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I commuted to NYC (Jersey City PATH train to WTC or Amtrak to WTC) daily for quite a while. And for a while I worked in a building with windows facing the WTC – watched the window washers swaying on the upper floors with fascination and dread.
WTC was really a very unpleasant building to be in. At the subway level, and the level of the shops just above, it stank of urine and the homeless who lived there were in terrible shape.
And yet that absence on the skyline tugs at my stomach every time.
On 9/11/2001 I woke up to NPR re-broadcasting the planes heading into the WTC; spent the whole day hoping our younger one hadn’t heard anything about it at school, but of course she had.
I didn’t even try to get hold of my many friends in NYC until Sept. 12 and when I did the phones were all down and emails were not returned, sometimes until weeks later.
One friend, Tom, FedEx-ed me, at my request, the black-covered New Yorker magazine that I for some reason desperately needed to read. My friend, Elizabeth, told me of the terrible filthy smoke and the smells that persisted for weeks.
Now I see that this terrible event has been used to justify all kinds of other really inexcusable incursions into our rights and the rights of others around the globe.
So far, I see very little good that has come out of this and that makes it all the sadder.
In the words of one of my Twitter pals, @pourmecoffee:
Let’s all remember to honor America [on 9/11] by dividing it into groups and being openly hostile to the ones we’re not in.
Or, commemorate @markos birthday and Sept. 11, 2001 in a meaningful way by buying @markos book: American Taliban
Some of my favorite reflections on 9/11:
- “It seems like at a certain point of density of flags you’re making more of a statement if you DON’T have one.” — David Foster Wallace
- David Bowie’s great rendition of Paul Simon’s “America” at Concert For New York City Tweeted by @hush6
- And @hush6’s blog post for today Blog post I hadn’t planned on writing
- Wondrous humor in adversity by The Onion:
- Bush Sr. Apologizes To Son For Funding Bin Laden In ’80s
- God Angrily Clarifies ‘Don’t Kill’ Rule
- U.S. Vows To Defeat Whoever It Is We’re At War With
- A cornucopia of Oniony 9/11 goodness: Throughout the day, we remember our historic 9/11 coverage.
- We Must Retaliate With Blind Rage vs. We Must Retaliate With Measured, Focused Rage
- Tweeted by @pourmecoffee: Tomorrow is 50th anniversary of JFK’s “separation of church and state is absolute” speech.
- Tweeted by @TimothyS: 9/11 set off capitalist frenzy-making $$ from national security. Carlyle Group first.
- Re-tweeted to me by the brilliant @drmstream Angels leave pennies.
- Tweeted by @HarrisonSolow Just felt like posting this obscure and minute example of an innate American spirit, on this day
- Re-tweeted by @juanviejo, from @mozaffar The story of the Muslim Prayer Room on the 17th Floor, of Tower 2.
- @SarahPalinUSA How dare you & @glennbeck turn the death of 3,000 Americans of all faiths into a moneymaking event! VILE.
- Budweiser tribute to 9/11