I think 9/11 made me more scared to be an American because I saw the nation as a whole get swept up in fear. To see a nation that was founded on freedom and liberty turn into one that surrenders those very things to blindly follow the leader is really quite devastating. Thankfully not everyone is like that, though so many were at the time. Yet, some people were speaking out. And then One Beat was released:
Far Away
7:30 am nurse the baby on the couch
then the phone rings
"Turn on the T.V."
watch the world explode in flames
and don’t leave the house
And the sky overhead
is silent, waiting
Clear blue holds its breath
And the heart is hit
in a city far away
but it feels so close
Don't breathe the air today
Don't speak of why you're afraid
(Standing here on a one way road
and I fall down, and I fall down
no other direction for this to go
so we fall down, so we fall down)
Why can't I get along?
Why can't I get along?
WHY CAN'T I GET ALONG WITH YOU?
And the president hides
while working men rush in
To give their lives
I look to the sky
and ask it not to rain
On my family tonight
Don't breathe the air today
Don't speak of why you're afraid
(Standing here on a one way road
and I fall down, and I fall down
no other direction for this to go
so we fall down, so we fall down)
Why can't I get along?
Why can't I get along?
WHY CAN'T I GET ALONG WITH YOU?
if you wanna be a friend of mine
cross the river to the eastside
You're right about the generosity. As president, I would have tried to harness that energy and turn it into something lasting. Rather than encouraging people to go shopping, I would have called for us as a nation to make any sacrifices necessary to achieve energy independence. There should have been an initiative similar to the Manhattan Project or Kennedy's promise to put a man on the moon. Beyond that, see soulsinging's post, I think he pretty much nailed it.
thanks for answering. I agree we should have done more and perhaps missed a great opportunity to KEEP the country united and for once in a long time really establish a plan for our country.
What I would NOT have done: spy on American citizens; arrest people without warrants; prevent prisoners from speaking to their families and attorneys; accuse people who disagreed with me of hating freedom or hating America or sympathizing with terrorists.
can i at least still accuse michael moore of hating america if i let everyone else off the hook?
make sure the fortune that you seek...is the fortune that you need
I'm not sure 9/11 changed me. I got paranoid about getting on a plane for a couple weeks, but that's about it. Nobody I knew died, and I'm not going to be a hypocrite and say how it affected me so deeply, when people are constantly killed and terrorized all over the world all the time. Terrorism is just a part of humanity. Sad but true. It will always exist. It was a sad event. That's about all I can say.
And I don't think it was the worst day in history for humanity either. I think the Hiroshima bombing is much worse. It was a much larger act of terror, and it showed the world what nuclear weapons can do, which, as we all know, led to massive production of these weapons and the possibility of world destruction.
I think 9/11 made me more scared to be an American because I saw the nation as a whole get swept up in fear. To see a nation that was founded on freedom and liberty turn into one that surrenders those very things to blindly follow the leader is really quite devastating. Thankfully not everyone is like that, though so many were at the time. Yet, some people were speaking out.
I realized 9/11 sucked, but calling it the worst day in the history of the human race is a bit much. 3000 dead is awful, but how many died in the hiroshima/nagasaki bombs, the holocaust, and in attacks that occur on a daily basis in some areas of the world. No offence, but that was a pretty America-biased statement and is a part of the reason much of the world doesn't care for America- they think their lives are more valuable than others.
That being said, I'm sure you didn't mean it like that, not trying to start anything.
I agree with you that the Bush administration fucked up and turned the world against them when the world was at its most sympathic.
That's exactly what I thought too! Just had to barge in the thread to say it...
After 9-11, I was encouraged by many acts of bravery, charity, and sacrifice by many people.
I was also disgusted by many acts of crass opportunism, xenophobia masquerading as patriotism, and the blind, unequestioning allegiance to a president who would piss away every ounce of momentum and good will he had gained in the next 5 years.
"Of course it hurts. You're getting fucked by an elephant."
I remember that after 9/11 the whole world became united as one, it seemed that for perhaps the first time ever we became the 'human race', as opposed to different countries, religions etc. The whole world agreed that things needed to change, and rallied behind America.
Personally, it changed my outlook to other people and I think I'm much more tolerant of other religions and races.
For the last few weeks - I have been pondering this question over again. My experience of 9/11/01 is a profound one indeed. I had been out singing and dancing the night before. When I woke up - it was on television. My roommate was all excited and asking me,
"Have you seen this?"
I glanced at it half asleep and replied quickly,
"Oh yeah. That again. Seen it before. Long time ago. What year was that anyway?"
I was still half asleep when I said that. He informed me that it was current and going on as we spoke. I was shocked into reality and trying to understand why I had a vivid sense of a profound memory associated with the event. It took me a few hours, but I recalled having dreams and visions concerning the futuristic event. I wrote about the visions in poems and had conversations with friends. I interpeted the visions and dreams-- and in the interpetation - the prediction was made that two buildings that were twins to one another would fall in less than one minute, one after the other, after being struck from the air.
I freaked out on 9/11 -- as much for the event -- as for having the strange ablitity in the past -- to see the future.
They were destined to fall long before they fell. How does a mind and body, come to comprehend the profound meaning behind spiritual prophecies, while so many people, so many families, and so many nations suffer?
For days, weeks, months, and years to come -- I have been trying to figure out -- how does one see the future -- then have the lack of ablility to change it. Where does "God's will" and "humanity's will" merge?
For me -- 9/11 made me question the depth of what is right and wrong.
It is strange -- but I was in Hawaii when the press anounced that Osama Bin Laden was the prime suspect in the matter. I walked the streets of Waikiki searching for answers within me. I had the strange feeling (akin to the morning of 9/11) that he was a scrapegoat. I had no way to comprehend or understand the feeling -- other than it had something to do with the memories of the prophecies from the past. I have no proof of it, just a feeling laying deep within me.
As for America, Wow!
United in many ways. Pride went up automatically. I felt the surge of that pride in the beginning. American flags were dominant all over the country. It was a time to be proud to be an American. I don't think I have ever seen that sort of American pride displayed in my lifetime. Maybe it was evident back in the days of WWII. Something missing after Vietnam and the Iran hostage situation.
I don't think the change is ever going to cease. It is still an ongoing process.
I believe we squandered a once in a lifetime opportunity to use the feeling of national unity and global empathy to wage a global war on terrorist organizations by ganging up on them. Not so much militarily... more by human intelligence and good old fashioned detective work.
We had that in Afghanistan... domestic and global support. We lost in all in Iraq.
Allen Fieldhouse, home of the 2008 NCAA men's Basketball Champions! Go Jayhawks!
Hail, Hail!!!
America showed her true colors. "The Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave" was proven to be a nation of cowards who would happily sacrifice the liberties their ancestors fought and died for because they're afraid.
i disagree
i dont think "cowards" is the right term
i think new yorkers showed the exact opposite in their rescue and emergency responses
as to what the bush admin. did after 9/11......i would say american people were more indifferent to the actions than cowardly
i think new yorkers showed the exact opposite in their rescue and emergency responses
as to what the bush admin. did after 9/11......i would say american people were more indifferent to the actions than cowardly
You are absolutely right that New Yorkers were anything but cowardly on that day and in the days immediately following. This thread is about the legacy, however, not the event itself.
Many Americans were indifferent, but huge majorities have supported spying on American citizens, warrantless arrests, the absence of due process, etc. To willingly sacrifice your rights as a citizen, rights that previous generations have fought and died for, because you're scared is cowardly.
Interestingly, most New Yorkers DON'T support these policies, despite the fact that they were the hardest hit and the most likely to be hit again. Nothing cowardly about NYC.
"Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity." ~ MLK, 1963
"I hate the way America is governed, I hate the way America is governed, I hate the way America is governed, I hate the way America is governed, I hate the way America is governed, I hate the way America is governed, I hate the way America is governed, I hate the way America is governed, I hate the way America is governed, I hate the way America is governed, I hate the way America is governed, I hate the way America is governed, I hate the way America is governed, I hate the way America is governed, I hate the way America is governed, I hate the way America is governed, I hate the way America is governed, I hate the way America is governed, I hate the way America is governed, I hate the wayAmerica is governed, I hate the way America is governed, I hate the way America is governed, I hate the way America is governed."
You are absolutely right that New Yorkers were anything but cowardly on that day and in the days immediately following. This thread is about the legacy, however, not the event itself.
Many Americans were indifferent, but huge majorities have supported spying on American citizens, warrantless arrests, the absence of due process, etc. To willingly sacrifice your rights as a citizen, rights that previous generations have fought and died for, because you're scared is cowardly.
Interestingly, most New Yorkers DON'T support these policies, despite the fact that they were the hardest hit and the most likely to be hit again. Nothing cowardly about NYC.
Thanks for elaborating. I do agree with some of what you are saying.
I just want to bring up a few things:
-We are used to being spied on as a nation. A record exists for virtually everything we do. To a lot of people, this is just one more record. Nothing else. I dont think them spying on phone call records is the real problem. It could be good for safety in theory. But, I think that us allowing them to do so is the real problem. Why? Because it lays a perfect path for them to increase government infringement in the future. So in that sense, i would have to agree with you. Still, Is anyone willing to fight and die to protect their phone records? I sure as hell aint.
-Warrantless arrests and the absence of due process....majority of americans=indifferent. Doesnt bother them, so they dont care.
So i would say a combination of fear of terrorism, and indifference leads us to where we are now.
I remember that after 9/11 the whole world became united as one, it seemed that for perhaps the first time ever we became the 'human race', as opposed to different countries, religions etc. The whole world agreed that things needed to change, and rallied behind America.
Unfortunately Bush and Blair fucked all that up with the phoney Iraq war. It'd be nice if the next leaders of our countries can bring it back and use 9/11 to change the world again. I honestly believe that 9/11 was perhaps the worst day ever in the history of the human race, no question, and Bush and Blair perhaps lost sight of that.
Personally, it changed my outlook to other people and I think I'm much more tolerant of other religions and races.
one against an "other" in what was a political act targeting innocents to make the point in no uncertain terms. we still chose to ramp up the rah rah exceptionalistic rhetoric rather than honestly consider what was behind that act.
my impression is it wasnt because "they hate our way of life" unless that context is "hate our way of life being imposed on them and others".
we'd be better served letting our actions lead by example rather than talk one way do another as exists now in almost every geopolitical context.
we fall so goddamn fucking short of the ideals and idea we were supposedly founded on its maddeningly sad and laughable at the same time.
Not today Sir, Probably not tomorrow.............................................. bayfront arena st. pete '94
you're finally here and I'm a mess................................................... nationwide arena columbus '10
memories like fingerprints are slowly raising.................................... first niagara center buffalo '13
another man ..... moved by sleight of hand...................................... joe louis arena detroit '14
i'm thinking back to that day right now and reflecting. i think the takehome for me is that everything about us as a people and a country changed in just a matter of hours, and everything has felt "abnormal" every day since.
i believe that the collective ptsd those of us that were adults that day is playing a huge factor in the division we have in this country today.
There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self.- Hemingway
I remember that after 9/11 the whole world became united as one, it seemed that for perhaps the first time ever we became the 'human race', as opposed to different countries, religions etc. The whole world agreed that things needed to change, and rallied behind America.
Unfortunately Bush and Blair fucked all that up with the phoney Iraq war. It'd be nice if the next leaders of our countries can bring it back and use 9/11 to change the world again. I honestly believe that 9/11 was perhaps the worst day ever in the history of the human race, no question, and Bush and Blair perhaps lost sight of that.
Personally, it changed my outlook to other people and I think I'm much more tolerant of other religions and races.
one against an "other" in what was a political act targeting innocents to make the point in no uncertain terms. we still chose to ramp up the rah rah exceptionalistic rhetoric rather than honestly consider what was behind that act.
my impression is it wasnt because "they hate our way of life" unless that context is "hate our way of life being imposed on them and others".
we'd be better served letting our actions lead by example rather than talk one way do another as exists now in almost every geopolitical context.
we fall so goddamn fucking short of the ideals and idea we were supposedly founded on its maddeningly sad and laughable at the same time.
Yes, this exactly. People always forget this aspect.
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mickeyrat
up my ass, like Chadwick was up his Posts: 35,908
Not today Sir, Probably not tomorrow.............................................. bayfront arena st. pete '94
you're finally here and I'm a mess................................................... nationwide arena columbus '10
memories like fingerprints are slowly raising.................................... first niagara center buffalo '13
another man ..... moved by sleight of hand...................................... joe louis arena detroit '14
Around 2008 or so when youtube was becoming a popular thing the owner of our construction company believed that 9/11 and the WTC towers was an inside job and that "we" planted demolitions in them so they would tumble down the way they did.
I got so pissed at him. I asked him if all his construction knowledge went out the window!?! You know the amount of demolition and preparing that would take? Days if not years? And nobody knew about it?
The mount of work that would take and cutting holes in the steel and planting explosives and running wires... It was too damn much...
Like many conspiracies, this one would be reliant on a lot of people not spilling the beans.
1995 Milwaukee 1998 Alpine, Alpine 2003 Albany, Boston, Boston, Boston 2004 Boston, Boston 2006 Hartford, St. Paul (Petty), St. Paul (Petty) 2011 Alpine, Alpine 2013 Wrigley 2014 St. Paul 2016 Fenway, Fenway, Wrigley, Wrigley 2018 Missoula, Wrigley, Wrigley 2021 Asbury Park 2022 St Louis 2023 Austin, Austin
Comments
because every once in a while....
i need a little escape from reality........
Till there aint nothing left worth taking away from me.....
But through it all, there's one thing: it was also the day of the single-greatest rescue operation EVER.
Why?
Far Away
7:30 am nurse the baby on the couch
then the phone rings
"Turn on the T.V."
watch the world explode in flames
and don’t leave the house
And the sky overhead
is silent, waiting
Clear blue holds its breath
And the heart is hit
in a city far away
but it feels so close
Don't breathe the air today
Don't speak of why you're afraid
(Standing here on a one way road
and I fall down, and I fall down
no other direction for this to go
so we fall down, so we fall down)
Why can't I get along?
Why can't I get along?
WHY CAN'T I GET ALONG WITH YOU?
And the president hides
while working men rush in
To give their lives
I look to the sky
and ask it not to rain
On my family tonight
Don't breathe the air today
Don't speak of why you're afraid
(Standing here on a one way road
and I fall down, and I fall down
no other direction for this to go
so we fall down, so we fall down)
Why can't I get along?
Why can't I get along?
WHY CAN'T I GET ALONG WITH YOU?
cross the river to the eastside
thanks for answering. I agree we should have done more and perhaps missed a great opportunity to KEEP the country united and for once in a long time really establish a plan for our country.
can i at least still accuse michael moore of hating america if i let everyone else off the hook?
And I don't think it was the worst day in history for humanity either. I think the Hiroshima bombing is much worse. It was a much larger act of terror, and it showed the world what nuclear weapons can do, which, as we all know, led to massive production of these weapons and the possibility of world destruction.
Very nice post. Ditch your own fear though.
That's exactly what I thought too! Just had to barge in the thread to say it...
I was also disgusted by many acts of crass opportunism, xenophobia masquerading as patriotism, and the blind, unequestioning allegiance to a president who would piss away every ounce of momentum and good will he had gained in the next 5 years.
For the last few weeks - I have been pondering this question over again. My experience of 9/11/01 is a profound one indeed. I had been out singing and dancing the night before. When I woke up - it was on television. My roommate was all excited and asking me,
"Have you seen this?"
I glanced at it half asleep and replied quickly,
"Oh yeah. That again. Seen it before. Long time ago. What year was that anyway?"
I was still half asleep when I said that. He informed me that it was current and going on as we spoke. I was shocked into reality and trying to understand why I had a vivid sense of a profound memory associated with the event. It took me a few hours, but I recalled having dreams and visions concerning the futuristic event. I wrote about the visions in poems and had conversations with friends. I interpeted the visions and dreams-- and in the interpetation - the prediction was made that two buildings that were twins to one another would fall in less than one minute, one after the other, after being struck from the air.
I freaked out on 9/11 -- as much for the event -- as for having the strange ablitity in the past -- to see the future.
They were destined to fall long before they fell. How does a mind and body, come to comprehend the profound meaning behind spiritual prophecies, while so many people, so many families, and so many nations suffer?
For days, weeks, months, and years to come -- I have been trying to figure out -- how does one see the future -- then have the lack of ablility to change it. Where does "God's will" and "humanity's will" merge?
For me -- 9/11 made me question the depth of what is right and wrong.
It is strange -- but I was in Hawaii when the press anounced that Osama Bin Laden was the prime suspect in the matter. I walked the streets of Waikiki searching for answers within me. I had the strange feeling (akin to the morning of 9/11) that he was a scrapegoat. I had no way to comprehend or understand the feeling -- other than it had something to do with the memories of the prophecies from the past. I have no proof of it, just a feeling laying deep within me.
As for America, Wow!
United in many ways. Pride went up automatically. I felt the surge of that pride in the beginning. American flags were dominant all over the country. It was a time to be proud to be an American. I don't think I have ever seen that sort of American pride displayed in my lifetime. Maybe it was evident back in the days of WWII. Something missing after Vietnam and the Iran hostage situation.
I don't think the change is ever going to cease. It is still an ongoing process.
Sincerely,
DKing
We had that in Afghanistan... domestic and global support. We lost in all in Iraq.
Hail, Hail!!!
i disagree
i dont think "cowards" is the right term
i think new yorkers showed the exact opposite in their rescue and emergency responses
as to what the bush admin. did after 9/11......i would say american people were more indifferent to the actions than cowardly
Many Americans were indifferent, but huge majorities have supported spying on American citizens, warrantless arrests, the absence of due process, etc. To willingly sacrifice your rights as a citizen, rights that previous generations have fought and died for, because you're scared is cowardly.
Interestingly, most New Yorkers DON'T support these policies, despite the fact that they were the hardest hit and the most likely to be hit again. Nothing cowardly about NYC.
fixed it for you, works much better now
you're welcome
Thanks for elaborating. I do agree with some of what you are saying.
I just want to bring up a few things:
-We are used to being spied on as a nation. A record exists for virtually everything we do. To a lot of people, this is just one more record. Nothing else. I dont think them spying on phone call records is the real problem. It could be good for safety in theory. But, I think that us allowing them to do so is the real problem. Why? Because it lays a perfect path for them to increase government infringement in the future. So in that sense, i would have to agree with you. Still, Is anyone willing to fight and die to protect their phone records? I sure as hell aint.
-Warrantless arrests and the absence of due process....majority of americans=indifferent. Doesnt bother them, so they dont care.
So i would say a combination of fear of terrorism, and indifference leads us to where we are now.
RIP to the lives lost and that we continue to lose.
Not today Sir, Probably not tomorrow.............................................. bayfront arena st. pete '94
you're finally here and I'm a mess................................................... nationwide arena columbus '10
memories like fingerprints are slowly raising.................................... first niagara center buffalo '13
another man ..... moved by sleight of hand...................................... joe louis arena detroit '14
i believe that the collective ptsd those of us that were adults that day is playing a huge factor in the division we have in this country today.
"Well, you tell him that I don't talk to suckas."
Not today Sir, Probably not tomorrow.............................................. bayfront arena st. pete '94
you're finally here and I'm a mess................................................... nationwide arena columbus '10
memories like fingerprints are slowly raising.................................... first niagara center buffalo '13
another man ..... moved by sleight of hand...................................... joe louis arena detroit '14
I got so pissed at him. I asked him if all his construction knowledge went out the window!?! You know the amount of demolition and preparing that would take? Days if not years? And nobody knew about it?
The mount of work that would take and cutting holes in the steel and planting explosives and running wires... It was too damn much...
2013 Wrigley 2014 St. Paul 2016 Fenway, Fenway, Wrigley, Wrigley 2018 Missoula, Wrigley, Wrigley 2021 Asbury Park 2022 St Louis 2023 Austin, Austin