What kind of a People do they think we are? - Winston Churchill

DATELINES"Churchill in a Yankees Cap"NEW YORK, SEPTEMBER 14TH— This, NewYorkers have been saying almost sincethe first nightmare fireball appeared ontheir television screens, has been RudyGiuliani's finest hour.The wartime analogy feels apt. Themayor has offered a grittier, Flatbushflavoredversion of Franklin Roosevelt'sfireside chats. He's been operationsmanager and pastor, diversity-trainingcounselor and dauntless cheerleader, anormally contentious figure suddenlyturned symbol of the city's unity. He'sbeen Winston Churchill in a Yankeescap. "I want the people of New York tobe an example to the rest of the countryand the rest of the world that terrorismcan't stop us," he said on the first day,having scrambled out of a downtownbuilding where he himself was trappedfor several minutes after the first of theTwin Towers dissolved.The mayor is everywhere, all thetime, it seems—visiting Ground Zeroin a white mask and hard hat; at hospitals;phoning radio stations; giving pressbriefings from an "undisclosed location."He often wore an FDNY cap andan EMS windbreaker, tributes to thefirefighters, who've taken catastrophiclosses, and emergency medical workers.He knew without a teleprompterhow many truckloads of debris were removedfrom the attack site, confirmedthe number of body bags ordered, announcedhow many remained missing.He told people where to find sheltersand where to donate blood; he passedout photos of an airliner flight recorderbox so anyone who found one wouldrecognize it ("except it'll be obviouslycovered with soot and dirt").—via Chris Dunford from The WashingtonPost. The cartoon is from a the San AntonioExpress News, via Carol Ferguson."We Stand By You":A Letter HomeE-mail from an officer aboard USSWinston S. Churchill. Approved for releaseby U.S. Navy, sent by Dean ChrisSterling, George Washington University.Dear Dad,Well, we are still out at sea, with littledirection as to what our next priorityis. The remainder of our port visits,which were to be centered around maxliberty and goodwill to the UK, have allbut been canceled. We have spent everyday since the attacks going back andforth within imaginary boxes drawn inthe ocean, standing high-securitywatches, and trying to make the best ofour time. It hasn't been that fun I mustconfess, and to be even more honest, alot of people are frustrated either thatthey can't be home or that we don't havemore to do right now.We have seen the articles and thephotographs, and they are sickening.Being isolated as we are, I don't thinkwe appreciate the full scope of what ishappening back home, but we are feelingthe effects.About two hours ago the junior officerswere called to the bridge to conductshiphandling drills. We were aboutto do a man overboard when we got acall from the Lutjens (D185), a Germanwarship that was moored ahead of uson the pier in Plymouth, England.While in port, the Winston S. Churchilland Lutjens got together for a sportsday/cookout on our fantail, and wemade some pretty good friends.Now at sea, they called over onbridge-to-bridge, requesting to pass usclose up on our port side to say goodbye.We prepared to render them honorson the bridgewing, and the Captaintold the crew to come topside to wishthem farewell.As they were making their approach,our Conning Officer announcedthrough her binoculars thatthey were flying an American flag. Asthey came closer, we saw that it was flyingat half-mast. The bridgewing wascrowded with people as the boatswain'smate blew two whistles—Attention toFINEST HOUR 112/11Port. As Lutjens came alongside we sawthat the entire crew of the German shipwere manning the rails in their dressblues. They had made up a sign thatread, "We Stand by You."Needless to say there was not a dryeye on the bridge as they stayed alongsideus for a few minutes and we cutour salutes. It was probably the mostpowerful thing I have seen in my entirelife and more than a few of us fought toretain our composure.The German Navy did an incrediblething for this crew. It's amazing tothink that only sixty years ago thingswere quite different. It has truly beenthe highest point in the days since theattacks.To see the unity that is beingdemonstrated throughout Europe andthe world makes us all feel proud to beout here doing our job. We are nolonger at liberty to divulge our locationover unsecure e-mail, but we could nothave asked for a finer day at sea.After the Lutjens pulled away andwe prepared to begin our man overboarddrills the Officer of the Deckturned to me and said, "I'm stayingNavy." I'll write you when I know moreabout when I'll be home, but for now,this is probably the best news that Icould send you. Love you guys. »>