Church bells tolled and emergency responders stood in silent salute Saturday morning as Martha’s Vineyard marked the 20th anniversary of Sept. 11 in quiet ways.
Solemn ceremonies marking the anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks were held around the Island Wednesday morning. Flags flew at half mast in every Island town.
The couple came into the church well after the service had started. They sat near the podium, where the Rev. Judith Campbell was speaking. The man watched a spot between the floor and the altar. His eyes were red, and he did not blink. The woman remained composed for a few minutes but then began quietly to cry, working a tissue in her hands, folding it into squares.
The streets of Edgartown early Tuesday morning are nearly empty. The day breaks sunny, a lovely September morning.
9:49 a.m. Small groups of people gather in store entrances to listen in disbelief to the normally soothing broadcast voices of Tom Brokaw and Peter Jennings. People exchange any tidbits they know as they try to piece together the sketchy details of terrorist plane attacks on the World Trade Center.
In a time of terror and grief in America, Vineyarders join citizens across the nation in an outpouring of support for the most timeless of American symbols: 50 stars and 13 stripes.
American flags wave proudly from vehicle antennas, from minivans to tow trucks. From Main street to your street, American flags cover the community in red, white and blue. But instead of standing tall in Independence Day pride, the flags hover halfway up the poles, paying homage to thousands of Americans lost in last Tuesday's terrorist attacks and to a country navigating through uncharted territory.
A diverse collection of Vineyard residents, including ministers, mothers and small business owners, came together at a rally on Tuesday in Vineyard Haven to call for a peaceful resolution to last week's terrorist attack in New York city and Washington, D.C.
They urged thought before action, and warned against decisions fueled by emotion rather than rational deliberation.
"Anger can be like a mighty, rushing flood that destroys or channeled like a stream. Let it be redeemed and well-used and channeled in creative ways," said the Rev. Alden Besse.
With the tragedies of Sept. 11 forcing many vacationers to postpone or altogether cancel their autumn trips to the Island, some Vineyard businesses find themselves in an unexpected financial pinch.
While the slowdown is inevitably affecting the Island economy, most business owners are taking the hit with patience and understanding.
"This is not just an inconvenience, this is an attack on mankind," said Sandy Berube of the Jonathan Munroe House in Edgartown.
