Letter: Passengers could not have known their fate

Monday, Sept. 24, 2001 | 8:47 a.m.

I read the letters in the Sunday edition of the Sun and I was absolutely sickened by John Heple's Sept. 16 letter in which he states that "I fully blame the passengers of the three planes ... for this entire debacle." How dare you blame the victims. Until you are personally in the face of danger, you have no idea what you would have done in those people's shoes. It is easy to think what you would have done as hindsight is always 20/20.

The true victims of this enormous tragedy probably had no idea what their fate was to be. Most hijackers do not crash planes into buildings. Yes, when the passengers on the plane that crashed in Pennsylvania found out what had happened to the other planes, they did what they could and died as heroes, saving the lives of who knows how many others in our country.

We do not know what the passengers on the other three planes knew at the time and we may never know. Frankly, in my opinion, it doesn't even matter. The only people responsible for this attack on America are the hijackers and their supporters. It is unconscionable to place the blame on the men, women and children who died on those planes.

As a friend of one of the passengers on the Pentagon plane I find it infuriating that you could be so thoughtless at a time when our nation grieves. The thought of how my friend spent her last few minutes on Earth haunts me. At a time when all Americans should be uniting and supporting one another in our grief, I find it personally mind blowing that one of our own could be such a traitor with his words.

Bless America. Bless us all. And yes, even you Mr. Heple, even though you don't deserve it.

CARMEN ANDREWS-SANCHEZ