My mother has started writing about her memories of 9-11 on her blog, The Inner Elder. If you have a moment and don't mind getting teary eyed, it is well worth reading. Even knowing most of what she wrote, I found the tears falling. She was in midtown on that fateful day, which also happens to be my sister's birthday and the day before her own birthday.
I often wonder how others think of the attacks here and in Pennsylvania and DC. I wonder if people think we should get over it, it's been six years already. For those of us in the surrounding area, the reminder is there, every time we see the Manhattan skyline with its twin towers missing. I imagine those prominent structures of other states and how it would affect their citizens to have them suddenly and violently disappear, along with thousands of lives.
I was at the top of the World Trade Center once, as part of a school field trip when I was a teacher assistant. It was an overcast day, very unlike the blue skies of September 11, 2001. I remember looking out the windows and seeing everything gray and dreary, as if viewing the city through smoke. I had no desire to return, even though I was very familiar with this area back then and it would have been a simple matter for me to visit on a nice day. In some ways, I prefer having this perception of the towers. My view at the top of WTC felt like a foreshadowing of its fate.
3 comments:
I have a question for you. There was a special on about the towers last night and some of the people interviewed blamed the mayor for the emergency communication system failure. Being someone who worked in emergency services since 1987 that caught my attention.
So what is the general opinion of the people in that part of the country? Is he someone that they would not want as President?
b&b-These are actually 2 different questions! Personally, I think time tends to make some people over analyze a situation. He did the best he could at the time, and I admire that he did work to put any sort of detailed emergency plan together. Some would have insisted that the towers were safe after the first attack in 1993 and done nothing to prepare for a possible second attack.
Would New Yorkers want him as President? Hard to say. I think he fit well in a city setting. He does have trouble getting along with his peers, and his style of management might not translate well on a global scale, but I know my mom felt much safer when he was in charge. And I give him high marks for being able to poke fun at himself.
Thanks for answering.
I like him and I agree that he did a commendable job. Working in an emergency communication center through high speed chases, burglaries, fires, domestic assualts, alien invasions (a blog unto itself, lol) and hurricanes to name a few, I know how hard co-ordination can be. Add in the stress, fear and heavy breathing from the adrenalin and running, then the radio systems themselves, it's a bit much to pin on one man. As for how it would transfer globally? Only time will tell if he wins. The next President,whom ever it is, is going to be in a difficult spot. They had better be strong to handle it.
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