At 07:55 PM 10/7/01 -0500 dendriite wrote:
>I just got home late this evening. When I checked my mail I perused through
>the list and noticed no mention of the US/British attack on the Taliban.
>
>Did I miss some mention of a moratorium on news?
Well, here's my story of what was happening on Sunday.
This year, on something of a lark, I joined the Baltimore Marching Ravens.
Although I've played trumpet since the Fall of '87, I've never
particularly enjoyed Marching Band, but this Marching Band comes with the
advantage of NFL Season Tickets. :-) (Oh yes, and since the AFC is the
"home" team for this year's Super Bowl, if the Ravens go all the way, I am
headed to New Orleans!) Admittedly, my first love will always be for my
Buffalo Bills - but since I've known since April that the Bills were going
to be cover-your-eyes awful this year, I figured that if there was one year
where I could forego watching a large number of Bills games, this year
would be it. Plus, since I haven't been able to play with a real *band*
since graduating from college, even Marching Band Music has been sounding
really good to me so far.
Anyhow, for a typical Ravens 1pm home game, we report at 7am for uniforms,
warm-ups, and practice. We went through the morning routine just like any
other Sunday, with the small exception of having red-white-and-blue ribbons
pinned to our lapels. At 11:30am, we began our pre-game concert at Oriole
Park, and naturally we played a number of patriotic tunes, including a
beautiful arrangement of "Amazing Grace" in tribute to the victims of
September 11th.
At noon, the concert ended, and we formed up in parade lines to march
through the various "tailgate" festivities over to the Stadium. By 12:35,
we were on the sidelines, waiting for the pregame program to being.
Pregame began precisely at 12:40 - even though none of us at the time had
any idea as to what else was beginning at that very moment. Members of
Baltimore's Police and Fire Departments unfurled one of those massive
American Flags that covered the better part of the football field, while we
played a concert fanfare arrangement of "America (My Country 'Tis of
Thee)". At the same time, Color Guards from each of the five branches of
our armed forces marched onto the field.
With all of the pieces in place, the stadium sound system played Lee
Greenwood's "God Bless the USA." As the song hit the first chorus, "And
I'm proud to be an American, where at least I know I'm free", a massive
cheer literally rippled in waves around the Stadium. Immediately I was
struck by what an incredible honor it was to be standing there along side
the police officers, firemen, soldiers, Marines, pilots, navy men and coast
guardsmen, all of whom have committed to give their own lives for my own,
and to have the whole group of us standing at the center of wildly cheering
stadium.
Afterwards was the National Anthem, and we marched back to our bleacher
sets in the end zone. Once we were in our seats, our Director passed
around the word that we had begun bombing Afghanistan while were on the
Field playing - and that there would be no halftime show, so that the
stadium could broadcast President Bush's address to the Nation.
Its a shame, really, that the President could not have been in Baltimore
when they played his address to a wildly cheering Stadium. Every
applause line of his speech literally drew louder cheers than any touchdown
that day. Indeed, some of the loudest cheers erupted when he spoke of
bringing humanitarian aid to the Afghan people.
Yesterday was definitely another moment in history, and I feel incredibly
lucky to have had such an interesting place to watch it all unfold.
JDG
__________________________________________________________
John D. Giorgis - [EMAIL PROTECTED] - ICQ #3527685
"Freedom itself was attacked today, and Freedom will be Defended."
-U.S. President George W. Bush, 09/11/01
