It may be the 6th anniversary of the bombing, but
there are still very
strong feelings. I found this woman's approach
interesting. Hope you do
as well.
Donna worked the bombing site. She recently received
a excerpt of Timothy
McVeigh's book, and this is her response:
Dear Friends,
I will not forward the excerpt fro! m the book that
has been written by two
reporters and a couple of shrinks about Tim McVeigh.
It was sent to me by someone I respect, and I have
checked it out to be
sure that the quote was accurate. And, it was.
I fully expected to read this book. I wanted to know
a lot of things. And,
I believe that the book is an accurate account of what
Tim McVeigh has
said. I wanted to know why he picked Oklahoma City. I
wanted to know if he
implicated anyone else.
I wanted to know if he took responsibility.
But, I won't read the book. After reading the excerpt
I know that it
doesn't matter. It won't change a thing.
I have to address this. So, buckle up, because here
goes. And, before I
start this tirade, I want to say that what follows I
know to be fact
because I saw it. My husband sat up a tent across the
street from the
building, right next to Little Caesar's pizza, who
also sat up a te! nt and
made pizza's on the spot. Jim's company don! ated all
the coffee and tea and
equipment, and we funneled the water and cokes and
other supplies that were
donated through that little blue tent and to the
rescuers, and the workers.
So, we saw what happened, and we know. My husband,
whose heart is so soft
he swerves to miss a turtle on the highway, stood in
that carnage,
unflinching, on a knee the size of a basketball and
did everything he
could. This,to me, is the measure of a man.
Tim McVeigh says, and this is the only quote from the
man you'll get from
me "It was my choice and my control to hit that
building when it was full.
....I understand what they felt in Oklahoma City . I
have no sympathy for
them."
First of all, I don't think Tim McVeigh feels at all,
and second, no one in
Oklahoma City asked for any sympathy of any kind.
Least of all Tim
McVeigh's.
While he was cowering away from the scene, with ear
plugs in his ears, the
people of my t! own were running toward the mess he
had created. There were
not just 168 bodies to be recovered. There were almost
1000 injured people
to be triaged and helped. That was done. And, it was
done with a speed and
an accuracy that stunned the people who came later to
help us.
Our construction companies had cranes in place within
the first hour. Our
hardware companies turned their shelves over to the
effort. Vets came to
help with the rescue animals. Doctors came and worked
along side
construction workers and lay people. Engineers kept
that wreck standing
until all but three bodies were recovered And no
matter what the
conspiracy people say, that was a damned miracle. When
the wind blew, even
a little, that building swayed and groaned so loud it
was audible for
blocks.
When other States sent rescue units to help us, my
town fed them, clothed
them, held their heads when they vomited at the
carnage and comfort! ed them
when they cried.
Being close to that buil! ding wasn't easy during
those 19 days. It was
bloody, it stank, and it was dangerous. And, in spite
of this, we had
trouble getting people to stand down and take a rest.
Thank you, New York Urban, and Phoenix, and Fairfax,
and Dade County, and
Denver, and Everyone else who came. You showed up on
our door step like a
good neighbor, with your equipment, and tears in your
eyes, and we will
forever be in your debt. You are heroes to the
person, and always in my
prayers. Saint Michael's heart beats in you all.
Buildings around the site stood wide open. Their
foundations sprung to the
extent that their doors wouldn't lock. But, locking
the doors wouldn't have
mattered anyway, since the windows were all gone.
There was not one
incident of looting. Not one.
And, Joe Q. American did everything else. By
midnight, that first day, we
had an ample supply of blood for all. I saw people
lined up around the
Oklahoma B! lood institute. Hundreds of people lined
up, waiting for hours,
to donate their blood.
Business men in suits talked casually to homeless
people who felt the blast
and came.
And, the rescuers didn't just exist on dry sandwiches.
Oh no. Little
Caesar's, and the Outback, and Subway, and local
Barbecue and Steak houses,
and Hooter's, and Taco Bell, and Sonic, and other's
too numerous to
mention, some from Texas and Kansas fed everyone well.
And for free. And
this wasn't easy. Food had to labeled as to date,
origin, and time of
arrival, and kept clean and cold in a very
inhospitable environment. And,
this was done. Everyone at the site was sick, but it
was never because of
the food.
And, by the way, this was all done with a finesse that
preserved ample
evidence to get Tim McVeigh's sorry ass strapped to a
gurney and taken care
of. That coward won't kill anyone else's babies.
While we tended to the needs of the res! cuers, the
FBI, the ATF, FEMA, and
the Oklahoma City Pol! ice Department worked around
us, and under our feet,
sometimes with tweezers, and plastic bags, picking up
minute pieces of the
barrels that held the explosives, and pieces as big as
the axle of the
Ryder Rental truck. They were professionals all, and
sensitive to our
feelings.
When the authors wanted to donate a portion of the
proceeds from the book
to our Memorial, the Memorial committee quietly said
"no thank you." I am
so glad, and so proud of them. No sympathy, or no
money needed here. We'll
handle it, thank you.
Don't buy the book. Send the $20. to the Memorial, or
to the Red Cross, or
to the Education fund for the children of the victims,
or to the Oklahoma
City Fire Department, or the Phoenix Fire Department,
or Dade County, or to
Feed the Children.
This is not about Tim McVeigh. It's about the human
spirit. And, it's
here, and it thrives, and it asks no sympathy.
Love to All,
Donna Prather
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Lori Aka Fee @)>---'--,--
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