September 6, 2019 Issue, Page 4 of 10

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Page 4 The Elk City News, Elk City, Oklahoma Friday, September 6, 2019 Opinion Page ayer “ElkCituNews Serving Western Oklahoma since 1901 Odessa joins list of communities affected by shootings By Don Munsch, Editor My editor had a sign on her door with some words I can’t remember verbatim, but their meaning still remains. “You never leave here” were the words. Or something to that effect. I thought about that sign after the deadly shooting in Odessa over the weekend. I spent a couple of years in Odessa, leaving town five years ago. The sign with those aforementioned words of not leaving here rested on the door of the editor at the Odessa American, a paper where I spent many long days and late nights. I formed several memories of the town: The endlessly flat landscape. The endless number of pumpjacks lining that flat landscape. The dry climate. The enormous number of days of sunshine. The boom period. Oilfield Mafia stick- ers on the backs of vehicles. The high cost of living. Jack B. Rabbit statues. Then there was Ratliff Stadium on a Friday night in the fall. A couple of games I watched from the field, including a Midland Lee-Odessa Permian game. They’re big time Everything looks different rivals. Standing on the sideline the first year I was there Glynda Lomax is a Chris- his mind, he settled in for a to land the plane with only was head coach Gary Gaines, who was in his second stint tian author and podcaster four hour flight on the noisy a broken wing, and no loss as head coach at Permian and was the head coach the year who resides in the Ozark little plane. of life. that writer H.G. “Buzz” Bissinger chronicled the Panthers, Mountains of Northern Ar- When the plane was just After the landing, the or Mojo as fans more commonly call the team, in 1988 for kansas with her two very sixty miles from the airport, shocked man checked to see the book “Friday Night Lights.” In the movie version of bossy dogs. She wrote her the cabin began to fill with that all his limbs were intact. first About Life..column in blue gray smoke. The dense He thought back to when the the book, Billy Bob Thornton played Gaines. 2003 for a newspaper in smoke had the smell of an plane was falling — how he And now Odessa will be known as another place where Dallas. She is planning her electrical short. Suddenly had thoughts of his children, amass shooting occurred. It’s a club no one wants to join. next book. one engine stopped work- the greatest love of his life. It’s simply an awful, painful experience for any city and ing. Everyone started talk- He had thought he was a “We can only be said to ing at once and their voices good dad before the plane its residents to deal with, and these incidents continue to be alive ina those moments quickly elevated in the en- crash, now he knew he re- plague American communities. when our hearts are con- suing panic. The pilot was ally could become one. As eee scious of our treasures.” — trying valiantly to turn the soon as he was able to get Thornton Wilder plane around and head back to town and a telephone, be the best father he can be, Wednesday is the 18th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist to see his children laugh to the airport. He felt panic he called his mother and attacks. Tt was the anniversary of rising within him. Suddenly thanked her for bringing him every day, see them learn, Everyone remembers where they were that day. It’s just the fall of the Soviet Union the other engine stopped into the world. He had been watch them grow. Now he a day no one can forget. when he got the call from working as well. Then the given a second chance. He does. It's also been a day for conspiracy theorists. The Moscow. Some of the Rus- plane began to descend. In made his mind up then and My friend no longer has Truthers, as they’re called, think the government or people sian oil companies had less than a minute, it went there that things would be any fear of death, having al- abandoned their wells, left into a free fall. different from that moment associated with government perpetrated the attacks on that their rigs with the brakes Facing the end of his life, forward. ready met it face to face, but September day in 2001. Perhaps you have seen that bum- on, Kelly subs still rotating. he thought of his children, These days he smiles he no longer takes even a per sticker with the slogan “9-11 was an inside job.” Rigs were blowing out ev- and how the news of his more, laughs more and gets single hour for granted. I recently saw a column about conspiracy theories that erywhere and the oil fields death in a plane crash would involved in activities that Priorities become obvi- included one about 9/11. I read and then reread — more were in utter turmoil. He affect their young lives. He bring joy and learning to ous when you are faced with was needed in Western Si- thought of his mother. He others. He says he feels after dying. What you thought than once — what the writer said about something that oc- beria and hastily made the thought of all the things he the crash like he is living on was important doesn’t seem curred on 9/11 and just can’t get it out of my mind. necessary arrangements to had done in his life. borrowed time and wants to In her piece, the writer discusses various conspiracy be on his way. And all the things he share all he can every single so all important any more. It would take more than hadn’t. day. He realized after the ac- Those who have stared death theories throughout the decades and then she moves on to one flight to get him to the “Tt was one of those sur- cident that he had been go- in the eye often say they re- the 9/11 attacks, specifically the crash of United Flight 93, center of the action, the last real moments when you're ing a hundred miles an hour gret not the things they have which went down in Pennsylvania and was the last of the of which was a very small just falling....,” he said. Ev- and had not been taking done, but all the things they four hijacked planes to crash on that dark day. prop plane. The engines erything moved in slow mo- care of himself, and now he didn’t. The writer theorizes that it’s possible — she actually says were so loud, the attendant tion. Everyone on the plane wants to live longer and live If we spend all our days was passing out ear plugs. was screaming. As the plane better — for himself and for it a conspiracy theory she can believe — the government Everyone around him was began its descent towards his children. His children, doing things less important, shot down the plane because authorities knew it was head- speaking Russian, which he earth, he felt the horror rise as well as other family rela- it is not death we should ed to Washington, D.C., and was going to hit the Capitol barely understood, and with up in his soul. People were tionships, have become his fear, but the regret of how or the White House. She further states that the crash site — 35 degree below zero tem- thrown from one side of the number one priority. Work we should have lived, of perature outside, the plane plane to the other. Every- is important, but not all im- what we cannot go back and near Shanksville, Pa. — didn’t appear to be a place where a was cold, but nothing mat- thing was out of control. portant any more. He now change. jet, filled with fuel, had crashed. tered except getting to the The plane jerked to one spends time with his chil- Hmm. I don’t know about her supposition. Eyewitnesses job site and taking control of dren, takes them on trips, side, then to the other. No a very bad situation that was one could tell what was go- teaches them about life. He “Success is only another saw the plane heading toward the ground and hearing it getting worse by the minute. ing on, only that they were determined after the crash form of failure if we forget crash. Wouldn’t somebody have seen jets flying around going down. In the end, the With thoughts of the chaotic what our priorities should that his most important job and that they shot at the plane? I’ve seen pictures of the situation running through very skilled pilot was able was to be a good father, to be.” — Harry Lloyd crash site. Looks like something crashed there. Authorities Are you MIA in child advocacy found a crater and other evidence nearby of a crash. The 9/11 commission concluded it was a crash. To be- lieve it was shot down would mean many, many people had to keep a secret, much in the same manner that a fake By Oklahoma Institute over health concerns. Some ity to make a difference is out verifying the source is moon landing in July 1969 required thousands and thou- for Child Advocacy CEO put profits over good educa- extremely demoralizing for speaking the truth, and do sands of people to keep their mouths shut. Joe Dorman tion or health policy. Others those of us who want to see not just sit back and assume I have given this 9/11 conspiracy theory more space When most people hear misrepresent, data to sup- a better future for the chil- that others will do the work the term MIA, or Missing port a personal agenda over dren of our state, our nation that is required. than it merits, and certainly shouldn’t give it much more in Action, they think of it in the common good. and the world. When people If you want to be a part thought. relation to the military. Ina The “I” stands for igno- decide it is “not their fight” of the solution, I strongly recent speech to the Turning rance. This is more preva- or they simply do not have encourage you to register Ient today thanks to social time to make their voice and attend our 2019 OICA Have something Point Council, I referenced how this acronym can also media posts that are shared, heard, malice and ignorance Fall Forum on October 1-3 describe three attitudes that either by well-intentioned are able to grow stronger. in Oklahoma City. We hurt our children. readers or closed-minded The Oklahoma Institute to share? The “M” stands for mali- folks who refuse to see the for Child Advocacy (OICA) will have lawmakers pres- ent to discuss a myriad of ciousness, or manipulating entire story. The best way was formed in 1983 to battle policies to better the lives the facts of a discussion to to stop this practice is to get against the malicious, igno- Send your benefit one’s own personal the facts. Make sure what rant and apathetic treatment of our youth. Attendees self-interest. Having worked you are reading comes from of children in state custody. will have the opportunity to at the Capitol for more than a credible source before The OICA works every help OICA shape a solid list editorial to sharing. single day to overcome the two decades, there is no of goals for improvements question that there are fac- The “A” stands for apathy. MIA attitude we face from which can be implemented tors at play that sway some In my opinion, the greatest far too many people. To by the state, and they will be editor@ecdaily- to prioritize profit over the danger in the fight for chil- stop being MIA in the fight surrounded by like-minded policies which could help dren is also one of the most for child advocacy, simply champions wanting better the youngest of Oklaho- prevalent dangers: apathy, do not believe what you are for our state. Please do not news.com mans. This can be seen with or a lack of passion. See- told about policy without be missing in action for this. some businesses that pro- ing apathy from those who investigating it first, do not Together, we can make a mote the sale of a product have influence or the abil- spread misinformation with- difference.