Have We Forgotten the Lessons Learned from 9/11?

0:00This episode sponsored by HomeBase. HomeBase is built for small businesses trying to do it all. The neighborhood coffee shop, the local gym, the family run restaurant. With HomeBase, you can schedule your team, track time, run payroll, and manage hiring from one easy app. So you can spend less time chasing time sheets and more time running the business your customers love. More than 150,000 small businesses already use HomeBase to keep their teams on track. Start free at joinhomebase.com. HomeBase, built for small businesses that do it all. This episode sponsored by HomeBase. HomeBase is built for small businesses trying to do it all. The neighborhood coffee shop, the local gym, the family run restaurant. With HomeBase, you can schedule your team, track time, run payroll, and manage hiring from one easy app. So you can spend less time chasing time sheets and more time running the business your customers love. More than 150,000 small businesses already use HomeBase to keep their teams on track.

1:03Start free at joinhomebase.com. HomeBase, built for small businesses that do it all. This episode sponsored by HomeBase. HomeBase is built for small businesses trying to do it all. The neighborhood coffee shop, the local gym, the family run restaurant. With HomeBase, you can schedule your team, track time, run payroll, and manage hiring from one easy app. So you can spend less time chasing time sheets and more time running the business your customers love. More than 150,000 small businesses already use HomeBase to keep their teams on track. Start free at joinhomebase.com. HomeBase, built for small businesses that do it all. This episode sponsored by HomeBase. HomeBase is built for small businesses trying to do it all. The neighborhood coffee shop, the local gym, the family run restaurant. With HomeBase, you can schedule your team, track time, run payroll, and manage hiring from one easy app. So you can spend less time chasing time sheets and more time running the business your customers love.

2:07More than 150,000 small businesses already use HomeBase to keep their teams on track. Start free at joinhomebase.com. HomeBase, built for small businesses that do it all. You can spend with the good people of New York City and New Jersey and Connecticut as we mourn the loss of thousands of our citizens. I can hear you. I can hear you, the rest of the world hears you, and the people. And the people who knock these buildings down will hear all of us soon. Yeah!

3:13That was an incredible moment. Frankly, I think it was the greatest moment of Bush's entire presidency. 920 on the great WRK. It was iconic. I remember I was watching it from the newsroom. And I mean, I don't want you to want to talk politics at this talking about something as grave and serious as this. But when I saw him at ground zero, what all surrounded by all those blue collar construction guys, those hard hats. And you know, him with his arm around one of the workers. And he delivered, you know, I hear you and soon, those who knock down the towers are going to hear from all of us. And they started chanting USA, USA. I turned and I said, he just won the midterms. But I said, listen, you just, I go, listen, that's all people are going to remember. They're going to vote for him on this alone. He just won the midterms. Take it to the bank. Anyway, just very, very quick.

4:14The mosque that they were desperately trying to build right across from ground zero. To show you their intent. And this is why Mamdani is going to be there today with his chief counsel, who is a lawyer for Al-Qaeda. He is going to be there along with other of his Islamist supporters. They wanted to name the mosque, the Cordoba mosque. Now you would say, well, Jeff, why Cordoba? That was deliberately chosen because Cordoba is the city in Spain that was the last to fall to the Muslim invaders in the eighth century when Islam conquered Spain. And then essentially ruled it for 700 years until 1492 when Spanish Christian, Spanish Catholics rose up and finally drove the Muslim occupiers and invaders out.

5:17It was a 700 year struggle. And in Cordoba to celebrate the Muslim Islam's victory, they built what's called a great mosque of Cordoba. It's a massive mosque to symbolize what they thought was the permanent triumph of Islam conquering Christian Catholic Spain. So they named it the Cordoba House because they wanted to signify like Cordoba Spain, we have now conquered ground zero. 617-2666-6868 is the number. Okay, Mike, who do you want me to go to next? Gary in Wuburn. Thanks for holding Gary and welcome. Good morning, Jeff. How are you? I'm good. How are you, Gary? I'm very well. Thank you. I appreciate it. No levity here this morning,

6:20pardon the pun on my last name, but more so, we are doing an event tonight up in Wuburn. And this, of course, is to honor those patriots on 9-11-25 years ago, as well as their families and the friends, anybody in the local area of Massachusetts, New England, that was affected. Everybody was affected, obviously, by that faithful day, but maybe something a little closer to home. And the event tonight at a place called the Brickyard is outdoors. We have four bands that are going to play. They're all volunteering at time. And, of course, the proceeds are going to go to the different charity foundations that were established years ago. And they still continue to be around because you can't forget. And you mentioned something earlier today about 9-11. And I truly believe that was to divide and conquer. I think that's what they tried to accomplish on that day. But tonight, we're going to try to unite,

7:22continue the uniting, the best that we can, obviously. A lot of people do forget what has happened over the years. It just seems to go along, go along. And year by year, it seems to be not even a memory anymore. But the people that do remember, we'd like you to come by. And ones that didn't remember or have conveniently forgotten, come by, hang out with people that honor the patriots that day. And, of course, the ones that were affected by it, family members, friends, and so on, and so forth. Gary Levitt, you're very funny, man. You are. You're a brilliant comedian. You're completely right. Today is just, it's not a day for levity. It's just not your right. It's a very solemn day, very serious day, almost a sacred day. And I want to thank you for being a patriot and for holding this event because I think you're right. We need to remember the fallen. We need to remember the victims and their families. And I think, you know, we need to

8:27try to unify and bring our country back together. And Gary, I want to ask you this, not as a comedian, not as a, as a critic, because to me, comedians in many ways are social critics. I want to ask you, as just Gary Levitt, the patriot, I honestly believe, and you may disagree with me, so I'd love to get your take on this. And everybody's take on this, that we as a country cannot be defeated by an outside power. We just can't with our nuclear arsenal or military, China cannot defeat us. Iran cannot defeat us. Russia cannot defeat us. The only way we will ever be defeated is from within, from the enemy within. Have we now allowed the enemy to come in through the gates? Is Islam the Trojan horse that now threatens to destroy us from within? Joining us

9:29now as she always does at this time, she is the co-founder, CEO, and president of Kelly Financial Services. And yes, that is her wonderful name. Kelly, Kelly, Kelly, how are you? Good morning, Jeff. I am good. You know, Jeff, couples can spend decades saving and planning for retirement together, but that doesn't necessarily mean they're both going to be ready to retire at the same time. One spouse may be counting down the days while the other still enjoys working, the purpose, the people, even the routine, and when those timelines don't match, it can affect a lot more than just the retirement date. Suddenly, you're talking about how much time you'll spend together, whether you'll travel, what your days will look like, and of course, whether your financial plan works if one spouse retires before the other. That's why we're offering our complimentary investor

10:35guide, the changing story of retirement. It can help couples start some of those important conversations before retirement arrives. To request your copy, give us a call or email Kelly at Kelly financial dot org. Jeff, I'll continue this conversation tomorrow morning at 9 AM on safe money strategies radio. Do tune in or visit our website for our radio rewind. Jeff, have a wonderful weekend. My best grace in the kiddos. Thank you, Kelly, all the best to you and everyone at Kelly Financial to get a free copy of that guide. And I urge all of you if you can do get it call now 888 888 1881 888 888 1881 or you can actually email Kelly herself personally. Kelly at Kelly financial dot org. That's Kelly at Kelly financial dot org. 934 on the great W R K O Jeff Kuhner Boston's bulldozer 617 2666 68 68 is the number.

11:48As I as I mentioned just before, I'm going to go right back to Gary in Wuburn, but the great historian, the very famous historian Arnold Toinby once famously wrote in fact said great civilizations almost never are conquered or defeated from without, but they are always destroyed from within. In other words, they commit suicide. And the question I have for all of you is with our nuclear arsenal, our military power, our size, you know, I don't believe China can ever beat us in a war because we have nukes or Iran or Russia. But that ultimately if America is the fall, it's because of the enemy within. And the question now is it's like a Trojan horse. Have we let the enemy within the gates? Gary in Wuburn, I'm just curious what say you?

12:56Well, it's funny you use the term Trojan horse. I'd say the Trojan horse is the size of Minnesota, Illinois, New York, Massachusetts, California, in any blue state in the country. That's how big that Trojan horse is. Drop the mic. Gary dropped a mic. And I want to thank you again for doing that wonderful event tonight. Gary levied everybody. Gary again, thank you. 617-266-68-68. I want to play two cuts because I don't want these people to be forgotten. And they shouldn't be forgotten and they have been forgotten. This was on flight 93, the one that crashed in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. This is passenger Linda Grohnland. And she calls up her sister Elsa.

13:57They've been hijacked. They know other planes have been used as weapons as missiles. They know that's going to be their fate. And so she calls up her sister to let her know that she's going to die. But she's so worried about her family. You know, papers, will, everything so that they can get their affairs in order. She's already thinking about them after she passes away. It's very moving, very powerful. Mike roll cut 107. Elsa, it's land. I only have a minute. I'm on United 93 and it's been hijacked by terrorists who say to have a bomb. Apparently they have flown a couple of planes into the World Trade Center already and it looks like they're going to take this one down as well. Hopefully I just want to say I want to see it. I'm going to see it.

15:05Hopefully I just love you. I just wanted to tell you that. I don't know. I'm from New York. Tell you about it. Tell me about it. Um, all my stuff is in the safe. The safe is in my closet, my bedroom. The combination is you push T for clear and then 0913 and then, uh, and then it should and maybe pound and then it's so unlong. I love you. I hope I can talk to you soon. Bye. She never made it. All right, let me just play one more. These are the ones that they're trying to, they're trying to erase. These are the names. These are their stories. These are their murders that they want the American people to forget. Well, we're not going to forget. Okay, we're not going to forget.

16:07This is again, United Flight 93. It's a phone call this time from flight attendant, CC Liles. She has to break the news to her husband. We're on a plane. We've been hijacked. It's over. They had several children. This is what she was thinking about. I just, she knew she was about to face her death. Rollcott 108, Mike. I love them very much. And I'm going to find me. I don't know what to say. There's three guys. They had that complaint. I'm kind of like mom. We're kind of out and heard that there's plain

17:08the things that brought it to the wrong case. I hope to be able to see your face again. They used to. I love you. I love you. For most of the call, I, to be honest with you, I can't believe how stoic she is. How calm. You know, I love you. I love the kids. Please let them know that. And of course, she starts to cry at the end. They deserve better. They deserve better. And they don't deserve that. I got to be very careful now. That A hole. They don't deserve that A hole. Mamdani. Being at that event today at that memorial. It's an insult to every single victim and their families. Mike in New York. Thanks for holding Mike. And welcome.

18:09Good morning, Jeff. How are you? I'm a retired NYPD sergeant. And that day started for me getting a call from my 73 year old mother asking what building my brother was in. And I already knew the building got hit. He was in a North Carolina. 74th floor. And I was heading down. I told her, now he's way below the impact. But when I got down the dressing street off the west side, highway, if you know that area, Jeff, the first thing that I couldn't take my eyes off was the gap. The hole that that plane left and inside that gap was a total inferno. The other thing you described perfectly when that plane fitted the wall and windows out on the floors above. And you described it perfectly. Every window had at least one, two with the weak people standing on the

19:10ledge holding them still waving either a white t-shirt, a white dress shirt, or a napkin. And when I just looked at that, I knew these poor people are never, ever, ever getting out. The other thing also like you said, I'm not going to get graphic, but it was very difficult to walk around the area. And I don't mean the breeze, you know what I mean. I know the body parts. Two things stuck out. Oh, Mike, can you do me a favor, Mike? Please, you know, these damn breaks, I wish I could break them, you know, because I don't like to interrupt a story like this. I really don't. Mike, please, if you can hang on, and I apologize to you, I really do. I wish I could break these breaks. These acts of mass murder were intended to frighten our nation into chaos and retreat. But they have failed. Our country is strong. A great people has been moved to defend a great nation.

20:12Terrorists attacks can shake the foundations of our biggest buildings, but they cannot touch the foundation of America. These acts shatter steel, but they cannot dent the steel of American resolve. 947 on the great W R K O Jeff Kooner, Boston's bulldozer on a very special edition of the Kooner report. We remember, we remember the victims, the families, the first responders, everyone affected. Their families, everyone on that fateful day, 25 years ago. I want to go right back to Mike in New York. Mike, please pick up where you left off. Yeah, so Jeff, one thing that sticks in my mind and I'll take it to my grave after the South Tower came down, the poor souls and the North Tower in the top floors, they knew they weren't ever going to be rescued. They knew they were never getting out. And I'll never forget this gentleman, we're in a

21:17white dress shirt and he put something around the track of the window washer. And it must have been a strap or a few belts, but he climbed out of the trade center and started one floor at a time coming down, sliding down, taking his time. And it was the most desperation thing and all I thought was he just wanted to get home to his wife and kids. And thought this is my last resort. He probably made it unbelievably like five or six floors down and then the strap broke because of the heat and he plummeted. But I'll end it with this Jeff because I know you have a lot of calls. The one thing that pisses me off is when I hear mostly younger people say, you know, I can't believe these people jumped out of the windows. I would never do that. And you know what I tell them,

22:17real easy, go home tonight, turn on your gas stove, put the burner up to high, put your hand over that and see how fast you pull your hand away and there's your answer. Brilliant. Mike, I'm very sorry for your loss and I am very grateful that you call the show and shared everything that you experienced and what you saw on that fateful day. Mike, God bless you. God bless your entire family. Thank you so much, Mike. 617-266-6868. Kim in New Hampshire. Thanks for holding, Kim. And welcome. Good morning, Jeff. I'm sure God bless the United States of America. Yes. What I'm, what I'm, what the whole 9-11 thing, my dad was a C&J bus driver for years, you know, C&J between Logan and what can you, a newberry port and portnance in New Hampshire that do

23:22the stops. Well, he was on, he was driving the day of 9-11 and picking up stops down to Logan. And one of the, the lady that did the, the scheduling, I know there was what United and in American Airlines involved the planes, but that poor woman was inconsolable all the way home. The scheduler lady, she just, you know, felt like she'd sent those people off to their death and just cried all the way to, all the way home. I'm sure she didn't forget 9-11. She's probably with her demon somewhere today. Yeah. I know, Kim, that's a, I'm so happy you mentioned that. I mean, not happy, but I mean, for the show in terms of information. So I'm grateful that you mentioned that because people forget the, some of the hijackers, the attack actually technically began

24:27at Logan. I mean, I know the, you know, it hit New York City, but you know, the, the, the, the, the, initial flights were from Logan. And so I can understand, you know, this poor woman saying, you know, why couldn't I have spotted them? Why could have, you know, I could have done something that I noticed the terrorists, the hijackers. I mean, it's going to haunt her for the rest of her life because I know that's what I'd be asking myself, you know, you just start second guessing yourself. And so, you know, we forget the role that Logan Airport played in 9-11. And I mean, obviously, because of the Twin Towers, the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, Shanksville, but you know, I'll never forget Logan Airport. Logan Airport, you know, the first attack was from Logan Airport. Kim, thank you very much for that call. Jim in New Hampshire. Thanks for holding Jim and welcome.

25:34Hey, Jeff. I could probably speak out on this. But I'll make this really quick. 9-11 had a big empty out to me. I call myself anti-war. I'm anti-war, Jim. I wasn't always that way. During 9-11, I was, I wanted to sign up. I was ready. I mean, it affected me heavily. Myself and my cousin. I was a little younger. I couldn't sign up. He did. I truly believed they were hated us. They hated democracy. He hated everything. He signed up. He lost his life there. Okay. And to this day, I always wondered, was it worth it? So he had a friend that he served with, a Muslim American that to this day sent them out to letters. Basically, I think he's my uncle from shoot himself because it affected him so bad. That war, to me, was a start of a lot of war dealing now. We were the, it was a tragic event, the worst event ever discussing, say, can't take that day. Absolutely horrendous. And we were the most, we were the most united people got together. Well, whatever religion or color, everyone got together. We were all American. United, we stand. You were so right on that. And now, 20 or 50 years of inception has cut to

26:3525 years later. We are the most divided. We have ever been. And I think, I think we learned nothing from 9-11. We learned literally nothing. We continually enter more wars. We're doing it now. Whether it's Obama and Libby or Biden and Ukraine, I go through lists. We learned nothing from that. And that's a tragedy for the victims. And not only that, we're best friends with the founties who killed those people. And we're best friends with Siri, who chuffed their heads off, the leader of Syria. So to me, it's a travesty we're at now. That was a day, it was the most beautiful and tragedy, tragic day in history. The most beautiful meaning we were united. We had a common cause. The most devastating because it was it was an attack on our soil, our citizens, our people. It was a direct attack on us. And I believe with my soul that I had to go to war. And I was devastated. It couldn't. My cousin went and he lost his life for this cause. And I look back and I like, what is there's no democracy in that region. There's nothing has changed. It's become worse. It's become worse around the world. And it's become, and we're more divided than ever.

27:35There is no unity here. And we are united. That's a sad fact is we all don't want war. But that we, I've learned the true enemy isn't, isn't my neighbor. It's my government. My government has constantly told me to believe this, believe this, believe that. They're molding us how they want. They're molding us to think we want war. When in reality, we none of us want war. The molding us to think we want all these things that none of us really want. I've learned this through experience. I've learned it through tragedy. And I wish other people took some of the lessons instead of seeing okay. Jim, just to put a bow on everything, the show and your call and everything. What 9-11 led to were three things. It was more, but let me give you the three big things very fast. It led to the Patriot Act being passed, which created the surveillance state, the national security state, which we now know is a mass violation of our civil liberties.