14 years ago today: September 11, 2001

[Statistikhengst]

Feel free to commemorate and remember those who perished, those who showed immense bravery, fortitude and kindness - and please remember, we are one American family, no matter where we are.

 

[guno]

I lost 4 High school class mates (firefighters) and two childhood friends that day in the WTC

Never forgotten


I am a New Yorker
I may no longer live in the five boroughs or on the Island or Upstate
I may now live hundreds or thousands of miles away
Or I may live just over the GW Bridge
But I am a New Yorker


I am a New Yorker
Whatever took me out of New York:
Business, family or hating the cold did not take New York out of me.
My accent may have faded and my pace may have slowed
But I am a New Yorker


I am a New Yorker
I was raised on Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and Rockefeller Plaza,
The Yankees or the Mets
Jones Beach or Rye Beach or one of the beaches on the sound
I know that THE END; means Montauk.
Because I am a New Yorker


I am a New Yorker
When I go on vacation, I never look up
Skyscrapers are something I take for granted
The Empire State Building and the Statue of Liberty are part of me
Taxis and noise and subways and get outa heah; don't rattle me
Because I am a New Yorker


I am a New Yorker
I was raised on cultural diversity before it was politically correct
I eat Greek food and Italian food, Jewish and Middle Eastern food and
Chinese food
Because they are all American food to me.


I don't get mad when people speak other languages in my presence
Because my relatives got to this country via Ellis Island and chose to
stay.
They were New Yorkers


I am a New Yorker
People who have never been to New York have misunderstood me
My friends and family work in the industries, professions and businesses
that benefit all Americansl
My firefighters died trying to save New Yorkers and non-New Yorkers
They died trying to save Americans and non-Americans
Because they were New Yorkers.

I am a New Yorker
I feel the pain of my fellow New Yorkers
I mourn the loss of my beautiful city
I feel and dread that New York will never be the same
But then I remember:
I am a New Yorker


And New Yorkers have:
Tenacity, strength and courage way above the norm
Compassion and caring for our fellow citizens
Love and pride in our city, in our state, in our country
Intelligence, experience and education par excellence
Ability, dedication and energy above and beyond
Faith--no matter what religion we practice


Terrorists hit America in its heart
But America's heart still beats strong
Demolish the steel in our buildings, but it doesn't touch the steel in
our souls
Hit us in the pocketbook; but we'll parlay what we have left into a fortune
End innocent lives leaving widows and orphans, but we'll take care of
them
Because they are New Yorkers


Wherever we live, whatever we do, whoever we are
There are New Yorkers in every state and every city of this nation
We will not abandon our city
We will not abandon our brothers and sisters
We will not abandon the beauty, creativity and diversity that New York represents
Because we are New Yorkers
And we are proud to be New Yorkers


- Author Unknown

 

[Statistikhengst]

Nice.

 

[Statistikhengst]

 

[MisterBeale]

 

[MisterBeale]

 

[Claudette]

I'll never forget but sadly many American have.

 

[Care4all]

It changed our Country forever....

 

[aaronleland]

I remember I was only 16 at the time. My family was moving from Pittsburgh back to West Virginia, and I was left behind to settle the rest of the mess at our former home. We had nothing left there but a TV, computer, and a couch, so I decided it was the perfect time to have a party. I invited a few friends over on September 10th, and we had a blast, getting drunk and partying into the night. Everyone passed out, but I stayed up all night. I was on my way to falling asleep that morning while listening to Howard Stern on the radio. I remember him saying something about an attack on the WTC as I was drifting off to sleep. I thought to myself, "Why is Howard talking about something that happened in 1993?" As I was drifting off to sleep I realized it was a current event.

A little while later a friend comes into my room and says, "We're under attack!"

I rolled over and said, "I know."

I went downstairs a few minutes later to see all my friends glued to the TV. There were rumors flying all over the place. One was that a plane had crashed outside of our city. I dismissed it as another rumor. Then we found out a plane had crashed in Somerset County, PA. It was a surreal experience.

 

[aaronleland]

 

[Geaux4it]

Out of respect for the dead I will limit my comments here.

But the fact that for over one hour we couldn't scramble jets to intercept escapes me

Penn United flight is just one story.

Military drills locking down our jets is just a lie

God bless those who lost friends and family

May they rest in peace

-Geaux

 

[rightwinger]

Sadly, it is a day I will remember the rest of my life

But one thing I remember was that it showed the basic good of the American people. We did not panic, we did not turn on each other. The people of New York, who are known for their indifference rallied around eachother. Everyone helped their neighbor. Everyone hugged and cried.
As a nation, we became the United States again. Politics were put aside..we were a nation again
I remember the world, for once, rallying in their support of the United States. Our grief was their grief and they gave heartwarming accounts of just what the United States means to them

 

[Statistikhengst]

Out of respect for the dead I will limit my comments here.

But the fact that for over one hour we couldn't scramble jets to intercept escapes me

Penn United flight is just one story.

Military drills locking down our jets is just a lie

God bless those who lost friends and family

May they rest in peace

-Geaux

I concur with you. Very strongly.

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[Geaux4it]

Sadly, it is a day I will remember the rest of my life

But one thing I remember was that it showed the basic good of the American people. We did not panic, we did not turn on each other. The people of New York, who are known for their indifference rallied around eachother. Everyone helped their neighbor. Everyone hugged and cried.
As a nation, we became the United States again. Politics were put aside..we were a nation again
I remember the world, for once, rallying in their support of the United States. Our grief was their grief and they gave heartwarming accounts of just what the United States means to them

 

[CrusaderFrank]

The further away I get the more I'm convinced it wasn't planned and executed by a bunch of camel fuckers in a cave in Pashtun.

I grew up in the Bronx, I watched the towers go up, I remember how even months after 9/11 as far north as City Hall it still smelled of death and a house fire.

It was literally years before I could get off the train at Fulton Street and not feel despondent at how the skyline was so vacant

 

[aaronleland]

I remember very much disliking George W as President, but he handled the situation the best any President could. I hold great respect for the way he responded. He was exactly what we needed at that time.

 

[rightwinger]

I think the post 9-11 period was George Bush's finest hour

He showed strength, provided a shoulder for us to cry on, gave us direction and a rallying point

 

[Statistikhengst]

I remember very much disliking George W as President, but he handled the situation the best any President could. I hold great respect for the way he responded. He was exactly what we needed at that time.

I concur.

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[Statistikhengst]

I think the post 9-11 period was George Bush's finest hour

He showed strength, provided a shoulder for us to cry on, gave us direction and a rallying point

I was on tour in Switzerland on Sept. 20th or so, when Pres. Bush spoke to a joint session of congress and to us, "we the people". I made a point of getting up in the middle of the night to watch it, tears in my eyes.

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[rightwinger]

I think the post 9-11 period was George Bush's finest hour

He showed strength, provided a shoulder for us to cry on, gave us direction and a rallying point

I was on tour in Switzerland on Sept. 20th or so, when Pres. Bush spoke to a joint session of congress and to us, "we the people". I made a point of getting up in the middle of the night to watch it, tears in my eyes.

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I think that Bush's initial reaction to 9-11 was the correct one. He wanted to rally the world in the fight against terrorism. His speech to Congress reflected that

But I think 9-11 made Dick Cheney crazy. He was not the same man after 9-11. If you look at his quotes during the first Iraq war, he was thoughtful and had political insight. After 9-11, Cheney was vengeful, bitter and driven for revenge

American policy turned to invasion and rebuilding the world to the way we thought it should be