Sep 11th, the tenth anniversary

[rightwing401]

I second that Purge, a million thanks to our friends from across the pond. It really means a lot, at least to me, that you all haven't forgotten. As for the rememberance...wow. It really is hard to believe that it has been ten years since that tragic day. For crying out loud, I was still in highschool when it happened. I can still remember that Tuesday morning very vividly, even after all this time. It's so crazy how fast your entire world can turn upside down. I started my Algebra class like any other one I had done countless times, and within ten minutes a football player comes running in shouting to turn on the tv because something got bombed. The shock of watching the twin towers fall on live tv was pretty damn undescribable, as was the mixture of feelings that I'm sure I shared with everyone that day. A terrible thing that we have to remember, but ultimately I choose to remember the heroism that was born out of that day. From the police and emergency service personel rushing without hesitation to the disaster zone, to president Bush doing his best to display leadership and guidance to our bewildered nation, and especially from the brave souls on flight 93 who sacrificed their lives to stop the fourth plane from hitting its intended target. May the light of the good that came from this tragic day always outshine the darkness from it.

[bassman]

In the middle of a good documentary right now. It's comprised of only home-made footage with no narration, interviews, or context other than a clock letting you know the time. I believe it's called '102 Minutes That Changed The World'. For a first hand look at the events from people in the area it's very informative, but it's also very disturbing on several levels. It really shows what the people were seeing from the streets.

[Exatreides]

I was in seventh grade..I'm 23 now, it's crazy. I'm boycotting whatever company tries to me something about 9/11 on their next commercial

[SymphonicX]

Personally I feel every year the slew of documentaries on the tragedy can sometimes feel a little like they're taking advantage. Last year, around this time, there was a documentary on identifying the bodies and general CSI type stuff - we got to see charred remains, bits of people, people's faces as they jumped from buildings....to be honest with you, I felt last year, that "enough's enough" with the documentaries. 102 Minutes that Changed America/The World (whatever it's called) was my favourite, however. That's a very frank account of just what it was like on the ground as it happened - and they don't need to keep focussing on people's eyes as they cry because that wasn't the focus of the events on the actual day. Nowdays we get too many talking head documentaries that have people reliving the worst day of their lives, and as usual every edit point hangs and hangs over people's tears...sometimes I feel with these documentaries, that we as people are far more interested in the theatre of it all, the drama, rather than actual rememberance. I know that when I'm watching those documentaries, it's the same feeling inside me as when I'm watching a documentary about a serial killer, or something. To me, it's starting to feel like perverse entertainment based off the worst terrorist atrocity that the world has ever seen. But that's just me. On the flip side there are a lot of positive stories to emerge from this over the last ten years, and most of the documentaries will focus on those - which is great. But by and large 9/10 of them are about hearing stories of skin burning off and people's last conversations with the departed. That saddens me a little.

[MinionZombie]

I recorded "102 Minutes That Changed The World" yesterday ... I missed it when it was shown last year. They were showing it on the History channel in real time (so it started at 1.46pm here in the UK), so I'll have to catch up with that tonight ... I saw a few snippets of it last year I think (but naturally didn't want to watch it from mid-way-in) and it seemed to be quite a chilling and frank documentary.

[LiamLynch]

Thank fuck the whole 9/11 ordeal is over. How narcissistic is it to ritualize death? Listen folks. I'm first generation american. Both parents were born and raised in Ireland before coming to America. My da lived in New York for thirty years. Back in the 70s and 80s, it was the greatest, grittiest, best city on planet Earth. Now it's a fucking joke. 9/11 ruined the city. Now it's like one big prison colony. Guliani and Bloomberg sucked all the fun and life and excitement out of that city, all for the sake of fighting terror. Me, personally, I think it's all about money. All they do now is give out citations for every little infraction. It's ridiculous. 3000 people died. So what? 3000 people die every year from auto-erotic asphyxiation. Want to memorialize 9/11? Arrest Bush and Cheney and reopen the 9/11 investigation. Bring our boys home from that pointless war, and stop the endless obsession of the big, bad al-qaeda bogeyman. Ritualized death is NOT healthy for the nation. Folks who think it is need to read The Benality of Evil. In short, it wasn't Eichmann and Geobbels, and the nazi heirarchy who were responsible for the holocaust. Ultimately, it was the average, rank and file german who carried out the orders. It's the normalization of evil, if you will. Ten years later, we have folks locked up in bases all around the world, detained indefinitely without trial. We're bombing innocent people. We're carrying out unlawful incursions into "friendly" nations. We continue to support the criminal state of Israel. I can go on and on, but i'm not. And don't get me started on the water-boarding. If anything, 9/11 normalized evil for America. To me, it symbolizes death, intolerance and the benality of evil. 9/12, I sure am happy to see you!

[bassman]

It's not ritualizing death. It's remembering the fallen loved ones who left their families that morning thinking they were going to another simple day at work. Or remembering the fire fighters and police that ran into those buildings knowing well that they probably wouldn't come back. The people who stopped to help a complete stranger in a time of need. America coming together and rebuilding. Do you not visit your loved one's graves on their particular birthday or special date? Or perhaps keep an urn of their ashes in your home? Keeping memories alive is all we as humans have. And the crackpot conspiracy theories are so unfounded. They're tired and done.

[AcesandEights]

Only loose change I could use more of right now.

[MikePizzoff]

I love all the "patriotic" companies (and people that buy/wear their gear) that make 9/11 memorabilia/clothing that essentially is just exploiting the deaths of all those people. That's all I have to say on the matter, as the rest of you have about summed everything else up.

[Mike70]

3000 people died. So what? 3000 people die every year from auto-erotic asphyxiation. fallacy alert. this comparison is asinine and childish. the people killed on 9/11 were doing nothing except being at/going to work. they weren't engaging in a dangerous solo sexual activity.

[Yojimbo]

It's not ritualizing death. It's remembering the fallen loved ones who left their families that morning thinking they were going to another simple day at work. Or remembering the fire fighters and police that ran into those buildings knowing well that they probably wouldn't come back. The people who stopped to help a complete stranger in a time of need. America coming together and rebuilding. Do you not visit your loved one's graves on their particular birthday or special date? Or perhaps keep an urn of their ashes in your home? Keeping memories alive is all we as humans have. And the crackpot conspiracy theories are so unfounded. They're tired and done. Thank you Bass. There is a big and clear difference between memorializing loss and ritualization of death. Let us remember our dead with respect and do so without being disrespected. Whatever one's particular political agendas might be there should be no doubt that a lot of innocent people died on 9/11 and they should be remembered.

[LiamLynch]

Thank you Bass. There is a big and clear difference between memorializing loss and ritualization of death. Let us remember our dead with respect and do so without being disrespected. Whatever one's particular political agendas might be there should be no doubt that a lot of innocent people died on 9/11 and they should be remembered. 3000 deaths are tragic no doubt, but no more so than the half a million civilians murdered by NATO in the war on Terror. You are aware that other people die too, right? Not just American soldiers.

[Yojimbo]

3000 deaths are tragic no doubt, but no more so than the half a million civilians murdered by NATO in the war on Terror. You are aware that other people die too, right? Not just American soldiers. Yes I am aware that other people die too - you need not insult my intelligence as I don't believe I insulted yours. Certainly you are free to think on this issue as you choose. If you choose to memorialize the deaths of those who have been killed due to the conflict by NATO, that is your choice. I honor and respect your right to do so and to think about this in any way you wish. By the same token, you should allow others to mourn the deaths of those killed on 9/11 without calling into question the validity of people's need to memorialize their loss. It is a normal human trait to feel pain and sorrow at the loss of a family member or a friend and the need to memorialize your loss is understandable. Would it disrespectful if someone came along and said "So what? People die all the time" in your time of mourning. I get that you have strong political views and I can appreciate that, but do not think for one moment that your political beliefs invalidate the real human pain and suffering brought about by 9/11.