Warning: This post contains no humor today. If you’re looking for a laugh, wait till tomorrow. Sorry guys. I have an issue I want to discuss with you, in all seriousness. Tomorrow we will resume the foul language and topics ranging from farts to wine. Off you go.
The Issue
2 weeks ago, my son pulled out the following from his backpack:
I know it’s a little hard to read but basically Carter started a novel about a kid that turns 11 on 9/11. They will also be skyping with the author. Here’s my stance: we should NEVER forget 9/11. We should always honor the ones that died. I also feel that no one should ever make a dime off the tragedy. You want to tell a story? Fine. Give the proceeds to a foundation such as Voices of September 11.
When I read this, I cried. Sure, it was fueled by 4 glasses of wine but that’s neither here nor there. When I think of 9/11, here is whats seared into my brain for the rest of my life:
I have to remember that many people were just children when this tragedy happened and put it in perspective. Their sensitivity of the tragedy is somewhat removed. For example, I wasn’t alive during Pearl Harbor so for a movie to be made about it, seems completely acceptable.
I’ve written about this before but when I watched on live tv the 2nd building be hit by the plane, I only said one thing, “kamikaze”. That’s all my brain knew. Countries had never dealt with this sort of terrorism before. We couldn’t fathom that this was an act of war.
I was glued to my tv for hours, days upon days, as that was my only source of information. I cried when I heard people were trapped in the building, using their cell phones to call for help. At that time, I worked for Express corporate and prayed that all the Express sales associates got out of our World Trade Center location, housed in the basement.
And just sitting there I felt helpless, along with probably every other American. You knew people were in that building, just minutes, hours or days from their death and there’s nothing you could do about it. And when the buildings collapsed, you sat, watching in horror as people ran for their lives.
I think what really shocked all of us is that not only was this an attack on our soil but it was the first televised attack. Everything was viewable. Like the man jumping on the left, we could watch it live. We watched the buildings crumble. Watched the Pentagon burn. Watch people running for their lives. And we sat there feeling helpless, angered, depressed and frustrated.
I don’t know where this post is going really. Perhaps it’s cathartic writing about it. I just remember all the emotions I mentioned above. I know that many people who are now adults, never watched this played out and can’t understand how this affected our world, how this changed how we live, what we watch on tv.
To this day, if I see a plane flying too low, it gives me anxiety. May the world never forget 9/11.
It was a sad day and I agree no one should ever profit from such a tragedy. I’m sure the author was trying to write about the event from an historical perspective, but it still doesn’t feel right, does it?
No, it just doesn’t seem right at all. When I sat and watched a documentary last night about 9/11, my kids could care less. They just don’t understand how it changed the world as we know it.
I know. They are too young to understand. They’ll learn about it in the history books, though.
I know. But they will never understand. All this extra security in airports and sporting events, they’ve grown up with it. My sons can’t even fathom how family members could go right to the gate door to see us off on flights!