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On September 11, 2001, nineteen al-Qaeda terrorists hijacked four commercial planes to launch a massive terrorist attack against the United States. Soon after the attack all American airspace was shut down. That day there were more than 200 international flights crossing both the Atlantic and Pacific, heading for American airports but now unable to land and too far along to turn back. It was at that moment that our good friends to the North came to the rescue. Calling the mission "Operation Yellow Ribbon," Canada opened its airports to to all incoming U.S.-bound flights and cancelled all of its own departing flights. Aware that there could be among the arriving flights more planes intended to be weaponized against American targets, the Canadian military were on standby to intercept any perceived threats. The Canadian citizenry likewise rose to the occasion and provided refuge, food, and comfort for over 33,000 stranded passengers, opening their schools, gyms, hotels, homes and hearts to strangers from all over the world and helping them contact their worried loved ones thousands of miles away. The award-winning musical "Come from Away," which opened on Broadway on the eve of the 20th anniversary of 9/11, ...tells the true story of how the residents of the small town of Gander, Newfoundland, took in 7,000 passengers from 38 planes that landed in their town on that September day. One would have thought that the generosity and kindness shown by Canadians on that terrible day would have bound the United States to Canada forever in an even deeper friendship, a friendship that nothing could break. And yet it took almost no time at all for one profligate, self-obsessed old fool, ...to shatter that friendship by frivolously inflicting on Canada harsh and senseless economic policies, not to mention profoundly offensive insults, such as calling Lake Ontario Lake America and putting up social media posts depicting Canada as the 51st state, ...and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney as it governor. And so today, when we should be saying prayers for the repose of the souls of those who died on September 11, 2001, and prayers of thanksgiving for good friends like Canada that came to our aid on that day, we Americans have to hang our heads in shame and wonder who will help us the next time. Reference: https://www.tyndall.af.mil/News/Features/Display/Article/669731/canada-unsung-heroes-of-911/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Yellow_Ribbon
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Books by Patti Liszkay available on Amazon: "Equal And Opposite Reactions" http://amzn.to/2xvcgRa "Hail Mary" https://www.amzn.com/1684334888 "Tropical Depression" https://www.amzn.com/B0BTPN7NYY |
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