Ain’t Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me Around

Ain’t gonna let nobody Turn me around!/ Turn me around! Turn me around! Ain’t gonna let nobody turn me around/I’m gonna keep on a - walkin’ keep on a - talkin’ Marchin’ up to freedom’s land!

For me this is an important song to remember as we embark upon our duty of acknowledging to our DIVINE PROVIDENCE - the lives that were lost in the tragedy of September 11, 2001.

Before the eyes of a horrified world, the Twin Towers in New York, the Pentagon in Washington D.C. And a field in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, became the gravesites for thousands of innocent people. Yet these innocent victims provided us with clear and convincing evidence of the strongly influenced values of loyalty, love
and labor that leaves no doubt that even as the clock of life winds down we will let nobody turn us around in our pursuit of liberty and justice for all.

We share here today our understanding:

That the clock of life is wound but once,
and no man knows the hour,
Just when those hands will stop,
at late or early hour.

“Now” is the only time we own,
to live, to love, and work with a will.
We place no faith in tomorrow,
for the hands may then be still. (Anon )

In a New York minute the hands of the clock of life stood still and our world changed. A year ago today our nation suffered a chronology of terror, and torment followed by the electrifying and horrifying shock ofthat moment when the hands on the clock of life stood still.

Four airplanes, their passengers and crew. The Pentagon and a number of innocent workers, the World Trade Center and thousands of blameless victims who were within those walls met with extermination by evil doers.

GAZING UPON THE DESTRUCTION, DEBRIS AND DEVASTATION THAT CLUTTERED THEIR MONUMENTAL TRIALS on that tragic day we know of nothing that has communicated with greater intensity the courage, control and character of our Firefighters, our Police Officers, our emergency service workers and our civilian heros and sheros with greater grit, gumption and guts, than did that horrifying
day.

Nothing has communicated a more powerful persistence, perseverance and purpose of our Firefighters, our Police Officers, our emergency service workers and our civilian heros and sheros than the events of that demonic day.

Nothing has evidenced with more fervor the colossal backbone, boldness and bravery of our people than did the tragedy of 9-11. We were shaken but not destroyed.

Our greatness as a nation was emphatically demonstrated that day when, “ground zero” became the “ground of heros and sheros,” consecrated by courageous firefighters, police officers, emergency workers and civilians who rose like a Phoenix out of the ashes of hate in profound acts of valor, striving to heal our nation, and they would let nobody turn them around.

Those Role Models of Excellence were the ones who actually stepped in harms way -those stouthearted and resolute men and women who’s faces were scared by the debris, the dirt and the excruciating crush of concrete, steel and glass came forward again and again confronting their fears and with great heroism, with great
devotion sacrificed themselves in the worthy mission of that greater love - laying down their lives so that others may live.

Many of those men and women who’s only fault was that they got up and went to work that fateful day - an act that caused many of them to toil and to die in the furnace of the inexpressible cruelties of frenzied, and fanatical fiends of destruction.

As a tribute to those who’s lives were lost, to their families and to ourselves we must make real the covenant of democracy. We must support our noble cause to protect our precious freedom and rise to the challenge of pursuing justice for the crimes inflicted upon us, without inflicting more senseless pain and suffering on other innocent people.

Now is the time to root out the evil of irrational acts of terrorist because,

We only have a minute/
Sixty seconds in it/
Its forced upon us/
We cannot refuse it/
We did not seek it/
We did not choose it/

But it is up to us to use it/
Give account if we abuse it/
Suffer if we lose it/
It’s a tiny little minute/
But eternity is in it! (Dr. Benjamin Mays)

In this minute, we call upon GOD to Bless America, and we call upon this time in eternity to bring to life the heroic words of Flight 93s TODD BEAMON “LET’S ROLL.”

LET’S ROLL toward a greater purpose of Providence, prudence and prosperity for our brothers and our sisters who died so that we might live.

LET’S ROLL toward a calm, yet steadfast solution to the terror and global catastrophes that undermines world peace.

LET’S ROLL and not forget the injuries to our people, to our country and those who inflicted the wounds upon us as a clear message to not only right the system that we are in, but to right the system that is in us as well.

LET’S ROLL until the dark and depressing midnight of man’s malignity to man is brought into a brilliant sunrise of love and protection for all of GOD’S children.

LET’S ROLL and not yield nor rest until liberation flows down like water and freedom cascades like a mighty stream.

LET’S ROLL until these words ring true for all of our people:

0 beautiful for spacious skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain!
America! America!
God shed His grace on thee,
And crown thy good
With brotherhood,
From sea io shining sea!

Words By: Katherine Lee Bates

When these things are done and the archives of this time are reviewed by future generations, the researchers will have to pause and declare that ” there lived a great people, an AMERICAN people - who dared to inject the abiding love of humanity and the unchanging will of GOD into the bloodstream of creation.” This is our prayer and this our purpose. And we will let nobody turn us around.