For better or worse, there’s a lot that can be (and has been) said about September 11th, but with a tragedy of such magnitude, I like to dwell on the good. As terrible a tragedy September 11 was, it showed us and the world what we can be at our best. Coming together as one nation (for an all to brief moment), we declared that each and every one of us is as worth while as the next. And the stories of families broken apart and families who barely escaped such a fate remind us all about what’s most important in our lives. So, September 11th is a symbol of many things to many people, but I think most importantly it serves as a reminder to all of us to take a moment in our busy lives and reflect on what’s most important to us in this world and what we’re grateful for.
I was in 7th grade when 9/11/01 happened. At the time I was going to a private parochial school. I remember plotting marks on a map of places we heard were hit during school that day. The media really made it sound like a full scale attack/invasion was being executed in the chaotic moments as it all was happening. Faulty and false reports came streaming through the radios and televisions indicating that all sorts of places were “hit.”
Unfortunately on that day and in the days following I did not witness the best of America. Many of the staff and parents at my religious school expressed vehement hate and bigotry towards people of the Muslim faith, or even just of middle east origins. Among the many vivid memories I have of that day, the worst one that comes to mind is of one of my fellow classmates, a muslim named Bilaal, who was derided and publicly shamed in class for his faith and color. I remember him crying in the corner of the room.
This is the same school that proudly announced the death of Paul Wellstone over the intercom to chants from mindless children joyously yelling “yay the baby killer is dead!”
I don’t want to crass…but really??? Its been seven f-ing years. Are we going to go around somberly for every Sept. 11 for the rest of our lives. It was a tragedy, but what is it…some kind of national holiday now?
Wonderfully said! Thanks!
The terrorists won that day. Our freedoms as Americans have been abridged by this administration, while the Bin Laden family was escorted out of the US the day following the attacks.
I was working in Toronto, had been there since the previous Sunday. Got a call from Minnesota to turn on the news and watched live as the second plane went into the building. Had to do my job at a Canadian government trade show, but kept up with the news. Talked with a variety of people who expressed great sympathy and understanding… including Muslims that were there.
Couldn’t get out of the country as all planes were grounded. Tried to keep up but felt disconnected away from home. No trains or rental cars available to get back home. Finally got a flight out that Saturday and the whole plane erupted in applause when we landed in Minneapolis.
It was only later I found out that while I was stuck in Toronto, private jets under direct instructions from the Bush administration were ferrying bin Laden’s family out of the US. It was only later that I found out that when President Bush was warned in the August 6, 2001 PDB, “Bin Laden Determined to Strike In US”, the president did nothing except tell the guy who delivered it to him, “All right, you’ve covered your ass now…”
That is history, not partisanship.
Wow, I am amazed and at the same time I am surprised at my amazement at the trash that has been posted on here in the comments section. You people really do not know how to turn off the partisan switch, do you?
To nn, I am sorry to say this, but I do NOT, for a second even kind of believe anything you said in your post, do you think people are stupid?
Nobody will ever forget where they were at that moment. I agree with Matt, though. We saw on that day how good people can be. There wasn’t anything that someone wouldn’t do for another in the days following.
I think it is perfectly appropriate to pause and reflect on the day. 2,975 people died. The only difference between them and us was the address where they reported to work that morning.
I would take a moment to pause to commemorate 1 person who I knew who died tragically. You are darn right I’ll remember 2,975 innocent Americans who died one September morning.
“It was a tragedy, but what is it…some kind of national holiday now?”
Actually, Galaxy, yes, it is a national holiday. http://www.calendar-updates.com/info/holidays/us/patriot.aspx
Before 9/11 Rochester was replete with probably hundreds of middle-easterners here for medical care. On 9-12, and for years afterward, no middle eastern people were visible here, quite literally.
GOPgal. If you think there aren’t plenty of racist, violent, jingoistic jerks in the US you are delusional.
@gopgal
If you’re too blind to see the bigotry and hate in this world than your living in nothing more than a fantasy.
…After 9/11…
If you’re going to argue that their wasn’t a feeling or need for “payback”… you’d be wrong.
If you’re going to argue that many of the people in this country didn’t misplace those feelings… you’d be wrong.
If you’re going to argue that their wasn’t strong anti-sentiment towards people of Muslim faith… you’d be wrong.
If you’re going to argue that many did not take it upon themselves to fight who they saw as the enemy… you’d be wrong.
If you’re going to argue that vandalizing/defacement didn’t happen to Mosques and such… you’d be wrong.
If you’re going to argue that many Muslims weren’t on the butt end of racist remarks and suspicion… you’d be wrong.
If you’re going to argue that Muslims weren’t assaulted because of racism and misplaced anger… you’d be wrong.
If you’re going to argue that Muslims weren’t mistreated by our own “impartial” government… you’d be wrong.
If you’re going to argue any of this you’d have your head in the sand.
The following is in regards to Christianity and the far right wing…
If you’re going to argue that there still isn’t some deep seated tension between Christianity and Islam… you’d be wrong.
If you’re going to argue that many Christians don’t feel threatened by the fast growing Muslim religion… you’d be wrong.
If you’re going to argue that there aren’t many evangelicals who feel it is their duty to fight in “God’s” war against Islam… you’d be wrong.
If you’re going to argue that these sorts of people don’t try to indoctrinate their children into their way of thought… you’d be wrong.
If you’re going to argue that as a result, private religious schools haven’t been started to guide cough: brainwash:cough children into a “Christian” way of thinking… you’d be wrong.
If you’re going to argue that these type of fanatics don’t exist in Minnesota or even the metro area… you’d be wrong.
If you’re going to argue that these type of people don’t support right wing politics because it advances their religious agenda… you’d be wrong.
If you’re going to argue that many of these people as a result of their political ideals don’t dislike or even hate Democrats and Liberals… you’d be wrong.
If you’re going to argue that a “Christian” couldn’t be so mean, evil, and hateful towards others with whom they differ… you’d be wrong.
And finally…
If you’re not going to believe my accounts of those two fateful days because they are to far a stretch of the imagination… well… you’d be wrong. Believe what you will… or rather believe what you won’t.
I’ll remember that day forever. It was horrible.
The saddest, most frustrating thing about that day is that Bush was given a chance to do great things in the world. Which would have honored all that died that day. And he blew it. His cronies used it to make Americans fearful and to attack Iraq.
“The saddest, most frustrating thing about that day is that Bush was given a chance to do great things in the world. Which would have honored all that died that day. And he blew it. His cronies used it to make Americans fearful and to attack Iraq.”
No. The “saddest, most frustrating” thing about that day was that nearly 3,000 innocent people were murdered. Children are growing up with a parent. Promising lives were cut short. Hundreds of widows and widowers were created in the course of an hour.
Politics is secondary and debatable. The tragedy of 9/11 was the loss of life. Everything else just pales in comparison.
Hey dtm,
How many people do you think die in this country each year as a result of inadequate healthcare?
Hint: It’s multiple times the size of the number that dies on 9/11…
Care about life so much do ya? DO something about it and help support healthcare that would prevent tens of thousands of deaths each year.
nn -
I guess we view the events of 9/11 through a different lens. I’ll continue to remember the victims. You can do whatever you want. Free country.
DtM
The saddest thing is that Bush used 9-11 to attack a country which had nothing to do with it, killing hundreds of thousands and displacing millions of Iraqis.
DtM,
I agree that the loss of life was a great tragedy. My point is that Bush used that to create fear in America and to attack a country that had nothing to do with 9/11.
Because he used 9/11 to “jsutify” attacking Iraq, Children are growing up with a parent. Promising lives were cut short. Hundreds of widows and widowers were created.
there are no politics involved. Just cold, hard facts.