me through so much and my SF Brothers that gave everything to the cause. I hope someday the rest of the stories will be told, perhaps when they are declassified, and the world will truly know the unbelievable feats in the name of freedom accomplished by the great men I’m honored to call my friends.”
✖️Randy McElwee, 9/11/2020