I was living and working in Manhattan. I walked up into my office from the subway to people screaming and crying. My boyfriend (exH) worked in lower Manhattan, and I had trouble getting in touch with him.
My team sat watching everything unfold on TV, until our whole building was evacuated. I walked back uptown on streets empty of cars and teeming with people, grateful that I lived on a part of the island that no one would think to destroy.
It was awful, even though I lucked out and didn't lose anyone close to me. The fear and uncertainty that pervaded for months after were incredibly difficult.
I hate 9/11. I hate that it happened, and I hate people's need to rehash it every year. I'd prefer not to live it again, ever.
(ETA: the last paragraph isn't a dig at you, MCC. I do get annoyed, however, by the people who get all "I was in 8th grade in Kansas, and I didn't know what the Twin Towers were, but we got out of school and my mom was so scared and I WILL NEVER FORGET." I understand that it's a national tragedy. I don't mind when people talk about it in that context. It's the personalization that makes me mental. I get it. We ALL lost something that day, collectively. But still. It rubs me the wrong way.)
I was living and working in Manhattan. I walked up into my office from the subway to people screaming and crying. My boyfriend (exH) worked in lower Manhattan, and I had trouble getting in touch with him.
My team sat watching everything unfold on TV, until our whole building was evacuated. I walked back uptown on streets empty of cars and teeming with people, grateful that I lived on a part of the island that no one would think to destroy.
It was awful, even though I lucked out and didn't lose anyone close to me. The fear and uncertainty that pervaded for months after were incredibly difficult.
I hate 9/11. I hate that it happened, and I hate people's need to rehash it every year. I'd prefer not to live it again, ever.
Sorry I won't turn on the tv today because I don't want to see it. I do think it's important to remember though. (hugs)
I was in 11th grade as well. I live in the South, so at first, I didn't really get the full gravity of it. I mean, I knew it was bad, I knew this meant war, but I think I was...numb? Then I found out my Uncle in Law was supposed to be on that flight. My sister and I are the only kids in my dad's family so we are VERY close to my Aunt and my Uncles. My Uncle-in-Law has been in my life since I was 1. I am very glad he wasn't on that plane.
My parents were the worst last year. I was at the beach with them on the anniversary, and they insisted on watching the news all day, which was basically rebroadcasts. I was beside myself.
I understand never forgetting. I certainly couldn't if I tried. I totally see the value in keeping this in our cultural consciousness. I just wish there was a way to do with without the onslaught of images and footage. I understand their intent, but it feels voyeuristic and gross to me.
And, really, to be sappy and stuff for a minute, the one good thing about 9/11? For a little while there, there weren't cultural/political divides in American culture. Political parties weren't sabotaging one another, no one was trying to destroy or eat each other alive. We were all just Americans. United. That's gone. That's long gone, but that's the part that we should never forget -- that after a horrible time, after a terrible thing happened, everyone came together. That's the part that we should never forget.
And, really, to be sappy and stuff for a minute, the one good thing about 9/11? For a little while there, there weren't cultural/political divides in American culture. Political parties weren't sabotaging one another, no one was trying to destroy or eat each other alive. We were all just Americans. United. That's gone. That's long gone, but that's the part that we should never forget -- that after a horrible time, after a terrible thing happened, everyone came together. That's the part that we should never forget.
:Y:
I was in 10th grade in upstate NY, and it was mostly wild rumors flying around because none of the teachers would say a word about anything that wasn't on their syllabuses, until my Music Theory class, where the world's biggest pothead of a teacher insisted that we sit down and watch the news because it was important. There were a lot of kids in my school who had family that worked in the Twin Towers.
I was in my senior year of high school. My mom was the one that called the schools to tell them what was happening. The first tower was hit when I was in choir class. We were outside so we didn't know. My teacher was told and we were kept after class so they could tell us what happened. By homeroom right after the 2nd tower was hit, and then during English class right after the towers all fell. I remember that we didn't get much school stuff done that day. I was a mess when I heard that a plane went down in PA. My dad's family lives in PA and I didn't know where the plane went down. When I got home my mom told me they were all okay, though my cousin was near where it went down.
I agree with what Gozf said, that there is some good from that tragedy. For once, we weren't divided. We worked together and unified.
We were all just Americans. United. That's gone. That's long gone, but that's the part that we should never forget -- that after a horrible time, after a terrible thing happened, everyone came together. That's the part that we should never forget.
I agree with everything you said, especially the above. I hate all the "never forget" commentary. Never forget what? That there is evil in the world? That we are vulnerable? Never forget people died because they were a victim of a heinous crime?
Post by starburst604 on Sept 11, 2012 8:43:54 GMT -5
I had just started working where I am now, in a hospital just outside of Boston. I had been there for a month. I think I mentioned in one of the "last straw" threads I had had a wicked argument with ex-FI the night before. He happened to have the day off from work and called to tell me a plane had hit the WTC. I really was thinking it was a little Cesna gone astray or something and brushed him off. He called me back to tell me about the second plane and obviously it all unfolded from there.
He called me after lunch, hysterical, having learned his aunt and uncle were on Flight 11 - the first plane to hit the towers. They were flying from Boston to LAX to visit their daughter and grandkids. I left work to be with him, and we gathered with the rest of his family at his other aunt's house which was on a beach 5 minutes from Logan. I'll never forget how eerie it was that night to have the skies totally silent and no planes coming and going from the airport. The following weeks were a blur of memorials and I really bonded with his family during that time. I still think of them every year on this day and still am brought to tears when I see footage of that plane hitting the building. I feel like I really saw the full impact of it living where I do, where so many of the plane passengers were from. I'm sure many New Yorkers share that feeling.
I'm actually doing a FB post about Never Forget along the lines of what gozf said. Never Forget that we were a country united, not torn apart by politics or religion or anything like that.
Post by prettyinpearls on Sept 11, 2012 8:59:49 GMT -5
I’m all about silently remembering the events of 9/11, but I feel like having a big parade of remembrance around the country is giving the terrorists what they want….satisfaction that they caused such a tragedy in our country. It’s been 11 years…we will never forget, but that doesn’t mean our lives need to stop all day today to remember and reflect.
Post by starburst604 on Sept 11, 2012 9:29:39 GMT -5
Honestly, I can't take the bitching from people who "don't want to remember". The families of victims don't have a choice, they remember every single day. One day won't kill you. If you hate it that much don't turn on the TV or just watch your recording of Housewives of Wherever or Bachelor Pad, and don't look at FB or open a GBCN post about it. It's that fucking simple.
Post by prettyinpearls on Sept 11, 2012 9:44:20 GMT -5
Visiting the 9/11 memorial last December was far more meaningful to me than 'remembering' on the annviersary. This is FF as he paid his respects to his fallen brothers.
To be clear, I remember. One can remember without the constant reliving and rehashing. I have no interest in treating it like any other day. I just have trouble swallowing all the tragedy whoring.
And with that, I've got nothing more to say on the matter.
Post by BookLover on Sept 11, 2012 10:17:15 GMT -5
I'm in the south as well. It was a horrible day. My heart broke for all the families of everyone in those towers and planes and the Pentagon. I however, didn't know anyone involved in it at all. I am thankful for that. I did know right away that it was a terrorist attack. There was no way a small plane could have done that damage. I remembered the first attack on the towers years earlier. Then I saw the second plane hit on tv. I knew right then in there, there would be a war of some kind. The word of the other planes hitting, it was surreal.
I lost several friends in Iraq from the war. They were good guys. I now have friends who are firefighters and family who are cops. I remember today for the sacrifice my friends made and prayer for protection of my family and friends who's main job is to look after others.
I was in 11th grade on Sept 11. Physics class. Some jerky kids started making a physics problem until we realized the gravity of the situation.
I was in university and had a linear algebra class that day. Our instructor skipped a chapter ahead for our assignment that week, because the assignment we were supposed to do was to determine how much a skyscraper could bend before it would collapse.
Today in class I did a lesson on 9 /11. My lesson was about all the positve things that happened that day. The way people helped each other. The way people stepped up without fear. Without looking at race religion etc....there are so many positive things that came out of that day and that is what I would like the kids to see.
I lost an uncle and a cousin both FDNY my father isFDNY. I grew up in NY, I know a few people who lost their lives. We could see the smoke from School....kids lost parents from our school....2 teachers lost husbands....I will never forget the pain this day caused so many. My husband worked downtown and I Had no contact with him until 330 that afternoon . I spent the day in fear. Thank god he was safe and came home to me.
I will never forget. I still breakdown every year. I don't expect everyone to feel the same way. I don't expect people to understand but I do expect people not to tell me to get over it and just move on. I can't.