DISQUS

alicia · 3 months ago

"FORCED"?????? I wouldn't have used that term. As a fellow New Yorker, doesn't matter where we now live. 'Never Forget' is the mantra. Anyone, regardless of their own horrific experience (Viet Nam War, Iraq war, etc.) remembers their specific life experience.

Steve · 3 months ago

@alicia: I guess I say "forced" simply because I'd rather not have to think about it at all, and I'd rather it had never happened at all. Someone forced a memory on all of us.

Lynn · 3 months ago

I also agree that "forced" would not be my choice of words. After having experienced 9/11 from what I consider too close for comfort I will never forget my experience. The smell, the sound of sirens, watching firefighters run by to get there, and even watching people cheer as the towers fell is something that will be in my memory forever. Even to this day, I jump when I hear what I consider to be too many police, fire engine or ambulance sirens.

Sarah · 3 months ago

People cheered? I don't think most people know that.

Lynn · 3 months ago

Yes, I work about 2 miles from the towers and we have people on video cheering. We actually have friends in the FBI and turned the video over to them so they could investigate. It was crazy. Not the norm of course but it really wasn't until that point in my life that I realized that there are so many out there that hate America - and some of them are in our country!

Curmudgeon · 3 months ago

Lynn - Whether you love or hate a government, philosophy, or way of life, you cannot cheer when disaster or tragedy strikes your fellow human. These are people who are going about their lives, and are not a proxy for whatever you might not like about the society in which we all live. The victims of 9/11, and their families and friends, are deserving of only our help, support, and sympathy.

I lost two colleagues who were on the flights out of Logan that struck the towers.

Curmudgeon · 3 months ago

Excuse me, Lynn, I certainly didn't mean you, but those you caught on video.

Lynn · 3 months ago

I was just writing to say that you misunderstood me....but then you cleared it up. :)

Believe me, it was horrifying...especially when we see who was cheering (I will not comment on exactly who was cheering because I am sure it would get me in trouble and I don't want to stereotype). I am still haunted to this day and I jump when I hear too many sirens. Especially when we had out of town visitors that previous weekend and we went into the city and drove past the towers and I told them that we could go there another time since they weren't going anywhere. I also said that if I worked there I would have to have a parachute in my office in case something ever was to happen. I will never ever say anything like that again.

I work in a family business and we do most of the garage door installations for the NYFD. We knew many firefighters that died and our town lost 16 and one of the was my parents neighbor.