On this the 2 year anniversary of the events of 9/11, I'd like to express some of my feelings; and offer a forum for others to do so, on that tragic day in world history. Like many others, I remember exactly where I was and what I was doing when I first heard the news and as the full scale of the events unfolded. After being glued to the television and radio all day long following the headlines I left work in amazement, anger, frustration, and overwhelming sadness. Upon arriving home I immediately tuned in again via the internet and after watching the video over and over, and after reading countless news stories I decided to take a break and seek some solitude by coming to BigSoccer. Far from getting away from the news and events I was suprised and amazed by what I saw here and how I felt. In my ignorance I must have been thinking that this was a local tragedy, perhaps simply because something of that scale had not occured for many, many years. I began reading hundreds and hundreds of posts expressing their grief and offering condolences to those affected and/or close to the events. I remember the solace I felt in not being alone, I remember thinking that if this tragedy could accomplish on a grand scale what I observed that day on BigSoccer, perhaps it would not be in vein. It isn't often that we are humbled by the realization that individually we are but a small part of a much greater community. I was reflecting and mourning with people from all over the world. It didn't matter the religion or the political stance or skin color or economic status. It wasn't important that one person drives a Jaguar and another has to take the bus. We were one people. We were human. It's amazing how a forum as trivial as "BigSoccer" can change a person that way.
This thread should probably be merged with a similar thread in the FFA forum. https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?threadid=71536 Murf
It was, indeed a terrible day. But we should not lose sight of the fact that many questions remain unanswered about what truly happened, how and why. Here are a few articles regarding those questions: http://www.philly.com/mld/dailynews/6742902.htm http://www.alternet.org/story.html?StoryID=16749 http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article4582.htm What were the President's actions on 9/11? http://www.takebackthemedia.com/true911.html US inaction on purpose? http://www.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,3604,1036571,00.html "Was this inaction simply the result of key people disregarding, or being ignorant of, the evidence? Or could US air security operations have been deliberately stood down on September 11? If so, why, and on whose authority? The former US federal crimes prosecutor, John Loftus, has said: "The information provided by European intelligence services prior to 9/11 was so extensive that it is no longer possible for either the CIA or FBI to assert a defence of incompetence." Administration Efforts to Limit Investigations of bin-Ladens http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/cms.dll/html/uncomp/articleshow?xml=0&art_id=1030259305 Bush Connections to bin-Ladens http://www.inthesetimes.com/issue/25/25/feature3.shtml Plans to invade Afgahnistan before 9/11: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2002/05/17/attack/main509434.shtml http://www.indiareacts.com/archivefeatures/nat2.asp?recno=10∓ctg=policy
What truly happened? Nineteen psychopaths commited thousands of murders. How? By hijacking airplanes and intentionally crashing them. Why? Because they were insane. We should not lose site of the fact that a$$holes like you who are using the horrible horrific events of that day to push their own political agendas are no better than any other a$$hole using those events to push opposing political agendas.
That's what I say... always keep an open mind. There are a lot of strange things still not clear. Although you also have a point on the other hand. Complicated. I was at home watching TV and suddenly saw one of the towers smoking. They said a small plane crashed into the WTC. I thought it was very odd. All of a sudden we get to see the other plane crash right into the other tower. Very, very odd. No accident for sure. I kept watching and all of a sudden there's smoke and dust everywhere when they get back to NY. The first tower collapsed. I was shocked (I'm not shocked easily). By the time the second one came down they reported about the other planes and I actually thought WW3 had started. I was a bit uncomfortable with that thought. In general, like everybody else, I was shocked. And I thought it was all over for a while actually.
To be frank, I didn't think today was going to impact me at all . I realized what this anniversery meant for us and the world, but it didn't hit me on an emotional level. For some perspective i looked up different 9/11 websites dedicated to the fallen. I found an incredibly moving slide show that had 100's of images taken on that day. It was especially hard to hear audio from the day, calls to 911 and the like. Before i knew it i was crying. I didn't expect for that to happen, and it showed just how much that day affected all Americans, even those of us who were 1000's of miles removed. I think it was good for me to remember what happened that day. One picture in particular really pulled things together. It was the picture of congress standing out as one party, and one people. I can now remember those days of there being no party. There was no democrat, there was no republican. There was only American. I knew that couldn't be expected to last, but i do think we have distanced ourselves from the event to the point where we have resumed our petty political sniping. There is so much more at stake here than our little rivalries, and it would be so much more comforting if we could again cross party lines and do what is best for ALL of us. I'm sorry, i didn't mean to preach or anything. I don't really have a great way to end this, so i just want for people to remember all those who arn't with us becuase of what happened. Morpheus, i just wanted to add that your story is very moving as well, and i thank you for starting a thread where we all can come together and relate stories and feelings. Like you said, it feels good not to be alone.
before people getting bent out of shape over people questioning the gov. actions and claim that doubters are using this as an avenue to "push their own political agenda", they should realize that the emotions they feel are indeed there because another political cause possibly let these events happen so that their own adgenda could be pushed. I think it's much better to posit questions that seek the truth of a possible injustice than to use emotions of the american people to pave way for wars and military action against the better judgement of the american people. That's just me though...
So the war in Afghanistan was wrong because Bush siezed on our emotions? 1.Al Qaeda got what it deserved in Afghanistan, and it deserves more 2. Everyone i knew, liberal and conservative was screaming for blood after 9/11.
I took the day off yesterday and went to the Jersey City waterline, directly across the Hudson River where the twin towers stood. There was a small ceremony sponsored by the municipality. Apparently Russia is giving us a memorial to place in this area. The Russian artist who was commissioned has come up with a beautiful concept. It resembles one on the twin towers' steel beams, standing 100' feet tall, and wider than the real beams. There is a crack in the middle of the steal beam with a prevalent crystal tear. The crytal tear will have water inside that will somehow pump the water giving the impression of crying. They had a model of it and it looked beautiful. I'd like to start a tradition of making Sept. 11th a day to remember how fragile life truely is and how you can really go to work one day and never see your loved ones again. On a personal level, leaving politics and world policy aside, we should use this day to come together as a people. To use this terrible tragedy to build something positive is but one factor in refusing to be defeated.
Can we keep this as a thread to honor those who died on that day and move kropolski's and Mad Bishop's posts (and those responding to them) to a new thread?
Why? The thread is vaguely titled "reflections." It's not "9/11 comments that Alex will find heart-warming." Alex, people have had all kinds of reasonable responses to the tragedy on emotional, political, and spiritual levels. Who are you to suggest which ones are valid?
Come on, manny. Mad Bishop didn't say anything about Afghanistan specifically and you know it. And the President's job is not to quench the American public's thirst for blood.
Mike, I'm surprised at your response. I'm an a-sshole for posing unanswered questions? I have no political agenda except wanting to know the truth. I point out some interesting coincidences. Thousands of people died and it's because of 19 psychopaths? That's pretty simplistic. And one could say that you have an agenda of shouting down anyone who raises such questions. Why don't you want the day of light to shine on these issues? Anyway those people shouldn't have died. Someone was responsible for allowing it all to happen. And, as of yet, no one has been fired or suspended or reduced in rank. Just weak "my bad." That's not good enough. The family members of those who died want to know more and are furious at the way the government has handled the investigation (which it attempted to squelch). If these people -- who actually lost loved ones -- feel that way, who are we to say, "Oh, the government says there was nothing that could be done."
My memories of 9/11 and the days and weeks that followed was the stunning outpouring of emotions and support from the rest of the world. I found myself crying looking at images of ordinary citizens in countries from Denmark to China laying flowers at U.S. embassies. It was humanity uniting against an inhumane action. Here are some images: http://www.september11news.com/InternationalImages.htm Looking at where we are today and I get really sad. The US is alone on an island. Most of our friends are sickened by our actions. It is just really sad. We had an opportunity to not only unite this nation but also united the world against forces that believe in a very backward, unenlightened way of living and it has all just dissapeared in two short years. How did this happen?
Unfortunately, believing in "very backward" and "unenlightened" ways of living is not exclusive to Muslim countries. We have our own. There will never be any ceremonies for the thousands of innocent Afghans and Iraqis killed as part of the "war on terror", yet their deaths, however accidental, seem as unjust as the deaths of those killed by terrorist acts.