9/11/01-The Day I'll never forget

[Hawkeye]

**To honor, charish and remember those of the 9/11 attacks**

Where were you on this september day?

I'll never forget where I was. I was in math class at the other college and came out where I was greeted by a friend who said, " Did you hear the news?"

I was like what the hell? She drug me to our dorms and turned on the news and I saw the replay. It was at 10 AM.

I called my dad and my parents said, " Don't come home, ATL is in a panic" I wanted to reach out and just hug my parents.

I went to the cafeteria to get food and everyone was sobbing, and I will never forget feeling like I was in my own world. The campus then closed all classes and called a meeting. Never before known on that campus. The rev walked over to me and asked me to speak.

I gave a speech on a whim but I dont remember what I said. I know my heart must've spoken for me. Because I was watching something amazing at that moment.

You see the school I went to had a lot of racism problems. You never saw white people talkint to black people or chineese people and same with them. They never talked to white people. And I'll never forget the student body sitting there all as one and when I got off the stage I saw all the sororities and frats intermingling with the rest of us and the next thing I knew everyone was organizing a trip to NYC on a wing.

By midnight half our school was on their way up, they had decided to share resources everything. I couldn't go-I wanted to, but the Reverand said I was needed at the college. To this day it is my biggest regret.

So where were you on that day?

 

[MacVirgin]

I was at home that day i turned he tv on and sat on the floor. I was paralised. I called my hubby and we said nothing and just watched the news from to difrent places. We said nothing. I just did not know what to say at that moment. I think i wept the entire day

. It was horrible to see and more terrible to think what went true the minds of the ones who saw it coming and was in the middle of all that. They knew it was their last day. It's so terrible o think what the ones in the jacked plain, and towers must have tought....
maybe thinking of their, wife and children(s) and all of the fun stuff they wanted to do or was going to do. Thinking of maybe an argument they had before they left to work and knewing their was nothing more they coul say or do. I thinkof that stuff when you see or hear about horrible things like that happend.

Thanks for tis threadh...

 

[kimmy]

i was in the car with my sister and my dad, he was taking us to our mom's house. the car we were in was one of his fixer uppers (a '73 Ranchero) and it didn't have a working radio.

we came in the door at my mom's house and i remember my mom saying "Curtis, did you see this?" and i heard words from my dad i'd NEVER heard him say before. i was young, and i didn't really understand what had happened. i thought it was an accident.

then i remember being told about terrorism and i got so scared. alot of my family lives in the north east. two of my cousins are special forces military men. and i remember worrying that they'd be sent away, and sure enough, the next day they were gone.

i remember hearing about the firemen dying and i almost couldn't bear it, my teachers would start talking about it and during my third class, i got up and walked out. my dad's been a fireman since as long as i can remember and i was so worried that he'd have to go back to help them and that something would happen to him. i sat out on the field with a couple close friends and just cried and cried and cried. little did i know, my dad had called my mom that day and said they wanted volunteers and he was going to try to go back east. he called her to tell her what to say to me and my sister if anything happened to him

it was a Tuesday, so we got out of school at 1:30 instead of 3:00 and my grandma took me home. i watched the news for hours just crying and wondering what was going to happen. then after a few hours of watching this stuff happen, i saw WT building 7 fall on live TV, my sadness turned into anger. i was so terribly upset that anyone would do something like this, i couldn't eat for days.

honestly, i think i grew up that very day. that's the day when i stopped being a little kid and thinking that the world was all happy gumdrop dreams and realized that it's a cruel place full of fierce, inhumane people. and that sparked my interest in politics. it changed me. this might sound terrible, but i think it changed me for the better. it tore MY world apart, but it ended up showing me the REAL world. and it was devastating.

it's become increasingly worse with the loss of one close friend in the war on terror and the shipping out of several others for prolonged periods of time.

it's been 5 years but it seems like it just happened yesterday

 

[kattpl]

I was driving to JFK airport..It truly was the most devasting day ever!
I will never forget it!


Kathleen

 

[Shimmer]

I was in the army, at work.

Longest day of my military career.

 

[kradge79]

I was at an elementary school observing a co-worker interview a child for the program we worked for. I was leaving and the guidance counselor met me in the hall and asked if I'd heard. She told me briefly and I remember thinking, it must be an accident and that it had to be a small commuter plane. I remember seeing them showing the news to some of the classes, probably 5th graders. Looking back, I can't believe they did that. It wasn't until I got out to my car and turned on the radio that I realized the extent of what was going on. I went through the rest of the day in a complete fog.

 

[AudreyNicole]

I was working from home that day. My dad called and told me to turn on the TV and I sat there is disbelief. I just cried and cried. It didn't seem real to me, almost like a nightmare. I had just found out a few weeks before that I was pregnant, and I remember thinking "I can't believe we are going to bring a child into this world." I was sad, angry, scared, just sick to my stomach. And five years later, I am sitting here watching the memorial coverage on TV and sobbing just like I was that day. It is something I will never forget.

 

[Shimmer]

Speaking of showing the news to children:


My kids' dad is in Iraq, he's in a pretty hot zone, in that they're getting mortared pretty regularly and the insurgents are pretty...ah...ingenious in their manners of attacking our soldiers.
My kids know where he is, they know what he's doing, and now thanks to the school, they know that insurgents are constantly bombing the soldiers and using IEDs and EFPs and small arms fire etc. Thanks to the school, my kids are now convinced that their father doesn't have the proper protective equipment, and that his trucks aren't armored enough, and that he lives in a tent in the desert, and that he doesn't have a good flak vest or kevlar, and that he doesn't have weaponry to fight the insurgents.

I didn't appreciate that at all, and I let the school know it. :/

 

[User34]

I was getting ready for school and taking my sweet time b/c I didn't want to go to my first class. Listening to the radio while watching the morning news when all of a sudden they gave a news flash and the whole thing came on TV. I just stopped what I was doing and knew instantly that it was no accident. I was scared ... I wanted to run and pick my daughter up from school because I didn't know if they'd attackt the NYC schools next or what. My brothers, his friends and I stayed in our house that whole morning in desbelief watching what was going on outside and on TV. Cars were stopped in the middle of our block and there was a cloud of smoke that we were able to see from our house in Queens.
I'll never forget it.

 

[AudreyNicole]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shimmer Speaking of showing the news to children: My kids' dad is in Iraq, he's in a pretty hot zone, in that they're getting mortared pretty regularly and the insurgents are pretty...ah...ingenious in their manners of attacking our soldiers. My kids know where he is, they know what he's doing, and now thanks to the school, they know that insurgents are constantly bombing the soldiers and using IEDs and EFPs and small arms fire etc. Thanks to the school, my kids are now convinced that their father doesn't have the proper protective equipment, and that his trucks aren't armored enough, and that he lives in a tent in the desert, and that he doesn't have a good flak vest or kevlar, and that he doesn't have weaponry to fight the insurgents. I didn't appreciate that at all, and I let the school know it. :/

OMG I would be upset too Shimmer. Glad you let the school know how you feel. DH and I agreed last night that we would not let the boys see the news today, as they are replaying it everywhere, and I know they are too little to understand.

 

[Shimmer]

I flat out told the principle, VP, teacher, and counsellor that future assignments of this nature would have to be run by me instead of simply handed to my kids, and that I expected the teachers to exercise some sensitivity.

 

[Shimmer]

"Where Were You (When The World Stopped Turning)"

Where were you when the world stopped turning that September day
Out in the yard with your wife and children
Working on some stage in LA
Did you stand there in shock at the site of
That black smoke rising against that blue sky
Did you shout out in anger
In fear for your neighbor
Or did you just sit down and cry

Did you weep for the children
Who lost their dear loved ones
And pray for the ones who don't know
Did you rejoice for the people who walked from the rubble
And sob for the ones left below

Did you burst out in pride
For the red white and blue
The heroes who died just doing what they do
Did you look up to heaven for some kind of answer
And look at yourself to what really matters

I'm just a singer of simple songs
I'm not a real political man
I watch CNN but I'm not sure I can tell you
The difference in Iraq and Iran
But I know Jesus and I talk to God
And I remember this from when I was young
Faith hope and love are some good things he gave us
And the greatest is love

Where were you when the world stopped turning that September day
Teaching a class full of innocent children
Driving down some cold interstate
Did you feel guilty cause you're a survivor
In a crowded room did you feel alone
Did you call up your mother and tell her you love her
Did you dust off that bible at home
Did you open your eyes and hope it never happened
Close your eyes and not go to sleep
Did you notice the sunset the first time in ages
Speak with some stranger on the street
Did you lay down at night and think of tomorrow
Go out and buy you a gun
Did you turn off that violent old movie you're watching
And turn on "I Love Lucy" reruns
Did you go to a church and hold hands with some stranger
Stand in line and give your own blood
Did you just stay home and cling tight to your family
Thank God you had somebody to love

I'm just a singer of simple songs
I'm not a real political man
I watch CNN but I'm not sure I can tell you
The difference in Iraq and Iran
But I know Jesus and I talk to God
And I remember this from when I was young
Faith hope and love are some good things he gave us
And the greatest is love

I'm just a singer of simple songs
I'm not a real political man
I watch CNN but I'm not sure I can tell you
The difference in Iraq and Iran
But I know Jesus and I talk to God
And I remember this from when I was young
Faith hope and love are some good things he gave us
And the greatest is love

The greatest is love
The greatest is love

Where were you when the world stopped turning that September day

 

[Shimmer]

broadband recommended

http://www.avenueofthestrongest.us/home.html

 

[d_flawless]

i was in ninth grade during an assembly, but i remember being in PE clothes because we had it during that period *omg, i cannot believe that i'm saying this as a sophomore in college*...i ended up leaving school that day because my father is a cop and he didn't want us to be there...such a scary day for me, i remember thinking that we would go to war and i'd vow to be a hippie...in all seriousness though, i have to say that the esprit de corps among our nation seemed to have come to a hault after what seemed like a year

 

[Shimmer]

Indeed it did.
In fact, back then you could see the flags and patriotism, and it was great.
Now if you see a house with flags up you wonder "What are they doing?"

 

[Hawkeye]

To this day one of my favorite pictures I have from 9/11 is the picture of President Bush standing there next to that fireman giving that speech. It to me was the symbol of strength that the US has and it's not in political parties its in the grassroots.

America's hope, strength and love lies in its heart not its politics or its money. And I think a lot of people forget that. I mean just watching....gah. I dont care what you all say-this will always be my favorite picture-a true sign of strength. Strength from the rubble.

 

[bluegrassbabe]

My story is kinda weird. I had an 8:30 appointment at the gynocologist. Long story short, I got left in the stirrups. I waited a while, finally got dressed and went to see what happened to the nurse. I thought they forgot about me. I remember everyone in the waiting room crowded around the tv. I watched with them a few minutes and then finished my appt. I got backk home just in time to see the first tower fall on tv. I sat on the couch and hugged my dog and cried until I had to go to work.

 

[Raerae]

Heh I got a cell phone call from a friend who was frantic, and was like, "turn on the news, were under attack." Of course I was like WTF? Flipped on the news to see the first tower burning. Yelled out for my roomies to get out of bed, and watched tower 2 get hit. Called my mom, to make sure they were all ok even though were in California. Got really mad at how cruel people can be. Got a little scared. Cried for the people that were jumping out of the building.

Emotional day that I wish never had to happen. Just another sensless act of violence amid a sea of senseless acts of violence. Can't we all just get along?

 

[kimmy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shimmer Speaking of showing the news to children: My kids' dad is in Iraq, he's in a pretty hot zone, in that they're getting mortared pretty regularly and the insurgents are pretty...ah...ingenious in their manners of attacking our soldiers. My kids know where he is, they know what he's doing, and now thanks to the school, they know that insurgents are constantly bombing the soldiers and using IEDs and EFPs and small arms fire etc. Thanks to the school, my kids are now convinced that their father doesn't have the proper protective equipment, and that his trucks aren't armored enough, and that he lives in a tent in the desert, and that he doesn't have a good flak vest or kevlar, and that he doesn't have weaponry to fight the insurgents. I didn't appreciate that at all, and I let the school know it. :/

i'm thankful every day that a few months later, when i went to high school i joined the JROTC program and had a Desert Storm veteran to let me know what was up. i worried alot about my cousins and friends, because for the remainder of my 8th grade year, i was told they were going to die because we didn't have the proper equipment. he set the record straight. and i'm glad.

 

[MAC_Pixie04]

I'm on the West Coast, so I was still asleep when the first plane hit. my mom had just gotten up and turned on tv to check the traffic, but there was no traffic. i just remember her screaming "Jesus Christ! What's going on?!" And it scared me, I didn't know she was watching TV I thought something had happened outside or in the house or something. i got up, nice and hazy and still half asleep, to see a tall building on TV partially enflamed. I didn't know what it was, where it was, what was going on, and it scared me. I knew it wasn't in my state or city because the sun was up there, and not here. I was so confused, I just started crying. Then the ticker came on and explained what was happening. It said "Aircraft strikes World Trade Center Tower, New York, NY." I thought it was something like the Oklahoma City Bombing, some crazy bastard flew off the edge and was killing people. My mom sent me to school anyway, since it was across the country, she didn't see any harm in me going. She figured I'd feel better having my friends around at school knowing they were all okay.
When I got to school everybody was frantic. The administrators rushed us all into our classrooms, no loitering allowed. They didn't even let bells ring for the next class periods. Parents were coming and picking their kids up. Every classroom that had a TV was tuned in, watching, waiting, kids crying, there were lines to use the phone, kids calling their parents asking them to pick them up. By the time I'd gotten to school the 2nd Tower had already been hit. I don't remember at this point whether we watched the first, 2nd, or both towers implode. But it scared the hell out of everybody. And when that building went down, the TVs went out. That really scared everybody, but it turned out that the administration shut off our television services campus-wide. We stayed in home periods until lunch, but the gates were locked and school security was doubled by staff and administration acting as school police, keeping kids from trying to leave.
I felt really ignorant, because I compared it to the OK City bombings, and my teacher explained that it was an act of terrorism, and starting saying things like Al Qaeda, Osama Bin Laden, Islamic Fundamentalists, etc. i had no idea what the hell she was talking about, and it made me feel stupid. i didn't wanna look like an ass in front of my classmates, so I waited until passing period and I asked her what she was talking about. As she explained it to me I just started crying. I couldn't believe anyone would do something like that out of sheer hatred. And I couldn't believe I didn't know anything about it, because I was just oblivious to current events and world issues. I mostly just tried to ignore them and tell myself that since it was overseas it didnt affect me. My parents both got sent home from work early, and my mom picked me up from school. She and my father are state employees, all gov't, state, and local offices were shut down. It was odd that my mom picked me up from school, because it was in walking distance, and she only picked me up if I had an appointment or something. She said "I just wanted to make sure you got home safe, because a lot of people didn't today." I'll never forget that. When I got home I was too scared to turn the TV on. I didn't wanna see anymore.

And on that note, I really hate that every September 11th since then, the TV Media feels the need to replay that horrible footage. I don't know if they do it to make sure that no one forgets or if it's supposed to be some kind of twisted memorial, but nobody could ever forget that. One time is all it takes. One time to witness something so horrible happening on your home turf, you'll remember it forever. I think instead of replaying those few lifechangingly terrible hours, they should cover the memorials that happen across the country, or do updates on affected families and honor those who were lost, instead of forcing us to relive such a moment. I know that probably makes me sound like I'm trying to ignore it, but I'm not. I just don't need it shoved in my face every year, because once was ENOUGH.