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AFM Magazine


Letter From the Publisher

THE UNIFORMS OF HEROES HAVE CHANGED
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In the space of less than two hours on September 11, 2001, the heinous acts of a group of misguided followers, persons too weak to think for themselves and choosing to accept the dogma of men filled with hate and enmity for our way of life, changed the perception of a nation and the uniforms of our heroes. Football and its many symbols have become and will remain a very important part of the fabric of the American life, but they in no way are the stitches that hold that fabric together.

It would be hard to argue that football is insignificant. For the millions of Americans that travel each fall weekend to local high schools, campuses and stadiums throughout the nation, or to a neighbor's house to watch "their" team, football is important. Yet, in the face of the insidious acts of men hiding behind the veil of religion, we have collectively realized the truth of the saying "...it is only a game," and indeed not a matter of life or death. Now friend and game time foe alike know it is easier to accept the outcome of a contest with a shrug and understand the relative place of the game just played.

For a generation of Americans anesthetized to the ills of war, the uniforms of our heroes have been the green and gold of the Packers, the silver and black of the Raiders, the crimson and white of Alabama, or the familiar logos associated with a favorite team. But, with acts of hate on September 11 and the attendant countless acts of true heroism, Americans now see the uniforms of real heroes: the soot-stained black of firemen rushing into an inferno of hellish dimensions without regard for their safety, the sweat-soaked navy blue of police officers determined to provide safe harbor to countless thousands seeking refuge from a storm of terror unfairly descending upon them, the black and white collars of priests and ministers helping to heal the wounds of a nation searching for answers in the carnage of the unanswerable. The recognizable uniforms of the heroes retired to above will soon be joined in the national consciousness by the garb adorning the men and women of our armed forces. No doubt the uniforms of our protectors, those unwaveringly brave men and women who will fight the battles we will read about, will be smattered with blood and the other byproducts of hatred that we are faced to confront lest we lose our place as the world's leading beacon of fairness, decency and hope.

I know that I stand sentenced to guilt for taking for granted the daily work of firefighters, police officers and emergency medical workers. I, too, have been somewhat dismissive with respect to the dedicated people in our armed services. I wish it had not taken a national tragedy for me to come to my senses.

I am without the ability to articulate or describe the admiration I have for those persons who work to serve others, who give so that we have in abundance, and who seek not fame, glory or renegotiated contracts, but deserve a simple acknowledgement from each of us for a job well done. I think I will take down a pennant, helmet or poster from a football team in my son's room and replace it with something depicting a hero he can see in action every day no - not just the weekends.

Sincerely,

Barry Terranova






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