Charlotte, NC

Hip–hop. Rap. To many suburbian Charlotteans, the sound of “hip-hop” music conjures up images of downtown crime and illicit drugs.
Those images, unfortunately, tarnish what (and we have to face this) is a permanent and (yes) musical part of our society.
But what, exactly, is this phenomenon all about? It’s the new “bonga-bonga” music that sends local parents into a frenzy, thinking that their kids are going to be “infected” by it and turn into juvenile delinquents.

Ummm … pardon me, but … didn’t we hear something like that from our parents, so many years ago? They tuned into WBTV that night in February of 1964 to see a group of rowdy, musical kids calling themselves beetles or something — and, they swore, following those boys would be the ruination of us all! They had surely lost us to the grasp of the devil himself!

But wait a minute. Is this really something all that new?? I mean, back-in-the-day on radio stations like WKTC and WSOC, we heard guys like Ray Stevens “rapping” in something called Gitarzan, and, before that, there was Sheb Wooley’s That’s My Pa. Okay, maybe it was pretty much a country thing — this “spoken-word song” — for awhile, but, as far as the style goes, it’s not so new after all.

So let’s move on to the old “turntable” mix. Simple, yes … but, then again, some kids in Liverpool took simple items like washboards, tea chests (they made basses from them), guitars and kazoos to play something called skiffle. CCR has the best description of that “Down On The Corner” music of any song.

And as far as the synthetic loops used to make the background (both of these styles, by the way, are found at Club Mixx and Liquid Lounge): it comes from the day when they didn’t have the money to pay for big backup, so they had to turn to what was available … and economic. Our generation would’ve done the same, had it been handy back then — ask the guys who usedta be with the Chaparrals, Paragons or even my old group, Hy-Que. However, I believe it has been overdone a bit — especially with stars who now can afford more …

Now … the lyrics. Of course, this is the sore point for most parents. When you look at what many of these singers had to go through as they were growing up (poverty, prejudice, domestic violence — even here in parts of the Queen City back in the ’60s and ’70s), you can see they needed an outlet for their emotions. Since actual thugging (criminal behavior) had serious legal consequences, they put it all in their music.

People, we can’t say it ain’t true: What’d we do in the late Sixties, with the ‘Nam, race riots, and inequality? We took it to the streets, and the Establishment would haul us into cells. So guys like Country Joe and the Fish, Electric Flag and others put this angst in their music.

Of course, like in our time, there were some that let that anger out in a hostile way beyond the stage and studios. That, however, is the exception, when you look at the performers in the genre as a whole.

The bottom line is that hip-hop’s been given a bad rap. It’s danceable thanks to the beat, meaningful due to the lyrics (of course, you’ve got to be selective here), and an important part of our musical history.

More on this in the next blog …

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Ahhhh, biking! Early morning, cool breeze, relaxing … and saving the money we woulda used on gas for a steaming cup of hot coffee …

Not bad, huh?? Well, that chance might just be coming soon. Y’see, the city chiefs are inviting us to a powwow on Wednesday week (October 10) to help them come up with a good bike plan for Charlotte.

It’s set to make us a more bike-friendly city (and, if I can give a quick plug here, it can happen! In my travels — especially around places like Abingdon and Damascus, Va. — I’ve seen the biking trails, lanes, etc … and it works!) They’ll be talkin’ about getting those things, but also stressing education, enforcement and awareness of safe cycling and traffic behaviors (and, man, that’s important. One of my other stops — around the Kentucky border — shows that you’ve gotta have bike-smarts if you’re gonna be out there! A couple of kids were nearly killed by not watching the traffic!).

Now, it’s gonna be from 5:30-7:30 PM on October 10. Just go to the CharMeck Government Center on East 4th Street and look for Room 267, okay? I’m told that if you wanna know more, call Project Manager Ken Tippette at 704-336-2278, or email him at ktippette@ci.charlotte.nc.us. Since you’re already on the web, why not fill out their internet survey at http://www.charmeck.org/Departments/Transportation/Home.htm. ? That’ll help “speed” things up a bit, I reckon …

Oh … when your kids are riding, be sure to remind them to

• Bike with the traffic — not against! That’s for walkers.
• Wear safety gear (helmets, knee padding and even drivers gloves are the standard these days)
• Don’t “show off”! That stuff can get you killed on the streets! Save stunts for your own yard, okay?
• And always … always … ALWAYS watch out for traffic! It doesn’t take but one small wobble in the wrong direction to send you to glory!
• Let your parents know your routes … and where you are! Don’t take any chances, should anything happen (and I don’t just mean crime! You could be seriously injured, get lost, be a long distance and your bike crash — and you have no way home!)

So a “bike-friendly” city?? SURE! But let’s make sure we have some bike-friendly drivers while we’re at it, okay?

Have ya ever had an old friend you wanted to look up, but couldn’t find ‘em anywhere? It’s like they dropped off ol’ terra firma here, or was abducted by aliens or Californians or something!

I’ve checked all over the Queen City area for certain friends from the past with the same drive and determination with which I’ve looked for my sanity … and they also keep evading me! Of course, it’s not unusual for this to happen, since I haven’t seen most of them since the 1940s. All right …plus thirty-five years, then. Heck … I wasn’t hatched until the ’50’s!). They’ve all grown into adulthood (with the exception, maybe, of John Bultmann, who’s bound forever to be a kid at heart, I think), have families, bills, jobs that can take them away from the area and people they know. Either that, or they’re stuck on I-77, out of gas.

Still, memories are a good thing if we use them right … and, if old friends have touched your life, maybe changing it in some way (there were a few ‘70 Garinger Grads who did that … well, except for one, who touched my wallet. Wonder what he did with that $1.37, anyway?), you’ll always keep them in your heart … in your life …. even if you never see them again in person.

So, if I never hear what happened to John, Buster, Jim, Bill, Dennis, Mary Ellen, Tommie and the rest … they’ll always be with me in spirit and heart. I thank them all for their time in my life …

WHOOOOOOOO?!?!?

Okay … so I also work in rasslin’ a bit (announce, write, etc.). And I’m a Charlottean, so I have a bit of appreciation for the charisma and stamina of Ric Flair. He had a long and illustrious career with AWA, Mid-Atlantic (where I teethed), WWF, WCW, WWE and other well-known ring-letters.

But … a financier?? Of mortgages? Well, I … guess it’s all right; Ric always did have a “flair” for financial sensibility and investment. But can you imagine being late for a payment? I mean, who’d you rather see at your door to collect: A scrawny, overage dude with horn-rimmed glasses and a bow-tie, sounding like the cartoon Underdog and enough Vitalis in his hair to polish your car? Or … or an angry Ric Flair?

Actually, I hear Ric’s doing a fine job, and, seriously, he can be strict but extremely fair. He’s dealt with almost all situations, people from every economic plane, and has had more than a few non-grappling bumps himself. So I wish him well.

Now … before I sign off, remember the water-rules around the QC as-I-speak … keep an eye on your youngsters (especially around big dogs. Remember the Observer story?) … and I’ll see ya tomorrow!

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Get ready to rock, Charlotte …
because, if the videos of their rehearsals are any indication, the supergroup of the ’80s, Van Halen, will be bringing the house down on Thursday night at the Bobcats Arena.

Eddie Van Halen (for the uninitiated, he’s the lead guitarist and backing vocal. He was the one married to Valerie Bertinelli for so long), son Wolfgang Van Halen (bass), brother Alex Van Halen (drums … and, by now, you’ve got to know where they came up with the band’s name!) and the returning madman, David Lee Roth, on vocals, can still put together one of the most powerful sets in rock music. They’re definitely worth going to see. But, to sweeten the musical pot,

you’ll see Ki-Mani Marley, son of the legendary reggae artist Bob Marley. His music is as solid and feel-good as his late father’s, and he does a tight, lively set to intro the “main event” of the evening.

Just how good is this show (the starting point for their national reunion tour)? So good that tickets are already sold out! But you still might get a couple if you go to eBay, Craigslist, check the Charlotte Observer’s ads or visit Stubhub.com.

Remember when Elvis sang “All I needed was the rain …”? Well, it looks like that’s the only thing that’ll keep us from havin’ an all-out water restriction here in Pantherland!

Y’see, Duke Energy and the CharMeck Utilities Department said Wednesday that we oughtta turn off our lawn sprinklers and stop “water-intensive” reseeding or planting the yard until more rain falls. It’s kinda hard for folks to take, considering that so many of ‘em are into their yardwork now that it’s a tad bit cooler. But they’ve said, unless we all becomes ultra-conservative with the H2O, they’re gonna have to put some serious restrictions on its usage — and that could happen as early as next week. Those restrictions are to be stronger than the ones we had in the ’80s.

Now, we already have water-use ordinances (called Stage 2 restrictions) — and, if ya don’t obey ‘em, you can be fined (so far, 427 fines have dented quite a few wallets here). What the ordinance means is that you can’t wash your cars and can only water your lawn twice a week. But you can hand-water lawns — you know … stand there and look bored while you water it with a hose and nozzle … and it’s okay to do that any day.

So, now — barring any more “sky juice,” we might be headin’ into Stage 3, which will limit lawn watering to once a week — and add a few more restrictions. If it gets realllllllllly bad, though, then we’ll be forced to go into Stage 4 which will restrict all outside water use! When that happens, it’ll mean Charlotte’s reservoirs are in a really bad way …

Until this drought is over and done with, let’s “stick with the program,” okay? We’ll be saving our water supply, our money (fines can be expensive, y’know!) … and keep the ITYS from hurting our feelings (”ITYS”: “I Told You So!!”)

ABOUT YESTERDAY’S POST

I’ve already heard from readers who say I was a little tough on those teens who were causing trouble in Garinger, etc. Sorry, but I stand behind what I said; and, sadly, to corroborate those words was a story that appeared in the Charlotte Observer today. Another youngster was arrested for carrying a concealed weapon (a gun) at Olympic High. The loaded .22 caliber weapon was found after he “verbally and physically attacked” the principal.
We can all work toward keeping this from happening again, Charlotte! All it takes is keeping the eyes and ears perked up for anything out of the ordinary, the mouth ready to report it … and a heart to try and help these kids.
When we work together and sincerely try to help our children, we’ll see some magnificent changes in our young people. And, after all, that’s all the Queen City actually has to ensure a future.

Tell me something: What’s happening to our TEENS around here??
On Tuesday, some rough-house kids climbed into the emergency door of a CMS bus that was carrying students from Midwood High — and attacked one of them! And there were three incidents just yesterday at Garinger High involving more troublemaking young people!
Look … there’s got to be a way to stop this nonsense before it gets seriously worse! Although these events can happen anywhere, Charlotteans are hard-pressed to find ways to stop potentially-dangerous situations such as the ones that took place over the past couple of days:

• The break-in of bus 330 (which was carrying rising ninth graders who are having a hard time academically) — and the assault on one of the students.
• A Garinger student accused of pushing and choking the principal!
• Three other students from the same school accused of stealing a car, and
• A student riding bus 475 who’s accused of throwing things out the bus window, striking a car, Fortunately, no one in the car was injured.

It goes beyond the school campuses, however.

WSOC-TV news is reporting that, in a North Charlotte neighborhood, two young teens on bicycles have been terrorizing neighborhoods — robbing pizza delivery drivers, a produce seller and even a construction worker — at gunpoint. While these crimes have continued, people are blaming their parents for the children’s criminal behavior.

Undoubtedly, the kids in question, if arrested and found guilty, should have to pay a fitting price for their shenanigans. But parents can and should keep a closer and more concerned eye on their children; still, the two best keys for stopping situations like these are open communication with our kids — and a community that will come together and teach, through example and genuine guidance (teaching them patiently and being accessible to them if they ever have problems), so they’ll understand the repercussions and consequences of what they do.

In my travels throughout the country, I’ve seen a few places even “adopt” the rougher or misbehaving children. Here’s how it works: Members of a church, a YMCA or concerned citizens group will meet and draw up a list of troubled teens (sometimes with assistance from police or social-service orgs) who obviously need assistance. Sometimes, they’ll be from poor families; often, sadly, they’ll be from families who seem to be neglecting or rejecting them.
Then they meet with the parents (or guardians) of these children and offer their services to help the child in sort of a “Big Brother/Big Sister” manner. If an agreement is made, they’ll actively try to help the child in many ways: bringing up his/her grades, give a positive substitute for the anger, “pranks” and listen to the kids whenever they have problems. Some places have safe spots where the youngsters can relax without worry about drugs, alcohol or fights.

It all boils down to one big word: LOVE.

Heads up, Charlotte — you’re in for a real treat this weekend! Y’see, The India Association of Charlotte is hosting the 13th annual Festival of India in uptown Charlotte this Saturday and Sunday! It’s a great way to enjoy the music, dance, food and other cultural delights of our Asian-Indian community!

Now, this year’s event is a little different from the others (if you’ve gone before — and how could you think to miss it?) in that all the performances will be at the Belk Theater. There’s no assigned seating, so you can come-and-go as you please while you enjoy the entertainment onstage!

One of the favorite parts of the Festival, according to many who’ve attended in the past, is wide variety of delicious Indian food that’ll be served up by great eateries like Woodlands, Cafe Nirvana and Namaste. ANd it’s soooo easy to buy food there, because ya do it with tokens (and ya get a great deal there: nine for $10, 20 for $20). Most of the food items cost 3 to 5 tokens apiece, so you can actually fill your bellies there cheaper than ya can at most restaurants! You’ll also get to see some wonderful displays on the regions of India (my favorites are Bombay and Luchnow), arts and various literature. Indian jewelry, clothing, CDs and DVDs will also be available for sale.

There’s something that everyone can learn at the Festival: you can watch how mehndi (henna), a decorative dye, is applied, see what you’d look like wearing a sari, learn more about their different spices and the Indian kitchen, and even instructions on Indian musical instruments (I understand that includes the eclectic sitar, made famous by Ravi Shankar and also used by The Beatles on songs like The Inner Light).

Now, there are about 2,000 Asian-Indian families in the Queen City area, and each one of those families are a welcome addition … and blessing … to this area! And what you’ll find at the Festival of India is more than just great food, music and more; you’ll gain a deep appreciation for one of the most respected and historic cultures in the world.

The Festival will be at the Blumenthal Performing Arts Center (130 N. Tryon St.) and run from 11 AM to 6 PM this Saturday and Sunday! And it’s free to the public!

If you wanna learn more about the Festival, or get more details, just go to http://www.festivalindia.org.
DON’T MISS IT, OKAY?

Readers, we’ve got a lot of good fun comin’ up this weekend … and ya don’t wanna miss a minute of it! For the 43rd straight year, the famous Festival In The Park, will be up and running from Thursday to Sunday in Freedom Park.

This mix of art, fun, music and more has been a tradition in this city since 1964, and enjoys one of the highest attendances of any festival in the Piedmont. For years, first as a young teen, then with kids of my own, I’ve made a point to be at the park on Festival days — and have always been amazed by the different license-plates you’ll see (Once, I even saw one from Hawaii, and, for days, wondered how it got here!).

There are some exciting things to see this year: The kids’ area is twice the size that it was last year, with more inflatables, a climbing wall, train rides, and, for the first time, Ferris Wheels! The pony rides are still there, in a shaded area nearby.

You’ll find live entertainment on five different stages this go-’round, with some regional “biggies” boogeyin’ each night: On opening night, you’ll have big band and swing music by Doug Burns and the From the Top Big Band. Friday, you’ll get down with Latino rock by a group called Peralta. Saturday, you’ll be revisiting the Sixties with the Beatlesque Spongetones, and Sunday you can shag to the beach music of the Catalinas.

Naturally, you’ll have the famous Art Walk, where some of the best local artists display their talents, loads of food, and … well, ya just gotta come down (or up, or over) and join us!

Now, remember: Ya can’t have pets in the park, skates or skateboarding or bicycles (unless you’re just walkin’ ‘em through) and, folks, remember: This is a family event, so NO ALCOHOL!.

The Festival’s gonna run from 6-10 p.m. Thursday (that’s when crowds are smallest, so you can get more out of it, I’ve learned), 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 10 a.m.-6 p.m. on Sunday.

Harlan Creech, of east Charlotte, is turning 95 years old this week. That may not be unusual to most people, but, instead of playing bridge or doing things that others his age enjoy for birthdays, he’s probably going to celebrate at his favorite spot: in front of the piano keyboard.

He’s figured “it’s never too late to learn”, and is revelling in discovering the beauty of playing the 88’s — turning different notes into Mozart or learning Over The Rainbow.

Though he knows he’s not a great pianist, he feels good knowing that he’ll soon turn out respectable versions of hymns his wife, Beckie, used to play.

“If you get moody or blue, you just sit down at the piano and it lifts you out of the gloomy attitude,” he says. “The sun is shining and the earth’s not dead and people are wonderful. Everything’s right.”

When his wife died in 1996, Creech almost gave up living himself. But a friend intervened and gave him some advice. “Stop feeling sorry for yourself. What you need to do is get busy doing things for others.” That friend was in her 90s herself.

So Harlan started visiting the sick, planting his own garden, making sauces and salsas from its produce. Two years ago, he went after his secret dream.

He schedules piano lessons twice a month, sandwiched between trips to the beach or mountains to play golf and bridge with friends he met in dance class. One of those friends is Dot Roberts, whose husband died the same year as his late wife. She’s now his girlfriend whose photos adorn his house right along with his Beckie’s.

The songs he’s learning on the piano — an instrument he’s longed to learn for years — along with the memories of his wife and the concern and encouragement given by his friends, children and Dot have breathed new life into him as the Charlotte sun shines brightly into his living room.

“I’ve begun a new chapter in my life,” he says. “I can make it what I want.”

So a quick Happy Birthday to Harlan Creech … and thanks for showing us local folk what it means to truly live …

In the wake of the attack on three Dade County (Fla.) police officers earlier today, let’s take a moment to reflect on our own keepers of the peace … and thank God they’re on the beat for us.

Of course, it wasn’t long ago when we lost two of our own: Officers Sean Clark, 34, and Jeff Shelton, 35. They were the first CMP officers to die in the line of duty in more than a decade. Today, in their (and other officers’) memories, a park is being considered for downtown Charlotte.

But have ya ever wondered what it’s like for them to be on patrol? Not only do they cruise the streets, visually studying the area for anything suspicious, but they have to keep their eyes peeled for every vehicular infraction, from inoperative taillights and expired license plates to DUIs and stolen cars. Of course, they have calls coming in from dispatch at times, directing them to a specific location to either remedy a crime or serve as back-up for another officer.

No matter where they are on the streets (or otherwise), they’re in a potential danger-zone. If a simple Volkswagen is pulled over for an expired tag, they have to be prepared in the event they come face-to-face with a trigger-happy driver or passenger. The same is true for any location call they receive; even the most seemingly harmless traffic stop or location-call could be their last on earth!

They also have to be prepared in the event they have to render first aid, whether CPR or simple tourniquet. Often, they have to use empathetic psychology, whether to talk down a suicide attempt or calm down a distraught parent.

And, while negotiating these, they have to abide by strict departmental rules and regulations themselves. To do otherwise can not only get them suspended/fired, but also can be enough to allow a suspect to walk away free on technicalities.

Now … imagine doing these things for up to twelve hours a day, six days a week, and perhaps be “on call” after-hours. And try to have a family life. And try to have a social or church life. And try to work on house projects. And handle any grief, guilt, nightmares or stress that comes from the job. Could you handle it?

So the next time you see a Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officer, remember to thank him or her for their hard work. After all, you can never tell: It might be the last time you see that officer in good health … or even alive!

They put themselves on the line every single day of the year … so we can live safely and peacefully here in the Queen City. And, for that measure of devotion and love for our people … our city … WE THANK THEM ALL!

Yesterday (September 12), a 9-year-old fourth-grader came to class at Briarwood Elementary as usual — except for a lump under his shirt, everything seemed normal.
That “lump” turned out to be a .380-caliber handgun in his waistband.
During class (perhaps with the fidgetiness associated with his age group), he pulled out a couple of same-caliber bullets and began playing with them. Another student saw him and told a teacher’s assistant, who, in turn, walked the youngster to the Principal’s office. It was then that the gun was discovered.

Now, this is the second time a firearm has been found in a Char-Meck school this year (and the year’s only begun!). Thanks to the speedy and proper response of our school cadre, these two incidents were remedied without incident.

Though Charlotte-Mecklenburg police Sgt. David Schwob said it wasn’t clear why the gun was in the child’s possession — and, fortunately, the weapon wasn’t loaded — there’s no actual “grey area” on this one:

You see, children — no matter where they are in these United States — normally get a handgun through:

• parents who haphazardly leave the weapon where a child can easily access it, or
• another adult who does the same (the child in question was living with a 21-year-old cousin), or
• a friend or another student who has the same access and “shares” the weapon with them.

In any case, the responsibility lies with adults who either forget to put any weapon they have in a safe place, OUT OF THE REACH OF ANY CHILDREN, who are too lazy to put their weapons up and out of reach, or, worst of all, don’t care if their children find the weapon or not!

The bottom line is that we, as adults, MUST be more vigilant and careful when it comes to any firearms that we have. These must be stored where no child of any age can get to them!

A question that begs answering is “What prompted this youngster to bring a gun to school in the FIRST place?” Sadly, the answer is as close as a television episode, a news broadcast or the internet. It’s our responsibility, as parents, to monitor our children’s web activities … and, along with relatives, teachers and even friends, talk with them (and, even more importantly, really listen to their input) about the seriousness of bringing weapons to schools — in fact, dealing with deadly weapons at all. If we can do that and always be available to listen or give sensible advice in love for our children, then the Queen City’s schools can stand out as the safest in the nation!

ONE MORE IMPORTANT WORD: The Eagle wants to thank the young student who saw his classmate playing with the live rounds and informed his teacher’s assistant. Whoever he/she is, that student is a real hero with an Eagle-eye … and this city is definitely proud of him (or her). We don’t need to know names, only motive … and it was the right thing to do at the right time!
It’s a pleasure to know that our future here in Crown Town is in the hands of children who are that sensible, courageous and vigilant.

On Monday, Sept. 10, the Queen City lost one of its legends to the hereafter. Dr. Reginald Hawkins — whose name is synonymous with the fight for equal rights in Charlotte and beyond — died at Carolinas Medical Center-Mercy campus.

“Doc Hawkins,” as his friends knew him, was a dentist and ordained minister who lived the cause of civil rights. He was vocal about it, with the spirit of the cause animating him like an evangelist: shouting, waving his arms, prancing about the stage, and telling his message ad-lib — he knew the message he had to get out, so there was no need for notes.

He actively fought for desegregation in local schools, hotels, restaurants, hospitals, Douglas (now Charlotte International) Airport, and the YWCA with the same passion that he brought to every podium, lecturn and audience. Outspoken and bluntly “laying it on the line” at times, he made a lot of whites (and some blacks) uneasy. But he had leagues of faithful followers.

Former mayor Harvey Gantt — the first African-American mayor of Charlotte — said, “Dr. Hawkins was a real pioneer, a fearless civil rights worker. He called it as he saw it.”

His “militant” (as the Charlotte Observer called him back in the early Sixties) stance came at a cost: in November, 1965, his house was bombed (along with fellow civil rights activists Kelly Alexander, Fred Alexander and Julius Chambers), and he was the target of harassing phone calls and shots fired at his house.

But Neitsche once said, “What doesn’t kill me makes me stronger.” “Doc” Hawkins was the embodiment of that statement; he believed so strongly in what he was doing that he kept on going — in fact, the violence aimed at him only appeared to give him more strength and initiative.

In 1968, he announced his candidacy for Governor of NC. He was only 44 years old. On the day Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. was brutally gunned down, he (King) was scheduled to be in NC for Hawkins’ gubernatorial campaign. And, although he was defeated both in 1968 and another attempt in 1971, he stirred the state — in fact, America, with amazing oratory:

“The establishment has discounted the poor, the black, the low-income and liberal whites. It had been divide and conquer. This is the dream I have for North Carolina: to bring us together, black and white.”
“Too long have black people sought a place at the bargaining table, only to receive the crumbs after dinner is over.”

Today, we are seeing a togetherness in Charlotte as never before … people who no longer have to “beg” for crumbs, but have a large piece of the social, economic and political pie. And it’s due, in large part, to this human dynamo who truly believed in his cause …
Asked how he would like to be remembered, Doc Hawkins gave a very simple but poignant answer:

“Having made a difference … and having the guts to have tried.“

There are a few of us who don’t remember exactly where we were when we saw the planes crashing into the World Trade Center six years ago … but none of us will ever forget it.

It was the day our great city … our great nation … wept.

The tragedy was the most indelible ever etched into the American psyche. And, with each step of those who ran to escape the falling concrete and steel, with each drop of sweat that fell from a worried fireman or police officer who tried to help, with each tear that trickled from a child’s eyes — one who knew his daddy or mommy was not coming home — our shock turned to utter rage against those who caused this to happen.

Here in Charlotte, literally hundreds knew or had ties to someone who perished in the buildings that day. Our city council quickly implemented plans to keep our own citizens safe. From the airport to our airwaves to our air-conditioned homes, we immediately began to “secure and reassure” ourselves and those around us.

Within hours, churches opened their doors to whoever wanted to enter and pray or meditate. A number of our people offered their services at what was to become known as “Ground Zero”. Various organizations took donations to help those injured — and the families of those who lost loved ones.

And, although a devious, hate-filled overlord from the Middle East was the alleged mastermind behind the attacks, the Queen City refused to follow other areas of our nation in branding all Mid-Easterners terrorists or supporters. Instead, we embraced those who were born there but chose to make Charlotte “home.” We knew it wasn’t their fault, but that, nationally, they’d bear the brunt of the guilt.

For that, we can be proud. For these cry with us as we remember that fateful day. They, too, are Americans … they, too, are Charlotteans …

They join us in remembering and reflecting on those who perished, as well as honoring the brave men and women who worked so feverishly to save lives that day, whether in the rubble of the Twin Towers, in the debris of a Pentagon wall … or on a plane destined to fall in a Pennsylvania field.
They join us in remembering, honoring, and praying those who lost their lives on one Day in History … one that, forever, will be known by three numbers: