Never Yield

Posted By Blackfive

We should never forget the heroism of September 11th.

Never yield.

I'm going to experience United 93 tomorrow.  I've been to Dachau, Auschwitz and Buchenwald.  I've been to the cliffs of Point du Hoc where the Rangers climbed to begin the end of the Nazis.  I've walked the battlegrounds of the Bulge, Gettysburg, Ardennes, Bunker Hill, the Alamo, and Massada.  Not all places were last stands, but they certainly were places of defiance and courage.  Someday, I'll make a trip out to a field in Pennsylvania...

I don't imagine that I'll want to fly too soon after seeing United 93.  I don't imagine that I'll feel better for awhile after either...

However, I'm glad that Hollywood finally made a movie about Flight 93.  Are they making a buck off of my cathartic reaction?  Sure.  But I've got a need to go see this movie.  So do many of you.  One of my favorite pubs in Chicago had a plaque for Todd Beamer right by the front door.  Customers, mostly firefighters and cops, would touch it gently as they entered and exited.  It said "Let's Roll."

How many of you have wondered if you'd have had the courage of the passengers of Flight 93?  I know I have thought about it.

Here's the link to a featurette for United 93.

Now, Hollywood needs to get off their dead asses and make one about Col. (ret) Rick Rescorla.  He saved 2,700 hundred people on September 11th - a friend among them.  My little brother was on the phone with his Morgan trading partner when they were evacuated.  For two days, we didn't know that he made it out of the building...because of Rescorla.  One of the last things that Morgan employees heard as they were evacuated was Rick singing:

Men of Cornwall stand ye steady;
It cannot be ever said ye
for the battle were not ready;
Stand and never yield!

So, in order to remember the heroism on September 11th, I'm going to see United 93 tomorrow.

Never forget, stand and never yield.

Update:  Michelle Malkin and Hot Air and Libertas have more on the interesting marketing and altering of the movie.

Update 2:  Freedomwatch is against the movie entirely.

Update 3:  Todd Beamer's father, David, writes a review in the WSJ.

...I encourage my fellow Americans and free people everywhere to see "United 93."

Be reminded of our very real enemy. Be inspired by a true story of heroic actions taken by ordinary people with victorious consequences. Be thankful for each precious day of life with a loved one and make the most of it. Resolve to take the right action in the situations of life, whatever they may be. Resolve to give thanks and support to those men, women, leaders and commanders who to this day (1,687 days since Sept. 11, 2001) continue the counterattacks on our enemy and in so doing keep us safe and our freedoms intact...

Update 4:  John of Op-For is going to see it in order to send Hollywood a signal.

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» "Flight 93" from Small Town Veteran
I'm not sure when or if I'll get a chance to see it out here in the flyover country corn fields but there is no doubt in my mind that, yes, it's time, past time actually, for a feature length [Read More]

Comments

[thebronze]

Damn well said, Matt!

I'll be seeing it as well.

It's my duty...

[jordan]

I remember it like it was yesterday -- driving like a bat out of hell to get the kids, calling NYC relatives, getting a call about my neighbor who's son was on a plane, cold seething rage, thinking, "Okay, just tell me who to kill." How dare they. How dare they bring their third world ways into my beautiful country.

I'll watch at the earliest opportunity, perhaps even say a prayer at the end.

[Craig]

I typically don't like conservative vs liberal jokes, because I think it's elitist, but I always liked this quote after 9/11 ....

After 9/11, most liberals thought to themselves "thank god I wasn't on any of those planes, that was horrible."
After 9/11, most conservatives thought to themselves "I wish I'd been on one of those planes. Maybe I could have done something."

[craig henry]

Rescorla's life would make a great movie. Why can't Hollywood see that?

[John]

I like your verbiage there Matt... "experiencing" Flight 93, not "seeing it."

And ditto on Rescorla. Flight 93 needs to do well if we have any hope of a flick on Col. R

[Lyana]

No, we won't forget, and we won't yield; just seeing those pictures from the movie brings back waves of emotion. They didn't have a clue who Americans really were, but they got a taste that day.

In the first conversation I had with my husband that day, I wanted him to know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, what my wishes were if he found himself in that position - Don't call me, don't worry about me; I know you love us, and we'll cry, but we'll be fine. Take the %&@#$&^ OUT!

I don't think I'm alone in that sentiment...

[rick]

I actually was curious to see how this turned out so I checked out some reviews.
Almost all of them stated how well done, respectful and emotional the movie was. They also said not to see it until you are ready. I personally will see it at the theatre as upposed to the privacy of my own home b/c of the outstanding praise it received in many of the reviews.

[ibm]

The song quote is incorrect.
Its actually the version of "Men of Harlech" that
the Defenders of Rorke's Drift sang in the movie "Zulu".
It should read:

Men of Harlech stand ye steady
It cannot be ever said ye
For the battle were not ready
Stand and never yield

Kind of appropriate as Morgan is after all a Welsh name.

[Wild Thing]

You wrote this beautifully Matt. I agree about Rescorla too.

I am seeing United 93 tomorrow as well.

[Lisa]

Rick Rescorla was from Cornwall. From the website in his honor (http://www.rickrescorla.com/Stand%20And%20Never%20Yield.htm), here are the words:

Men of Cornwall stop your dreaming;
Can't you see their spearpoints gleaming?
See their warriors' pennants streaming
To this battlefield.
Men of Cornwall stand ye steady;
It cannot be ever said ye
for the battle were not ready;
Stand and never yield!

He sang the same song in the Ia Drang Valley....

[Barb]

I am certain that the movie will make me cry, again - but I owe it to the heroes of Flight 93, and to Rick Rescorla and all of the first responders of NYC who fell with the towers while trying to rescue every last soul. Be not sad that they died, but joyous that they lived!

[HomefrontSix]

I WANT to go experience this movie but I don't know that I am READY. Along with "The War Tapes", the timing just isn't good. Dh will deploying in the near future and I don't know that I could handle it emotionally.

When A&E did their version of Flight 93, it took me 3 months to find a time where I felt comfortable watching it. The wound is still so raw and open and while I understand that it is my duty to see this film, I am not capable of doing so right now.

I look forward to the reviews and to eventually seeing it. Maybe when dh returns safely from overseas...

- hfs

[doll]

Thank you for respectfully mentioning my view on the movie respectfully. It is heartwarming to know that as conservatives there will be times we disagree, but that we can do so amicablely, respectfully all the while honoring each others rights to have our views. It is good to agree to disagree peacefully. I guess there would be no wars or terrorism if people could take this que.

Thank you for the professionalism you always give here at Blackfive.

[Teresa]

"How many of you have wondered if you'd have had the courage of the passengers of Flight 93? I know I have thought about it."

I know exactly what you would do, even before September 11th. You not only have the courage, you would have been leading the charge.

Few of us are ever called upon to confront such a situation. What the terrorists did that day solidified plans of action in people's heads. We've now thought about it and maybe, just maybe, if we are ever put into such a situation, we can act with the same resolve as the people on Flight 93.

[Blackhawk]

To read more about Rick Rescolla at Ia Drang, read 'We Were Soldiers Once, and Young'. He's one of the heroes (of many) from LZ X-ray. The hardback version of the book has a picture of him on the cover.

[Michele San Pietro]

At long last, a serious movie about the terrible tragedy of September 11, after a lot of garbage movies which shouldn't have been even authorized.

[jordan]

The article you linked by Dave Beamer is great. You can see why Todd became the man he was. Todd's wife Lisa was on TV alot and sort of became the face of 9/11, but his parents went through hell, too. (They are neighbors).

Of his oft-used battle cry, Lisa wrote, "Just hearing those words, Lets Roll, made me smile because it was 'so Todd'. Todd was who he was right to the very end of his life, and felt he had some control over his destiny."

I hope people understand that they have a DUTY to see the film, not just to HONOR the determined passengers, but to make sure the COUNTRY doesn't forget.

[Maggie]

I will be seeing it Monday. I don't think about these things (Am I ready? Should I watch it alone? Or in private?) I just kinda bull my way through life. I understand people who will wait. However, I hope everyone sees it. It is important.

[tim]

I have conflicting thoughts on seeing the movie. On the one hand I don’t support ANYTHING Hollywood and haven’t been to a movie in two years. Also, I detest people making money off of other peoples tragedies.

While I feel many Americans should see the movie, I’m afraid those people who need to be reminded of what we, as a country, are up against will not bother and wouldn’t go if given a free ticket. They want to live in a September 10th world were terrorists attack our embassies, our ships, our service members in distant places so it really doesn’t concern them. (Sadly, this seems to be about 50% of the population).

On the other hand I’m glad that someone finally made a movie about an important event relevant to us all. I hope the theaters are packed and the movie does so well that more of these types of movies are made. I want to see movies about the heroes of today fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan. The brave men of our military deserve to be portrayed on the big screen for everyone to appreciate. The only way that has a chance of happening is if this movie does well at the box office.

Lastly, for anyone who REALLY wants to see what barbarians we are facing, go to MicaheaelSavage.com and click on the beheading videos of the Islamofascists. It will make you uncomfortable and it is disturbing. Every American should watch them.

[Spirit of 1776]

Too bad the revolt on Flight 93 is a myth. Heck, even Rummy knows that:

"But in his remarks, Rumsfeld referred to the 'the people who attacked the United States in New York, shot down the plane over Pennsylvania.'"

[ http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/12/27/rumsfeld.flt93/ ]

But hey, a country needs its myths.

[Quality Weenie]

It's was either the History Channel or the Discovery Channel did a show called "The man who predicted 9/11"

It was all about Rick Rescorla. It was a very good show and that man is a hero in my eyes.

[Catch22]

"I don't imagine that I'll want to fly too soon after seeing United 93."

I haven't seen the film but I have flown a few times since 9/11, and have thought of 9/11 during those flights. I've actually felt quite at peace during those flights, as I believe the folks on Flight 93 were the rule, not the exception. Learning what a group of ordinary folks did against planned horror--I've never felt prouder of my fellow everyday, random selection of people. They set the example for us all by living up to our best ideals in the worst of circumstances.

Now, whenever I step onto a plane, I don't feel the fear of terror, or the angry thirst for vengeance others feel; instead, I feel two things:

The first is the calm assurance that we, the passengers, won't let 9/11 happen again, as we know what to do now.

The second is that every plane flying today is, in its own way, sacred ground--made that way by the actions of the passengers of Flight 93.

[tim]

Spirit of 1776,

So the Secretary of Defense misspoke and you take it as the gospel. As if it some proof for your conspiracy theory warped mind to wrap around and spew out of your pathetic pie hole.

Yes, I suppose the plane went down because the U.S. Air Force shot it down and there has been for four plus years a HUGE cover up by thousands of individuals who have been brain washed by BUUUUUUUUSSSSHHHH to never speak of the incident. I’m surprised Speilberg hasn’t already done his usual revised history version for all of you pin heads to go see and point to as proof of the “facts”.

Ironic name you use, Spirit of 1776. Especially for someone who obviously hates this country.

You’re truly a legend in your own mind. Did you run out of tin foil to wrap around it?

[Lisa]

I was a frequent business traveler when 9/11 happened. In my office, we were glad no one had been "on the road" that week. My first trip after that was 9/22/01. Flying on a regional jet out of XNA on my way to Columbia, SC, there was me, my co-worked and an off-duty flight attendent as passengers. We were asked to sit in the back to help maintain a proper balance. Also, we didn't get the normal safety spiel (which I could probably give, if I had to, even after not having flown since the fall of 2004). Flight into Columbia was about half-full. The trip back a week later was pretty much the same way - 4 passengers out of Columbia, me and my co-worker being two of them, and the flight into XNA was about half-full. I rarely traveled on a week day, since I usually always had to be at the customer location Monday through Friday, but I wonder what I would have done, if I had been on one of those flights and realized what the terrorists had planned.

I've got a pen pal, callsign "Flounder", who told me he had been in DC for some conference when it happened. He's a Prowler pilot. They sent out an aircraft to come pick him and another pilot up before commercial air travel started up again, and he commented on how eerie how quiet it was over the radio flying back to Whidby Island, because they normally heard all the commercial communications over the radio.

[Lucky]

I was a junior in high school in 2001. I still did not know if I wnated to apply to colleges in the fall, or take so time off. I had just read WE WERE SOLDIERS ONCE AND YOUNG, and had been talking to military recruiters at school and through the Civil Air Patrol squadron, of which, I was Deputy Cadet Commander at the time. I made my decision about my future that day. My grandfather helped to build those towers, and my father worked at the Pentagon. I took it kinda personal, and still do. I remember my 5th period english class, that was when the Taliban issued their statement saying that neither they nor OBL had anything to do with the attacks. THE ENTIRE CLASS YELLED "BULLSHIT!" AT THE TELEVISION! I knew then what I wanted to do. And that summer, a week before I turned 18, I enlisted in the US Army. I served in Afghanistan, and saw what those deranged fucktards did to their own country, and I will be reenlisting to make sure it will never happen again. I will see this movie, and I will probably cry my eyes out, but I will see it, and NEVER FORGET! In fact, my next tattoo will be of those famous words: "LETS ROLL!"

[Spirit of 1776]

Tim,

You are correct, his mistake does not constitute evidence. However, my statement regarding the tragic fate of Flight 93 as being a national myth is just as valid. For you, nor anyone else has any definite information regarding what happend to that flight in its final moments. One can only hope that the movie ends with the attempt on the hijackers and does not create a "revised history version" as you put it. If one is a rational being, one cannot rule out that the flight was shot down, which in itself is not an unthinkable endgame.

Also, please do not confuse love of country for love of government. I love my country and do not trust my government.

"There is one safeguard known generally to the wise, which is an advantage and security to all, but especially to democracies as against despots. What is it? Distrust." -- Demosthenes: Philippic 2, sect. 24

[Spirit of 1776]

Tim,

You are correct, his mistake does not constitute evidence. However, my statement regarding the tragic fate of Flight 93 as being a national myth is just as valid. For you, nor anyone else has any definite information regarding what happend to that flight in its final moments. One can only hope that the movie ends with the attempt on the hijackers and does not create a "revised history version" as you put it. If one is a rational being, one cannot rule out that the flight was shot down, which in itself is not an unthinkable endgame.

Also, please do not confuse love of country for love of government. I love my country and do not trust my government.

"There is one safeguard known generally to the wise, which is an advantage and security to all, but especially to democracies as against despots. What is it? Distrust." -- Demosthenes: Philippic 2, sect. 24

[MaryAnn]

Just saw on CNN (so consider the source) that some NYC theaters have pulled the trailer due to "complaints" that it was too "upsetting".

I agree with those here who have said it is our duty to see this.

I'm from the NY area and I flew from Germany (where I now live) to the US 4 times between 9/11 and the end of 2001 and went to or through the United terminal at Newark each time. Flew UA from Newark to SF (the UA 93 flight) in early October 2001.

It was important to do so, and everyone on the planes and working at the terminal felt the same way.

There's things in life you've got to face. This is one of them.

[jordan]

9/11 was not a "tragedy". A hurricane is a tragedy. A child getting cancer is a tragedy.

9/11 was a deliberate mass murder.

[Salmineo]

Never Yield? Smash says we; "Continue withdrawing" from Iraq. Seems like yeilding to me. Unless....its not really a withdraw. Yes a "re-alignment" thats it...no?

Iraq has NEVER been more unstable so it MUST be yielding. or not....send more...what?

I wish somebody in washington knew what they were doing.

-

[NYAviator]

Saw the movie today and can vouch for it. Very well done. No big name actors, real time filming. You feel as though you are there in each of the settings.

You will see the confusion, violence, and worst of September 11th. But you will also see the best which came from the passengers of United 93.

Definitely recommended.

[HomefrontSix]

Less than 2 months after 9/11, I had to fly to the state capitol with my swim team for the state championships. To a person, you could almost SEE the thoughts going through everyone's mind as we boarded the plane. NO ONE would be messing with this flight. Even my silly high school swimmers had that mind set.

Less than 2 months after that, MacGyver, Princess Trouble, and I flew back home to SoCal. MacGyver had his military hair cut and you could SEE the relief wash over passengers as we boarded the plane. Again, they knew NO ONE would be messing with this flight.

I agree - the passengers on Flight 93 were the rule, not the exception. Moreso now than ever.

I may only be 5'3" on a good day but I would do what I could (and then some...adrenaline is a wonderful drug!) to prevent something like 9/11 from happening again. Ever.

- hfs

[HomefrontSix]

Salmineo ~ the way I see the gradual withdrawal of our troops from Iraq is the same way I view the parent-child relationship. Eventually, you have to let your children take their first tentative steps. They may fall and you will be there to help them back up, dust them off, and get them going again. Eventually, they will be walking on their own and there will be other challenges to be faced, though few (if any) that require your constant in-your-face supervision like the first few years did.

I see Iraq as that child. They have taken their first tentative steps. There have been spills and tumbles and we're doing our best to help them up, dust them off, and get them going again. It's not anywhere near perfect but no parent is. And there WILL be more spills and tumbles along the way. You do your best to provide as firm a foundation as possible and to ensure a strong future but eventually, self-determination kicks in and the best you can do is pray.

- hfs

[Michele San Pietro]

9/11 was a new Holocaust. There will be no justice until the monsters responsible for it are killed mercilessly and the garbage who have always insulted beautiful America are punished unless they fully apologize for the sacrilege they committed.

[Candace]

I watched United 93 tonight. Initially I had no intention of seeing it, as I don't like the idea of someone making money from 9/11; however, reading the families' comments & discovering that some of them were involved in the filming convinced me otherwise. I'm glad I saw it. It was very well done IMHO. I'm glad I stopped to buy tissues on the way to the theatre, though. The scenes of people phoning loved ones were heartbreaking.

The theatre (usually pretty close to empty on a Sat night due to it's location) was probably 80% full. So hopefully, someone somewhere will be encouraged to honour other heroes of 9/11, like Rick Rescorla and other first-responders.

[Salmineo]

"Stand and Never Yield"?

Depends on what you are talking about.

If you are talking about fighting terrorism then you would be correct.

If you are talking about the war in Iraq, then we need to leave simply because invading Iraq had nothing to do with 9/11 or terrorism. If we leave Iraq, we lose nothing that we cannot retake or destroy at a later date.

Why play with these idiots when we can kill them from a distance anytime we wish?

-

[warren90-93]

What gets me is United 93 was only playing in 1800 theaters while RV had almost 3500.Plus they were only showing United 93 4 times a day compared to RV's 8 in the place I went to see it.

[Lisa Gilliam]

I hope to see this week.As Michele says,we've had so much garbage to come out in the interim "Farenheit 911" and other lefist propoganda,that this film was needed.Americans quickly forget,and hopefully this will wake us back up again,and not cave in anymore than what we already have done.

[jordan]

Sal, Iraq does have something to do with terrorism. The 9/11 commission report stated that there were ties and connections between Iraq and terror groups, but there was "no direct evidence of an operational relationship with Al Queda." So that piece of the puzzle was missing, while it acknowledges their relationship in general.

Now, people like Stephen Hays are sifting through the new documents that were liberated from Baghdad in 2003 which were released through FOIA requests. His work on them indicates there was a much clearer and direct relationship between Saddam and terror groups than previously thought. These documents were sitting around untranslated and unanalyzed during the Commission's research.

This mucks up the Saddam had no connection to 9/11 or terror talking point, and is difficult to read through, so it's just ignored. It does flesh out that connection, beyond his payments to suicide bombers and providing safe haven to terrorist kingpins in the past.

[armynurseboy]

And for the fact that if you are going to target Iran, you need to have an overland invasion route and staging. If Iran is the bigger threat we would have had to take down Iraq or Afghanistan anyways......

[tyree]

"If Iran is the bigger threat we would have had to take down Iraq or Afghanistan anyways......"

Wow, and we took down both Iraq and Afghanistan. Gee.. look Iran is accessible from two sides by UN (joke) forces. It is almost like someone in Washington knows what they are doing.

Candace says:
"then we need to leave simply because invading Iraq had nothing to do with 9/11 or terrorism"
And what did North Africa have to do with Pearl Harbor? A

I asked my father, a WWII Navy veteran, what it was like fighting that war and not knowing we could read the Japanese code at the time. A decade after the war he had to rethink everthing that he thought at the time.
There are secrets about the War on Terror that won't be revealed for decades, or maybe never. We have to support the side we want to win and hope for the best.

I have thought about that for a long time. The hate filled left makes a gigantic case almost every day about minor slips of the tounge. Almost immediately the massive conspiracy theories spring up. What if everything we are watching is a massive conspiracy to keep the enemy from knowing what we are doing and why? Does that make it OK? Or should we just come right out in the open and say, we knew Iran was developing nukes, so we got into Iraq? I don't know enough to make an informed decision about how deep the layers of deception might go. I do know I am not on Osama bin Laden's or Cindy Sheehan's side. I can also remember clearly the hate that was directed at President Reagan , followed by the shock when the Wall came down. I hope that the right people are in for just such a shock.

I am going to buy a ticket for United 93 this weekend. I can't watch it yet, something personal and not war related. But after all these years I am happy Hollywood finally made a film that doesnt portray the Americans as the bad guys.

One more thing as I can't sleep tonight anyway. If we know that Iraq had nothing to do with terrorism, then why do the Democrats who said for so long that he did have something to do with terrorism, get a pass? I wonder where the Clinton=Hitler signs are stored.

[funny shirts]

I saw the movie last weekend and it was obviously very sad. I wished they could have developed the characters a little more.