9/11 Memorial Thread

[red states rule]

Where were you when America was attacked? I was in the hospital fighting a kidney infection and never saw any of this until that night

http://www.strangepolitics.com/images/content/2121.jpg

[SassyLady]

Sitting in front of the tv crying and realizing my husband's job had just changed radically, and American life would never be the same.

[red states rule]

I woke up around 8PM in my hospital room, and remember the nurses watching the TV

I saw the rubble, and I asked what happened. I fell asleep as the nurse was telling me about the attacks

[KarlMarx]

I had to come into work late that day. I was installing software on my home PC so that I could telecommute.

On the way in to work, I turned on the radio. At first, I thought I was listening to something that happened locally until I heard Peter Jennings' voice.... then it occurred to me that something wasn't right.

It takes 20 minutes for me to drive into work. By the time I had arrived, all planes in the country had been grounded, the Pentagon had been attacked...

within a few minutes after arriving to work... the first tower had fallen...

I tried contacting my brother who was on a business trip in Maryland, just outside of the Beltway... it took me nearly an hour to get his cell ... the lines were jammed....

our email was at a snail's pace... we were told not to send out any unnecessary emails because of the volume of email traffic that day...

I've never seen anything like it before... or since....

[Kathianne]

http://gunstuff.com/america-attacked.html

Best video, archived at Smithsonian

My memories:

Funny how vivid a day that is. I'd gotten to my classroom around 5:30 am, in the dark and worked on lesson plans, the beginning of the year was always about 'adjustments in plans' while getting to know the various classes. I remember on the drive thinking about how just a few weeks ago it was lightening up at 5am and light at 5:30. The radio news said it was going to be a beautiful day.

I'd opened my instant messaging, I had a friend that would 'beep in' with ideas that we'd bounce around together in the last half hour before school started. Myy plans were done by 6:15 and it was light out, the sun was shining; just like yesterday, one could tell even with the warmth that fall was coming. I went and sat out on the walk outside my classroom to have a smoke, drink my coffee and just enjoy what looked to be a gorgeous day.

My school overlooked a forest preserve on 'my side' and the grassy beginnings on the western side of O'Hare Airport on the other. Looking at the treetops I could see that the 'sea of green' was turning into various shades, dotted with the beginnings of rusts and goldens. It really was a gorgeous beginning.

I'd been in Los Angeles for nearly a month for a program to teach civics through mock congressional hearing and just come back two weeks before the start of school. I was trying to pull together the information to download and print to help the kids get started. Around 7:30 5 of the 7th and 8th grade girls knocked on my outside door to come in and help with the office and library, we talked a few minutes and they went to do their chores and I was looking around the Avalon site for primary documents regarding 'our beginnings.'

It seems after that, things just started happening. My IM went off, it was my friend who wrote, "Put on CNN and tell me what's happening. WTC is on fire." I wrote back, "What?" She im'd, "Do it, now." My room had cable tv and computers on. She'd just come in from the parking lot, but caught a bit of breaking news.

So I'd turned on CNN and was looking at the tower, when some of the girls came in from the hallway, laughing. They looked at the tv and the im'g went off again. Always there in the morning, they said, "Mrs. Revak is calling, lol!" I wrote quickly what they were saying, mostly along the lines of, "They're saying a small plane hit, but it's a huge hole..." By now the kids were watching the tv and quiet. Then we all watched the second plane hit, I said, "Oh, shit!" the kids all looked at me with shock, back at the tv with horror. I pm'd my friend and said, "Find a tv, I've got to go." I shut off the tv, told the kids I was sorry, to sit down and be quiet. One of them said, "That Bin Laden guy."

I opened my door to where all the kids were waiting for the bell to ring at 8 and told them to get inside, NOW. The principal was out there, I ran to her and said what was happening in NY, but we both were listening to planes landing and taking off. She helped grab the kids coming out of parents cars and got them into the school. Then I went back to my room, the early kids told the rest of the room what they seen, what I said-at that point I think the later was more impressionable. For the first time ever, it was 8 am and quiet in my room. I told them to stay quiet and turned on the tv.

The rest of the day the 6th and 8th graders came into my room and we watched tv with only a break for lunch. No recess. We saw the Pentagon hit, saw warnings about Sears Tower, listened about the missing plane, watched the towers fall. In my classes we had parents in NY for business and pleasure. We had one student whose father was in the Pentagon. While they were allowed to call home, there wasn't news and they were told to remain at school.

It was surprising that while there were lots of calls into the school, only preschool and kindergarten parents came to pick up their kids and take them home. All tv's except mine for the upper grades and the offices were kept off. It's hard to believe but one of the primary teachers didn't hear about the attacks until after 10 am.

I'd had the other two teachers in my room cover while I ran to call my kids high school to find out their plan. They were doing a version of what we were, they had the whole school in the auditorium, watching projection tv all day. I called home, my mom was very sick and was here with my dad and nurse. The nurse answered, crying. She said my mom was very upset, though seemed to be processing it ok. My dad was just watching and swearing. Seemed the home front would be ok until I got home.

The 7th and 8th graders were just whispering about Bin Laden and what we'd studied about the year before regarding the Buddha carvings and USS Cole. The 6th graders and other two teachers were 'brought up to par' by my students. I was actually in awe of what my kids had picked up through Spring mini-lessons.

That day changed many things, we didn't do mock hearings, instead we did a debate on national id's. The kids were more serious then any group I'd had before or since. At least 3 of them went into the military universities, 5 joined the military out of high school. That had never happened in our little school.

[CSM]

I was at Hanscom AFB, working with the Air Force. Someone had a small TV and got the news of the first tower being hit. When the second tower got hit we all knew that the US was under attack. I ran to my car and headed for home to get into uniform and report for duty at the armory. All the while I was listening to the radio trying to comprehend exactly what the scope of this nefarious attack was going to be. By the time I got to the armory, our unit had received orders to secure a permitter around our armory and set out patrols around the perimeter to prevent intrusion and attempts to secure weapons. Myself and my Ops Sgt got into our body armor (much cruder stuff than the soldiers wear now!) and went out on the first patrol. It was very strange walking around the neighborhood we knew so well. By the time we got done our patrol, we were ordered to the airport to boost security there. We were getting intel reports all the while which were very confusing to say the least but we at least had a mission and we knew hoow to do it. I was so busy planning and coordinating getting our troops in place that I hardly had time to think about the implications of the attacks. It wasn't until much later that night that I realized that life in the US was about to change forever.

[red states rule]

Never forget,,,,,,,,,,

http://www.strangepolitics.com/images/content/119145.bmp

[Noir]

I was in my last class of the day, English, we had a free reading period when our teacher told us there'd been a terrorist attack in America, but we where really too young to get it, as terrorist attack to us meant like an IRA attack which normally killed/injured dozens, not thousands.

[DragonStryk72]

I was fighting like hell to call into NY, because my sister heather worked in tower 1, my brother-in-law Dorian worked in Tower 2, and my brother Michael used the PATH train every day to get to school and back. When that didn't work, I called around to my friend in VT, so she could at least call my mom in Albany.

[red states rule]

http://www.strangepolitics.com/images/content/2477.jpg

[Pagan]

I was actually getting ready to do a job in Boston since my job in D.C. was postponed for a week. I was lucky for I would have been stuck in D.C. in the middle of that mess. Two weeks later I did a job in Jersey and remember being at the Newark Airport looking out and still seeing the smoldering of were the towers were .....

http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/ff58fa70a51e.jpg

[red states rule]

http://www.strangepolitics.com/images/content/2295.jpg

[red states rule]

http://www.strangepolitics.com/images/content/10672.jpg

[red states rule]

http://www.strangepolitics.com/images/content/4334.jpg

[red states rule]

Right now Fox News is doing a recap of their 9/11 day broadcast

Meanwhile, the History Channel is running a show for liberals - how 9/11 was an inside job

Go figure

[revelarts]

I'd just gotten into my office and for some reason that morning i turned on the small tv i have there, I usually don't turn to it at all, And there was one of the towers smoking and the announcer saying an airplane had gone off course and crashed into it. I stopped for a moment to look then turned my back to get some papers together that i was working on when the announcer said something about another plane coming into view i turned and watched as the other plane slammed into the towers. At that point I heard the groans of other office workers down the hall , there's a large tv in our front office reception area. I have a family member that has mental problems and i had to leave a few minutes later to take her to Community Service Board medical appointment , so i left the office, picked her up and we went to the CSB building. In the elevator I ask a man that was riding up with us if he new anything else about what was going on with planes crashing in the twin towers in new york. He looked me and at my ill family member, turned his head and said nothing. He assumed we both were crazy. We got off the elevator and in the waiting area among the mentally ill and drug addicts I saw the towers fall.

[red states rule]

Like the day JFK was shot, 9/11 is a day people will always remember where they were and what they were doing

[red states rule]

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[krisy]

I was at home. My daughter was 10 months old and my son had stayed home from school that day because he didn't feel good. I allready had Fox news on because I usually watched it in the morning. I remember when the first plane hit,and they were unsure of what the cause was. After the second plane,I remember calling my husband and mom. When the Pentagon plane hit,my stomach turned even worse and real fear swept over me.

At one point,the news reported that one of the planes was over part of Ohio and I was terrified. I watched the news all day,remember everything very clearly.

As I said,my daughter was a baby and is now 9. She has been sitting here with me watching all the coverage on Fox. I have been explaining to her all the events of that day. I have in the past,but she is now starting to really understand.

[red states rule]

http://media.eyeblast.org/newsbusters/static/2010/09/Gainor%20Column%20Nine%20Years%20After%20September %2011%20--%20United%20We%20Stood,%20Divided%20We%20Now%20Sta nd%201.jpg

[DragonStryk72]

Honestly, I'm getting tired of being browbeat with 9/11, though. I mean, the year after it happened, okay fine. But come on, we moved on from Pearl Harbor, why not this? I just feel like I'm having my face rubbed in it every year, and for no good reason.

Of course I'm not going to forget it, but this hard-on people have for it is getting disquieting. We should be looking to our present and our future, not miring ourselves in loss.

[red states rule]

Honestly, I'm getting tired of being browbeat with 9/11, though. I mean, the year after it happened, okay fine. But come on, we moved on from Pearl Harbor, why not this? I just feel like I'm having my face rubbed in it every year, and for no good reason.

Of course I'm not going to forget it, but this hard-on people have for it is getting disquieting. We should be looking to our present and our future, not miring ourselves in loss.

Yea, you are not the only one who thinks America need to "get over 9/11"

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[Abbey Marie]

Honestly, I'm getting tired of being browbeat with 9/11, though. I mean, the year after it happened, okay fine. But come on, we moved on from Pearl Harbor, why not this? I just feel like I'm having my face rubbed in it every year, and for no good reason.

Of course I'm not going to forget it, but this hard-on people have for it is getting disquieting. We should be looking to our present and our future, not miring ourselves in loss.

Wow.

[red states rule]

Wow.

Some people feel that way Abbey

Thanks to them, every so often America has to pick itself up of the ground blooded and battered

[Abbey Marie]

Some people feel that way Abbey

Thanks to them, every so often America has to pick itself up of the ground blooded and battered

Sad. I wonder if we had "moved on" from Pearl Harbor just 9 years after the attack? Oh, wait, we kicked Japan's ass, and achieved a total surrender. That's one way of moving on. Apparently, not a palatable way to our new softer, "tolerant", self-loathing America.

[red states rule]

Sad. I wonder if we had "moved on" from Pearl Harbor just 9 years after the attack? Oh, wait, we kicked Japan's ass, and achieved a total surrender. That's one way of moving on. Apparently, not a palatable way to our new softer, "tolerant", self-loathing America.

Got to spread the rep around Abbey - I owe you

http://www.strangepolitics.com/images/content/110201.jpg

[red states rule]

Sad. I wonder if we had "moved on" from Pearl Harbor just 9 years after the attack? Oh, wait, we kicked Japan's ass, and achieved a total surrender. That's one way of moving on. Apparently, not a palatable way to our new softer, "tolerant", self-loathing America.

http://www.strangepolitics.com/images/content/110200.jpg

[krisy]

I certainly don't think one day of remembrance is going to stop us from moving forward and looking toward the future. If anything,it will motivate us for the future.

I'd be willing to bet that the people of the greatest generation never quite "moved on" form Pearl Harbor. I'm sure the anniversary stirred up a lot every year for them. Actually I know it did,from talking to my grandma about those times.

[red states rule]

I certainly don't think one day of remembrance is going to stop us from moving forward and looking toward the future. If anything,it will motivate us for the future.

I'd be willing to bet that the people of the greatest generation never quite "moved on" form Pearl Harbor. I'm sure the anniversary stirred up a lot every year for them. Actually I know it did,from talking to my grandma about those times.

You do not forget

and you do not forgive until we win

[Noir]

Sad. I wonder if we had "moved on" from Pearl Harbor just 9 years after the attack? Oh, wait, we kicked Japan's ass, and achieved a total surrender. That's one way of moving on. Apparently, not a palatable way to our new softer, "tolerant", self-loathing America.


Who'd you like to nuke?

[red states rule]

Who'd you like to nuke?

Who do you want to smoke a peace pipe with?

http://s220.photobucket.com/albums/dd287/wannadrink3/9-11-pictures/9-11-glitter.gif

[red states rule]

Who'd you like to nuke?

http://www.strangepolitics.com/images/content/109165.jpg

[Noir]

My apoligies, when I posted earlier I didn't realize it was the memorial thread. Disregard the comment.

[red states rule]

My apoligies, when I posted earlier I didn't realize it was the memorial thread. Disregard the comment.

It's OK Noir

It must the liberal in you

[red states rule]

http://www.freakingnews.com/pictures/29000/9-11-Stamps--29169.jpg

[DragonStryk72]

Some people feel that way Abbey

Thanks to them, every so often America has to pick itself up of the ground blooded and battered

Oh I must not know what I'm talking about, right? My sister worked in Tower 1, my brother-in-law in Tower 2, my brother used the PATH train for school (Guess where that let's off), and at the time, I was only just a year out of the navy. Guess what? All four of us, my mom and my dad are sick of being rubbed back in it. Hell, my sister even left NYC for the weekend, and is staying off facebook to get clear of it.

Yeah, obviously I and my family have no place to speak on remembering that day. We don't need help with that.

[red states rule]

Oh I must not know what I'm talking about, right? My sister worked in Tower 1, my brother-in-law in Tower 2, my brother used the PATH train for school (Guess where that let's off), and at the time, I was only just a year out of the navy. Guess what? All four of us, my mom and my dad are sick of being rubbed back in it. Hell, my sister even left NYC for the weekend, and is staying off facebook to get clear of it.

Yeah, obviously I and my family have no place to speak on remembering that day. We don't need help with that.

Yea, it is not worth remembering - is it?

http://911research.wtc7.net/resources/books/docs/UnseenPhotos.jpg

[revelarts]

I can sympathize with a people who'd rather not mark the day because of the pain of it all. But there are others who grieve in just the opposite way.
For most of us who are not so personally close to the events but feel the pain as an American and as a human being. I don't see how we can do anything but mark the day in any number of ways.


If I may says so,
Some Muslims and White Nationaist deny what happened to the Jews and others in Europe. The Jews memorialize, write, make films etc about the Holocaust and will "never forget". The Native Americans will never forget it's tragic history and will commemorate and mark it, the African Americans the same, Peal Harbor survivors, And On And on

Sadly, Horrific acts are a part of our collective histories and we should not forget or minimize just how far people have gone with their dark deeds.

[SassyLady]

I was at Hanscom AFB, working with the Air Force. Someone had a small TV and got the news of the first tower being hit. When the second tower got hit we all knew that the US was under attack. I ran to my car and headed for home to get into uniform and report for duty at the armory. All the while I was listening to the radio trying to comprehend exactly what the scope of this nefarious attack was going to be. By the time I got to the armory, our unit had received orders to secure a permitter around our armory and set out patrols around the perimeter to prevent intrusion and attempts to secure weapons. Myself and my Ops Sgt got into our body armor (much cruder stuff than the soldiers wear now!) and went out on the first patrol. It was very strange walking around the neighborhood we knew so well. By the time we got done our patrol, we were ordered to the airport to boost security there. We were getting intel reports all the while which were very confusing to say the least but we at least had a mission and we knew hoow to do it. I was so busy planning and coordinating getting our troops in place that I hardly had time to think about the implications of the attacks. It wasn't until much later that night that I realized that life in the US was about to change forever.

Your day sounded a lot like my husband's day. He actually stayed at the Armory for several days coordinating and getting people assigned to guard the airports, bridges and border.

As a wife of a military person, or anyone married to first responders, it is very scary because you are home by yourself and getting things secured ... knowing you will be on your own because your spouse is out there protecting the public and not home with you.

And then you walk on pins and needles from that day forward not knowing if/when they will be mobilized. Can't tell you how many times word came down they were being mobilized and then plans changed. He wasn't mobilized until mid 2003...so for months it was up and down.

I finally said I won't believe you are leaving until I see you get on the bus!!

[SassyLady]

Like the day JFK was shot, 9/11 is a day people will always remember where they were and what they were doing

And the day the shuttle blew up.