Ladies & Gentlemen,

    The recent discussions which have occurred on this list which have tried to say, in essence, which was worse, Pearl Harbor or the World Trade Center attack, are a little specious and ridiculous.  The question of whether one or the other is worse or is the paramount example of a dastardly assault on America is a waste of time and effort.
    

    Trust me, to the men and women (and their family and friends) who suffered at the Pentagon, the WTC and on Flight 93, the degree of suffering was the same as it was for the men of the USS Arizona and the rest of the Pacific Fleet on that Sunday morning.


    It is high time that we in the history community get busy documenting events (interviews which help the firemen and policemen and other workers vent, gathering articles, tracking events our governments (local, state and federal) take to handle this new challenge, etc.) so our children and later generations can learn.  Just remember how much you wish someone had done a better job recording the events at Fort William Henry, Bushy Run, the signing of the Suffolk's Resolves, the reactions of soldiers during mobilization for the Civil War, etc.  

    Let us get to our work as a way of honoring all of our brothers and sisters who have died in defense of our liberties in this and past and (God forbid) future wars.


    John E. Buchanan
    Adj Prof, History
    ST Leo's University
    MAJ, US Army (Ret.)