Welcome to Firefighters for 9/11 Truth. My name is Erik Lawyer, and I am the
founding member. I am currently a full time firefighter, and have been assigned
to 3 Truck in the City of Seattle for the last 12 years. Before that I was with
the City of Sacramento as a Firefighter Paramedic. I first began working in
Emergency Services in 1988 in the Sacramento area with a 911 private paramedic
ambulance company. I have 20 years experience in Emergency Services. I earned
my pilot’s license in 1987, and have been recreationally flying since. I graduated
with a Bachelor’s of Science in Mathematics from the University of California
at Davis in 1993, with 2 years of elective Engineering courses, and a Minor
in Psychology.
I would like to share my story concerning September 11, 2001 and the events
that led to the creation of Firefighters for 9/11 Truth. I, like most Americans,
remember exactly where I was when I saw the attacks and had the overwhelming
urge to take action. I was shocked, outraged, scared and confused. I called
my Battalion Chief and asked if Seattle would be sending any teams to help.
I was a member of the MMST, and figured we would be needed and I wanted to know
where to report. Due to the nature of the incident we were not called up, and
instead USAR teams, including Seattle’s, were sent.
I first visited Ground Zero in October of 2001 with several firefighters from
Seattle. We went to pay our respect and show support. We raised money for our
brother firehouses and attended the funerals of our fallen Brothers. I was deeply
moved and humbled by the community support, the sheer enormity of the tragedy
along with the courage and compassion of the FDNY “Brotherhood.” Even
though I listened to their stories for days, I cannot even begin to imagine
the pain and tragedy they suffered on that day and the years to come. I vividly
remember the anger I felt, the intense desire for vengeance, and the feelings
of helplessness. I was relieved when the government identified the terrorists
and satisfied that we were going to have a swift deliverance of “justice.”
I’ve been a conservative my entire life; a registered Republican since I could
vote. I am a self proclaimed Patriot with George Washington as one of my all
time heroes. So when conspiracy theories quickly surfaced, and “Liberals”
cried foul on the erosion of civil liberties, I chalked it up to their political
beliefs and bitterness towards the Republican President. I read many debunking
articles – including Popular Mechanics – and watched many debunking videos including,
Farenhype 9/11. I was convinced that these “Liberals” were misinformed
and were grasping at straws to discredit the “official” story. Like
most people with strong opinions, instead of looking at all the facts, I was
specifically looking for anything that supported my own beliefs. As soon as
I discovered any inaccuracy in a conspiracy claim, I wrote it off. My father,
a big city cop and Korean War veteran, loved to say, “don’t confuse me
with the facts, I have my mind made up!” Well, I had my mind made up. I
told conspiracy theorists like my own Truck Officer, Lt. Earl Emerson, that
they were insane if they thought anyone other than the terrorists did this.
Heck, we have ID cards, security camera videos, Bin Laden confession tapes –
how much clearer did they need it? The years went on and I was satisfied in
my beliefs. I even believed these “Wackos” that doubted the “official”
story were distracting our country from focusing on the real threat of terrorism.
Fast forward to March of 2008. A great friend of mine with a Business degree
from West Point, as conservative and non-conspiratorial as they get, came over
one night to talk about what he saw happening in the economy. He provided some
disconcerting evidence that we as a nation are at risk of entering into another
depression; he pointed out historical parallels where other countries, such
as Germany, suffered economic collapse. THAT was my eye opener. I became obsessed
researching things such as economies, who is in control of currencies, what
causes depressions, who profits during war, etc. So many things kept pointing
to 9/11. Another one of my dad’s favorite quotes was, “believe half of
what you see and none of what you hear.” So, I looked at both sides and
quickly noticed a pattern. On one side, the general media ignores some of the
most compelling evidence that contradicts the “official” story. On
the other side, science based conspiracy sites such as Architects
and Engineers for 911 Truth and Scholars for 911 Truth and Justice, along
with the experience based sites such as Patriots Question 911 and Pilots for
911 Truth, fully explore the evidence. Their research points out numerous inconsistencies
and raised serious questions about the “official” story. To be fair,
I looked at the debunking sites such as Popular Mechanics, which is the source
often quoted for confirmation of the “official” story. I found that
many of these debunking sites failed to tackle some of the most compelling evidence.
They would often bring up the most ludicrous of conspiracy claims, debunk those,
offer far reaching explanations, or never fully explain the “how.”
They often made you really have to stretch to believe that so many catastrophic
failures – which had never happened before – could all occur separately, on
one day, and multiple times (e.g. failure to intercept aircraft x 4 for the
first time in history; complete collapses x 3 for the first time; no obvious
plane wreckage x 2 for first time, etc.). Even the NIST report only describes
the EVENTS that led to the moment of collapse of Towers 1 & 2, not the
SCIENCE behind the instantaneous collapse of the cold steel below the impact
zone…because it is that obvious? How does that teach us how to improve building
safety?
The clincher for me was when I learned that the lead investigators on the crime
– the FBI – do not even have the 9/11 attacks mentioned on the Bin Laden page
of the FBI’s Most Wanted website list due to LACK OF EVIDENCE. How can it be
that we were led to believe Osama bin Laden was responsible for the 9/11 attacks,
yet the FBI doesn’t publicly accuse him? Remind me again why we are at war and
have given up so many rights our Founding Fathers gave us???
When I voiced my new opinion and concerns most of my friends listened. I think
because they were shocked that a staunch Conservative could have such a major
shift, or because they thought I had lost my mind and wanted to diagnose the
cause. Curiously, some became angry at my new questions and actually thought
I was supporting Terrorists with my concerns. Being a part of that same mindset
myself only a few weeks ago, and then having a major shift in consciousness,
really shook me to the core. What has happened to our collective consciousness
that we believe anyone who doubts the “official” story or what the
government tells us is an enemy? Anyone who asks for the Truth is labeled a
“Wacko” or “Terrorist Sympathizer?” What has happened
to us? Are we not founded on Freedom of Speech and taught to check
our Government?
Through my research I learned that many mainstream people, government officials,
pilots and regular “Joes” actually doubt the “official”
story. Yet the media still treats “Truth” seekers like they have a
mental disorder, are few and far between, and even dangerous. I’ve since learned
there are major news stories concerning 9/11 that the media won’t cover. Do
you know about Tower 7? And, did you know that Japan, who lost 24 of their citizens
in the 9/11 attacks, has held hearings this year on the possibility that the
U.S. may have let this happen, or done it to ourselves? Why hasn’t the media
covered THIS? I’ve since learned about the whistleblowers that have been silenced.
There are many top pilots (including pilots who have flown those specific aircraft)
who say they could not have performed the maneuvers at those speeds while physically
encountering the G-Loads and overcoming control issues associated with high
speeds. Now, I’ve been a private pilot for over 20 years and have competed in
spot landing, aerobatic and maneuver contests. I know how difficult it is to
perform precision maneuvers at moderate speeds, let alone full speed, and I
would never dream I could do the same in a jumbo jet.
To be honest, I was asleep at the wheel, and relied on what I was being told
by mainstream media. The same media whose parent corporations, are some of the
largest suppliers of weapons in this war. Before this “awakening”
I had no idea the extent of our civil liberties that had been eroded in the
name of Terrorism. I had never really wrapped my brain around what legalized
torture means. I had always claimed America was noble. Just look at how we treated
POW’s during WWII and Vietnam compared to our enemies. That separated us. We
were setting the example of Human Rights to the rest of the world. Sure, you’ll
always have individuals that will take things too far, but Government sponsored
torture? What has happened to our country? What kind of example are we setting
for our children, and the world? You would be interested to learn how many of
our own rights have been stripped away recently. Look up the Military Commissions
Act of 2006, John Warner Defense Authorization Act, Homegrown Terrorism Act,
Presidential Directive 51. It is amazing the rights we have all lost in the
past couple of years and very little is covered by the U.S. media.
After discovering this, I applied the “common sense” test that my
Grandfather always said wasn’t so common. Why would a government so aggressively
suppress truth and blatantly destroy evidence if there was nothing to hide?
Why has every testimony from sworn government and military officials that points
to “prior knowledge” been stricken from the 9/11 Commission Report?
How did paper business cards, cloth bandanas, and plastic ID’s that implicate
the terrorists survive so neatly through jet fueled fireballs hot enough to
destroy titanium and steel? I’ve seen bodies burned beyond recognition, yet
I have never found one that was wearing unburned clothing. These questions alone
are enough to make me risk everything for a real investigation and accounting.
Sadly, there are many more questions! This has nothing to do with party politics
for me anymore. This is about saving our Country and pledging allegiance to
our Flag not the Government, to protecting the principles America was founded
on, not the beliefs of a few people in power. I have the utmost respect of our
Soldiers and the sacrifices they have made, and continue to make. This is about
defending what these countless men and women have died for. This is about defending
the freedoms they gave us- about defending the Constitution, and about protecting
the future for our children.
When I truly realized the enormity of the effect 9/11 has had on our Rights,
our Economy, our Beliefs, our Fears, our Intolerances and our Government – I
felt fear, then anger, then the need to take action. Bill Chickering said it
best, “Anger is a very appropriate and necessary response to an injustice.
But stand back now; the truth, clearly spoken, is always your best weapon. Calmly
spoken, it can burn a hole through the hardest heart.” When I realized
the extent of the force and attitudes working to silence those who peacefully
ask questions, demand answers, and seek truth, it became clear to me that our
Country is in serious trouble and I must now stand alongside those Patriots
who seek Truth and Constitutional Restoration.
Our Founding Fathers would be disgusted with what we have let happen. To sum
up their beliefs, “Those who sacrifice Liberty for Security deserve neither.”
I now recognize the true Patriots. They are not the ones blindly following,
always believing and defending their government; they are the ones asking questions,
demanding answers, and defending The Constitution. As Mark Twain so eloquently
stated, “In times of change, the Patriot is a scarce man; brave, hated
and scorned. When his cause succeeds, however, the timid join him, for then
it costs nothing to be a Patriot.”
My fellow Firefighters and Citizens, I ask you to at least inform yourself.
Take the time to look, with an open mind, at the events surrounding 9/11 and
the changes that have been made to our Constitution. Have the courage to weigh
the possibilities. Remember, “Only a brave person is willing to honestly
admit, and fearlessly face, what a sincere and logical mind discovers.”
Ask yourself, do we really need to erase what our Founding Fathers fought so
hard to create in the name of Terrorism? Make your own informed judgment and
have the courage to consider the tough questions. If you too feel the call to
action, we desperately need your help.
As Firefighters we immediately respond to, and risk everything for a “Mayday”
call. Most Firefighters go an entire career without calling a “Mayday”.
We know our Brothers only call one if someone is in serious peril and they can’t
handle it themselves. By the Grace of God, I have never had to call a “Mayday”
on the fireground or in the air. But, I am calling one now on our soil. “MAYDAY,
MAYDAY, MAYDAY!!!” Our Country, Our sick Brothers and Sisters desperately
need your HELP.