September 11 -- 5 years later

[Granite]

Septemer 11 -- 5 years later

I'm going to ask all mods to carefully watch any responses to this thread -- don't want it going the usual way of "political threads" -- I have left this thread in place to focus on "memorial" and "rememberance" thoughts exclusively

From CNN

The World Trade Center site fell silent four times as Americans paused in airport security lines, at churches and at quiet commemorations Monday to mark the fifth anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

At ground zero, a cavernous pit still largely unchanged from the first anniversary, family members of the 2,749 people lost held photos of loved ones, crossed themselves and sobbed quietly.

The 16-acre site went quiet at 8:46 a.m. and 9:03 a.m., the moments American Airlines Flight 11 and United Flight 175 hit, and again at 9:59 a.m. and 10:29 a.m., when the south and north towers fell.

"We've come back to remember the valor of those we've lost, those who innocently went to work that day and the brave souls who went in after them," former Mayor Rudolph Giuliani said.

Spouses and partners of the trade center victims read their names in a roll call that lasted nearly four hours, some adding brief personal tributes to their loved ones.

"Honey, I want you to have a happy grandparents' day in heaven," said Elaine Moccia, addressing her late husband, Frank Moccia Sr, as she released a balloon gently into the sky where the towers once rose 110 stories above the New York skyline.

President Bush opened the day at a historic New York firehouse, mingling with firefighters and police officers who were among the first to rush to the burning skyscrapers.

A moment of silence remembering the rescue workers

He later laid a wreath on the Pennsylvania field where United Flight 93 crashed, and was to visit the Pentagon later in the day before giving a prime-time address from the Oval Office.

At ground zero, family members clutching bouquets of roses had descended to the lowest level of the trade center site, gathering around two small reflecting pools that marked where the two towers once stood.

The scene has played out on each of the five anniversaries of the al-Qaida attack. And the landscape has remained mostly the same: Construction on a Sept. 11 memorial and on the 1,776-foot Freedom Tower began only this year.

"I think it's important that people remember as years go on," said Diana Kellie, of Acaconda, Mont., whose niece and niece's fiance were killed on one of the planes. "The dead are really not dead until they're forgotten."

At the Pentagon, where 184 people died when American Flight 77 plowed into the building, Vice President Dick Cheney and Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld walked side-by-side to a platform. They sang along to "Battle Hymn of the Republic" and observed a moment of silence at 9:37 a.m., the time the plane struck...

...In Shanksville, where United Flight 93 crashed into the ground, killing 40, hundreds of people gathered at a temporary memorial — a 10-foot chainlink fence covered with American flags, firefighter helmets and children's drawings. They opened the ceremony with prayer.

United 93 crashed after passengers apparently rushed the cockpit in an effort to wrest control from the terrorists.

"These men and women stood in solidarity so others would receive salvation," said Tom Ridge, former governor of Pennsylvania and the nation's first homeland security secretary.

At Logan International Airport in Boston, where the two planes that hit the trade center towers took off, security screeners stopped checking passengers for a moment and turned to an American flag. Passengers in line joined in the silent tribute.

"It's a difficult moment for everybody," said National Guard Cpl. Christopher Jessop, who joined the Guard on Sept. 12, 2001.

In Chicago, people filled churches to pray and remember the victims. In Virginia Beach, Va., firefighters and residents planned to form a human flag. In Ohio, volunteers aimed to put up 3,000 flags over 10 acres at a spiritual center.

Around the world, heads bowed at Sept. 11 remembrances.

"Nine-eleven will be in our memory forever," Rome Mayor Walter Veltroni said at a downtown piazza. "We all remember where we were, what we were doing, what our first reaction was..."

...Bush had made a more private visit to the trade center site on Sunday, when he and first lady Laura Bush set wreaths in small, square reflecting pools in the pit of the trade center site, one for each tower.

I invite all to share their thoughts about this day.

On Sept 11, 2001 I was working in a national park. I posted a few things in the visitor center I was working in (i.e. news briefs printed off CNN), but was stuck with a dilemma which I still have today. In those moments of tragic events, do people who are vacationing need to know? Still haven't quite figued it out, as each case is a bit different.

The US still feels like it's dealing with the ramifications of this day, but some thoughts have faded. When I think about what the major stories were on Sept. 10, I am amazed at what they were on Sept 12, and now 5 years later. It seems as though we returned to our old concerns (TomKat's baby, Pitt/Jolie getting married, and Jessica Simpson's latest love...among many other silly stories). Perhaps that's ok too - it's easier to think about movie stars than terrorists.

[Granite]

Images of the memorial services





At the reflecting pool at Ground Zero



The Pentagon



Flight 93's crash site in Pennsylvania

[htitos]

Everyone must remember that there were people from all over the world, innocent people, working for their families and in a split second they were gone for no reason. I know that life is unfair sometimes, but we have to learn a valuable lesson from this that we need to be united, not as people from each country in particular, but as human living in the same world. All my respects and my condolences goes to those who were left the scars from that day, those who lost their loved ones, the only thing I wish for them is the strength to keep their heads up high and pray for all this non-sense violence across the world to stop one and for all.

I used to work for a Federal Agency that supported the Port Authority at the WTC until February 2001 that I switched to another Agency. I was just astonished when I heard the news; there were some of my ex-colleagues that died that day. A truly sad day for the entire world.

R.I.P.

[ralphs]

On Sept. 11th, 2001, I was working in DC and was actually under the Pentagon when the plane struck. I also have family who worked in the WTC...fortunately, they all left the buildings before the buildings fell. It's hard to believe 5 years have already passed, and it's also hard to believe that only 5 years have passed. Even though I feel emotionally healed from that day, I am still not able to watch any of the movies. It's just too soon for me.

Maybe the silly news of celebrity marriages and other amusing topics help us to not worry as much as we could. However, on the anniversaries of such tragic events it's important for us to remember what occurred and pay our respects to the many lives that ended on that day. Also, on other anniversaries we should remember the lives that have ended in other countries due to horrible events. Hopefully, the world will become a happier place to live.

[rcbond007]

Hey Guys, Thank you for sharing your stories and your thoughts with the rest of us, I hope you and your family and friends are well on this somber and tragic day GOD be with all you take care
Ryan Curtin

[redbear]

i was working in Pittsburgh, in between jobs and on my way to work. my son had just been born three weeks prior.

as i walked into work, a few managers and people were standing around a TV watching the replay of the first plane hit. at that point, no one really knew what the heck was going on. there was speculation of an attack, but it was actually dismissed at first. i mean, who would really want to attack the US, right?? other thoughts were that it was an accident and that the pilot lost control of his plane and whatnot.

as i walked in and saw this, i said something along the lines of "what a stupid pilot. how can you not see a 100+story building in the middle of new york? had to be drunk or something." and continued on to my desk. about that time was when the second plane hit and everyone rushed up front to see it replayed (over and over and over) on the TV and that was when it hit us.
shortly after that, was when they announced that the entire city of Pittsburgh was off limits to all people becuase a plane just went down outside of Pittsburgh and people actually thought this was a huge scale attack on major cities, Pittsburgh being one of them. so everything closed down and we went home where i watched the rest of the day happen on the TV.

i can remember saying to my wife at the time that i feel very saddened to see the world i just brought a new life into.