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#1016 | Thursday, March 14th 2002
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At my desk at work- a co-worker came through and told everyone what was happening- we were shocked! A co-worker quick went home and brought her small tv in and we watched off and on the rest of the day what was going on.
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JoAnn | 50 | Iowa
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#919 | Monday, March 11th 2002
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My wife and I were both at work on 9/11. Although our office was closed that afternoon for security reasons, we stayed at work to finish up various tasks. We both feel that the response of the public and the news media needs to be tempered by some reality. First, we kill many more people from auto accidents, alcohol and tobacco in this country than we ever lost on 9/11. Second, terrorism of this kind is endemic around the world and has killed many more than we lost on 9/11 and the US is just lucky it hadn't struck here more often. Third, we have enough home grown nuts who use terrorism to advance their agenda (think OK City, abortion clinics, militia's) that could just as easily have been the terrorists as muslims. Fourth, it is very apparent to us that the current generation of Americans has grown very soft and fails to account for the world outside our borders. Get over it. In our part of the US, life was normal on 9/10, 9/11 and 9/12 and ever since that time. We flew to a conference on 9/23 for a week and have flown many times since then. Traffic at our local airport dropped just 4% over the last 6 months.
As a veteran, I am proud of the NYC firefighters and policemen and our military response and glad to see returning serviceman acknowledged for their service as opposed to being heckled and spit on like my own experience during Vietnam.
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t | 50 | North Dakota
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#570 | Sunday, December 23rd 2001
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I was at work in a college bookstore - a little after 9am a student called to ask if we had a certain title - there was a lot of noise in the background and he told me that a plane had hit one of the towers. Shortly after someone came into the store and said that the second tower had been hit and that the pentagon had been hit. I was so stunned I couldn't even talk, I just sat there trembling. The college closed a bit later and the first thing I did when I got home was turn on the television (even though I didn't want to)- that's when I learned that the towers had collapsed. I started crying - I think I've been crying ever since.
For weeks after I would see the towers collapsing in my mind like a film and suddenly I would remeber that it wasn't a film, but real - every time that happened I felt I had been hit hard in the stomach and heart. It still doesn't seem real - I keep thinking I'm going to wake up and the towers will be there (and I'm sure I'm not the only one who feels that way). But there is one thisg to remember - one very important thing - and that is that over 30,000 people survived Sept. 11th in New York City - and countless thousands in Washington, DC (I forget how may thousands work at the pentagon - but it's a lot).
Have I become more patriotic? No. I was always very patriotic, always proud to be an American - when people ask me what nationality I am - I alway say American. I've always worn the flag with pride and always cried at the rising of the flag - and the singing of God Bless America and other patriotic songs. The only difference is now I cry more - and more openly.
Then, of course there's New York City - the city of my heart. I literally swell with pride every time I see how wonderfully people have come together to help (financially and emptionally) the city the rest of the country loves to hate. And what a wonderful example of courage under fire the people of New York City are. "New York's Finest" and "New York's Bravest" are no longer slogans they are the truth (they always have been - but now the rest of the world knows that also) - those Bravest and Finest have shown us what real heros are. And Mayor Guiliani has showed us what a mayor - and leader - is, and should be. As I write this Time magazine has named him "Man of the Year" - which is just recognizing what has been true since Sept. 11th.
The times I've been to the pentagon always made me feel proud - especailly the Hall of Flags. Unfortuately I never made it to the observation deck of the Towers - the winds were too hich or a storm was coming in everytime I went there.
I'm proud of my country and of the people who have come together like never before - at least in my lifetime.
There's so much more to be said - but it could be summed up in 6 words -
I'M PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Katie | 50 | Connecticut
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#334 | Saturday, December 8th 2001
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I will not make the ususal comments except to offer my condolences to the families who have lost their loved ones. My heart and soul go out to you.
Through the years I have gotten pretty upset when I would read the newspaper or watch a tv article about taking the Lords Prayer out of schools, not saying the Lords Prayer at this particular function, and things like that. I have always sympathized with the people who protested that the Lords Prayer is important, that in a fundamentally Christian society the Lords Prayer should be said and heard, and so on.
I would be very emotionally on the side on keeping the Lords Prayer in our society. After Sept 11th, I am not so sure.
For one thing, more people have been killed in the last 2000 years in the name of God than for any other reason. Look at the Crusades as an example. We have this Christian-Moslem problem. And we Christians dont realize and dont understand this. We separate our religion from our politics, business and other areas. The Moslems do not! They incororate religion into every aspect of their lives so much that the Christian-Moslem thing is in their politics and their daily lives each and every minute of existence. We dont see it that way but they do.
Consequently, the only way for the human race to eliminate this problem and become one united entity. Only that way will we be able to truly reach the stars and make contact with other peoples of other planets. We are so far away from being able to and that is because of our petty bickering and fighting here on our planet. We need to find the ways to unite ourselves and to eliminate the things that tear us apart.
As a humble beginning I urge all Moslem to stop thinking Moslem each and every day of their lives and think of being one of the peoples that make up this planet. In turn, Christians must respect those that have Moslem beliefs.
But we must not let these differences hold us back from our destiny and keep us planted on a planet that one day will be destroyed by natural events, if we don't destroy the planet ourselves.
We need to end all this, to unite, to solve hunger, over-population, and all the problems of this planet and then reach for the stars. We need to channel our energy to do these things instead of fighting with each other.
The time is now.
thank you
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gary | 50 | Canada
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#242 | Friday, November 9th 2001
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These are the lyrics written by Alan Jackson and sung this year at the CMA awards show .
Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning)
by Alan Jackson
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 L.A.
Did you stand there in shock
At the sight 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 that lost their dear loved ones
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 & 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 for what really matters
Chorus
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 because 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 for the first time in ages
Speak to 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
(Repeat Chorus twice)
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
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Beth | 50 | Maine
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