The Great Boat Lift of 9/11 became the largest sea evacuation in history, larger than the evacuation of Dunkirk in WWII, where 339,000 British and French soldiers were rescued over the course of 9 days. On 9/11, nearly 500,000 [American] civilians were rescued from Manhattan by boat and took less than 9 hours.
Thank you to Reinette Senum, who apologizes in advance for Tom Hanks being the narrator.
“9/11 Boatlift. Raise your hand if you have heard this story.”
When speaking to groups in the past, I asked people to put their hands in the air who had heard this most remarkable event that occurred on September 11th, 2001.
I have only ever received a smattering of hands from any crowd.
So, why is 9/11 Boat Lift, An Untold Tale, still the most untold American act of heroism? Why is it that every American schoolchild can’t recite this story? Why hasn’t a Hollywood movie been made of this extraordinary feat? Or become a favorite bedtime story?
9/11 Boat Lift: A story that the average American has never heard because it’s an elixir for despair and inaction
Is it because it is too empowering? Highlights our true potential? Or is it because it reflects what WE THE PEOPLE, can really do when banded together?
A CALL FROM LAHAINA?
This brings me to Lahaina, and not the latest distraction — Burning Man and their permanent mud bath — but Lahaina because the occupation of that sacred land is still underway, and it represents our future if we don’t draw the line in that tropical sand.
Most people draw a blank look when I mention the need for a proverbial line in the sand—even the ones who understand what is at stake.
People feel powerless. Unable to help. Unorganized. Overwhelmed. Paralyzed.
Not only is our inaction unnecessary, it’s dangerous. We have to do something NOW and have proven we can do anything we put our minds and hearts to.
So, I will draw upon the most remarkable rescue in history as a shining example of our untapped potential: the 9/11 Boat Lift rescue.
The 10-minute documentary below (narrated by Tom Hanks, sorry about that) is worth a watch…. even if you have seen it in the past, watch it again. My truncated version and personal commentary are at the top of this post.
THIS story represents who we are as a humanity. THIS is what we are built of. While those in power don’t want us to remember this, the time is now to do just that: Call upon the ancient memory of who-we-are and how powerful we are (particularly in numbers) and set our collective selves into action.
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