West Virginia Public Broadcasting
Telling West Virginia's Story
For a little more than a century, there’s been at least one concentration camp somewhere on earth. The fact that camps still exist and that humans can justify forcing other humans into such inhumane living conditions is the “us and them” dynamic taken to the most vile extreme.
For this episode, Trey interviews journalist Andrea Pitzer, author of One Long Night: A Global History of Concentration Camps. She says that the legacy of camps started in Cuba and continues there to this day.
Governor Earl Ray Tomblin, Secretary of State Natalie Tennant and members of the State Police, National Guard, Air National Guard and others rang the ceremonial bell on the state Capitol’s north courtyard Friday after laying a wreath at the memorial for fallen firefighters.
.@govtomblin lays a wreath at the Fallen Firefighters Memorial on the state Capitol grounds to commemorate 9/11. #NeverForget A video posted by West Virginia Public News (@wvpublicnews) on Sep 11, 2015 at 7:00am PDT
The governor shared his memories of September 11, 2001, after the bell ringing. Tomblin was tying his tie, getting ready for a special session of the West Virginia Legislature as the first plane hit the World Trade Center. At the time, he was serving as Senate President.
“Any American who was alive and old enough to remember that day and the attack on our country is one that they will remember for the rest of their lives,” he said.
Ceremonies of remembrance were held across the state Friday morning to commemorate the anniversary.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) – Gov. Tomblin has ordered all flags at state facilities lowered to half staff in remembrance of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
Nearly 3,000 people died 13 years ago when hijacked airplanes crashed into the World Trade Center in New York, the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., and in a field near Shanksville, Pa.
Tomblin asked that residents observe a moment of silence at 8:46 this morning – the time the first plane struck the north tower in New York. Another jetliner struck the Pentagon at 9:37 a.m.
Tomblin plans to attend wreath laying and bell ringing ceremonies on the grounds of the state Capitol in Charleston.
This morning Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin laid a wreath near the Fallen Firefighter’s Memorial on the State Capitol grounds to mark the twelfth anniversary of the attacks on September 11, 2001.
On this day 12 years ago, Governor Tomblin was serving as Senate President in the State Legislature. He said he first heard reports of the planes striking the World Trade Center as he was getting ready for the day while the legislature was in special session. Tomblin said he rushed to the Capitol and watched the rest of the day’s events unfold.
“It was one of those times when we had a quick session. Everyone was very concerned. We had never really experienced anything like this before. Shortly thereafter, I sent the members of the Senate home, our staff home. People were just stunned and didn’t know what was going to happen next,” said Tomblin.
Tomblin also met briefly with first responders and officials from the state Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management at the ceremony, including Frank Kennedy.
Now a training officer with the state Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, Kennedy responded to the September 11 attacks as a marine patrol officer with the East Hampton, N.Y. Police Department. Having patrolled the perimeter of the World Trade Center for 36 hours until the National Guard could be deployed, Kennedy said it took a while to learn about those he knew who perished in the attack.
“It’s an exceedingly tough day. It’s a day I probably don’t watch the news at all,” said Kennedy. “I lost six friends that were NYPD officers and five friends that were FDNY officers–people I grew up with and had known my whole life.”
Upon retirement, Kennedy moved to West Virginia to be close to his son and decided to go back to work with the Department of Homeland Security, a move he said somewhat helps him cope with the experience of being on the scene in New York City 12 years ago. He said it’s also helped him see the importance of the work of first responders.
“It’s not just New York that was affected. Obviously, D.C. was affected, Pennsylvania and very well West Virginia could have been affected if that plane had flown a little longer,” said Kennedy.
“I think it is something every American should be concerned about and remember because there was people running in while other people were running out. That’s the nature of first responders.”
