9/11

[Epi-hunter]

On this dark day, remembering 14 years ago and our terrible losses.

[Tony Two-Cent]

It was definitely a frightening and emotional day, not only for myself but for millions of Americans. I was working at an engineering firm in Champaign, Illinois at the time, and when I got to work it was thought that a "small plane" had crashed into one of the towers. I even recall that one of the engineers at our firm was joking about it. How awful he must have felt when the truth became known.

When the second plane hit the other tower and it became apparent that this was an intentional act, all of the internet news sites became bogged down with traffic and were not accessible. They just timed out, too many people were trying to access them at once. I was getting all of my news through a comic book chat board that I was active on at the time. One of our chat board members was at home getting all of the news from the TV reports and posting it on the forum.

I went home for lunch at noon and immediately turned on CNN and the other news channels. All networks had suspended regular programming to report on the terrible events. There was so much speculation and false information being reported, it was hard to know what was true and what wasn't. All we knew was that something terrible was happening.

When my lunch hour was over with I found it very difficult to go back to work, but I did. I doubt if I got very much work done, I was pretty much glued to the comic book chat board, reading with disbelief and shock as all of the terrible news kept coming in. When I got home from work that evening I was glued to the TV for hours. It was very disconcerting, wondering what might happen next.

Things that I vividly recall during the days that followed: Several TV networks like Comedy Central being off the air completely, the lack of any aircraft or contrails in the sky, and the overwhelming show of patriotism and solidarity. I had season tickets for University of Illinois Football and they went ahead with their games. It was such an eerie feeling at the stadium with the increased security and no air traffic overhead.

Sometimes I get discouraged and depressed thinking about what humans are capable of doing to each other. Sadly, much of the patriotism and unity has faded away in the years since 9/11. Americans are more divided than ever. Hopefully we can forget our differences of opinion and stand together, at least on this day if no other.

:grouphug:

[Epi-hunter]

Thanks Tony for sharing that.

My daughter, who is 14 now, was 6 months old at the time. She has been asking me, "Mom, I know it was bad, but was it really THAT bad?"

In a way I can understand what she is saying, but I have been trying to talk to her about what that day meant, and what it changed for me and for so many other people. Trying to make her understand. For me, it was the loss of security - no longer feeling safe. Realizing that terrorist acts can do horrible damage to us. We cannot defend ourselves from it, and we are vulnerable to it. It changed my life. I lost a friend who worked in Tower 2 - just 2 floors above where the second plane hit - but it was more than that.

I also am depressed at the loss of the patriotism and unity that has faded since that horrible day.

[del]

A nice "then and now" look back
http://news.yahoo.com/photos/9-11-then-and-now-1441316296-slideshow/9-11-then-and-now-photo-1378420733021.html




I also am depressed at the loss of the patriotism and unity that has faded since that horrible day.

I completely agree Angie

[Cheap Thrills]

This day will always have a residual sadness for me . People are still suffering and dying as a result of what happened on that date .Every time this date comes up I wonder if some dirtbag is going to unleash some terrible deed on us .War has many faces and has now even entered into cyberspace .Our country has a lot of enemies and I'm sure many are dwelling here among us and that's not even including some of our politicians .

[Epi-hunter]

This day will always have a residual sadness for me . People are still suffering and dying as a result of what happened on that date .Every time this date comes up I wonder if some dirtbag is going to unleash some terrible deed on us .War has many faces and has now even entered into cyberspace .Our country has a lot of enemies and I'm sure many are dwelling here among us and that's not even including some of our politicians .

This is very true. It never ends. Now studies are being done in people there at the time who may have been exposed to asbestos and other cancer-causing products that literally rained down on people on that day, because they are dying from cancer.

I agree too Cheap Thrills, I think about it every 9/11 anniversary and every Fourth of July, and I wonder if and when it will repeat.

[Skamaniac]

My father-in-law had recently died and my mother-in-law was spending a few days with us. My detective partner called me and woke me up asking if I'd had the news on yet. I got up, turned on the news, then woke everyone in the house and we watched in awe and horror. We wondered how many more planes were targeted, and what might be hit on the west coast. We were thinking downtown Seattle, the Space Needle, the Golden Gate Bridge all might be targets. Then the eerie airspace silence, since our area is in the final approach to PDX. It was a very quiet day at work with few conversations.

I thought maybe the terrorists had "awakened a sleeping giant" again like Pearl Harbor had done. As a veteran and a citizen I was livid. Time has passed and my fury is replaced by a nagging feeling that those who don't remember 9/11 will live to see a new one.