Editing Let's roll

{{Short description|English colloquialism}}
{{other uses}}
{{More citations needed|date=September 2009}}
[[File:9-11 Memorial inscription (Let's Roll) - Westborough, Massachusetts - DSC04929.jpg|thumb|Memorial inscription of "Let's Roll" in [[Westborough, Massachusetts]], in memory of [[United Airlines Flight 93]] during the [[September 11 attacks]] in 2001.]]
"'''Let's roll'''" is a [[colloquialism]] that has been used extensively as a command to move and start an activity, attack, mission or project. They were the last recorded words of passenger [[Todd Beamer]] on board [[United Airlines Flight 93]] during the [[September 11 attacks]] in 2001, before he and other passengers attempted to storm the cockpit and retake the plane from the hijackers. The slogan subsequently became a battle cry for American forces during the [[war on terror]].

==Origins==
{{original research|section|date=September 2019}}
In the [[American west]], many [[wagon trains]] began their journeys with the shout "Wagons roll!" from the head of the train. A less formal terminology would soon develop from the historic precedent. The phrase, "let's roll" has been used as early as 1908 in the cadence song now called "[[The Army Goes Rolling Along]]", which likely extended into [[tank]] usage. 

"[[The Roads Must Roll]]", a science fiction story written in 1940 by [[Robert A. Heinlein]], mentions a re-worded version of "The Roll of the Caissons" called "Road Songs of the Transport Cadets". The protagonist of the 1937 [[supernatural]] [[comedy]], ''[[Topper (film)|Topper]]'', played by Cary Grant, uses the phrase "Let's roll" to his wife, played by Constance Bennett, to indicate they should immediately exit their friend's stuffy office and find a drink. The protagonist of [[Ernest Hemingway]]'s 1950 novel ''[[Across the River and into the Trees]]'', Colonel Dick Cantwell, based on [[World War II]] commander Charles "Buck" Lanham, uses the phrase to his driver. The verb "roll" has been used in both the [[film]] and [[recording industry]] to signal the beginning of a film or [[audio recording]].

==September 11 attacks==
[[File:Todd Beamer WTC.jpg|thumb|Todd Beamer's name on Panel S-68 of the [[National September 11 Memorial]]'s South Pool.]]
On September 11, 2001, [[Todd Beamer]], a passenger on the [[aircraft hijacking|hijacked]] [[United Airlines Flight 93]], tried to place a call through an air phone, but he was routed to a customer service representative instead, who passed him on to supervisor Lisa Jefferson. Beamer reported that one passenger had been killed and that a flight attendant had told him that both the pilot and co-pilot had been forced from the cockpit and may have been injured. He was also on the phone when the plane made a quick and violent turn. Later, he told the operator that some of the other passengers were planning to attack the hijackers and regain control of the aircraft, after they learned about what happened at the [[World Trade Center (1973-2001)|World Trade Center]] and [[The Pentagon]]. According to Jefferson, Beamer's last audible words were "Are you ready? Okay. Let's roll."<ref>{{cite news <!--EXISTING REFERENCE--> |url=https://www.post-gazette.com/headlines/20010916phonecallnat3p3.asp |url-status=dead |title=The phone line from Flight 93 was still open when a GTE operator heard Todd Beamer say: 'Are you guys ready? Let's roll' |work=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |date=September 16, 2001 | first1=Jim | last1=McKinnon |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220416054925/https://old.post-gazette.com/headlines/20010916phonecallnat3p3.asp |archive-date=April 16, 2022}}</ref>

In a November 8 address from the [[World Congress Center]] in [[Atlanta, Georgia]], [[President of the United States|President]] [[George W. Bush]] invoked Beamer's words: "Some of our greatest moments have been acts of courage for which no one could have been prepared. But we have our marching orders. My fellow Americans, let's roll!"<ref name=AmNatBiography>Evensen, Bruce J. (2000). [http://www.anb.org/articles/20/20-01916-print.html "Beamer, Todd Morgan"]. ''[[American National Biography]]''. Retrieved May 14, 2014.</ref> He used them again in the [[2002 State of the Union address]]: "For too long our culture has said, 'If it feels good, do it.' Now America is embracing a new ethic and a new creed: 'Let's roll.{{'"}}<ref name="BushSpeeches">{{cite web|last1=Bush|first1=George W.|title=Selected Speeches of President George W. Bush 2001 – 2008|url=https://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/infocus/bushrecord/documents/Selected_Speeches_George_W_Bush.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100527183240/http://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/infocus/bushrecord/documents/Selected_Speeches_George_W_Bush.pdf |archive-date=2010-05-27 |url-status=live|website=The [[White House]] of [[George W. Bush]]|publisher=National Archives and Records Administration|access-date=9 September 2016}}</ref>

==Cultural impact==
===Music===
*Several musicians and bands have written songs entitled or including the phrase "Let's Roll", with the songs typically referring to Flight 93 or Todd Beamer. The first song with the name, [[Neil Young]]'s "Let's Roll", was released as a single in November 2001, and was later included in his album ''[[Are You Passionate?]]''. The following year, three diverse groups released songs: hard rock group [[L.A. Guns]] included "OK, Let's Roll" in their album ''[[Waking the Dead (L.A. Guns album)|Waking the Dead]]'', country music duo [[The Bellamy Brothers]]'s song "Let's Roll, America" was on ''Redneck Girls Forever'', and Christian rock group [[dc Talk]] recorded and released a single entitled "Let's Roll" despite being on hiatus.
*Three other 9/11-related songs by the name "Let's Roll" have been released in the following years. Montreal rock band [[The Stills]]'s song was included on their debut album ''[[Logic Will Break Your Heart]]'' in 2003. [[Jonny L]]'s song included a [[sampling (music)|sample]] of President [[George W. Bush]]'s 2002 [[State of the Union address]] which included the phrase. In 2004, [[Ray Stevens]] offered up the self-penned "Let's Roll" and referenced Todd Beamer in the lyrics. Stevens' recording appeared on his 2004 ''[[Thank You! (Ray Stevens album)|Thank You!]]'' CD. The recording later appeared on his 2005 ''Box Set'' project and on his 2010 ''We the People'' project.
*[[Melissa Etheridge]]'s 2004 song "Tuesday Morning", written in honor of Flight 93 passenger [[Mark Bingham]], concluded with the phrase, "Let's roll".

===Government===
[[File:US Navy 020906-N-1995M-001 USS Belleau Wood remembers Sept. 11, 2001 with special formation on flight deck.jpg|thumb|Sailors and Marines onboard {{USS|Belleau Wood|LHA-3}} spelling out the quote "Let's Roll".]]
[[File:WI IMG 6012 (5521951716) (1).jpg|thumb|Pro-[[trade union]] protester during the [[2011 Wisconsin protests]] holds a sign with the phrase]]

* The phrase became especially known and popular after being used by President [[George W. Bush]] in a speech to [[AmeriCorps]] volunteers and during his 2002 [[State of the Union address]]. Even though the phrase was in common use long before September 11, many soon tried to lay claim to it as a [[trademark]]. The [[Todd M. Beamer Foundation]] was eventually granted a trademark for uses of the phrase relating to "pre-recorded compact discs, audio tapes, digital audio tapes, and phonograph records featuring music."
* In early 2002, [[United States Air Force]] [[Air Force Chief of Staff|Chief of Staff]] Gen. John P. Jumper ordered that one airplane in each USAF squadron and all USAF demonstration planes would bear an image of an eagle on an American flag with the words "Let's Roll" and "Spirit of 9-11", to remain until the first anniversary of the attack. It was also used by Lisa Beamer, widow of Todd, in a 2003 book titled ''Let's Roll: Ordinary People, Extraordinary Courage''.<ref>{{cite book | isbn=0-8423-7418-3 | title=Let's Roll!: Ordinary People, Extraordinary Courage | last1=Beamer | first1=Lisa | last2=Abraham | first2=Ken | year=2002 | publisher=Tyndale House Publishers }}</ref>

===Sports===
*In the 2002 college football season, the [[2002 Florida State Seminoles football team|Florida State Seminoles]] used "Let's Roll" as their official team slogan. After an initial uproar against the team by people who considered its usage in bad taste,<ref>{{cite news|last=Vecsey|first=George|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2002/08/20/sports/sports-of-the-times-let-s-roll-demeans-real-heroes.html|title=Sports of The Times; 'Let's Roll' Demeans Real Heroes|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date=August 20, 2002|access-date=February 11, 2017}}</ref> the Todd M. Beamer Foundation officially licensed the trademark to the team.<ref>{{cite web|last=Chan|first=Sue|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/news/the-marketing-of-lets-roll/|title=The Marketing Of 'Let's Roll'|publisher=[[CBS News]]|date=September 11, 2002|access-date=February 11, 2017}}</ref>
*[[NASCAR]] driver [[Bobby Labonte]] drove a 9/11 tribute car with the words "Let's Roll" on the hood of his stock car in the [[2002 MBNA All-American Heroes 400]] at [[Dover International Speedway]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2002/11/Collectors-Corner-Top-Special-Paint-Schemes-Of-2002.aspx|title=Collectors Corner: Top Special Paint Schemes Of 2002|work=[[Motor Racing Network]]|date=November 28, 2002|access-date=September 11, 2016}}</ref>
*[[Detroit Red Wings]] goaltender [[Jimmy Howard]] has the inscription "Lets Roll" on the back of his goalie helmet in reference to Flight 93.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Roose|first1=Bill|title=Let's Roll Howard's mask pays tribute to 9/11 tragedy|url=http://redwings.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=561851|website=redwings.nhl.com|publisher=Detroit Red Wings.|access-date=December 6, 2015}}</ref>

===Media===
*The phrase was also used in an episode of [[HBO]]'s ''[[Curb Your Enthusiasm]]'' ("The Survivor", season 4, episode 9). The show's main character, [[Larry David]], says the phrase inadvertently to his [[rabbi]] once he and his wife are ready to go out and renew their vows, who then becomes offended because of a relative of his died on September 11, 2001 ("You knew my brother-in-law died on September 11th; how dare you say something like that?!"). Larry takes issue with this, as his rabbi's relative was hit by a bike messenger ("Well, with all due respect, wasn't that just a coincidence?"), in an incident completely unrelated to the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
* The phrase was used in the film: ''Let's Roll: The Story of Flight 93'', which is a dramatized reconstruction of Flight 93.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HGDGkC-_EPE Neil Young, ''Let's Roll''] (video) via [[YouTube]]
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iklm3sSds00 Neil Young], [[Booker T & the MGs]] ''Let's Roll'' (video) via [[YouTube]]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Let's Roll}}
[[Category:2001 quotations]]
[[Category:American political catchphrases]]
[[Category:English phrases]]
[[Category:Last words]]
[[Category:United Airlines Flight 93]]