Really couldn't have put it better myself.

The video from the brothers that has since been aired on the BBC here in the UK is a strange mix of fear and amazement.
It's a strange feeling watching the planes hit the towers live on tv and call it morbid fascination but I never tire of watching it because it is just about the most horrendous thing I'll ever see.

The sound of bodies crunching into the floor outside the first tower having leapt from 90+ floors up is sickening.

It was and still is no way for anyone to die.

My thoughts are once again with everyone affected.

Trivialise all you want. Blame the media etc etc.

I for one still see this as a horrific act of undeserved violence. I happened to be off ill from work that day...... my wife phoned me and said turn on the TV - you won't beleive whats happening.

I did so and watched the whole thing unravel (including seeing the second plane strike 'live')

I cannot tell you how greatly this whole thing upset me. My cracking point was seeing actual normal everday people much like myself (and most others) flinging themselves from the towers........

I for one still offer heartfelt condolences to those families affected.

Laffer (UK)

Don't be mad at us. People like me want to care about our fellow Americans that were killed. I know the anniversary thing can get over played, but we must not forget the indignation we felt when our nation was violated that day.
We as a people take that attack personally, at least I do.
And now the anger must be revisited lest I become complacent AGAIN.

We have a job to do now, and it must be done swiftly and surely. The terrorists and those who harbor them will not be tolerated, we'll not sit back and just let this happen again.

This comment was edited on Sep 11, 22:02.

"Most of the news and stories are incredibly exaggerated and don't even come close to what's really important. I just wish people outside of this country would stop stereotyping Americans based on what they read in the news and see on TV"

It's the same everywhere, even in the US. I'm canadian, and I watch both american news and international news. I know and talk to a lot of people living elsewhere. Most of the international news you have is blown up to be more sensational. Of course, there's a backbone of truth, but it's always blown up because journalists sell stories, pictures and footages, and they'll have a better price if the material is "better".

I attended a LAN party a couple of months ago. It was from 5PM to 11AM the next morning, and the persons in charge had prepared a room where gamers could sleep if tired. The local media came to see us. When they came, they were surprised that no one was sleeping, everyone was playing. But they liked the IDEA so much that they asked some gamers to pretend to sleep there since it showed how hard-core they were. I personally tought it would have been more hard-core to show the room empty, but anyway.

The point was that the news footage ended with this image of gamers "sleeping", and some lame comments from the reporter. This was the last image people saw.

Now, this was some small unsignificant event in a local town, but the reflex is there for journalists everywhere.

A columnist in Montreal went to Irak a couple of years ago to report on the life of the people there. Not the regime, not Saddam, but the people there. He was saying that the youngsters wear baseball caps of american teams, listen to american music, etc. Irak is (was) the most developped country in the middle east before 1990, and one of the least "hardcore muslim", compared to others, including allies like Saudi Arabia.

And he said that manifestations where people burn the american flag are organized by the regime, and the protesters are selected and "encouraged" by the police. Of course, the american media show these demonstrations. Not the teens wearing the baseball caps. Too mundane.

So I'm with you all the way on that.

I think #38 hit the nail on the head really. Its because television captured it live. Im sure that if the Zimbawean extermination of the natives in 1997 was televised (approximately 10,000 natives were rounded up and burned alive in their villages) then people would behave slightly differently towards zimbawe.

Or what about Chinas massive new hydro electric station? This marvel of engineering needed hundres of flood planes to be compromised so when the rains came last year and washed away upwards of 100,000 homes with an unknown death toll did anyone bat an eyelid? No not really.

I feel for anyone who has lost with regards to terrorist acts as they cannot be avoided. But what about those who are lost to idiots who get drunk and mow your loved ones down on the way home from work? Well terrorists get life imprisonment and a total hatred towards their own race/religion/people who wear yashmaks or turbans regardless of their creed or profession. Drunk drivers who kill get 6 months ban and 200 hours community service.

Television is a powerful tool, it can stir emotions and encite rage in millions. It can also cover up the disease in society and point people towards whatever they want.

What sickens me is the total coverage of 911, it wouldnt suprise me if a public holiday isnt declared in the future. Why not honour the dead by NOT stopping work and giving into the terrorists. They have done exactly what they wanted. We are FORCED to fear the day. We are FORCED to watch the shit happen all over again. We are FORCED to not get on with our lives and forget the spineless wankers that terrorise the world. And I bet all the TV companies are doing it all for free. I bet no profits were made out of 911 by TV coverage over the year.

yeah right.

My ex, with whom I'm still very close, lost her brother in the WTC on 9/11. Here's what I wrote to her last night:

"I'm sorry. I hope you'll be okay.

The whole anniversary has been making me very angry. Not at the hijackers or Al Qaeda – I'm perpetually angry with them.

No, it's made me furious with the American people. It's not just that I think the obsession with 9/11 is morally out of proportion, which I think it is. No, I could accept that if I believed that this obsession was a sincere horror and sadness expressed over the 3,000 lives that were lost the suffering of their families. Disproportionate, I could still live with it.

But what makes me furious without end is that I *don't* think it's legitimate and I feel that these 250 million people are appropriating and fetishizing in their incessant narcissism a grief that rightfully belongs to you and people like you; and in so doing they are disrespecting you and the victims and sullying everyone with this obscene American self-regard. The combination makes me sick to my stomach.

The overwhelming majority of Americans believe that a profoundly appropriate response to the attack and its anniversary is to break into a spirited rendition of "God Bless America", even though, for example, at least 10% of the victims of 9/11 were not even American.

If you don't feel this way at all, then I suppose I'm doing a disservice to you by telling you this. If you do, though, perhaps you needed to hear someone tell you they understand why you might be feeling infuriated lately.

I don't know what it's like to lose a beloved brother, as you did, and I can't ever know until something like that happens to me. It's your grief, and it's your private grief, and the best I can do is to tell you that I try to understand as best I can and that I love you, and that it's not right or fair, and the injustice and tragedy of it cannot ever be understood, and there are no platitudes that can make it better. And, again, that I and many other people love you."

This is personal, but I post it here to provide a bit of *fucking perspective* on this. By fetishizing 9/11 and turning it into an orgy of American narcissism, almost all of you, who have no connection with any of these people, are dehumanizing them by turning them into mere (and, I might add, false) symbols.

I think the biggest fans of American media aren't Americans. I've been all over the world, and you wouldn't believe what other countries read and watch about America. It's embarrassing. Most of the news and stories are incredibly exaggerated and don't even come close to what's really important. I just wish people outside of this country would stop stereotyping Americans based on what they read in the news and see on TV (or governmental decisions, for that matter). The world must remember that Americans are made up of all cultures and nationalities. We, as individuals have our own beliefs, our own religions (if religious at all). We can choose our own paths... and that kind of freedom is what's so great about America. I've got to say, one of the best feelings I get every day, is when go to work and walk into my office and look around. To the left of me I see my friend who is Indian, I look to the right and I see my friend who is Chinese, across the hall is a friend who is African, around the corner is a friend who is Canadian, my boss is Vietnamese, the receptionist is Irish, the network administrator is Saudi, other co-workers who are Lebanese, Israeli, German, Czech, Jewish, Catholic, Muslim, etc etc etc....

I love that shit.

The message boards have been so peaceful and quiet since Blue removed anonymous posting (it really made a difference)... until today.

Anyway, my condolences to the families affected by the tragedy of 9/11.

Like some of you said: 3000+ may not be a large number if you look at the bigger picture, but that doesn't lessen the fact that it was an attrocious act with many civilian casualties. It's the intent that's attrocious. It is hardly new though. Things like this have been happening since the birth of mankind. They're just on a larger scale now because we have bigger weapons and a larger population. And we hear more about them because of technology and the media.

Peace.

I, for one, am positively ecstatic that my parent's satellite connection was down when I was visiting them the week of last September 11th. I didn't have to -see- all the crap on TV, playing the crash again and again, just for the shock value. CNN had the nation in the palm of their hand.
I don't have cable. I don't watch TV. I don't get a newspaper. What I learn about the world comes from the internet sites I choose to read, and the 15 minutes of KCBS I listen to while driving to and from the train station for my daily commute. Even then, I think I might be turning off the radio in disgust at the trivialization and schmaltziness of the whole damn thing tomorrow.
You know, I'm in the vast minority- if I tell people I don't have cable, I don't watch TV, more often than not they look at me like I'm some kind of freak. That's how much sway the media holds in America- almost everyone goes home at night, sits on their sofa, and has their opinions spoon-fed to them by whatever channel they watch.
If you really want to remember the titanic events that happened almost a year ago, then turn off the TV, pray to whatever deity you believe in (or just quietly reflect, if you're an atheist), and don't even bother to give the media giants the satisfaction of reaching their target audience. "Friends" can wait till Thursday, they're all in repeats anyway.
Maybe you'll actually enjoy it enough to stop watching TV once and for all, and stop giving in to what other people want you to think. Lord knows the programming's gone to hell anyway since they cancelled Cheers

Everyone needs to stop dissing America. After all, if Al Gore hadn't invented the internet, you couldn't make such stupid posts.

September the 11th is ingrained in most people memories because you actually saw the event live on Television.
That is why most people will feel it shocked them more than reading in the newspapers that Millions are dying of starvation in Africa. (After all we live in the MTV generation)

Nationalistic is hardly the term I'd use. More like Individualistic. Everything you described implies that those presidents did what was best for THEM not the nation. If they were so nationalistic, then I think there wouldn't be such hesitation at doing certain things.

I sincerely doubt that the elder Bush wants his son to succeed where he did not, and I'm sure Clinton doesn't either. Both would look like fools if the younger Bush suceeded where they did not, especially given his facade of a fool. Not only that, but I'd bet that you'll be hearing a lot of the elder Bush administration officials probably trying to stop any action on Iraq, or at least sounding caution, saying that there should be a coalition. I'm sure the Clinton ppl might be saying the same thing too.

The History channel is great! Just because I enjoy a bit of edumacation out of skrewl here and there is my choice. And, on occasion, I take some time to make a bit of history here and there, like digesting my food, for example.

<Also, all the baloney regarding leaders of countries having ANYTHING to do with how this stuff is handled...>
Come on, the Bushes think that New Mexico is a separate country...and Clinton didn't think a country really existed unless he got laid there...the past few "leaders" have been so nationalistic that instead of working with the world, they tried to create it in their own imagine. And make no mistake...Dubba is a daddy's boy...he doesn't wipe his own 455 unless his father tells him to..and right now his dad wants Saddam for a good ol Texas BBQ. And maybe instead of watching sooo much fricking history channel, you should try to live a bit of it without the convenience of changing the program when you don't like it.

What
the
fuck.
I don't see how you people can tell Blue what to do. Like you're opinion on the matter is somehow of higher value. And did some arrogant foreigner forget Blue lives where this attack happened? Just because more Russians died in WW2 doesn't make this event any more relevant. In fact, that isn't fucking relevant at all. It's history, this didn't occur a year ago, completely unexpectedly. And like Russia was the only country to lose people? And what about those who have died from AIDS or drunk drivers. Pardon me, but how unsensitive can you be.

we always seem to be the first giving aid, sending supplies, building homes, et al.; not that other countries don’t, but the US seems to foot the biggest bill.

Actually, in terms of percentage of the GNI (gross national income), the 2001 US foreign aid is 22nd (and last) on OECD's ODA (official development assistance) chart.

Denmark, Norway and the Netherlands are giving most money per capita.

source: http://www.oecd.org/pdf/M00029000/M00029445.pdf

Weas,

Colonialism in Africa, India, Pakistan etc. have made complete messes of that continent and those countries. Who did that?
Europe.
The USA used to be made up of several European colonies.
Australia wasn't much better off, being the repository of criminals.

I see the current world mess as the direct result of European warmongering, destruction, and of course EXTREME exploitation. Far worse than anything the US has done. The Spanish Conquistadores used to take tribal Indian leaders hostage and hold them for ransom for all of their gold. Once the gold was delivered, they'd murder them all and take the gold.

Sure, maybe Europe isn't doing that any more, but they're sure as hell living with the results of it, just like the US lives with the results of slavery and crimes against their Native Indians, whatever they call them now. Native Americans, I think.

It's time for the EU to recognize its damned culpability for this problem now instead of all of it being placed on the US. Hell, we can't blame the parents, so let's blame their kid!

BTW, I have compassion, but it only extends so far. If someone hates me because I drink Coke instead of Pepsi, or am Buddhist instead of Hindu, then screw em. Better them than me. Hey, really, I'm not Hypocritical, if they want to hate someone enough to kill them, then f*ck em! Waste em before they have a chance to waste you!

Also, all the baloney regarding leaders of countries having ANYTHING to do with how this stuff is handled, like all of these "Daddy" comments regarding the US President are pretty much F.O.S. Man if you can't think of something more creative to blame it on, start watching the fricking History channel or something!

With great sympathy and compassion,
me.

This comment was edited on Sep 10, 16:57.

While it's a shame that the media is milking this for all it's worth, it's more of a shame that people are buying it. If nobody watched TV tomorrow, that would send a nice message about how we're sick of being pandered to like children.

Of course, who am I kidding? For millions of Americans who haven't ever done anything in their life, this offers an opportunity to grab hold of a purpose that's government-sanctioned and politically correct. Plus, it's easy to stick a plastic flag on your car or hang one from your window.

I find it interesting that the Oklahoma bombing, which was still a horrific event, is merely a sideline, and the US Embassy bombing a couple years ago is all but forgotten.

Sigh, yes *some* things have changed..unfortunately none of them are the right things.

It was a shocking event no doubt, but to be quite honest it's already a fading memory. My immediate response when it happened was "wake-up call" and "well, thats what we get for being such arrogrant assholes". We have already hit the snooze button and as a nation we are as arrogant as ever (if not more so).

There are far more tragic things that happen in this world on a daily basis, it's a shame that so much emphasis is/was placed on an event which is only slightly larger (if at all) than some of the things other countries routinely deal with.

September 11th is my Birthday. It has been for many years before this incident, if you'll believe that. It's always been a day for celebrating my life and the good things in it.
I never watch T.V. (though I did catch the footage of plane #2 last year, when I arrived at work) so I shall avoid the schmalz tommorrow just like I always do when I don't turn on the TV.
In fact I shall do the same thing tommorrow that I did last year: Celebrate my birthday, give thanks for everything I have, and say a prayer for the souls of the departed. I might add some for our 'Fearless Leader' who seems to be preparing to plunge us into even more bloodshed.

This comment was edited on Sep 10, 16:10.

I agree with you there--our foreign policy has gone to sh!t but that's what happens when your leader is appointed by 9 ppl rather than elected by the populous. It only gets worse when that leader is talked into cleaning up daddy's mess at a family Thanksgiving dinner. Add 8 years of "party at the White House--BYOB" in between and look where we are today. It’s sad when you have to ask your leader “Is that your final answer?”

On the other hand, what other countries in the world today do as much for the world (yeah “bad” as well as “good”) as the US? Granted I'm subjected to the propaganda here, but we always seem to be the first giving aid, sending supplies, building homes, et al.; not that other countries don’t, but the US seems to foot the biggest bill. Well we have homeless people, diseased children, and plenty of lost Internet packets here too. As thanks for the assistance, we get a collective "Get the f#ck out and stop spreading your diseased ideology” Well the world can’t have it both ways. No doubt we have a hidden agenda to inculcate our democratic ideals wherever we go…but maybe we are trying to build a better America somewhere else as ours is full of corruption and the will of the majority is defined by those with the biggest purses and pockets.

Just my $0.03

Frottage