9/11/01 - 2 years, remembering.

This is a somber day. I think I feel more down this year than last. This morning I passed by the site of the former Twin Towers on the NY Waterway ferry. I pass by the site twice a day; coming to work and going home. Some days I look, remember, and offer a little prayer to the families, friends and relatives. Today was a bigger, longer prayer. There are extra harbor patrols today; one large Coast Guard cutter and three police boats. I pray also that all is peaceful today and that although it seems impossible, there will someday be peace on earth, good will toward men, and women.

I still can't imagine how people affected by this directed are coping day to day. I just sit here at my desk hundreds of miles away and think about it and watch it on TV. I feel guilty about feeling bad. What right do I have? This is definately one of those days in my life that will bring back the phrase, "Do you remember where you were when......"

The wound's still fresh, to be sure. What adds to the tragedy is how many seem to have forgotten, or else use Sept. 11, 2001 for political spin games, both Republicans and Democrats. I wish we all could leave politics by the wayside, just for today, and remember what happened to us -- as a nation -- on this day 2 years ago.

Certainly a day that everyone remembers where they were and what they were doing. I still grieve for all the lives lost, the people of NY, and the whole nation. My thoughts and prayers are with all the victims and thier families today. What a horror that was.

God Bless America!!!!


TIS

We here in Rockland County were hit very hard, with dozens of families losing people. In the fall of 2001, it seemed that I encountered funeral processions everywhere, especially since I worked in a town with a very high population of fire fighters and police. It was awful. My brother lost his friend who was a lieutenant in the NYFD. The sense of loss was just all-consuming.

MC, I can't imagine how hard it must be to pass that site every day, but I'm glad to hear that you always say a prayer for those that were lost.

TIS - I join you in asking God to bless this country and its people, especially those who are defending it as we speak.

GOD BLESS AMERICA

It's hard to believe that it has already been two years- I remember it like it was yesterday. Last Saturday I watched part of a documentary on tv and it made me again realize how horrible that day was. I will never forget the heroes and victims of 9/11/01. When I was in New York on vacation, I saw pictures of missing people that were put up- it made me feel pretty depressed. While we were looking at them, a police officer pointed to one of them and told another guy that it was his brother-in-law. It was sad to see something like that in real-life. We will never forget 9/11/01.

God Bless America!

Riley

September 11th, 2001

I woke p to go to school. I was Tired. In fact I was Sick and All I wanted to do was Go home. And So the Clock ticked on until It was 8:46. And Then the world Changed...

The North Tower had Been Struck, Indeed Mortaly Wounded. And It seemed that This was to be te fault of a malfuctioning Pilot but sure enough at 9:03 AM the South Tower had Been Shatered by the Strike of another 747-400

And So Began Something that Can be Described In one Word....Chaos...

Our School had been Glued to the Televison and In the Eyes of the children I saw something I had Never Seen in them Before.

Fear...

And This Fear Was Felt By Everyone American...

And This Fear Had Glued us to the Television Set...

And This Fear Had Bonnded us not only to the Television but to One Another...

And On that Day we Became true Americans...

And So on that Day 2,700 and more Lives were Ended abrutly....

On that Tuesday Morning that I awoke on fealing Quesey....

That Tuesday in September...

Tuesday September 11th, 2001...

And Looking Back on that day, Ill be able to say that September 11th 2003 was Our Most Trimphant Day...

because We stoped Our Everyday lives and we joined together...

That's a nice way of looking at it.

Sadly, people forget it all. They protest in the streets. They start buildings on fire, walk on highways. Everybody wants to know. Everyone thinks they should know. Everyone thinks they know everything.

Everyone wants to be in the spotlight. Everyone wants to look like a genius. A genius that has discovered something. Everyone wants to be a love-maker.

Nobody wants to make sacrfices. Nobody wants to lose some money for the good of our nation. Nobody wants to listen.

I wish we could come together as a nation, like WWII. I wish we didn't have these label walls up. I wish we would all put off our lives for the good of our future. But nobody seems to want to.

And I quote

"Dear Madam. I have been shown in the files of the War Department a statement of the Adjutant General of Massachusetts that you are the mother of five sons who have died gloriously on the field of battle. I feel how weak and fruitless must be any words of mine that would attempt to beguile you from the grief of a loss so overwhelming. But I cannot refrain from tendering to you the consolation that may be found in the thanks of the Republic they died to save. I pray that our heavenly father may assuage the anguish of your bereavement and leave you only the cherished memory of the loved and lost, and the solemn pride that must be yours to have laid so costly a sacrifice upon the altar of freedom"

Yours very sincerely and respectfully,

Abraham Lincoln.

I have to say that is a great quote, and a great post.

It was Used In Saving Private Ryan but Its a real quote and so apropriate for this time.

I might not agree with the War On Terror but I must Feal sorrow....

Its my Duty as an American...

Thanks for all your responses. When I started this post I didn't realize the the original Post from 9/11/01 was revitalized. My apologies to the board.

As an eyewitness to the collapse of the South Tower and a survivor of that day (I was 3 blocks away) it took me a year and a half to get over it - sort of. I wrote a twelve page account of 9/11 as I experienced it. It was a catharsis for me, but I'm still deeply saddened. My wife knows three families who lost fathers. She sees the children in her school. Somehow this world must find a way to live with social, religious, ethnic differences and be able to care for the least of our brothers and sisters.

Peace to all.
MC-KM

I was just waking up for work, turned on CNN and as they were reporting the news they interrupted with a video of a plane crashing into the WTC, confused but thinking, it was an accident of some kind. Within seconds as I am watching I see the second plane hit and like everyone else,I knew then, this was not an accident. I can't tell you how totally shocked/sick/drained I felt at that moment. I can't even imagine how the NYers right next door,not to mention the entire state felt !!

I'm sure by now they must all realize we were all mourning with them, not only as a nation, but as a "United" nation of caring human beings. We came together which is the only thing to do.

TIS

It’s odd in the sense that today for the most part I do or did the same things I do most everyday. Get up – goto work – usual stuff, nothing special, hell I even had to sit through a teambuilding session this afternoon. But today was different though. I would imagine that in some way most people think back and remember various things from 2 years ago. I remember that night thinking how I was lucky that there was nobody I knew directly in the buildings, I'm only a few hours from NYC, a good number of people live here but take a train to work there. But than I got to thinking that a friend of mine, someone I worked with not much earlier had taken a job in the city. I didn’t think he was in the tower but I sent him an email anyway, more so just to check in. Didn’t hear anything for about 2 days and then I saw a response from him pop up in work. I remember I didn’t get a chance to open it right away but since I saw it came from him I already knew the answer to my question. When I did get a chance to open it he said he was OK, didn’t actually work that close to the Towers etc. etc. BUT that I guess I had heard about Michael. Now Michael was another friend and the three of us all worked together before and it wasn’t until he mentioned his name that I suddenly remembered that not long before Michael took a new job in NYC. Michael was a young guy, a nice guy, a good co-worker and friend – about 32 years old, recently married and proud father of a 2+ year old son. Michael worked on the 87th floor – he never had a chance to get out. I remembered later trying to write a letter to his wife – but not really knowing what to say, I mean really what could have been said that would make a difference. But I did write something, tried to put my jumbled thoughts in the most cohesive way I could and sent it off to her. So today I thought about Michael, but I also thought about his young widow, and young son. And I thought of all the other people who lost loved ones whether in NYC or Washington or in PA – in basically such a senseless way.

And with the news tonight showing all that happened two years ago, I thought about all the brave men and woman who tried to make a difference. The fireman, the policeman, those in the Port Authority. I remember thinking back to that day and thinking I am kind of a tough guy, not the toughest guy in the world, but I have been in my share of scrapes and luckily for me never came of them any worse than wear. But when I realized what these people did, I realized I wasn’t very tough at all. I mean two full commercial jets crash into the towers – the top part of the tower is ablaze everyone is fighting and rushing to get down and out – but there were those that were fighting to get IN – they were in full gear, carrying hoses up the steps, going towards the fire in order to save people. I remember hearing stories of some men that were killed they were actually off-duty but raced over to help. These people were true heroes. I thought of them today and also their families.

I also thought about the men and women in the military that was sent to Afghanistan and Iraq to try and ensure that something like that doesn’t happen again. And for the many that died and for those that are still there. They are there so I, and everyone can continue doing each day what we normally do – which is kind of how I started my day as I mentioned and in that hindsight that may not be a bad thing. They are they so we can goto work, or school, take kids to soccer games or football practice, so we can goto to an electronic message board on the web to talk about movies or books, or the most beautiful man or woman, sports or whatever.

This weekend I will be at gatherings with family and friends on two different gatherings both Saturday and Sunday. We again will do what we always do, cooking at the grill, watching the games, probably be drinking a bit more than I should, telling jokes, talking sports – nothing special just the usual stuff. I know though that if I don’t, someone in my crowd will – make some toast or reference that we never forget and always take some time to remember all those that was lost – to all those that were left behind – to all those that saved so many people by going into a burning building – and to all those that are in the military now that are allowing myself and most everyone to continue doing what we have been doing for what seems forever – even if it not so important in the grand scheme of things.

And I have to say that thinking back to all that and although sad, I feel pretty damn good and thankful that two years later, for the most I can still do those ‘usual’ things as I always have, no matter how routine.

I was scared to death when we were attacked on 9/11/01. I got scared a year later because I thought we would be attacked again. Today, I decided not to fear the threats of the world anymore, I'll stand strong against them. And when we catch the wrongdoers of the world like Saddam and bin-Laden, they will burn in hell for messing with others. My english teacher Mr. Collins once quoted,'the world you live in was never like this.'That is true, which leads to a question of my own. With Saddam and bin-Laden running away and countrys like Israel and Lebanon(Africa) running amuck with children as their soldiers, will there ever be peace on earth?

Very nice post BDD!!

I was fortunate and didn't lose any personal family/friends in the attack. I think you've touched on what many of us are trying to say however. We should all feel very fortunate that we can still do the same old tasks we do everyday, and today especially it's good to recognize how fortunate we really are.

TIS

Hey everyone, look at the post made by 'Ric' in this forum.

Some a little interesting.

http://tech.50megs.com/cgi/support/YaBB.pl?board=social;action=display;num=1063314289

You'll have to post it here, DV. Outsiders can't get in.

Sorry, here's the screenstill

SWEET JESUS!

If I ever encounter Osama, I'm gonna take my size 13 boot and shove it right up his ass.

Hope you enjoy being vaporized Osama.

Anyways, I proudly wore my FDNY shirt yesterday...may God continue to bless our soldiers on the battlefield, our President, and most of all, God bless America.

Unfortunately, I'll never forget because I live about 10 miles from the site, and my office faces NYC. I got to witness it first hand, and had to work 19 stright hours that day, because my job was indirectly involved with the rescue efforts. It doesn't seem like it's been 2 years.

You are a true Patriot!

Vercetti - Do you believe everything you read on message boards? There's no such passage in the Qur'an, which you can see HERE .

Here's one translation of the real passage (there are more here ):

But Geoff, it's Ric. He's an experienced member.

Ah who's that one old guy. Not Conficius. Nostradumus (sp?). I remember everyone digging up his writings. "In the city of York, two twin brothers will fall from the sky..."

Well, False Translaions might lead to mis understandings as such.

But What Is a given is that On Spetember 11th 2001, A New Offensive against the Tyranny of the world begain...

Does that mean what I think it means???

I do believe it does. Very nice, MS (if it IS what we both think it is... ).

On September 11, 2001, a real moment in history began. Not for the actual physical scale of the attack, but the fact that it was the USA and the events that it is causing.

It was sad. I couldn't say anymore.

Indeed it does....

I might No Suprt the War in Iraq but In the End its what Was Going to be done...

Okay, I'm still confused, but it could be taken to mean on Sep 11th, the "war on tyranny" began with the bombing of the twin towers... thus, begun by Bin Laden, against us "American tyrants"... that's how I read it. And that's how terrorists see the U.S. I thought you were agreeing with it. Hell, perhaps you are. Just trying to get what Mike said...

Damn it! You Confused me!

On September 11th, The United States Began A War against the Tyranny Of The World.

The Jihad Began Many Years before. Damn Terrorists....

Not for nothing, but I thought the same thing as J.G.
when I read your post.

Did You. Histerical. I guess I didnt Word It Correctly. Forgiveness is What I ask for....

September 11 was depressing this year as it was in 2001 and 2002. 2001 had a lot of fear and confusion because there was a story that two planes crahed into the twin towers and this was a deliberate act and you fear what else will be attacked? I remember hanging out all day at college waiting to be picked up and i feared for my mother and brother. My brother was working a long shift at work at the time and he didn't pick me up till after 7:00 at night.

I Do believe, you are Amazingly gullible.

We arent All perfect though....