Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
It is six oh five Here News radioa forty whas
Coffee and Company with You Kentucky and This Morning News
a September eleventh edition, which will continue to discuss, of course,
that day that changed everything seemingly, and of course it
will be remembered from then until the end of time.
I don't see a scenario where it's not something that
(00:20):
every year we look back on and just remember sort
of what that day was. But also we've talked a
lot and will continue to talk a lot about the
tragic situation yesterday as Charlie Kirk was assassinated while giving
a speech at a university in Utah, and I the
reaction to the reaction will of course be a big
(00:41):
talking point for a lot of folks. In fact, I
kind of feel like if you just were to pop
open your social media rather it be Facebook, maybe Twitter.
Twitter's a little different obviously because it's it's more so
a engagement with outlets and those who sort of work
in the media. Clearly, there are many people that are
just that are just on the plat form to share
thoughts and read information. But your Facebook, of course is
(01:03):
usually a social platform that that is mostly people you
see that you that you know or have some familiarity with.
But this may not be something that I should say
as somebody who works in the media and whose livelihood
depends on this industry. So it may sound sound, it
may sound strange to say this, but when it comes
to how divided we are, the media plays a huge
(01:25):
role in it. And that's not to say one side
is more guilty than the other, but clearly we have
these platforms that everybody has access to, and it has
let people completely get way too absorbed by these things.
Speaker 2 (01:43):
You know, we used to be able to.
Speaker 1 (01:44):
Sit down with people fully aware that they didn't share
the same beliefs that we did, and it was it
wasn't it wasn't something that you would be that bothered by.
Speaker 2 (01:51):
You would just know.
Speaker 1 (01:52):
You could live comfortably knowing that there are people that
you know and maybe love that just simply don't view
things the same way that you do. You could still
have those conversations, still love, respect, and enjoy being around
each other. Well, now we live in a world where
at any second you can scroll through endless platforms on
the Internet and find validation for your own beliefs, and
(02:14):
that validation doesn't just make you feel more content that Okay, yeah,
this is here. I more and more I'm seeing and
reading and consuming that makes me feel like, Yep, this
is the way it is. And anybody that's not of
this belief is wrong. But not only that, you can
find anything that'll make you believe anything you want. But
(02:35):
it's not just about hey, I'm now consuming nothing but
Republican stuff, or I'm consuming nothing but democratic stuff. It's
now not only is this way the right way, but
the other way they're crazy, they're awful. So that is
something that is constantly available to people that and they're
consuming it at a high rate, and that.
Speaker 2 (02:58):
Is that is absolutely a factor. And how divided we are.
Speaker 1 (03:03):
I mean, I feel like politics and beliefs have become
some people's entire personality instead of just one element of
who they are. And living with your guard up, assuming
anybody who disagrees with you must be the worst person ever.
That's not normal, that's not healthy, it's destructive. I mean,
(03:25):
beyond politics, think about it this way. You probably have
somebody in your life that you would die for, but
you disagree with them on certain things. Now, sharing a
life with somebody, maybe starting a family with somebody, I'm
sure there are many that have done that that don't
see eye to eye in every way when it comes
to politics and whatnot. But I'm sure also it's a
(03:47):
huge component for people who want to share life with
somebody that want to, you know, want to again, it's
your life partner. But there are people that you know,
maybe your brother in law, maybe your best friend, your coworker,
somebody that you really love and care for, that you
just know that they don't agree with you on a
lot of things, and it doesn't change the way you feel.
(04:07):
Now again, I know politics a little different.
Speaker 3 (04:09):
Right.
Speaker 1 (04:09):
If somebody's beliefs are pro something that you find heinous,
it would be hard for you to just completely avoid
that and not think about it. But also it doesn't
have to be our entire existence. So the endless content
that's out there to just further convince people that, oh yeah,
(04:30):
not only am I correct and seeing it.
Speaker 2 (04:32):
This way, but let's look at the other side. They're terrible.
Speaker 1 (04:35):
It's just how it is. And quickly, I do want
to talk about the MSNBC coverage yesterday, which I mean,
I'm still kind of speechless, to be honest with you.
This isn't even a political savement. It's just about human decency.
A comment made by somebody who has since been fired.
(04:57):
Matthew Dowd was fired. You were somebody that spends a
lot of time consuming MSNBC's coverage of things, and maybe
you feel as if they are more so compatible with
your beliefs, and that didn't raise the hair on the
back of your neck or make you realize, Wow, did
he really just say that that's a scary thing? Because
(05:18):
this is not This is not I mean, this is
inhumane and again, not a good thing for somebody who's
hosting a four hour talk show to be left speechless.
But I just I'm still in disbelief that right as
soon as this news broke, this was what was said
by by somebody.
Speaker 2 (05:34):
Talk to me about the environment in which a shooting
like this happens.
Speaker 4 (05:40):
Yeah, and again, emphasize what you just emphasize. We don't
know any of the details of this that we don't
know if this was the supporter or shooting their gun
off in celebration or so. We have no idea about this.
But following up what was just said, he's been one
of the most divisive, especially devisive younger figures in this
who is constantly sort of pushing this sort of hate
(06:01):
speech or sort of aimed at certain groups. And I
always go back to hateful thoughts lead to hateful words,
which then lead to hateful actions. And I think that's
the environment we're in that people just you can't stop
with these sort of awful thoughts you have and then
saying these awful words and not expect awful actions to
(06:22):
take place. And that's the fortune environment we're in.
Speaker 2 (06:27):
I genuinely don't know what to say.
Speaker 1 (06:30):
After hearing that, other than the instant belief that it
must have been somebody who was there firing off a
shot in celebration that he was there, I mean what
and even if like that later became the truth, which
is so not the truth, Like to say that in
(06:51):
the moment without any information is just reckless. And again
that individual has been fired. But Charlie Kirk, to me,
seemed to be the exact example of somebody that would
go and embrace healthy dialogue with people who clearly did
not see how to eye with him and wanted to
get their chance to grab that microphone and try to
dunk on him and own him. And within fifteen seconds
(07:12):
of those interactions he quickly would would oftentimes make those
people realize that some of the things they're saying out
loud that they believe are asinin. And he did it respectfully.
I mean, he, to me was an example of somebody
that clearly felt very strong about his beliefs, but he
was not. He had a platform that became so humongous
(07:33):
that just was to go and and have those conversations.
So I mean again, that individual Matthew doubt has been
has been fired. No surprise there, all right, traving weather
updates on the way, and we'll talk a little nine
to eleven. As far as going back to that day
on the other side here twenty four years, I used
to think, like, wow, has it been that long? Now
(07:53):
it does feel like it's been. It's been that long,
all right, it's news. Ready to wait forty whas we're
just a couple of minutes away from your next update
of trafficking weather. I'm a little long winded here today
in the segments, and I do apologize for that. Are
you mad at me, mister Alden? Are you having to
do a lot of tap dancing to clean up for
my poor time management?
Speaker 2 (08:14):
Tap dancing? Yes, but I'm not angry about it.
Speaker 1 (08:16):
Well, you're a great tap dancer, and I mean that
quite literally, not on the dance floor, but when it
comes to tab dancing and on the fly in real
time having to dance and make it all work, you
do a great job at it. Which now I'm visualizing
you actually with some tab dancing shoes.
Speaker 2 (08:31):
On, and I kind of like it. I kind of
like what I'm seeing upstairs.
Speaker 1 (08:34):
As I tried to put a visual to it. But
so nine to eleven, twenty four years ago, i'll give you,
and I don't have any real super interesting look back
to that day. But I was in seventh grade and
we were going on a field trip that day, and
we did. By the way, we went on a field
trip and walked into school, walked into the classroom, and
(08:55):
the TV was on, which was rare for the TV
to be on in our classroom actually without class going on.
And I remember seeing right there on the screen the
towers and they were showing clearly the destruction, and honestly,
I just went and sat in my chair, and then
(09:15):
the first thing that stood out to me was that
my teacher was very much just consumed by what which
told me this must be a pretty big deal. And
then from there I never thought about, oh, we're really
going to go on our field trip or not, but
we did. We went to my old Kentucky home in Bloomfield, Kentucky,
which was a pretty common field you're a Bullet County
Public School alumna, John.
Speaker 2 (09:37):
Did you Did you all ever go there for a
field trip? Do you remember? Of course, some of your
early childhood was not.
Speaker 3 (09:42):
Yes.
Speaker 2 (09:42):
I was in southern Indiana for elementary school, so we
didn't go there.
Speaker 1 (09:46):
So we went there multiple times, and that day we went,
and I mean I remember little things just about being there,
but nothing about nine to eleven when I was there.
But we got back on the bus and we were leaving,
and I felt like we were leaving earlier than we
probably were expected to leave. And then the bush driver
(10:08):
this is what stands out to me. The bus driver
was listening to the radio and clearly just not I mean,
he's just very much just consuming something on the radio
that seemed very important. And I'm pretty sure he's listening
to eight forty whas to be honest with you, because
that's what you do. And then I realized, because they
(10:28):
did confirm we were leaving early and then we got
back to school and there I feel like there might
have been still a couple of hours of school left
and we didn't do anything. Hopefully I'm not throwing my
old teachers under the bus, but we just sat, had
the TV on, socialized. I think even as young kids,
we were able to feel that this was a big deal,
(10:50):
but we were also too young to actually grasp how
big of a deal it was, and too young to
really want to know specific details, because again we're talking
about seventh grader, sixth and seventh graders.
Speaker 2 (11:03):
So I also.
Speaker 1 (11:05):
Remember leaving school that day, getting home and realizing that
my dad was expected to fly that day for work.
Speaker 2 (11:14):
He didn't, but him.
Speaker 1 (11:17):
And I speaking via phone, and you know, just and
I think at that age, even to this day, your parents,
your mother, your father, the way they the way they get,
you know, caught up in something or clearly are impacted,
and you can just tell that they're taking something very serious.
Speaker 2 (11:33):
I mean that sticks with you.
Speaker 1 (11:34):
It's it's just it's it's to me, it's human nature.
Your parents, your mom and your dad, you know their emotions.
You're going to pick up on it, and it's going
to do something to you. And I remember that was
when it really hit me, Okay, this is, this is,
this is this is probably something that will go down
as something we remember forever. I don't think I was
old enough to really have the mindset of.
Speaker 2 (11:56):
This will be a day that we look back to forever.
Speaker 1 (11:59):
And that Wow, I wonder where we go from here,
because that's that was probably a lot of folks actual
what happens now?
Speaker 2 (12:07):
This is?
Speaker 1 (12:08):
This is insane, this is this is you know what's
going to be our response? And you know what are
we going to find out about those involved? But I
was too young, of course to to really have that
mindset at that time. But in my lifetime there aren't
There aren't many days like that one as far as
just not even knowing it in real time. Years later,
(12:31):
you do have the memory of something that that clearly
was a big deal. And when I'm trying to articulate
here is that the I had no way of even
knowing how big of a deal it was at that age,
but clearly it was, and it stuck with me. And
I don't remember what I did last week. I remember
exactly my day to day routine that day, because again,
(12:52):
it was that kind of a day all right, we've
got trapping weather updates on the way. Also another sports
update coming your way here on news radio Wait forty whs.
Thank you very much, John Shannon, it is Kentucky in
his morning news coffee and company with you here on
news Radio eight forty whas a busy, busy morning and
that will certainly continue as we react to the news yesterday.
(13:13):
Political violence clearly has been an issue for a while now,
and yesterday was just another reminder of that. But Charlie
Kirk assassinated and as of now, we do not have
much information as far as the suspect. We do know
that they they did apprehend two people and question them
only to then let them go. So hopefully there's an
update on that soon and if so, we will certainly
let you guys know. But also today is September the eleventh,
(13:36):
twenty four years ago. On this day, it was a
day that obviously we'll be remembered till the end of time.
And I've shared a little bit about my day twenty
four years ago, and John Shannon's with us now to
talk a little bit about his day and his experience
as at the time John was in the reserves. But
(13:56):
this situation led to you make the decision to go
back to active duty, right.
Speaker 2 (14:02):
It really did.
Speaker 5 (14:03):
And for a lot of people my age, Nick, it
was our it was our Kennedy moment.
Speaker 1 (14:08):
You know.
Speaker 5 (14:09):
I can go back now and talk to my mother
who's eighty almost eighty three years old, and say, Mom,
where were you when you heard that Kennedy was assassinated.
She can tell me the exact step at my grandparents'
house in Oklahoma where she was standing when she heard
the news. You can probably ask your grandfather, your grandfather
or grandmother of the same thing. Sure, our grandkids will
ask me, probably ask you too, you know, Grandpa, where
(14:29):
were you when nine to eleven happened? And we'll remember
it just as if it happened yesterday, And it did
for me. I was I was in the Texas Army
National Guard at the time, and I was a program
director for KISSFM one O three three kcrs in Midland, Texas,
and I saw, I actually saw the second plane hit
the tower live on TV. In fact, it was funny,
(14:52):
because not funny, haha, but the whole the anchor that
was on TV was talking to somebody about plane crash
is in the crowded air traffic around LaGuardia and and JFK,
and the second one hit. It was in a little
box down in the bottom left corner, and there was
confusion on the sound stage. You actually heard the producer
and the anchor talking back and forth.
Speaker 2 (15:13):
Was this live?
Speaker 5 (15:14):
Was at a repeat? And then they suddenly realized. You
could hear the gasps from the camera crew and the
staff as they realized the second plane had hit.
Speaker 2 (15:21):
I jumped up out.
Speaker 5 (15:22):
I was just waking up to go to work. My
mom had called me at my apartment said, hey, turn
on your TV. They just had a bad accident. A
plane hit the World Trade Center. I saw that second one,
realized it wasn't really and I said, this is not
an accident, this is an attack. Went flying to the
radio station. My boss at the time, God bless him,
a former Force Marine recon Force Marine Force recon soldier.
(15:48):
I'm running into the office. I've got my alert roster form,
my union in my hand. I don't know what's happening.
I don't know where I'm going to get called up.
Speaker 2 (15:53):
Are we at war?
Speaker 5 (15:54):
What's happening? But I knew I had to make a
phone call and at least check in because that you know,
it's what you do and in these type situations, and
it's got to be one of those moments for you
in your life where you just quite literally nothing's off
the table as far as where where things go from here.
Speaker 2 (16:08):
You have no clue what the next hour is going
to be like for you.
Speaker 5 (16:12):
Because I'm listening to our AM station. All of the
stations in our cluster had switched to AM and was
running AP radio news, which is who we carried there,
and so I'm getting these updates. I'm getting updates that
fighter jets have launched, that there's a fourth plane, that
a plane has hit the Pentagon. I'm listening to a
reporter that lived in Crystal City, Virginia, which is with
a stone's throw of the Pentagon, say he heard the
jet fly overhead. I worked with soldiers, fellow soldiers when
(16:35):
I got to d C and was stationed at the
old Guard that were there on nine to eleven, and
saw the plane come over our buildings and literally go
down the hill basically over the Tomb of the Unknown
and into the south side of the Pentagon. Are the
cameras that monitor the Tomb of the Unknown soldier actually
picked it up, but I went flying into my office.
(16:57):
My boss is coming out of his office and he says, John,
are you getting called up? I said, Dale? Is his name? Dale?
I said, I don't know. I got a call and
find out. He says, if you get called up, he says,
don't do anything, just get out of here and go.
And I ended up not getting called up until October.
I was I provided coverage for the military of the
(17:19):
first soldiers that deployed at Austin Bergs from airport, and
then a year later I was back on activeduty. I
just I felt a calling.
Speaker 1 (17:31):
Yeah, I've written make sense how that something like that
can can lead it to just and it probably wasn't
something you really had any intent.
Speaker 2 (17:40):
Right away, but it just developed right he did, this
is what I need to do.
Speaker 5 (17:43):
It brought a lot of things in my life into focus,
and I read At the time I was let's see,
that was nine, two thousand and one. I was thirty two,
A young guy. Yeah, relatively speaking. Yeah, you know, I
made the determination. Okay, I'm going to go back active duty.
My girlfriend, who had I've been dating, is who's now
(18:06):
my wife. I've realized, you know, are important, you know,
how you realize how important relationships are with things like that,
It just it brought a lot of stuff into focus
and probably one of the biggest single events in my
life that just kind of made me grow up and
focused me on on what's important in life and what
I needed to do. And at the time, what I
(18:28):
thought I needed to do was go back and serve
my country in whatever capacity I could on active duty
in the army.
Speaker 1 (18:34):
Let me ask you this because I imagine at that time,
thirty two years old, you're aware that this is this
is playing out for you as far as just okay,
I now know that this is putting things in perspective.
But now that you look back on it many years later,
it's probably even more of a realization that that was
such a it shaped a lot for you into your life.
Speaker 5 (18:54):
Ye yeah, yeah, perspective, you know, hindsight's twenty twenty on that.
But looking back in perspective, and I've done that a lot,
because this day really for twenty four years, has affected me.
You can see, I'm kinda yeah, but as it does
a lot of people. So if you're listening out there
and think you're the only one, no, you're not alone.
But yeah, it just it just I look back and
it just defined everything that I kind of did going forward.
Speaker 1 (19:17):
Let me ask you this, whenever it was happening in
real time, you know, I was a seventh grader in
a classroom waiting to go on a field trip. You,
of course, were in a much different situation in your life.
Was it quite when you were consuming the live coverage?
Was it right away known that this wasn't just some accident?
I mean, how long did it take for people to
realize as far as coverage that this was an attack.
Speaker 5 (19:40):
The second plane, because there were still people talking about
you know, it could have been a misdirection from they
weren't even sure the size of the plane at the time,
they were thinking it might have even been like a
lear jet. And then you get the footage from the
ground of the guys that were the French videographers that
were shooting the video, and the plane flies directly overhead
and hits the first tower, and that starts to bring
(20:01):
it in perspective. And then as they're discussing all of this,
you know, you start to hear about you know, some
of the experts are like, well, you know, we've known
for years, they wanted to fly planes and everything. And
when that second plane hit, everybody, all the analysts, all
the talking heads said, this is not an accident. This
is an act of terrorism. And that's when, believe it
or not, that same day you started hearing the name
Osama bin Laden come up within hours of day of
(20:23):
this happening.
Speaker 2 (20:24):
Day up.
Speaker 5 (20:25):
Yeah, when the second plane hit, that was that was
pretty clear that this was not an accident.
Speaker 1 (20:30):
Well, thank you for sharing that with us, and also,
of course thank you for your service. I know, as
you mentioned, it's it's a very special day for you
and a special day for a lot of people as
far as just not only remembering what was taking place
and how how awful it was. But again, I'm sure
there's others that in a different way probably had an
impact on them that that that changed some things for them.
(20:51):
That's what those kind of things, unfortunately, can can do.
But clearly it was a sign for you to get
back and serve serve your country once again. And again
I appreciate you for doing that, my friend.
Speaker 5 (21:00):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (21:00):
All right, let's get to a quick update of traffick
and weather. I want to talk a little bit more
about actually Bourbanna be On is starting today and yesterday
with Terry Miners. We did have David Beck, the security
of the Kentucky Exposition Center area given giving some thoughts
just about security, so we'll let you guys hear that
as well as just there's some interesting facts that I
continue to find out about nine to eleven that I
(21:21):
think some of these are pretty obscure, but they're interesting.
So we'll get to that in a lot more right
here on News Radio eight forty WHCHS.
Speaker 2 (21:29):
It is six forty nine.
Speaker 1 (21:30):
Here in news Radio eight forty whas Coffee and Company
with you Kentucky Anda's morning News coming up at seven
oh five, are going to be joined by Emily Callaway.
She is the state representative District thirty seven. She was
in attendance at Charlie Kirk's speaking engagement that took place
at the end of June here locally in Shepherdsville, Kentucky.
So we'll get her thoughts on just I guess a
(21:52):
lot of things, but just kind of set the scene
as someone who was able to see Charlie Kirk in person,
and I'm curious that is what you see on the
social media eclipse the many that have have have captured
him going back and forth with somebody at one of
his events. I mean they're pretty consistent as far as
(22:13):
just his not only his thoughts beliefs, but just sort
of how those interactions go.
Speaker 2 (22:16):
But I'm curious if there's more to what a lot
of us have.
Speaker 1 (22:19):
Seen, because again, I think most folks have just consumed
what is what is popping up on our on our
social media feeds. So again we'll talk to her coming
up at seven oh five. All right, So Bourbon and
Beyond getting started today, and obviously when it comes to
uh to big events with a lot of people, I
mean this is not only with Bourbon and Beyond, but
Lotterer than Life. Next week it's the biggest eight days
(22:41):
of live music in the United States. That's not an
exaggeration when you consider the amount of people that are
going to be on hand for both these events, I
mean it's it's huge. So obviously public safety is a
real concern for a lot of folks. But David Beck,
he is the CEO of Kentucky Venues and obviously they
(23:02):
of course are right there at the fairgrounds that area,
and he was on with Terry Minors yesterday to discuss
security that is going to clearly be in place, of
course prior to even yesterday's situation. But here is David
Beck's comments on those that are concerned about the security
measures taking place at such a big event this weekend
here in Louisville.
Speaker 3 (23:20):
It's good to reassure the public about security. Oh yes,
safety and security of all of our shows is a priority.
We want our guests, our attendees to be saved. We
want our colleagues, our sponsors as well. And all the
different agencies in this community at all levels of government
have been involved, continue to be involved. There's all types
(23:42):
of meetings, of meetings yesterday today, everybody reviewing, making sure
things in good shape. There's always that opportunity for something
to go wrong, which you plan it well in advance,
you keep tweaking the plan, stay on top of it,
monitor it. We want to be a very safe event,
as we do all of our events, or with Danny
his team as well.
Speaker 1 (24:02):
So I'm sure there are many people that when it
comes to attending these type of events, there's moments leading
up to it, and of course maybe even while you're there,
just the thought of hey i'm at, I am at
an event with so many people that if someone did
have a plan to commit a heinous act of terrorism
or just be a mass shooter, I mean, I mean,
(24:25):
it's tough to try to put yourself in the shoes
of where they would target, what they would do, because
I'd like to believe that the vast majority of society
couldn't relate in any way to those that do those
kind of things. But clearly they're they're well aware of
having security in place that can help folks enjoy themselves.
And look, that's a sad thing to think about, but
I get it where you are at those events and
(24:47):
you can't enjoy it as much because maybe at times
you worry about that, or maybe you don't go to
those kind of things because of those real concerns. But
twenty four years ago, September eleventh, two thousand and one,
of course a day that will be remembered forever. I
have a really in the last couple of days enjoyed
just looking at different stories facts about that day that
(25:11):
some of these things I either forgot about or just
honestly didn't didn't know. But what I think is awesome
is the countless stories of survival due to a series
of seemingly mundane events. Yet people that were late for
work that day because of a doctor's appointment, a broken
down car, or a simple decision to grab coffee.
Speaker 2 (25:34):
I mean, one man.
Speaker 1 (25:36):
Has shared a story that he was he was saved
because he had a green card interview in Newark, New
Jersey at that time. Had he not had that appointment,
he would have he would have maybe even killed. And
if you were one of those people, I mean, I
I can't imagine the time it would take for you
to live life without the oh my goodness, what could
(25:59):
have been? I can't believe, you know. And you would
also have something that is a real thing, that's survivor's guilt,
meaning you realize how fortunate you are to be alive,
unharmed potentially because of again, a mundane thing that really
is just, you know, just there's no ram or reason.
Speaker 2 (26:15):
It's just it worked out that way.
Speaker 1 (26:17):
I mean, obviously, I would imagine you're thinking the man
above for it working out the way that it did
for you, But you would you would you would not
even realize it potentially, and I'm sure some people do
realize it, but you would, you would have you would
have trauma from that, because you would find yourself at times.
Speaker 2 (26:31):
Why me, Why did why was I?
Speaker 1 (26:34):
Why did I end up okay and and well and unharmed?
And I wasn't there whenever I am ninety nine percent
of the time during that exact moment.
Speaker 2 (26:43):
I mean, it would, it would, it would, it would
eat at you.
Speaker 1 (26:46):
So we'll continue to talk about that day twenty four
years ago, and of course how much it has changed
the lives of a lot of people. And I used
to think that, wow, it's been that long. Seems like
it was the other day or just to you know,
five six years ago, And now it does, in fact
seem like it was that long ago. And man, where
we are now as far as being undivided compared to
(27:11):
where we were right after this happened twenty four years ago.
That's a sad reality. Is just the different situation there.
All right, Let's get to a quick time out trafficking
weather updates on the way, and we hope you stick
with U right here, and there's raady wait forty whs
It is six oh five Here News radioa forty whas
Coffee and Company with You Kentucky and This Morning News
a September eleventh edition, which will continue to discuss, of course,
that day that changed everything seemingly, and of course it
will be remembered from then until the end of time.
I don't see a scenario where it's not something that
(00:20):
every year we look back on and just remember sort
of what that day was. But also we've talked a
lot and will continue to talk a lot about the
tragic situation yesterday as Charlie Kirk was assassinated while giving
a speech at a university in Utah, and I the
reaction to the reaction will of course be a big
(00:41):
talking point for a lot of folks. In fact, I
kind of feel like if you just were to pop
open your social media rather it be Facebook, maybe Twitter.
Twitter's a little different obviously because it's it's more so
a engagement with outlets and those who sort of work
in the media. Clearly, there are many people that are
just that are just on the plat form to share
thoughts and read information. But your Facebook, of course is
(01:03):
usually a social platform that that is mostly people you
see that you that you know or have some familiarity with.
But this may not be something that I should say
as somebody who works in the media and whose livelihood
depends on this industry. So it may sound sound, it
may sound strange to say this, but when it comes
to how divided we are, the media plays a huge
(01:25):
role in it. And that's not to say one side
is more guilty than the other, but clearly we have
these platforms that everybody has access to, and it has
let people completely get way too absorbed by these things.
Speaker 2 (01:43):
You know, we used to be able to.
Speaker 1 (01:44):
Sit down with people fully aware that they didn't share
the same beliefs that we did, and it was it
wasn't it wasn't something that you would be that bothered by.
Speaker 2 (01:51):
You would just know.
Speaker 1 (01:52):
You could live comfortably knowing that there are people that
you know and maybe love that just simply don't view
things the same way that you do. You could still
have those conversations, still love, respect, and enjoy being around
each other. Well, now we live in a world where
at any second you can scroll through endless platforms on
the Internet and find validation for your own beliefs, and
(02:14):
that validation doesn't just make you feel more content that Okay, yeah,
this is here. I more and more I'm seeing and
reading and consuming that makes me feel like, Yep, this
is the way it is. And anybody that's not of
this belief is wrong. But not only that, you can
find anything that'll make you believe anything you want. But
(02:35):
it's not just about hey, I'm now consuming nothing but
Republican stuff, or I'm consuming nothing but democratic stuff. It's
now not only is this way the right way, but
the other way they're crazy, they're awful. So that is
something that is constantly available to people that and they're
consuming it at a high rate, and that.
Speaker 2 (02:58):
Is that is absolutely a factor. And how divided we are.
Speaker 1 (03:03):
I mean, I feel like politics and beliefs have become
some people's entire personality instead of just one element of
who they are. And living with your guard up, assuming
anybody who disagrees with you must be the worst person ever.
That's not normal, that's not healthy, it's destructive. I mean,
(03:25):
beyond politics, think about it this way. You probably have
somebody in your life that you would die for, but
you disagree with them on certain things. Now, sharing a
life with somebody, maybe starting a family with somebody, I'm
sure there are many that have done that that don't
see eye to eye in every way when it comes
to politics and whatnot. But I'm sure also it's a
(03:47):
huge component for people who want to share life with
somebody that want to, you know, want to again, it's
your life partner. But there are people that you know,
maybe your brother in law, maybe your best friend, your coworker,
somebody that you really love and care for, that you
just know that they don't agree with you on a
lot of things, and it doesn't change the way you feel.
(04:07):
Now again, I know politics a little different.
Speaker 3 (04:09):
Right.
Speaker 1 (04:09):
If somebody's beliefs are pro something that you find heinous,
it would be hard for you to just completely avoid
that and not think about it. But also it doesn't
have to be our entire existence. So the endless content
that's out there to just further convince people that, oh yeah,
(04:30):
not only am I correct and seeing it.
Speaker 2 (04:32):
This way, but let's look at the other side. They're terrible.
Speaker 1 (04:35):
It's just how it is. And quickly, I do want
to talk about the MSNBC coverage yesterday, which I mean,
I'm still kind of speechless, to be honest with you.
This isn't even a political savement. It's just about human decency.
A comment made by somebody who has since been fired.
(04:57):
Matthew Dowd was fired. You were somebody that spends a
lot of time consuming MSNBC's coverage of things, and maybe
you feel as if they are more so compatible with
your beliefs, and that didn't raise the hair on the
back of your neck or make you realize, Wow, did
he really just say that that's a scary thing? Because
(05:18):
this is not This is not I mean, this is
inhumane and again, not a good thing for somebody who's
hosting a four hour talk show to be left speechless.
But I just I'm still in disbelief that right as
soon as this news broke, this was what was said
by by somebody.
Speaker 2 (05:34):
Talk to me about the environment in which a shooting
like this happens.
Speaker 4 (05:40):
Yeah, and again, emphasize what you just emphasize. We don't
know any of the details of this that we don't
know if this was the supporter or shooting their gun
off in celebration or so. We have no idea about this.
But following up what was just said, he's been one
of the most divisive, especially devisive younger figures in this
who is constantly sort of pushing this sort of hate
(06:01):
speech or sort of aimed at certain groups. And I
always go back to hateful thoughts lead to hateful words,
which then lead to hateful actions. And I think that's
the environment we're in that people just you can't stop
with these sort of awful thoughts you have and then
saying these awful words and not expect awful actions to
(06:22):
take place. And that's the fortune environment we're in.
Speaker 2 (06:27):
I genuinely don't know what to say.
Speaker 1 (06:30):
After hearing that, other than the instant belief that it
must have been somebody who was there firing off a
shot in celebration that he was there, I mean what
and even if like that later became the truth, which
is so not the truth, Like to say that in
(06:51):
the moment without any information is just reckless. And again
that individual has been fired. But Charlie Kirk, to me,
seemed to be the exact example of somebody that would
go and embrace healthy dialogue with people who clearly did
not see how to eye with him and wanted to
get their chance to grab that microphone and try to
dunk on him and own him. And within fifteen seconds
(07:12):
of those interactions he quickly would would oftentimes make those
people realize that some of the things they're saying out
loud that they believe are asinin. And he did it respectfully.
I mean, he, to me was an example of somebody
that clearly felt very strong about his beliefs, but he
was not. He had a platform that became so humongous
(07:33):
that just was to go and and have those conversations.
So I mean again, that individual Matthew doubt has been
has been fired. No surprise there, all right, traving weather
updates on the way, and we'll talk a little nine
to eleven. As far as going back to that day
on the other side here twenty four years, I used
to think, like, wow, has it been that long? Now
(07:53):
it does feel like it's been. It's been that long,
all right, it's news. Ready to wait forty whas we're
just a couple of minutes away from your next update
of trafficking weather. I'm a little long winded here today
in the segments, and I do apologize for that. Are
you mad at me, mister Alden? Are you having to
do a lot of tap dancing to clean up for
my poor time management?
Speaker 2 (08:14):
Tap dancing? Yes, but I'm not angry about it.
Speaker 1 (08:16):
Well, you're a great tap dancer, and I mean that
quite literally, not on the dance floor, but when it
comes to tab dancing and on the fly in real
time having to dance and make it all work, you
do a great job at it. Which now I'm visualizing
you actually with some tab dancing shoes.
Speaker 2 (08:31):
On, and I kind of like it. I kind of
like what I'm seeing upstairs.
Speaker 1 (08:34):
As I tried to put a visual to it. But
so nine to eleven, twenty four years ago, i'll give you,
and I don't have any real super interesting look back
to that day. But I was in seventh grade and
we were going on a field trip that day, and
we did. By the way, we went on a field
trip and walked into school, walked into the classroom, and
(08:55):
the TV was on, which was rare for the TV
to be on in our classroom actually without class going on.
And I remember seeing right there on the screen the
towers and they were showing clearly the destruction, and honestly,
I just went and sat in my chair, and then
(09:15):
the first thing that stood out to me was that
my teacher was very much just consumed by what which
told me this must be a pretty big deal. And
then from there I never thought about, oh, we're really
going to go on our field trip or not, but
we did. We went to my old Kentucky home in Bloomfield, Kentucky,
which was a pretty common field you're a Bullet County
Public School alumna, John.
Speaker 2 (09:37):
Did you Did you all ever go there for a
field trip? Do you remember? Of course, some of your
early childhood was not.
Speaker 3 (09:42):
Yes.
Speaker 2 (09:42):
I was in southern Indiana for elementary school, so we
didn't go there.
Speaker 1 (09:46):
So we went there multiple times, and that day we went,
and I mean I remember little things just about being there,
but nothing about nine to eleven when I was there.
But we got back on the bus and we were leaving,
and I felt like we were leaving earlier than we
probably were expected to leave. And then the bush driver
(10:08):
this is what stands out to me. The bus driver
was listening to the radio and clearly just not I mean,
he's just very much just consuming something on the radio
that seemed very important. And I'm pretty sure he's listening
to eight forty whas to be honest with you, because
that's what you do. And then I realized, because they
(10:28):
did confirm we were leaving early and then we got
back to school and there I feel like there might
have been still a couple of hours of school left
and we didn't do anything. Hopefully I'm not throwing my
old teachers under the bus, but we just sat, had
the TV on, socialized. I think even as young kids,
we were able to feel that this was a big deal,
(10:50):
but we were also too young to actually grasp how
big of a deal it was, and too young to
really want to know specific details, because again we're talking
about seventh grader, sixth and seventh graders.
Speaker 2 (11:03):
So I also.
Speaker 1 (11:05):
Remember leaving school that day, getting home and realizing that
my dad was expected to fly that day for work.
Speaker 2 (11:14):
He didn't, but him.
Speaker 1 (11:17):
And I speaking via phone, and you know, just and
I think at that age, even to this day, your parents,
your mother, your father, the way they the way they get,
you know, caught up in something or clearly are impacted,
and you can just tell that they're taking something very serious.
Speaker 2 (11:33):
I mean that sticks with you.
Speaker 1 (11:34):
It's it's just it's it's to me, it's human nature.
Your parents, your mom and your dad, you know their emotions.
You're going to pick up on it, and it's going
to do something to you. And I remember that was
when it really hit me, Okay, this is, this is,
this is this is probably something that will go down
as something we remember forever. I don't think I was
old enough to really have the mindset of.
Speaker 2 (11:56):
This will be a day that we look back to forever.
Speaker 1 (11:59):
And that Wow, I wonder where we go from here,
because that's that was probably a lot of folks actual
what happens now?
Speaker 2 (12:07):
This is?
Speaker 1 (12:08):
This is insane, this is this is you know what's
going to be our response? And you know what are
we going to find out about those involved? But I
was too young, of course to to really have that
mindset at that time. But in my lifetime there aren't
There aren't many days like that one as far as
just not even knowing it in real time. Years later,
(12:31):
you do have the memory of something that that clearly
was a big deal. And when I'm trying to articulate
here is that the I had no way of even
knowing how big of a deal it was at that age,
but clearly it was, and it stuck with me. And
I don't remember what I did last week. I remember
exactly my day to day routine that day, because again,
(12:52):
it was that kind of a day all right, we've
got trapping weather updates on the way. Also another sports
update coming your way here on news radio Wait forty whs.
Thank you very much, John Shannon, it is Kentucky in
his morning news coffee and company with you here on
news Radio eight forty whas a busy, busy morning and
that will certainly continue as we react to the news yesterday.
(13:13):
Political violence clearly has been an issue for a while now,
and yesterday was just another reminder of that. But Charlie
Kirk assassinated and as of now, we do not have
much information as far as the suspect. We do know
that they they did apprehend two people and question them
only to then let them go. So hopefully there's an
update on that soon and if so, we will certainly
let you guys know. But also today is September the eleventh,
(13:36):
twenty four years ago. On this day, it was a
day that obviously we'll be remembered till the end of time.
And I've shared a little bit about my day twenty
four years ago, and John Shannon's with us now to
talk a little bit about his day and his experience
as at the time John was in the reserves. But
(13:56):
this situation led to you make the decision to go
back to active duty, right.
Speaker 2 (14:02):
It really did.
Speaker 5 (14:03):
And for a lot of people my age, Nick, it
was our it was our Kennedy moment.
Speaker 1 (14:08):
You know.
Speaker 5 (14:09):
I can go back now and talk to my mother
who's eighty almost eighty three years old, and say, Mom,
where were you when you heard that Kennedy was assassinated.
She can tell me the exact step at my grandparents'
house in Oklahoma where she was standing when she heard
the news. You can probably ask your grandfather, your grandfather
or grandmother of the same thing. Sure, our grandkids will
ask me, probably ask you too, you know, Grandpa, where
(14:29):
were you when nine to eleven happened? And we'll remember
it just as if it happened yesterday, And it did
for me. I was I was in the Texas Army
National Guard at the time, and I was a program
director for KISSFM one O three three kcrs in Midland, Texas,
and I saw, I actually saw the second plane hit
the tower live on TV. In fact, it was funny,
(14:52):
because not funny, haha, but the whole the anchor that
was on TV was talking to somebody about plane crash
is in the crowded air traffic around LaGuardia and and JFK,
and the second one hit. It was in a little
box down in the bottom left corner, and there was
confusion on the sound stage. You actually heard the producer
and the anchor talking back and forth.
Speaker 2 (15:13):
Was this live?
Speaker 5 (15:14):
Was at a repeat? And then they suddenly realized. You
could hear the gasps from the camera crew and the
staff as they realized the second plane had hit.
Speaker 2 (15:21):
I jumped up out.
Speaker 5 (15:22):
I was just waking up to go to work. My
mom had called me at my apartment said, hey, turn
on your TV. They just had a bad accident. A
plane hit the World Trade Center. I saw that second one,
realized it wasn't really and I said, this is not
an accident, this is an attack. Went flying to the
radio station. My boss at the time, God bless him,
a former Force Marine recon Force Marine Force recon soldier.
(15:48):
I'm running into the office. I've got my alert roster form,
my union in my hand. I don't know what's happening.
I don't know where I'm going to get called up.
Speaker 2 (15:53):
Are we at war?
Speaker 5 (15:54):
What's happening? But I knew I had to make a
phone call and at least check in because that you know,
it's what you do and in these type situations, and
it's got to be one of those moments for you
in your life where you just quite literally nothing's off
the table as far as where where things go from here.
Speaker 2 (16:08):
You have no clue what the next hour is going
to be like for you.
Speaker 5 (16:12):
Because I'm listening to our AM station. All of the
stations in our cluster had switched to AM and was
running AP radio news, which is who we carried there,
and so I'm getting these updates. I'm getting updates that
fighter jets have launched, that there's a fourth plane, that
a plane has hit the Pentagon. I'm listening to a
reporter that lived in Crystal City, Virginia, which is with
a stone's throw of the Pentagon, say he heard the
jet fly overhead. I worked with soldiers, fellow soldiers when
(16:35):
I got to d C and was stationed at the
old Guard that were there on nine to eleven, and
saw the plane come over our buildings and literally go
down the hill basically over the Tomb of the Unknown
and into the south side of the Pentagon. Are the
cameras that monitor the Tomb of the Unknown soldier actually
picked it up, but I went flying into my office.
(16:57):
My boss is coming out of his office and he says, John,
are you getting called up? I said, Dale? Is his name? Dale?
I said, I don't know. I got a call and
find out. He says, if you get called up, he says,
don't do anything, just get out of here and go.
And I ended up not getting called up until October.
I was I provided coverage for the military of the
(17:19):
first soldiers that deployed at Austin Bergs from airport, and
then a year later I was back on activeduty. I
just I felt a calling.
Speaker 1 (17:31):
Yeah, I've written make sense how that something like that
can can lead it to just and it probably wasn't
something you really had any intent.
Speaker 2 (17:40):
Right away, but it just developed right he did, this
is what I need to do.
Speaker 5 (17:43):
It brought a lot of things in my life into focus,
and I read At the time I was let's see,
that was nine, two thousand and one. I was thirty two,
A young guy. Yeah, relatively speaking. Yeah, you know, I
made the determination. Okay, I'm going to go back active duty.
My girlfriend, who had I've been dating, is who's now
(18:06):
my wife. I've realized, you know, are important, you know,
how you realize how important relationships are with things like that,
It just it brought a lot of stuff into focus
and probably one of the biggest single events in my
life that just kind of made me grow up and
focused me on on what's important in life and what
I needed to do. And at the time, what I
(18:28):
thought I needed to do was go back and serve
my country in whatever capacity I could on active duty
in the army.
Speaker 1 (18:34):
Let me ask you this because I imagine at that time,
thirty two years old, you're aware that this is this
is playing out for you as far as just okay,
I now know that this is putting things in perspective.
But now that you look back on it many years later,
it's probably even more of a realization that that was
such a it shaped a lot for you into your life.
Speaker 5 (18:54):
Ye yeah, yeah, perspective, you know, hindsight's twenty twenty on that.
But looking back in perspective, and I've done that a lot,
because this day really for twenty four years, has affected me.
You can see, I'm kinda yeah, but as it does
a lot of people. So if you're listening out there
and think you're the only one, no, you're not alone.
But yeah, it just it just I look back and
it just defined everything that I kind of did going forward.
Speaker 1 (19:17):
Let me ask you this, whenever it was happening in
real time, you know, I was a seventh grader in
a classroom waiting to go on a field trip. You,
of course, were in a much different situation in your life.
Was it quite when you were consuming the live coverage?
Was it right away known that this wasn't just some accident?
I mean, how long did it take for people to
realize as far as coverage that this was an attack.
Speaker 5 (19:40):
The second plane, because there were still people talking about
you know, it could have been a misdirection from they
weren't even sure the size of the plane at the time,
they were thinking it might have even been like a
lear jet. And then you get the footage from the
ground of the guys that were the French videographers that
were shooting the video, and the plane flies directly overhead
and hits the first tower, and that starts to bring
(20:01):
it in perspective. And then as they're discussing all of this,
you know, you start to hear about you know, some
of the experts are like, well, you know, we've known
for years, they wanted to fly planes and everything. And
when that second plane hit, everybody, all the analysts, all
the talking heads said, this is not an accident. This
is an act of terrorism. And that's when, believe it
or not, that same day you started hearing the name
Osama bin Laden come up within hours of day of
(20:23):
this happening.
Speaker 2 (20:24):
Day up.
Speaker 5 (20:25):
Yeah, when the second plane hit, that was that was
pretty clear that this was not an accident.
Speaker 1 (20:30):
Well, thank you for sharing that with us, and also,
of course thank you for your service. I know, as
you mentioned, it's it's a very special day for you
and a special day for a lot of people as
far as just not only remembering what was taking place
and how how awful it was. But again, I'm sure
there's others that in a different way probably had an
impact on them that that that changed some things for them.
(20:51):
That's what those kind of things, unfortunately, can can do.
But clearly it was a sign for you to get
back and serve serve your country once again. And again
I appreciate you for doing that, my friend.
Speaker 5 (21:00):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (21:00):
All right, let's get to a quick update of traffick
and weather. I want to talk a little bit more
about actually Bourbanna be On is starting today and yesterday
with Terry Miners. We did have David Beck, the security
of the Kentucky Exposition Center area given giving some thoughts
just about security, so we'll let you guys hear that
as well as just there's some interesting facts that I
continue to find out about nine to eleven that I
(21:21):
think some of these are pretty obscure, but they're interesting.
So we'll get to that in a lot more right
here on News Radio eight forty WHCHS.
Speaker 2 (21:29):
It is six forty nine.
Speaker 1 (21:30):
Here in news Radio eight forty whas Coffee and Company
with you Kentucky Anda's morning News coming up at seven
oh five, are going to be joined by Emily Callaway.
She is the state representative District thirty seven. She was
in attendance at Charlie Kirk's speaking engagement that took place
at the end of June here locally in Shepherdsville, Kentucky.
So we'll get her thoughts on just I guess a
(21:52):
lot of things, but just kind of set the scene
as someone who was able to see Charlie Kirk in person,
and I'm curious that is what you see on the
social media eclipse the many that have have have captured
him going back and forth with somebody at one of
his events. I mean they're pretty consistent as far as
(22:13):
just his not only his thoughts beliefs, but just sort
of how those interactions go.
Speaker 2 (22:16):
But I'm curious if there's more to what a lot
of us have.
Speaker 1 (22:19):
Seen, because again, I think most folks have just consumed
what is what is popping up on our on our
social media feeds. So again we'll talk to her coming
up at seven oh five. All right, So Bourbon and
Beyond getting started today, and obviously when it comes to
uh to big events with a lot of people, I
mean this is not only with Bourbon and Beyond, but
Lotterer than Life. Next week it's the biggest eight days
(22:41):
of live music in the United States. That's not an
exaggeration when you consider the amount of people that are
going to be on hand for both these events, I
mean it's it's huge. So obviously public safety is a
real concern for a lot of folks. But David Beck,
he is the CEO of Kentucky Venues and obviously they
(23:02):
of course are right there at the fairgrounds that area,
and he was on with Terry Minors yesterday to discuss
security that is going to clearly be in place, of
course prior to even yesterday's situation. But here is David
Beck's comments on those that are concerned about the security
measures taking place at such a big event this weekend
here in Louisville.
Speaker 3 (23:20):
It's good to reassure the public about security. Oh yes,
safety and security of all of our shows is a priority.
We want our guests, our attendees to be saved. We
want our colleagues, our sponsors as well. And all the
different agencies in this community at all levels of government
have been involved, continue to be involved. There's all types
(23:42):
of meetings, of meetings yesterday today, everybody reviewing, making sure
things in good shape. There's always that opportunity for something
to go wrong, which you plan it well in advance,
you keep tweaking the plan, stay on top of it,
monitor it. We want to be a very safe event,
as we do all of our events, or with Danny
his team as well.
Speaker 1 (24:02):
So I'm sure there are many people that when it
comes to attending these type of events, there's moments leading
up to it, and of course maybe even while you're there,
just the thought of hey i'm at, I am at
an event with so many people that if someone did
have a plan to commit a heinous act of terrorism
or just be a mass shooter, I mean, I mean,
(24:25):
it's tough to try to put yourself in the shoes
of where they would target, what they would do, because
I'd like to believe that the vast majority of society
couldn't relate in any way to those that do those
kind of things. But clearly they're they're well aware of
having security in place that can help folks enjoy themselves.
And look, that's a sad thing to think about, but
I get it where you are at those events and
(24:47):
you can't enjoy it as much because maybe at times
you worry about that, or maybe you don't go to
those kind of things because of those real concerns. But
twenty four years ago, September eleventh, two thousand and one,
of course a day that will be remembered forever. I
have a really in the last couple of days enjoyed
just looking at different stories facts about that day that
(25:11):
some of these things I either forgot about or just
honestly didn't didn't know. But what I think is awesome
is the countless stories of survival due to a series
of seemingly mundane events. Yet people that were late for
work that day because of a doctor's appointment, a broken
down car, or a simple decision to grab coffee.
Speaker 2 (25:34):
I mean, one man.
Speaker 1 (25:36):
Has shared a story that he was he was saved
because he had a green card interview in Newark, New
Jersey at that time. Had he not had that appointment,
he would have he would have maybe even killed. And
if you were one of those people, I mean, I
I can't imagine the time it would take for you
to live life without the oh my goodness, what could
(25:59):
have been? I can't believe, you know. And you would
also have something that is a real thing, that's survivor's guilt,
meaning you realize how fortunate you are to be alive,
unharmed potentially because of again, a mundane thing that really
is just, you know, just there's no ram or reason.
Speaker 2 (26:15):
It's just it worked out that way.
Speaker 1 (26:17):
I mean, obviously, I would imagine you're thinking the man
above for it working out the way that it did
for you, But you would you would you would not
even realize it potentially, and I'm sure some people do
realize it, but you would, you would have you would
have trauma from that, because you would find yourself at times.
Speaker 2 (26:31):
Why me, Why did why was I?
Speaker 1 (26:34):
Why did I end up okay and and well and unharmed?
And I wasn't there whenever I am ninety nine percent
of the time during that exact moment.
Speaker 2 (26:43):
I mean, it would, it would, it would, it would
eat at you.
Speaker 1 (26:46):
So we'll continue to talk about that day twenty four
years ago, and of course how much it has changed
the lives of a lot of people. And I used
to think that, wow, it's been that long. Seems like
it was the other day or just to you know,
five six years ago, And now it does, in fact
seem like it was that long ago. And man, where
we are now as far as being undivided compared to
(27:11):
where we were right after this happened twenty four years ago.
That's a sad reality. Is just the different situation there.
All right, Let's get to a quick time out trafficking
weather updates on the way, and we hope you stick
with U right here, and there's raady wait forty whs
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