9-11...six years later

[Kiwon]

It's 8:46 am on Tuesday, September 11 here in Korea already.

I was in the States six years ago filling in at my friend's business when I saw everything unfold on TV.

It was and is a sad day for me.

[packinpatland]

We all feel this way. What a sad day.

[mraynrand]

LET'S ROLL!

moveon.org can bite me. There's something truly valuable to protect here in America and it isn't moveon's contrarian radical egalitarianism and radical individualism, nor is it exploiting cheap labor in China for profits. It is at least the spirit of tenacity, inventiveness, hard work, higher purpose, love of family and country, love of freedom, best exemplified by our troops and the passengers of United 93 who wouldn't go down without a fight.

[Joemailman]

Remember 9/11: Always

Live In Fear and sacrifice freedoms because of 9/11: Never

[MadtownPacker]

Just heard that today is the first time that Sept 11 is on the same day (Tuesday) as in 2001.

I remember I was driving to work in the morning, heard it come on the radio. I seriously thought of turning back and going home in case World War III had started.

[GBRulz]

This is def a time where everyone will always remember where they were and what they were doing when they heard the news.

My Mom came into town the day before and I took Tuesday off work as we were going shopping that day. I don't think we made it off the couch, were just glued in front of the TV in disbelief.

I had slept in a little that day and when I woke up, she's like "Wow, a plane hit the WTC" - then I saw the 2nd one hit, it changed everything, we knew we were under attack.

I also was at the Packer game the following Monday night. It was the first MNF game since the attacks. I can't explain the feeling of seeing the US flag shaped as the United States on the field and also for the first time, hearing the National Anthem broughts chills and tears to my eyes.

[packinpatland]

My husband is flying home today................I'll admit, I'm a bit uneasy.

I remember in the days after, driving down to visit my daughter at school, when we went over the Tapanzee bridge, Manhattan was clearly visibly to the left...............smoke. No planes in the skies that day, being so close to Newark and JFK and not seeing any, was eerie. The commuter parking lot in the little town of Madison NJ, had plenty of 'uncollected' cars. Driving into town the lamp posts were swathed in RWB flags............and black ribbons.

Today is a dark rainy day...........stark contrast to the bright beautiful morning six years ago.

[MJZiggy]

Let the rain put your mind a bit more at ease. They couldn't have done what they did on a day like today.

I remember the fighter jets in the days after 9/11. I know they were supposed to be protecting us and making us feel safer, but for me they had the opposite effect. Still if one flies over I get kinda edgy because I wonder if something happened.

This is the Pentagon this morning:

[Deputy Nutz]

I was still in College, So I was sleeping in, didn't have class until ten in the morning. I heard that a plane had hit one of the towers, Tom Bernard who I was listening to and his possey were all confused, so was I. They of course didn't know the reason. I went downstairs and turned on the tv. As soon as the tv was on, that is when the other plan hit the other tower and the whole world knew this wasn't some unfortunate accident. It was the work of assholes.

I went to school for class and right before I jumped on I94 to River Falls, the towers came tumbling down. Tragic, I thought of friends in the New York area and I prayed that they would all be safe.

At ten o'clock I started some math class and the professor told us that he didn't know much, but that now America feels like the rest of the world. He said it like it was no big deal, that two of the largest buildings in the world came crashing down in one of th worlds largest cities, at that point citing the death toll would be just a sad sad guess. I got up and walked out his class in disgust. I am sure he was just as shocked as everyone else but his feeble liberal mind couldn't wrap his mind around the fact that he was an American and it was a time that all Americans needed to bond together in that terrible sorrow and try to strengthen each other. We didn't need to be compared to Bangladesh, or Palestine.

I went to my next class a couple of hours later, biology, and this teacher made a startling point, our lives were going to change. We would never be able to travel the same, our identities were going to become open record, our lives would be opened up and dissected without discretion, our personal lives would no longer just be our own, big brother would be watching ten fold.

I was pissed at him for saying this, I thought it was a slam on the President, and the government, but I realized he was right and it scared the hell out of me.

[MJZiggy]

I was going to a momsclub meeting in the morning and my husband called and told me not to go because a plane had hit the WTC. I was picturing a single engine plane and told him he was being ridiculous that DC wasn't under attack. Then I went to the meeting and heard about the Pentagon on the radio and I'm very glad I went as one of the moms had a husband who was at the Pentagon that day and she couldn't reach anyone for information. We all spent a little while mourning together and then went home to cherish our children and keep up with the story.

[BallHawk]

I was in 2nd grade when it happened. Obviously, I was at the age where they wouldn't turn on the TV and show a bunch of 8 year-olds the worst terrorist attack in American history. They did, however, announce over the loud speaker that there had been an explosion and fire in NYC and not to worry, because we weren't in any danger. I guess they didn't want to get the kids scared and tell them what really happened.

It's strange, really, that you can remember every moment, every detail, about what happened that day. I walked in the door and saw my Mom watching the coverage on TV. To be honest, I was too young to understand the motivation behind the attacks and I was sort of amused by it. I was a kid and I saw fire and explosions, the type of thing that I guess an 8-year old would find cool. After a few days I kind of comprehended what happened, but it was vague and distorted.

At school, every September 11th, when we have to stand for the Pledge of Allegiance, every kid says it with extra-feeling, even the little kids in elementary school.

Every time this day comes around it really makes you proud to live in this country, that we have the dignity and honor to remember those that fell. To see everybody come together and show their patriotism, it's special.

[swede]

In my classroom six years ago, I waited until the end of the day to tell the children that the television and all of the adult talking would be about something very bad that had happened in New York and other places. I assured them that their families and and friends and teachers were okay but the nation was going to be very sad for a while.

One of my first graders said, "Mr. Swede, you're freaking me out."

Today, six years later, one of my students sat at his desk while the rest of his classmates and I stood for the pledge.

As a Jehova's Witness he cannot make an oath that could conceivably place any loyalty above his obedience to God.

Even on this day the children and I support his right to believe differently.

And that, in a first grade nutshell, is one of the reasons that this a great country worth defending.

[oregonpackfan]

That morning I had gone to do some an interval running workout at the high school track. The initial news on the car radio before my workout said "A small plane had crashed into the WTC."

My first impulse was that some incompetant pilot had lost his way and crashed into the building.

After the workout, the radio said, "The black smoke is getting pretty heavy from the building. We are now told it was a commercial jet that crashed into the building."

I had finished my shower at home and came out to watch a second plane crash into the other tower. After the incredible shock, it was then that I realized the first impact was no accident.

In disbelief, I looked at my wife and oldest daughter, and stated, "We are watching history being made--just like Pearl Harbor!"

After I arrived at school, the Principal called an emergency meeting of all the teachers to prepare ourselves how to handle the day with our students(K-5th grade). We agreed to try to assure them that a terrible thing has happened to our country. At the same time, we wanted to point out that the sites of the plane crashes were far away.

We also agreed it was essential to keep the students actively engaged in their lessons and daily routines.

The main emphasis we wished to stess was "You are safe here at his school. No one will attack or harm you here."

To start the day, I had a circle meeting with my third graders. We discussed the incidents with them. Pulling down the American map, I showed them where NYC is located, of course, reminded them where Oregon was located.(At that point, we did not know about the crashes at the Pentagon and mid-Pennsylvania).

After about 20 minutes of discussion and again assuring them they were safe, we set about our daily lessons. Overall, the children had an educatinally productive day. Few of the children asked any questions about the crashes during the school day.

For me and the other teachers, however, it was very difficult to stay focused on the lessons. During lunch and recess breaks, we hurried to the staff room to watch the coverage on TV.

That was indeed a day I will ALWAYS remember. It is unlikely those memories will ever fade.

OPF

[Partial]

http://www.scribd.com/doc/282415/Awesome-Military-photos-of-the-Twin-Towers

That is very sad to look back at it.

The pictures with the people jumping out of the windows makes me physically sick. Whether its right or wrong, I want revenge.

[HarveyWallbangers]

Unbelievable photos.