New York on my mind

[Olham]

...and a vision

that was planted in my brain

still remains

within the sound of

silence...

 

 

You're not forgotten.

[Shiloh]

Thank you Olham for remembering and honoring the victims on 9-11-01. I can remember that day like it was yesterday as I lived in the area at the time and it will always remind me of just how cruel this world can be. To the men, women and children affected by this great tragedy - you are all heroes and we will never forget.

[Flyby PC]

I was at work when the news broke, and having come through about 4 or 5 re-tellings, at first we understood there had been a plane crash over an American city involving 2 aircraft. We all assumed this was a mid-air collision over a built up area.

 

It was a couple of hours later when we started to see the pics and understand the terrorist nature of it. I hate to say I was shocked, because that's exactly the reaction the terrorist scum planned for and wanted us to have, but more than shocked, I was very, very angry.

 

I am fairly removed from 9-11, I lost no family, nor knew any victims, but in ten years, I find my feelings haven't mellowed at all, and I am no closer to forgiveness now than I was in the immediate aftermath. I am not driven by an appetite for revenge, and I bear no ill will towards the innocent, Muslim or whatever religion, but forgiveness for those who wanted this to happen? Nope. Still escapes me.

 

I also think the USA has dealt with 9-11 with extraordinary dignity, maturity, and restraint. No country should have to deal with such obscene barbarity. When you cut away all the media hysterity, all the conspiracy theorists, all the crap about ground zero, and the occassional military mistakes made in the Gulf, you are still left with a grieving country full of very decent and responsible people trying to do the right thing, and no different from ourselves. In contrast, I cannot understand the mindset of any Muslim extremist who can look upon 9-11 as something positive or justified in any way. I cannot reconcile those despicable and cowardly actions with any motivation other than absolute evil. To attach anything positive to 9-11 is no evidence of devout faith, but to my mind, which I strive to keep objective, such 'beliefs' are symptomatic of a dangerous mental infirmity. What 'God' would not be ashamed to have 9-11 commited in his name?

[NS13Jarhead]

Thanks for remembering, Olham,

 

Unlike Flyby, 9-11 hits me personally in a number of ways. 10 years ago, I worked at the Navy Annex, about 1/2 mile uphill from the Pentagon, so when the fire alarms went off, I got to stand in the parking lot and watch the Pentagon burn. It turns out that the plane that hit it, flew almost directly over my building and missed it by only 30 feet vertically. The worst part was a feeling of helplessness. I felt that there was something I should be doing, but I didn't know what to do. The fire departments and EMTs had the site as under control as it could be, besides, I don't have that kind of specialized training. So I just stood there, feeling helpless, until I could get a ride home (it took more than 3 hours to go less than 15 miles).

 

As a result, I got to take two trips to the Middle East, courtesy of the US Marine Corps.

 

Oh, and did I mention that September 11th is also my birthday.

Edited September 12, 2011 by NS13Jarhead

[Olham]

It is sometimes the most manly you can do in such situations: to admit, that you are helpless.

 

It reminds me of some lines from Sidney Perley's 1891 classic "Historic Storms of New England",

which I can't recite exactly here, as I borrowed the book to a friend.

It was about a ship on the cliffs in a terrible storm - very close to land, and yet unreachable:

"Those at land could only look over to the men on the ship,

and the men on the ship saw all those at land,

and they all recognised, how unimportant they were."

 

PS: With a one-day-delay: Happy Birthday, Jarhead!

[UK_Widowmaker]

Such viciousness, mixed with such bravery.

 

Makes you ashamed, and proud to be a Human Being in equal measure

[Shiloh]

My sister called me right after the first plane hit and I watched live on TV as the second plane hit. Then I went down to the shores of Connecticut where I was living and could see the huge black plume of smoke coming from that area and I just about got sick all over the place. When that first tower fell (I was watching it on TV), I sobbed out loud because I knew I had just witnessed thousands of people dying and it just tore me to pieces. Not soldiers - but fathers, mothers, brothers and sisters and none of those people deserved that. That moment changed me, and a lot of Americans as we felt safe, protected in a way and I knew we would never be safe again after that.

 

Happy Birthday Jarhead.

Edited September 12, 2011 by Shiloh

[itifonhom]

I read this thread and think: if only things were that simple....

[RAF_Louvert]

.

 

As Widowmaker so poignantly noted, history is marked by such horrific actions and heroic events. I wish it could change in the future and we could offer our children and grand children a better world, but I fear it is this very dichotomy that makes us who were are as a species. God bless us, and God forgive us.

 

And a belated "Happy Birthday" from me as well, Jarhead.

 

.

[Hasse Wind]

It was an awful day in so many ways. Just when people everywhere were starting to become used to the feeling of peace and security that followed the end of the Cold War, the world was plunged into a new conflict, one that I fear will be never-ending, because of its nature.

 

It was one of those days that define an era and leave its mark on generations of people.

[UK_Widowmaker]

It was an awful day in so many ways. Just when people everywhere were starting to become used to the feeling of peace and security that followed the end of the Cold War, the world was plunged into a new conflict, one that I fear will be never-ending, because of its nature.

 

It was one of those days that define an era and leave its mark on generations of people.

 

Such is the eternal curse of mankind.... and we think we are blessed?...

 

 

Nah

 

That's why I love animals over people (with some notable exceptions)....they don't kill and destroy one another for personal gain and gratification. Nor do they slaughter each other, for warped Ideologies.

 

They just are what they are....we would do well to learn from them...before we destroy them as well as ourselves.

 

Always makes me smirk...whenever people talk about intelligent life on other planets...and why (if they exist) haven't they come out and made themselves known to mankind?...that's an easy one to answer.

 

Just watch the video footage of two passenger aircraft crashing into a building full of innocent people!...would you want to mix with creatures that do that to each other?...cos I'm f****d if I do!

Edited September 12, 2011 by UK_Widowmaker