9 years later, here's what I remember about 9-11-01

[texpatriot2004]

I had just arrived at work that morning in Houston, TX. My co-workers were watching the news live on their computers. When I realized what was going on, I went home. I don't recall if this was the employers idea or mine but I went home nonetheless. I watched on television as the events of that surreal day unfolded. There were 3 other people watching with me. Around 11 or so that night, I went to bed dazed and confused and very, very sad.

Over the next few days, or maybe it was weeks, it seemed as if there were a gigantic pregnant pause, a palpable opportunity for America, for Americans, and for the World. An opportunity that Bush blew completely when he chose violence and retaliation against a country that had nothing to do with this terrorist attack; a smaller country than ours, it seemed to me an unfair fight, a bullying attack that was more about Bush's selfish motives than about what was best for America and/or Americans. I was thoroughly disgusted, mind you, a whole new level of disgust for Bush emerged from within me. Knowing what then Gov. Bush did to the State of Texas, and knowing I don't trust the son-of-a-Bush, from the time he stole the office, I had a sense of dread for the future of America.

At some point, I remember a friend of mine who shared my same disgust and dread helped me make these tiny clay balls that looked like planet earth which I then began to hand out randomly to people I encountered as I said to them, "peace be with you." Somehow this small sentiment made me feel a little better. It was a strange and silly gesture but it was meaningful to me so I continued to hand them out for weeks and weeks. I didn't find DU until years after this, it was in 2004 after November 4th, after Diebold's selection via un-auditable electronic voting machines. Shortly after that, I marched in my 1st peaceful demonstration against "black box voting" where American elections are not transparent and are therefore not democratic. I am for the use of exit polls and I want my vote counted AS I INTENDED IT, with proof please in the form of a receipt like you get from the Diebold ATM machines.

It is hard to believe that nine years have passed. I still don't believe the "official" version of the events of that day but I don't believe the "magic bullet theory" either. Today, I believe that I am very grateful for DU, even though I haven't been here much for months and months I'm glad DU is here. I am so grateful for President Obama and Vice President Biden. I am grateful that I survived the darkness of the Bush years and, by the Grace of God, I did it sober too. I am grateful for Bleever and all those threads here that helped me along. I remember, the "wheels of the Gods grind slowly, but they grind exceedingly fine." I am grateful that there is a God that saw me through and saw US through from that day to this.

Whatever perfection is still absent, there has been progress, even if it is minute and I am extremely grateful for that.

Peace be with you all, those who are living that is and for those souls that left that day, may you rest in peace by the grace of a loving God.

TexPatriot

PS - Remember,
Let America be America Again by Langston Hughes

[texpatriot2004]

1. Hey, thanks for the recs nt

[The_Casual_Observer]

2. I wondered that day how bush would misdirect his

obvious failure in preventing this thing - there had been rumors of some big terrorist attack coming all summer long. The next morning little boots announced the huge grand scheme "war on terror" acting like some half ass John Wayne. I rolled my eyes.

[Suich]

3. Well said, texpatriot2004.

K&R!

:hug:

[Liberty Belle]

4. I was one of the first on the west coast to be aware of it.

It was pre-dawn here and I was driving my daughter to the ice-skating rink when we heard on the radio about the first plane. Arriving at the rink we ran inside and told them to turn on the TV. We saw the second plane hit. We stayed there a couple of hours and watched in horror on live TV as the first tower collapsed. One of the other skating moms was terribly distraught, since her brother was an airline pilot and the route he usually flew was one of the planes involved. Thankfully after a couple of hours she was able to reach him and found out it was his day off.

Later I had to cover an international conference on family violence in San Diego. We watched the saga of the 3rd plane from there. These survivors of domestic violence were surprisingly unphased by it all, having gone through so many horrors in their lives. Some of the speakers were panicking, trying to get word of loved ones in NYC. All the conference goers were stuck in town an extra day, as no planes were flying out.

My brother lived in DC, close to the Pentagon. He was outside bringing water to the rescue workers. The office he used to work in was destroyed by the plane that struck there. As a journalist, I lost some of my long-time sources who worked in the WTC, and also one of my publisher's offices was destroyed in one of the outlying buildings that also went down.

Here in San Diego, there was much concern initially that this might be part of a broader attack on our nation; security was beefed up as our city has a naval fleet here. It was a frightening day for people even here, 3,000 miles or more away from NYC.

[Hissyspit]

6. I turned on the television literally seconds before the second plane hit live.

I had just woken up, read my email with a CNN Breaking News alert about the first plane and snapped on the television.

[Rochester]

5. I was also at work

when the foreman came in holding the big job-site radio. For the first few minutes, the announcer was talking about how it could have just been a colossal accident, but we all had doubts, and I think even the announcer suspected the worst even before the second plane hit. We continued to work, though halfheartedly, and in midmorning the foreman sent us home for the day. I kept the news on at home for the rest of the day, watching the events unfold (although most of it was over by then), even after it started just cycling over the same news reports as there ceased being anything new to report.
Before W. came on TV and started blowing stuff out of his ass, I could imagine lots of ways in which the R's could exploit the attacks to further their vile agenda, and I knew that it was just a matter of time. I got pretty much what I expected...