0:07
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0:46
Friday, 9/11—the 9/11 memorial today. We hope you do remember. I have a beautiful gentleman with us this morning that’s here every Friday about this time: the Velvet Hammer, Gene Valentino. Gene, good morning.

1:00
You’re awake.

1:01
I’m awake, and we have a big day in front of us. I’ve asked several listeners that have called in, before we begin our exact program this morning: where were you 25 years ago today?

1:16
Well, thank you for inviting me on, Ted. 25 years ago today… I’m looking at a pile of papers and stuff I was prepared to talk to you about this morning, and I pushed them off the table here. I can’t help but remember 25 years ago today. You know, it was at exactly 8:46 in the morning Eastern time—which, 25 years ago, was about an hour and a half from this very moment we’re talking now—that the world changed. America was under attack.

It has since become a sacred day of honor and remembrance. But at that moment, and within the hours that followed, 2,977 Americans died. Subsequently, we had over 9,000 people die from the toxic asbestos and dust coming off the 9/11 buildings. We’ve had overall, since 25 years ago, 39,000 people with related illnesses.

I can’t help but remember sitting up in my kitchen, looking at the TV, and saying to my wife, “Look at that, boy. They must be playing some sort of cartoon or a graphic-enhanced image. Look at that—how stupid! An airplane flying into the tower of the World Trade Center.” Then, within several minutes soon after, a second plane comes into the second tower of the Trade Center.

Obviously, everyone was on pins and needles. It was a change in American history from that moment on that awakened all of the average Americans of this nation. I like to think about the positives. There are so many positives to take away from what these terrorists—these Islamic terrorists—did to America on that day. Yes, we should not forget, but what are we going to do about it, right?

The Velvet Hammer usually has something provocative and heartfelt for us to chew on as it relates to political antics and scheming going on in the operations of our government day-to-day, but this was a major event. This transitioned America into realizing that it’s time to rediscover our unity—our unity as Americans. We stood together, and we said to ourselves and to the people next to us, “We’re Americans, and we’re Americans first.”

I looked around… whether it was running out the door to visit some local people in my hometown for an office meeting that was scheduled, everyone was on pause. Everyone had a TV on in the office, and everyone was looking at heroism that became visible in ordinary people from around this nation: police officers, firefighters, EMTs, airline passengers and workers, office workers, complete strangers demonstrating extraordinary courage, sitting down arm-in-arm, lockstep with each other, and showing America first. The courage wasn’t limited to our fine soldiers or public figures; it was seen throughout all Americans across this nation.

It’s always true, Ted: it seems the best of America is seen and rejuvenated through average Americans who finally say enough is enough. We’re seeing it today in a separate conversation for a later time regarding this DSA group and these communist socialists that are trying to evidence themselves through political schemes in our nation’s political process. But they’re not going to win, because an event like today is going to remind all of us again.

It must be an annual remembrance to remind ourselves of just how ordinary people do extraordinary things with the flame of courage pushing them into the fire to take on and defend America. The nation learned the value of service, and thousands of people volunteered, donated blood, helped strangers, and traveled toward danger rather than away from it. That’s the America I know—it chokes me up, because that’s the America I want to be a part of, and that’s the America that we should be proud of, because that’s what distinguishes us from all the other nations of the world.

“We the People” means something. It means *we* the people. It means *we* the individuals come first—not the titular head or the self-anointed leader who thinks they’re going to take control of this nation at your expense and mine.

I don’t know what to say, Ted. We became more conscious of our fragility. At the same time, Americans had grown accustomed to security and prosperity. We got soft; we got a little cushiony. By the way, that’s going on now—a little worried about gas prices and the economy not being perfect. We’re lucky we have a nation that’s still considered a democracy. We’re going to get it fixed; we’re going to get those gas prices down. But hang in, folks, we’ve got a nation to save.

This 9/11 event reminds us that we need to get rid of the bad apples that are trying to destroy it from within. Just look around. Be strong. Garner the courage of those you witnessed 25 years ago during 9/11. Let that courage absorb in you, let freedom ring, and let it be known that this is an America worth saving. Let’s do it in honor of the 2,977 that were lost this day 25 years ago.

We had some other benefits that kicked in, too, if I may, Ted: national intelligence sharing. That was a big shortcoming—a little bit too egotistical and territorial with the security agencies of our government. Intelligence sharing became an absolute necessity. Agencies within government involved in intelligence—I know a little bit about this—dropped their guard, and under the direction of the Patriot Act and legislation post-9/11, intelligence sharing became critical. Aviation security, counterterrorism capabilities, and coordination among federal, state, and local authorities were fundamentally transformed.

Whatever debates remain about individual policies, this country learned that agencies cannot operate in a vacuum. They cannot be isolated in confronting a national threat. Their data and intelligence must contribute to a national security system for a unified national response when attacking future terrorists.

9:57
Boy, what a beautiful thought right there. It crosses my mind that we use a term—I do a lot of work in veterans’ organizations—”lest we forget.” We have it on monuments and memorials, but sometimes we do forget. It’s like today, people talking about the problems in Iran: “Well, I wish we had never done this; gas prices are up,” and this and that. You’ve got to remember that on 9/11, we really weren’t prepared. America was attacked, and we had thought all our lives, “It’s impossible; you can’t attack this country.”

A story I just read yesterday and verified—and I never knew this about that 9/11 day, Gene, and this one actually shocked me… I knew about what we did, and the President down talking to the kids, and flying him around the country. Well, the plane that eventually the passengers took over in Shanksville, Pennsylvania that went down—the military scrambled two fighter jets from Andrews Air Force Base. One of them was a female pilot who is a great speaker around the country now, Lieutenant “Lucky” Penny. They scrambled their jets to go there, but they were unarmed. They had no missiles on them and no machine guns or anything—they didn’t have time! They didn’t have armed planes ready at Andrews Air Force Base. Those two pilots were going to ram that aircraft!

That’s just absolutely unbelievable. You know, lest we forget. There are people today… we’ve had them call the station, and I say, “What was 9/11?” And they say, “Oh, that’s when you honor the 911 emergency number!” You know, just people…

11:37
Yeah. Well, Ted, you nailed it. That’s the takeaway for me. The fallen cannot be forgotten. We gained a deeper appreciation for first responders and our military, yes. But the big takeaway for me is that 9/11 reminded Americans that our greatest strength isn’t simply our military or our economy. It is a strong factor, but it doesn’t stand alone. It’s the character of our people.

When we are confronted with adversity, when the guy next to you whom you’ve never met before from the other neighborhood locks arms with you and says, “Let’s tackle that enemy”—that’s what America is all about. It’s the strength from within. Gen Z is going to have to experience some of that. I hope they never personally see a 9/11, but I hope they learn from it and garner the strength and courage to lock arms with the stranger down the street, not hide from them, and become part of a unified force called “We the People of the United States of America.”

We didn’t get here because of ganja, sweet songs, or Woodstock. We got here because people died to protect us from the wrongs of others. These Islamic jihadist terrorists that are infiltrating our nation now cannot change—a leopard doesn’t change its spots. Keep your eye on them and make sure they do nothing to harm this nation.

13:35
Well, and we’re just about out of time, but you look back on that, and that was a 2001 small Pearl Harbor. We really weren’t prepared, and we didn’t exactly know what to do, but the nation came together. That was their one mistake: they might have accomplished putting down a couple of buildings and killing some people, but they didn’t realize what they were doing. That’s where we have “lest we forget.” We cannot forget what happened that day and what we’ve got to do today, or history is going to repeat itself.

14:05
You’re a fine American, Ted Tibbett, and I’m honored to have the freedom to be on this show with you, because others on 9/11 and in prior conflicts of this nation died for you and me to have the liberty and freedom we enjoy. It takes 9/11 to remind us of it, and I’ll be reminded of it every year at this time. I couldn’t be prouder to be an American, but I think it’s all of our duty to step up, find our place, and participate in the defense and growth of this wonderful nation.

14:43
Well said—begin it today. I grew up with my father talking about Pearl Harbor; he joined the Marines after the Japanese attacked. That’s what’s happened to our country. Lest we forget, we remember. Gene, have a great day. Enjoy it, my friend.

14:58
Well wishes, my friend.

15:02
Invite Gene Valentino back again. It is a special day; I hope you’ll remember. If nothing else, pause for a moment and remember the sacrifice of others for our freedom.

15:13
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