Saturday was a typical day for volunteers organized by Central Berkshire Habitat for Humanity to join homeowners-to-be and some skilled trades professionals to put in a few hours building a new home. It was typical except for two differences: It was the first regular weekly Habitat workday since Covid-19 disrupted almost everything last year, and it marked 20 years since the terror attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.
Before work started, construction manager Brent Getchell, who is a former chief of the Sheffield Volunteer Fire Department, led a 20-minute ceremony on what will be the front lawn of a duplex on Pittsfield’s Madison Avenue. Getchell spoke about various experiences of his brother firefighters on “9/11” including dying in rescue efforts or getting sick and, in hundreds of cases, dying of cancer in the years to follow. Getchell concluded his remarks by reading the following from his cellphone.
When I am called to duty, God, wherever flames may rage,
give me strength to save a life, whatever be its age.
Help me to embrace a little child before it’s too late,
or save an older person from the horror of that fate.
Enable me to be alert to hear the weakest shout,
and quickly and efficiently to put the fire out.
I want to fill my calling and to give the best in me,
to guard my neighbor and protect his property.
And if according to your will I have to lose my life,
bless with your protecting hand my loving family from strife.
Afterward I told Getchell I was one of those “9/11 truthers,” people who question the official narratives of the September 2001 terror attacks. He didn’t seem to think I was a lunatic, so I told him I do a blog on 9/11 truth and would give him a copy of the web address.* He said he’d look at it. I wrote it down and Beth Frederick, one of the Habitat chapter’s organizers, took a picture of it and said she’d send it to him.
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The next day, Sept. 12, at Trinity Episcopal Church in Manhattan the celebrant and preacher was Presiding Bishop Michael Curry. The title of his 26-minute sermon: “Why We Go to the Mountain.” Watch and listen HERE. Presumably “truthers” who do will be forgiven for thinking the reason for going to the mountain is to avoid having to answer questions about whether the official government/media narratives about the terror attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, can possibly be true.
— Mark Channing Miller
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