Remembering 9/11

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  • #38710
    SadGeezer
    Keymaster

    i have thought about what to post in this topic for a couple of weeks now, and i don’t feel like i am any closer to knowing how to post what i feel. i posted in the Mods and Admins forum about this subject and received wonderful support! thank you!

    i really would like for all you Sadgeezers to post your thoughts and feelings during this sad and tragic anniversary. i truly feel as though this would be part of the healing process, for the whole world. i am really having a problem making this post. i still get all teary eyed when i think about that day! my husband is sitting there on the couch helping me though this!

    my husband is an ex-firefighter/chief and he was so frustrated by the fact that he could not be there to help! he told me tonight that 343 firefighters became angels that day along with all of the other victims. my hubby reminded me of the firemans unwritten rule that says “we rush in as others rush out!” he has always said that when the bells/tones go off at the station all firefighters know that this could be the final alarm. firefighters are the men and women that put there lives on the line every day for us and we never think about the sacrifice they make to save our lives and property!

    ok now for my personal story about 9/11!
    i don’t have a phone in the bedroom but on 9/11 i kept hearing the phone ringing in the living room and i figured it was an emergency with my family so i picked it up and my husband told me that planes had crashed into the World Trade Center, and i told him that he was not funny! but he was not joking as i very shortly found out! i went to work and encountered people who where as shocked as i was that this could happen in the USA. we never could imagine that something like this would happen to us here! in the next few days we would hear stories about miraculous survivors and as Americans we revel in the survivor spirit! my husband and i were so grateful to see the reports about all the support from all the other countries in the world who realized that this was an attack that would affect all of us!
    i realize that this is a very touchy subject, but i do feel as though this is something that needs to be addressed and dealt with! but i would like to hear your stories about your thoughts and emotions!

    #63787
    Anonymous
    Guest

    I was on a treadmill watching a tape of Lexx. (no kidding) The phone rang and I almost didn’t answer it but decided I prolly should, it could be an emergency from the school or something.

    It was my brother who lives in Boston that often travels across the country to L.A. for his job. He told me he was OK, don’t worry. I was wondering what he was talking about and he told me to turn the news on. I don’t really recall saying goodbye or hanging up the phone.

    I live fifteen hundred miles from New York. That day evil acts of people from across the world came within an angel’s breath of affecting me in the worst way. I thank what grace there is that I didn’t lose my brother that day.

    I still feel for the people who weren’t so lucky.

    #63788
    Anonymous
    Inactive
    #63789
    Anonymous
    Guest

    I lost a good friend that day, but didn’t find out for weeks. He was young, good looking, doing well for himself, and down to earth-not to mention his warm and generous demeanor. He was also a true-blue sci-fi fan, and probably loved Lexx- tho I never had the chance to discuss it with him. And now I never will.
    I can only quote Zev Bellringer of B3K (Lexx)
    “Life is not fair.”
    It seems fitting posting this, here, at Sadgeezer. Chistian would have approved.

    #63790
    Anonymous
    Guest

    While it is a year on and most of the world remembers, I also remember the solidarity of the world at the time and that gave me so much hope.
    And now a year on I have become angry, angry that after all said and done so many outside of America and Britain have for gotten the painful lessons learned from the tradegy.
    While Britain again stands aside America, the rest of Europe predictably behave like cowards, in particular Germany and France.
    The Germans for some reason believing that a war on the side of the good is not a good thing based on their past…how so???
    The French just seem to take everything for granted and seem to have this opinion that if they leave Saddam alone he will leave them alone…just how naive can a whole country possibly be?
    But there are a few idiots in this country as well. I read in a paper that covers the UK’s second largest city (Birmingham) a letter about comparing the US’s arsenal to Saddam’s.
    In it this deluded individual claimed it was wrong to go to war on Iraq based on the fact that Saddam only has a few tons of Sarin and other neurotoxins and chemical weapons, plus about 80 Scuds and a beleagured army. Whilst the US has Nuclear Carriers, Warships and Submarines, B-52’s and stealth aircraft, so essentially saying it’s not a fair fight for the Iraqi’s…well duh, what does this guy expect, that the US take on the Iraqi’s without it’s military muscle???
    And is the fact that Saddam has weapons of mass destruction not being enough for this guy?, thankgod the US has these tools at it’s disposal, otherwise the world would be held to ransom.
    What Europe and the wobblers in the UK fail to realise is that Saddam and Bin Laden are not interested in peace, they want to be heroes to their people and they WANT a Holy War no matter what the cost. Sitting back and thinking that leaving them alone means that they shall do the same is ridiculous, leaving them alone means only one thing, more time to develop and deploy weapons of mass destruction, at the moment Saddam can hit only hit Israel, so why does Germany and France worry, but we can’t let him hit Israel, if we do then Israel WILL strike back hard and then the middle east becomes an even bigger worry and problem.
    Squishy

    #68154
    Fatguy
    Participant

    A very sad day ๐Ÿ™ . A day when religious fanaticism showed it’s most destructive force. I was raised a Catholic, mother was a Catholic, married a Catholic in a Catholic Church. I have held a Koran once, but I do not think I ever read anything from it. Who are these strange people? Why do they want to destroy us? I am just a prairie boy – born and raised – from the wheat fields of Alberta. I do not claim to know all about the world.

    We must stand firm and meet the enemy eye to eye. 911 showed just how vulnerable our security really is. Do not let those lives lost on that tragic day, lose their significance as to what really happened.

    Those evil people must not be allowed to continuously create an atmosphere of fear and hate – because an atmosphere of hate and fear is not the true dominion of a free society. I know the American people; and I know that they will soon be victorious in defeating those that try to undermine that spirit that is America. One religious, fanatical, person – must not be allowed to take away that which we hold so dear: Our Humanity. Take care and God Bless.

    Maurice

    #68157
    Jhevz
    Participant

    I was taking a shower & getting ready to go to work at the Thrift Store when I heard my mom yell, `John, we’re being attacked!’; at 1st, I thought, `Mom, that only happens elsewhere’, that is until I turned on my tv set & Tower 1 was on fire. When I saw the other plane hit Tower 2, I felt like staying home, but then thought otherwise when Tower 2 started falling. As Tower 2 was falling, I saw an image (a face) telling me it was time, you need closer now; then when Tower 1 started falling, I saw another image telling your dreams will come true & you’ll be much happier. As I was watching this & getting ready for work, I thought, `Wow, I wonder if our Manager of the Thrift Store will close today’; I’m very glad she didn’t.

    When I was working, another volunteer came in with more grave news; she said that Tower 7, of the WTC, had gone down. I thought, `There was a Tower 7; wow, who or what next. Everyone 1 of us at work that day were extremely glad we went to work; we all consoled 1 another & told each other that we were safe. But on that horrific day, no one could convince me of that.

    When I came home, my parents & I decided to watch a movie instead, because the rest of that night was gonna show those images over & over again; as we were trying to concentrate on the movie, the 3 of us just cried & my mom said, `just try to get some sleep; it’s been a horrible day.

    After 2 yrs, those images have stuck in my mind & have made me realize we’re all vunerable no matter where we are; I’m now more cautious & aware than I ever was before. But after that horrific day, I now take each day as if it were my last & treat every moment as special. Let’s all remember this day & go after as many of our dreams as we can, in memory of those who’ve passed on.

    May your dreams come true everyday,
    Jhevz

    #68160
    Anonymous
    Guest

    I had gotten up a bit earlier than usual that day to get to my gym for my monthly eval. Before going out I logged on to check for e-mails and found a pic on AOL’s homepage showing a plane hitting the first tower and a caption that read something to the effect of “World Trade Center struck by jet airliner.” At first I thought it was some kind of Hollywood publicity thing, but the further I read into the article looking for the punchline the more I realized it as REAL.

    I quickly turned on the TV to CNN and found out it WAS real. Not only one tower but both of the Twin Towers had been hit. I watched for a while, then set out to walk to the gym ( about 1/2 mile away).

    At the gym the TVs were turned to newschannels for word on the attacks. The instructor was a bit shaken, but still trying to do her job. I think I was still a bit numb and wanted to get on with my routine, so I told her “But you know we’ve always lived between two Ground Zeros. If it’s war, there’s no place for us to go.” Learing about WW II, the Cold War and the atom bomb, I’ve grown up all my life knowing I live between 2 major targets: the center of government in DC and the center of commerce in NYC. Also, if someone wants to hit a historic target, the nation’s birthplace in Philadelphia is just off to the west.

    While at the gym getting my measurements and my new exercises the word came about the Pentagon attack and the downed plane in PA, as well as word that the towers had collapsed. I hurried thru my routine, hurried thru lunch and getting ready for work and got to work an hr early, even though we hadn’t had a disaster recall yet. ( I work in a small suburban – almost rural – hospital lab.) The hospital had already begun mobilizing for the ripple effect from NYC.

    In a disaster, the hospitals closest to the locale will get the bulk of the worse cases. They prepare by discharging as many patients as they safely can, and transferring as many as they safely can to hospitals further away. Those hospitals prepare for the transfers and the victims who are stable enough to travel further from the scene by also discharging as many as they can and transferring to hospitals even further out. I was far enough out that our hospital would be getting transfer, possibly from our main division, possibly from the reagional trauma center in Camden, NJ, but no victims.

    By the time I came to work at 2PM, we had opened up 5 unused room that had become storage and had them fully ready for patients. The TVs had been removed, but portables had be brought in, they were that complete. Every working bed and stretcher was made and a few that only needed minor repairs were fixed and ready. The whole region was mobilized with the number of available beds and units of blood noted in a central location. Dayshift workers stayed a few hrs late and everyone leaving for home made sure they were going to be near a phone for the next 24 hrs.

    Then we waited…..
    and waited …….
    and waited……

    No patients arrived. TVs in all nursing stations and lounges (but not in the ICU and some patient rooms who wouldn’t be able to handle it) were tuned to a news station. Everyone, even housekeeping, was checking with the nursing supervisor to find out if there was any word of patients finally arriving in NJ hosptials. As our shift wore on we slowly began to realize there wouldn’t be any influx of transfers from other hospitals. Nobody was being found alive. Those that were injuried but alive were either treated on the scene or at nearby hospitals and quickly released. Those who were alive but critical were easily handled by the hospital in the immediate area because of discharging patients.

    I went home that night and finally cried. I cried because there was nothing I could do. I cried because there was nothing my hosptial could do. I cried because it was becoming obvious by the scale of the thing that no one would be found alive. Selfishly, I cried for the firefighters who rushed in trying to get everyone out. My husband is a retired volunteer firefighter and I know the heart of these men and women. I know what the families went through waiting for word of their loved ones, if they got out or died. It was only days later that I could cry for the civilians.

    I’ve already watched a couple of specials about the birth and death of the World Trade Center. I’ve seen the building hit and burst into flame from several angles. I’ve seen the pictures of the falling bodies and the collapsing towers. Tonight I will probably play my tape of the French brothers’ documentary. I put myself through this discomfort to never forget, and also because the families of the victims must live every day with a worse pain than mine.

    My only prayer now is that people will honor this day by donating blood. Here in the US we still have a blood shortage and only a few weeks ago we were cancelling surgeries and denying transfusion to patients because the blood wasn’t there. In the weeks that followed 9/11/01 there was such a glut of donations that people had to be turned away because there was no storage left.

    Where are all those people now???

    MM

    #68163
    Fatguy
    Participant

    I was in a cafeteria when I heard about the first plane strike – quiet music was playing and the guy on the radio said it matter of fact. The second strike was the one that started me worrying and the Pentagon hit plus the US fighter shooting down the last plane headed presumably for the White House sealed my fate. I was actually planning on changing jobs – gone! I started to lament that it may be eight years before things got better – all this while that disaster was unfolding…..

    In the days ahead, all people who even remotely looked Middle Eastern were spat at, asked to jump out of windows, and some got food poisoning and ended up peeing pure blood – all this happened to me. My parents and family stayed home out of fear, etc.. while the Bush Administration finalized plans for the invasion of Iraq – just eight days after the attack.

    We darkies took some warped pleasure at the surprise of Western People (thought I was one…..) who openly wondered how we could fly planes, etc….. They actually considered us intelligent now…..horror of horrors. This has mistakenly been looked at as a praise of the likes of Bin Laden but really has nothing to do with it. Just thought I would explain that phenomena and where it came from.

    The worst part was seeing my fellow country men reduce themselves to the lowest common denominator; and I still ride the elevators with those who told me to jump out a window and those who laughed along…..but they don’t look at me….. I do not travel and travel to the US is impossible – even my 74 year old aunt was sent back on a stop over under the guise of “security issues”. I dropped from a second to third class citizen on 911 and things have only marginally improved.

    There were all sorts of victims of 911; but the alienation and hate of the people I lived with will never be forgotten. This is just my story and I give it to you truthfully…..

    Maurice

    #68164
    ShadowedVenus
    Participant

    I’m not an American so I know some of you might think I have no right to post on this forum. But I do remember that day, and, to be honest, i feel as involved as you guys do, because I watched the tragedy unfold minute by minute on BBC News 24.
    It sounds terrible to say this but at the actual time the first plane hit the Twin Towers, I was with in bed with my boyfriend. I was really happy. I didn’t know anything until I walked home from his house. It was the most beautiful afternoon. I walked into my house and my mum had the TV on, and it was like walking right into a cold rupture of the world. I just remember being transfixed, stunned, like someone had hit me. The really horrible thing was that all the time I was watching it some part of me was thinking “This isn’t real this is just like a movie”. After a while I thought “Well, this is it. This is the end. We’re all going to die”. It didn’t seem possible for there to be an attack on America and not have it be World War III. You know, the thing you spent half your childhood having nightmares about. I remember texting all my friends. I felt like I was never going to see any of them again. I didn’t want to say goodbye, but I just wanted a last moment of contact with them. I phoned my boyfriend. I wanted to see him again so much. I sat glued to the TV for hours. I saw the same footage over and over again until it felt burned into my eyes. The worst bit was the same footage they showed over and over again from the ground. They talked to two people, a man with a baseball cap and a woman with brown hair. I would recognize those people if I saw them today on the street. In the beginning, I cried when I saw the people on stretchers being carried past the camera, but later, I was too tired to cry for anthing.
    I can never admire anyone more than the firefighters who went into those buildings after they started coming down. They were brave, but most of all they were compassionate. They didn’t do it to be heroes, they did it because people needed them. I can think of no higher praise.
    At that time, I really thought that was the end of everything. But now it’s two years later, and we’re all still here. I’m not going to say anything political here, because by now if we don’t know that there is nothing worse than talking politics over the bodies of the dead, then were certainly haven’t learned anything from the last century. All I can say is, I am so so sorry for everyone who died, everyone who suffered, and for everyone who lost people. I don’t generally pray, but I pray for all of them to find healing.

    #68165
    pet
    Participant

    IMHO, I don’t think you have to be American to post in this thread….

    Anyhoo, I had just been up all day, then up all night working, then had 1 hour’s sleep. Mr. Pet woke me up to tell me what happened while he was getting ready for work. I thought he was watching Die Hard, so I went back to sleep.

    I am not saying that to belittle the situation. He often wakes me up to tell me things about chaos theory or photoplankton which pop into his head while watching movies. I am an insomniac and a lucid dreamer, so most of the time I’m not really sleeping. I was really sleeping that day, though, and since I quite seriously had no reason to think he hadn’t been watching that Die Hard movie that took place at the airport, I didn’t find out it was real until I got up a few hours later. It was all very surreal.

    83

    #68168
    ShadowedVenus
    Participant

    By the way, Fatguy, I posted before reading your post. Having read it, the stuff I said about not being poltical looks like smug whitebread crap. I didn’t get spat on because of what I look like. I’m sorry.

    #68175
    Sidhecafe
    Participant

    I was working in Construction at the time, and the new high rise my crew was at in downtown Boston, as well as the rest of downtown was evacuated….it was a very sccary tense morning thinking Boston would be attacked as well as the horror of watching the WTC collapse on our office tv.
    I was misty eyed today too.

    I drove home that evening (I live in the city) and I was just numb…it took me a week before I could cry about it.
    But it was a strange thing driving into the city seeing the high rises and thinking how fragile they seem now. From my apartment I can see the Boston skyline and it became a disturbing thing to look out the window for quite some time.

    #68181
    Fatguy
    Participant
    ShadowedVenus wrote:

    By the way, Fatguy, I posted before reading your post. Having read it, the stuff I said about not being poltical looks like smug whitebread crap. I didn’t get spat on because of what I look like. I’m sorry.

    Well, for what it is worth; that post actually made me smile for the first time today ๐Ÿ˜€ . Of all the people I expected an apology from, you (or any of the other Sadgeezers) are not one of them – not even close.

    The spitting was one thing; but the feces contaminated meal (the one that eventually had me pissing pure blood – and that experience totally screwed up my mind for a few days…..) was the worst. However, I was poisoned as a teenager – real poison this time and after I was given the antidote – I spent a few weeks looking at my intestines every time I went to the bathroom. I was also forced to kiss peoples feet, was patted on the head like a dog, and was called “turd” by my classmates in those years….. I forget about these things but the memories still come back. There was also the systematic racism (trying to keep me back in school and taking IQ tests to prove high IQ and not retardation (which they said ๐Ÿ‘ฟ ) and later trying to stream me into trade school (stopped by younger teachers who told me what was happening and what they did for me)). There is more but I will stop here. Many here think that my rants about racism is unjustified, walk a few mile in my shoes and you will be given an eye opening experience. Anyways – that is it for this thread from me today. Where I live – others have posted similar things in the papers – so I am not alone.

    Anyway ShadowedVenus, no offence taken at all (and I really should keep the politics out of this thread ๐Ÿ˜‰ ).

    Maurice

    #68190
    Sidhecafe
    Participant

    Fatguy, I think especially in light of 9/11, that some ranting about racism is very justified, esp. after how W. uses the event to still further his own political gains. And how can a discussion about 9/11 stay away from politics? We can’t mourn the dead without realizing why they are gone. That would be just blindness, and America has enough of that already.

    One Irish Immigrant I knew said to me on the day after the attack, “Now you Americans can join the rest of the world. We’ve lived with this shite for ages.”

    If any thing with this mourning, Americans should use this time of reflection to try and understand what it will really take to live in a world that technology has brought closer together…instead of holding ourselves apart.

    And that racism is alive and well, no matter how White America tries to pretend we’ve come to grips with it.

    #68500
    ShadowedVenus
    Participant

    I’ve certainly always been with the Manics on this “ifwhiteamericatoldthetruthforonedaytheworldwouldfallapart”…

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