Brit Designer of Only Underwater Sculpture to Muslim "Migrants" Has Second Installation Destroyed by Muslim Natives

Tweet

The late Coralarium at The Fairmont, Maldives

Jason deCaires Taylor is a British "eco-artist" who is famous for creating underwater sculptures, most recently on a large scale - installations that have been dubbed "underwater museums" or "sculpture parks."

Here is an excerpt from the Biography on his website:

A prolific sculptor, he became the first of a new generation of artists to shift the concepts of the Land art movement into the realm of the marine environment. He gained international notoriety in 2006 with the creation of the world’s first underwater sculpture park, situated off the west coast of Grenada in the West Indies. Now listed as one of the Top 25 Wonders of the World by National Geographic the park was instrumental in the government declaring the site a National Marine Protected Area. This was followed in 2009 when he co-founded MUSA (Museo Subacuático de Arte), a vast collection of over 500 of his sculptural works, installed between Cancun and Isla Mujeres in Mexico. 

Other major projects include Museo Atlantico (2016), a collection over 300 submerged sculptures and architectural forms in Lanzarote, Spain, the first of its kind in European waters. The Rising Tide (2016 Thames London) and Ocean Atlas a monumental 60-ton single sculpture located in the Bahamas. 

The works are constructed using pH neutral materials to instigate natural growth and the subsequent changes intended to explore the aesthetics of decay, rebirth and metamorphosis. His pioneering public art projects are not only examples of successful marine conservation, but works of art that seek to encourage environmental awareness, instigate social change and lead us to appreciate the breathtaking natural beauty of the underwater world.

As part of the installation in Lanzarote, Spain, he designed “The Raft of Lampedusa,” which, according to PBS News Hour,

shows a group of people huddled in a raft in an homage to French Romantic painter Théodore Géricault’s painting “The Raft of the Medusa.” The piece references Europe’s current refugee crisis, according to a statement on the project.

“The work is not intended as a tribute or memorial to the many lives lost but as a stark reminder of the collective responsibility of our now global community,” Taylor wrote

As far as I know, of the many artistic tributes to "migrants," this is the only one built underwater - 50 feet underwater, to be exact.

One of the ironies of Taylor's work is that for all of his sympathy for marginalized global communities, etc., his sculptures are generally only accessible to wealthy Western tourists who can afford expensive scuba gear or who have the means to stay in pricey beach resorts.

Obviously, I disagree with much of the artist's politics as well as the New Age silliness of his philosophy. 

But all of that said, I also happen to think many of his works are quite interesting.

Or, rather, some of them are dumb, some are ugly, some are silly, a few are beautiful, but many are just, well, fun. 

I highly recommend looking at his website and checking out the photographs of his diverse creations. As I understand it, most of the shots were taken by Taylor himself who is also a skilled underwater photographer. 

One of his most recent works was unveiled in July. It is (or was) the partially submerged box-shaped Coralarium at the Fairmont Hotel Sirru Fen Fushi on the Maldives Islands.

Guests at the resort could swim to the installation and explore it's exposed or underwater parts, the proportion varying according to the tides. Human figures in various poses populated the interior and roof.

Here is one enthusiastic recent review on Trip Advisor:

And here is part of the blurb:

Today is Wednesday, 5:00 PM, Maldives Time. Why is it "Closed Now"?

It turns out that the Coralarium fell afoul of Muslim religious opinion:

Last week, Maldives police boated across to the installation and destroyed it with pickaxes and sledgehammers.

Their little escapade was chronicled by the British tabloid The Sun:

Yes, they literally dragged one statue off by her hair.

Why did they destroy it? There had been no underwater statue of Muhammed, nor, as far as I can tell, were there any completely naked women, etc. Rather, it appears that the work violated the general Muslim rule against artistic depictions of people. The various three-dimensional figures were "idols," according to outgoing Maldives president Abdulla Yameen.

I do not know whether the cage-like superstructure itself was or will be spared. But I hope they leave the stripped down version - with its fun and joy removed - as a monument.

To Islam.

BREAKING: Fr. Paul Kalchik Leaves For Undisclosed Location After Chicago Archdiocese Threatens Forcible Removal by Police

Tweet

Fr. Paul Kalchik

Just hours ago, new Chicago Auxiliary Bishop Mark Bartosic arrived unannounced at Resurrection Parish on Chicago's Northwest side and told Pastor Paul Kalchik that he had just minutes to get his belongings together and vacate the premises or the police would be called to arrest him for trespassing.

Fr. Kalchik was about to perform a wedding.

Soon after, Fr. Kalchik left for an undisclosed location, accompanied by his brother who had been visiting the parish.

Bp. Bartosic performed the wedding instead, hastily slipping out the door of the church only seconds after concluding the ceremony.

Fr. Kalchik had been ordered by Cardinal Cupich and the archdiocese to report for psychiatric counseling and perhaps confinement yesterday after controversy broke concerning the exorcism and burning of a "gay rainbow flag" on parish grounds last week.

Fr. Kalchik had also called for Catholics to "boycott" masses celebrated by Cardinal Cupich due to Cupich's alleged involvement in the current clerical sex abuse scandal. 

The flag - a rainbow with a superimposed cross - had been unveiled above the altar by a previous pastor Fr. Daniel Montalbano in 1991 to signal that the parish would be "gay friendly." Later taken down, it was rediscovered only recently by Fr. Kalchik.

Fr. Montalbano, a confidante of Cardinal Bernardin passed away in 1997 at the age of 50.

Fr. Montalbano was found dead in a rectory room behind and above the altar, literally hooked up to a masturbation device.

Today, a small group of parishioners not involved in the wedding but who had heard of the sudden appearance of Bp. Bartosic, stood stunned outside the Church. The group also included two employees who were hastily told by the bishop to report to work as normal on Monday.

One of the parishioners, a Chicago policeman, told me of some of the bizarre events of the last week, including numerous threats of death and rape against Fr. Kalchik, at least two probable attempted break-ins or acts of vandalism, one of which included breaking keys into all the locks in the doors of the church office. And then there was the visit by two Archdiocese representatives, yesterday, ordering Fr. Kalchik to vacate his parish and commit himself into psychiatric confinement.

One of these was Fr. Dennis Lyle, the same prelate who had visited St. John Cantius a few months ago to inform parishioners that their pastor, Fr. Phillips, had been relieved of his position there.

Fr. Kalchik had written of his own psychological trauma after being molested as a boy and as a young adult by two men - one of them a priest - in separate incidents. It is assumed that he will not comply with the order of the archdiocese. He is not now "hospitalized" as some reports have suggested.

The parishioners outside told me that Fr. Kalchik, who has been at Resurrection Parish for eleven years, has the full support of his parish.

Many of them will no doubt only discover what happened, tomorrow, when coming to Mass assuming it will be celebrated by Fr. Paul, will instead encounter Bp. Bartosic.      

Chicago Archdiocese: We Knew Fr. McGrath was Living Next to a School but We Didn't Know He Was an Accused Anal-Rapist Pedophile (Even Though It Was Reported in All the Chicago Papers)

Tweet

Fr. Richard McGrath (pictures displayed on a board at the April 12th press conference given by Bob Krankvich and his lawyers)

According to my sources, Cardinal Cupich's office follows Mahound's Paradise assiduously.

They don't apparently read the Chicago Sun-Times as carefully, at least when it comes to its reporting on Illinois clerical sex-abuse cases.

In April of this year, Bob Krankvich, a man now in his 30's gave a press conference alleging that he had been groomed, molested and raped over a period of many months in 1995-96 by Fr. Richard McGrath the former principal of Providence Catholic High School in New Lenox, Illinois.

Krankvich was 13-15 at the time.

Fr. McGrath retired and left the school at the end of 2017 amidst a cloud of suspicion in a separate case when a female student reported seeing gay child porn on his cell phone.

The press conference and subsequent developments over the next few months were covered by the Sun-Times and the rest of Chicago media. Unsurprisingly, the New Lenox Patch also ran a number of stories on the case.

It was one of the more lurid clerical sex-abuse stories in Illinois for 2018. Here were some of the headlines:

Providence HS sued as prosecutors weigh charges against former principal (Chicago Sun-Times, April 12)

Ex-Providence Catholic president under investigation for alleged sexual abuse of student, police say (Chicago Tribune, April 12)

Former Providence Catholic High School student sues over sex abuse allegations (ABC7 Chicago, April 12)

Former Catholic school head sued for abusing student (Fox 32 Chicago, April 12)

New Lenox priest under criminal investigation for allegations of sexually abusing student (WGN9 Chicago, April 12)

Fr. McGrath Committed Anal Rape Of Providence Teen: Lawyer (New Lennox Patch, April 12)

Acting president of Providence Catholic officially taking over after predecessor retired amid investigation (Chicago Tribune, April 20)

A few months earlier, the Chicago Tribune had reported on the cell phone porn allegations, which had "stalled" (and then ended) when Fr. McGrath simply refused to hand over his cell phone to police.

Police close investigation into former Providence Catholic president facing criminal charges (Chicago Tribune, February 17, 2018)

Meanwhile, after the press-conference, the Patch continued to report:

Providence's Fr. McGrath Resurfaces In Chicago (New Lennox Patch, July 25)

New Lenox is in the diocese of Joliet, and Fr. McGrath is a member of The Midwest Augustinians. But he had now apparently "resurfaced" in the St. John Stone Friary in Hyde Park on Chicago's Southside, only yards away from both a preschool and a Catholic grade school.

This morning, the Chicago Sun-Times picked up on the story, adding a new piece of information:

Archdiocese didn’t tell schools priest in sex abuse probe was their new neighbor (Chicago Sun-Times, September 21)

Why didn't the archdiocese inform the schools? The answer was purportedly given by Chicago archdiocese spokesperson Paula Waters in an extraordinary statement, according to the Sun-Times. Waters claimed that while the archdiocese knew the former longtime Catholic high school principal was now living in Hyde Park it did not notify the schools because "it wasn’t aware McGrath is under investigation over sexual abuse allegations."

Is this answer credible?

I will withhold comment on that.

But maybe no one in Cupich's office ever saw any of those stories or forgot about them or whatever. They're busy people.

What were they doing on April 12?

I don't know, precisely.

But I do know this. April 12 was the second and final day of testimony in the Review Board investigation of Fr. Frank Phillips of St. John Cantius, the traditionalist priest charged with "improper conduct involving adult males." Fr. Phillips would later be exonerated, according to all credible reports, though the archdiocese would later strip him of his positions and faculties anyway and collaborate in effectively exiling him to St. Louis without any further explanation.

Archdiocese spokesperson Waters was caught making a number of false or questionable statements about that.

Everyone involved knows that the Cardinal and his office were a bit obsessive about the Fr. Phillips case. So maybe the story of a New Lenox High School Principal priest accused of the anal rape of a minor was temporarily a bit off their radar.

We all have our priorities.

Three New Auxiliary Bishops for Chicago Are All Graduates Of The Same "Pink Palace" Class of 1994

Tweet

Newly ordained Bishops Mark Bartosic, Robert Casey and Ronald Hicks

Yesterday, Cardinal Cupich ordained three new auxiliary bishops for Chicago - Mark Bartosic, Robert Casey and Ronald Hicks.

They have much in common.

All have solid resumes in parish, missionary and organizational work. Bishop Hicks is currently and will remain Vicar General of the Chicago archdiocese.

All are fluent in Spanish and have worked with Hispanic parishes and Hispanic Catholic organizations in the Chicago area.

They all appear to be firmly aligned with the "social justice" wing of the Catholic priesthood, especially and unsurprisingly as it relates to Central America and Hispanic issues in general.

But, most notably, all graduated from St. Mary of the Lake (known simply as "Mundelein") in the same year, 1994.

Yes, this was at the height of the period where Mundelein was regarded as one of the most prominent "gay" seminaries in the country.

It was nicknamed "The Pink Palace."

In Goodbye, Good Men, journalist Michael Rose uses numerous eyewitness accounts to paint a picture of the heavily charged homosexual atmosphere at Mundelein during the 1990's. Here is part of the testimony of then-seminarian Joseph Kellenyi:

"One hall in the seminary dorm," related Kellenyi," is nicknamed the 'Catwalk.' known as the residence of the more fashionable gays." "Catwalk," he explained, was a reference to the runways of fashion models, but also reflected the campy, feline-like personalities of those who lived in this area of the seminary. One member of the formation faculty in particular, he said, was known to take seminarians to high-profile gay events such as a popular gay production in Chicago's Lincoln Park.

According to Kellenyi and several other seminarians who attended Mundelein during the 1990's, one of the big events at the seminary was whenever a seminarian would "come out" as being a homosexually oriented person. The openly gay seminarians-to-be would do so by telling one or two of his closest friends, and, sure enough, the word of another "orientation proclamation," they said, would travel quickly throughout the halls of the seminary, especially to the formation faculty members. Oddly enough, attested Kellenyi, once a seminarian "came out," he would be wined and dined - literally - by certain faculty priests. "In my opinion," he said, "it's highly inappropriate to wine and dine any favorite students, orientation aside." But the special status given to openly gay seminarians, he said, is beyond the pale.

The gay subculture, said former Mundelein seminarians, was the dominant culture at Mundelein (p. 60).

Fr. Mark Bartosic

Kellenyi was a seminarian at Mundelein during the 1998-99 school year (five years after Bartosic, Casey and Hicks had graduated) during the tenure of rector Fr. John Canary. But Rose and others have indicated that the "gay subculture" was at least as prevalent, if not more so, in the early 1990's and before, under previous rector Gerald Kicanas.

Perhaps the most infamous gay child predator priest in the history of the Chicago archdiocese, Daniel McCormack, currently serving an indefinite term in a downstate facility for sex offenders, was also a member of the 1994 graduating class at Mundelein.

This disturbing coincidence of graduation dates was brought to my attention by the Rev. Paul Kalchik, pastor of Resurrection Parish on Chicago's Northwest Side, when I read his open letter to Pope Francis on the clerical sex abuse crisis, subsequently reprinted at the Church Militant website:

Another recent development that needs mention: The three priests slated to be elevated to the rank of bishop this coming month are all from the very same ordination class as former Fr. Daniel McCormack, Chicago's very worst, most notorious gay predator priest. I met Fr. McCormack once in 1995 right after he was ordained, and that very day I reported to seminary officials how off Fr. McCormack was!

At this point in time, it is all a matter of public record, Fr. McCormack was convicted and sent to jail. My question today is how could these three men live with a man like McCormack for four years, day in and day out, and not know or at least be suspicious of his character? Are they not already compromised if they knew or suspected what he was and did not say a thing? To say the least, I have serious reservations about these three classmates of McCormack all being raised to the episcopacy here in Chicago.

Kalchik of course does not directly accuse the bishop then-appointees of being homosexuals, let alone men implicated in child-sex abuse or its coverup. But his claim is that, at the least, a red flag should be raised.

Fr. Robert Casey

Was it possible for an orthodox priest, not part of the homosexual network, to graduate from Mundelein in the 1990's. Apparently it was. According to Rose:

Nonetheless, said seminarians, there does exist an "underground network" of orthodox seminarians at Mundelein, but they keep their prayer life and spiritual direction with orthodox priests in strict confidence. According to Gregory Banks,* "students who are loyal to Church teaching and oppose the gay stranglehold on the seminary trade notes, conference tapes, and spiritual reading. It's not a great system, but without it, very few of us would survive. Second, there are some 'closet-orthodox' members of the faculty who try to offer the truth, although they must often do so surreptitiously (p. 61).

So is this the category in which we should put Bartosic, Casey and Hicks? As seminarians, did these three avoid the gay hookup scene, keep their heads down and exchange clandestine cassette tapes of orthodox homilies to buck themselves up?

It is notable that as far as I know, none of them has ever addressed the topic of "The Pink Palace." If their heads were down, they're still down.

Which of course is not exactly their posture when it comes to "social justice."

Here is Hicks hosting a "wine and cheese" reception at a North Side parish for a "conversation" on that very topic.

And here is Bartosic at a "Catholics praying for racial justice event" in Cicero.

Casey has a perhaps more interesting resume. At one time he was actually the student in charge of the dormitory at Mundelein, according to classmate David Bottner, now vicar general of the Diocese of Knoxville:

Casey stood out early as a leader, serving as prefect of the dormitory, which meant organizing and coordinating activities with his classmates.

“He did a great job with that, and it’s not easy leading your peers.”

Was there a Catwalk in the dorm then?

Casey was also rector of Casa Jesus from 1998-2003, the notorious and now defunct program exposed as a "gay seminarian pipeline" from Latin America to Chicago.

Church Militant recently reported:

After 28 years in operation, Casa Jesus was quietly shut down by Cdl. Blase Cupich in 2016 following multiple homosexual scandals, with three seminarians expelled after being caught going to a gay bar, and the rector himself, Octavio Munoz, arrested for male child porn on his laptop.

Fr. Diego Berrio, the Chicago priest recently arrested for having public sex in Miami was a Casa Jesus graduate.

Church Militant spoke with a priest who was a former seminarian at Casa Jesus in the early 2000s alongside Berrio, who confirmed that Berrio's homosexuality was an open secret at the time.

"The rector knew. Everybody knew," said the priest, who asked to remain anonymous out of concerns for retribution.

At the time, then-Fr. Robert Casey was rector.

Fr. Ronald Hicks

I should point out two more facts, though they are arguably not of major importance:

Four days ago, the archdiocese announced that Casey had been accused but then cleared in a 2008 investigation of sexual misconduct with a child.

If the charge was unfounded (which was the determination of the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services), then I am glad he was cleared.

I'm sure Fr. Phillips, the former pastor of St. John Cantius, is glad as well.

I also recently spoke with a member of a religious order of impeccable orthodox and "anti-homosexual network" credentials who had referred to Casey on social media as a "dear friend." I was interested in his perception of Casey's character from someone who I assumed knew him well. It turns out that the comment was based (it appears, solely based) on the fact that Casey had presided over the funeral of his father, a longtime parishioner at the church where Casey was then pastor:

He [then-Fr. Casey] was amazing. Very personable, very sensitive and spoke very highly of my father and it was greatly appreciated by my family.

*******

Let's now speak plainly. Cardinal Cupich obviously didn't create the homosexual subculture in the Chicago priesthood, nor is he responsible for the clerical abuse crisis that largely followed from it. However, it appears to be the case that the still powerful network of gay priests and those who have collaborated with them form the heart of Cupich's shrinking base of support among Chicago priests and bishops. This is one of the reasons that Cupich has repeatedly rejected the claim that homosexuality has anything to do with the clerical abuse crisis.

It's not all about ideology.

And so, despite all the words about "accountability", "healing" and "change", things appear to be continuing as before.

The elevation of three "Pink Palace" graduates to the bishopric is clear evidence of that.

Is it possible that one or more of these men are good priests and good men? It is possible.

But I think it's much more likely, good or not, that they're in fact part of the problem.

BREAKING: Cardinal Cupich Invites All Chicago Area Priests to an "Open Discussion" This Evening at Mundelein Seminary (Must Have Printed Invitation to Enter)

Tweet

A source inside the archdiocese just alerted me to this.

It was apparently already planned and privately announced on August 30, but a reminder was just sent out yesterday.

And no, I'm not suggesting that any curious laypeople crash the party in clerical garb. But it will be interesting to read the reports tomorrow.

From: Vicar General
Sent: Thursday, August 30, 2018 3:26 PM
Subject: Invitation to Conversation with Cardinal Cupich on Sep. 12

Dear Brothers,

Please see the attached letter from Cardinal Cupich inviting all priests of the Archdiocese to a conversation on Wednesday, September 12, 2018 at 7:00 p.m. in the auditorium at Mundelein Seminary.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Bishop-elect Ronald HicksVicar General

From: Arch Link
Sent: Tuesday, September 11, 2018 11:45 AM
Subject: Important Update: Conversation with Cardinal Cupich on Sep. 12

Fathers,

All priests are invited to join Cardinal Cupich for an open discussion this Wednesday, September 12 at 7 p.m. in the Mundelein Auditorium. To maintain an environment in which you feel free to discuss any issues or questions, all priests must present a copy of the attached invitation letter from the Cardinal in order to enter the USML campus, as well as the auditorium. You may present a copy of the letter on your cell phone or bring a printed copy.

The only entrance open to the campus tomorrow evening will be on Highway 45 (Lake St.). A map of the USML campus is attached. You may park in the Purple, Green, and Yellow lots as well as on Principal Avenue.

Flight 93 - "Stand Up and Bring the Ship Down!"

Tweet

The last minutes on the fourth plane (from the film United 93)

This is a repost (with some edits) of a piece I wrote a year ago on September 11, 2017. Obviously I think the subject is as important and relevant as ever.

This post is not about Islam.

It's certainly not about any sort of "tragedy."

It's about heroism.

Another word for that is love. Love for one's neighbor. Love for justice. And, yes, love for life. Even if you think you might lose it.

"We've nothing to fight with, and may wind up dead,
But we've voted to stand up and fight them instead,
And we might keep them from getting through."

United Airlines Flight 93 crashed in a Pennsylvania field on September 11th, 2001, killing all aboard - 34 passengers (including a near-term unborn baby) and 7 crew. 4 hijackers also died. The plane had been comandeered 45 minutes after takeoff by terrorists - confederates of the men who steered their 3 hijacked planes into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.

These hijackers were a few minutes late in their mission (the plane had been delayed taking off), which gave the passengers enough time to figure out what their mission was - a suicide strike against the U.S. Capital Building or the White House.

"One man's been stabbed, and we can't reach the cockpit,
But somehow we'll alter the flight.
We've guessed that the target is likely the White House,
And if we fail, we'll surely die."

The lines above were composed and sung by Leslie Fish, the longtime libertarian activist and "filk" musician - "filk" (not "folk") being the term for music tied to the science fiction and fantasy fan convention scene. They are part of the song "Flight 93", the most moving and inspiring artistic tribute yet made to those heroes of 9/11.

"We've nothing to fight with except our bare hands,
But we'll keep on trying until the plane lands
One way or the other. We've taken our stand.
My darling, I love you. Goodbye."

If you listen to it and are not moved, listen to it again. If you still are not moved, then I cannot help you. If, on any listening, you do not cry, at least a little, then you are much stronger than I.

He watched while the passengers battled and died,
And knew that no help would be found.
The guard was distracted. Just one chance to win.
There's one case where suicide isn't a sin.
He weighed all his chances. He said: "Auger in!"
And drove the ship into the ground.

The passengers on Flight 93 almost succeeded in wresting control of the plane from the terrorists. Most believe that they effectively breached the cockpit. But there is controversy over who was at the controls at the end. The song implies that it was a passenger - "Jason the pilot" - but the cockpit tapes appear to indicate that a hijacker crashed the plane, fearing that he was seconds away from being overpowered. It's also possible, of course, that there was a fight over the controls.

Flight 93 hit the ground at full speed,
And no one aboard her survives.
But the White House still stands, and a few thousand folks
Can thank those aboard for their lives.
There's no guarantee, when the Bad Guys come in,
That they won't kill you all to a man.
So when some fanatics are out to have fun,
There's nowhere to hide and there's nowhere to run.
Then pray that the law lets you carry a gun,
But fight back however you can.

So the song is a tribute but also a lesson. Don't expect the bad guys to have any scruples or mercy. Sometimes, they just want to kill you, and perhaps thousands more in the bargain. No hero wants to die. But there are worse things than natural death. And better things than giving in.

Flight 93 no more will fly.
Dead on the ground or dead in the sky:
You might not survive, but at least you can try.
Stand up and bring the ship down.

"Flight 93"

by Leslie Fish

She took off from Newark on a warm autumn day,

With forty-five travellers and crew.
They all were unarmed at the will of the law;
Security passed them all through.
An hour into flight-time, four Arabs jumped up --
Two Ahmeds, Ziad and Sa'eed --
Announced a hijacking and waved knives around
(Razorblades, box-knives and steak-knives they'd found),
And a box that they swore was a bomb up and down;
They thought that was all they would need.

Flight 93 no more will fly.
Dead on the ground or dead in the sky:
You might not survive, but at least you can try.
Stand up and bring the ship down.

CeeCee the stewardess had a cell-phone,
And called up her husband to say:
"The plane has been hijacked. We'll do as we're trained;
Be quiet and humbly obey.
They'll dicker for money or some social cause.
The government surely will pay.
They'll put us out somewhere and leave with their score,
Or maybe police will come catch them and more.
That's always the way this has been done before.
With luck, I'll be home in a day."

Flight 93 no more will fly.
Dead on the ground or dead in the sky:
You might not survive, but at least you can try.
Stand up and bring the ship down.

Next was Mark Bingham, who had a phone too,
And used it to call up his Mom.
He said they'd been hijacked by "three foreign men"
Who had knives and said they had a bomb.
But some of the passengers plotted, he said,
To take back the plane as it flew.
"But first tell me, Mom, is it true what they say?
That three other airplanes were hijacked today,
Flown straight into buildings and blew them away?"
His mother cried, and said: "It's true."

Flight 93 no more will fly.
Dead on the ground or dead in the sky:
You might not survive, but at least you can try.
Stand up and bring the ship down.

Jeremy Glick called his wife on the phone,
And told of the bomb and the knives.
He said: "If these stories we're hearing are true,
We might as well fight for our lives."
His wife told him: "Yes, the World Trade Center's hit,
And maybe the Pentagon too."
He left the phone hanging, then came back and said:
"We've nothing to fight with, and may wind up dead,
But we've voted to stand up and fight them instead,
And we might keep them from getting through."

Flight 93 no more will fly.
Dead on the ground or dead in the sky:
You might not survive, but at least you can try.
Stand up and bring the ship down.

Thomas Burnett phoned his wife several times,
Reporting the course of the fight.
He said: "One man's been stabbed, and we can't reach the cockpit,
But somehow we'll alter the flight.
We've guessed that the target is likely the White House,
And if we fail, we'll surely die.
We've nothing to fight with except our bare hands,
But we'll keep on trying until the plane lands
One way or the other. We've taken our stand.
My darling, I love you. Goodbye."

Flight 93 no more will fly.

Dead on the ground or dead in the sky:
You might not survive, but at least you can try.
Stand up and bring the ship down.

Jason the pilot could hear the whole tale.
He'd signaled as well as he could.
He saw that the terrorists still held the cockpit --
And one way to stop them for good.
He watched while the passengers battled and died,
And knew that no help would be found.
The guard was distracted. Just one chance to win.
There's one case where suicide isn't a sin.
He weighed all his chances. He said: "Auger in!"
And drove the ship into the ground.

Flight 93 no more will fly.
Dead on the ground or dead in the sky:
You might not survive, but at least you can try.
Stand up and bring the ship down.

Flight 93 hit the ground at full speed,
And no one aboard her survives.
But the White House still stands, and a few thousand folks
Can thank those aboard for their lives.
There's no guarantee, when the Bad Guys come in,
That they won't kill you all to a man.
So when some fanatics are out to have fun,
There's nowhere to hide and there's nowhere to run.
Then pray that the law lets you carry a gun,
But fight back however you can.

Flight 93 no more will fly.
Dead on the ground or dead in the sky:
You might not survive, but at least you can try.
Stand up and bring the ship down.


Cross posted at Save Versus All Wands.