JUST ANOTHER DAY IN SEPTEMBER
Shhhh.
9-11.
‘Never forget.’ Remember that?
In a day when the populous is herded about by shepherds wearing no underwear, I doubt many do. Sure, they remember the number. Most children can dial it. Hell, there was a minute there when it was almost nostalgic to lament on where you were, etc. But few still have ever had the courage to tell you exactly ‘what’ they recall. Wouldn’t want to offend anybody.
Shhh.
Keep it to yourself.
And so, today, we’ll all stand together quietly and recall. Take that minute of silence at work and remember.
What? Your place of work didn’t have one?
Huh. Neither did mine. In fact, come to think of it, I went the entire day and not a soul even mentioned it. Barely a mention of it on the radio. Heard about Brittany at the MTV Music Awards. That was cool. But little of that days recorded radio traffic between firefighters (all dead) and those choking to death (all dead). Kind of ‘get’s in the way’ of Lindsey Lohan I suppose.
But, you know what? My memory’s still pretty good.
Here’s what I remember.
I remember those that ‘cheered’ as my friends were incinerated or leaped to their deaths. (Shhh. Don’t say ‘Palestinians’.) Some leaped alone. Others hand in hand. It’s how we go through life after all, isn’t it? Alone, or hand in hand? Though I doubt but few of us have the courage to do it from the top of one of the tallest buildings in the world.
I remember the sound of unanswered cell phones ringing in the rubble. The scrambling of jets whose pilots had orders to shoot down planes filled with their neighbors. I remember the guy who told me, “You can’t say they didn’t have it coming.”
Ahh, yes. I remember him.
Only ‘I’ remember these things every time I forget to check my toothpaste at the airport (and they take it away.) I remember as I watch the little old lady when she’s padded down and told to remove her shoes. Then of course, it’s hard to miss those who preach tolerance, but blame America when they get ‘pancakes’ instead of waffles.
Now, I’d like to take the more prophetic road and note that those who choose ‘not’ to remember the throats slit that day, shall slice open their own. To watch them load up on matches, then lay upon their beds of hay. Usually, I’d let them go without a thought, except that I live in the apartment above them.
So instead… Instead, I think I’ll take my minute of silence and tune it to something else.
Rage.
I can spend the rest of the day in tribute. But for a minute… just a minute. I will hate this day and those responsible. For to ‘not’ hate such a thing, is to remember nothing. And to not remember, is to be as dead as those who jumped from the 106th.
So, take your minute.
I took mine.
And if you’re so inclined, break out the Red, White and Blue. The Maple Leaf. Or just the family photo album. Flags come in many shapes and sizes. But take note, it’s just for today. Flag’s are fine, but tomorrow you’re best to take it down. Don’t want to piss off the illegal living across the street. He votes too.
But today? Today it’s ‘cool’. Today, you can care.
Alone. Or, hand in hand.
Well said, my friend!
I’ll be taking today (and tomorrow and the next, and the day after that, and….) to remember my cousin Stephen on the 97th floor of the North Tower, my college classmate and nine members of my church parish at the Pentagon, those brave souls in Shanksville, and yes, even those that set that day in motion. Because I have forever been changed because of each of them.
Seeing the US Military at Dulles Airport around the corner from my office just a few hours after the plane that left Dulles slammed into the Pentagon. Driving home late that afternoon, a 26-mile journey, and seeing only 4 cars on the entire trip.
And today, 7 years later, seeing benches and fountains uncovered, a tally of names read aloud, and only a few taking time to remember any of it.
When will we ALL take the time to feel the rage you feel, Colin??
This is so perfect. I had my minute today, too, but it didn’t feel much different from many other minutes just like it over the past seven years. “Rage” about covers it. I know who the enemy is, in other parts of the world and at home. I’m glad I’m such good friends with someone who knows, too. And I’m glad I read this today. Thanks for exposing the complacency, ignorance and moral confusion that are rampant in America.
QUOTE In fact, come to think of it, I went the entire day and not a soul even mentioned it. Barely a mention of it on the radio. END QUOTE
It was definitely covered on CNN and Headline News, live in split screen from both NYC and Washington.
9/11 started me down the disaster-volunteer path. Worked with the Red Cross 2001—2006. Now working with a pet shelter; have a shift tomorrow taking care of animals evacuated due to Hurr. Ike.
I live in the UK and I was one, if not the only person in my school actually to remember that it was 9/11! It was a disgrace. Sure, it didn’t happen in our country but still…. It is so bloody important to remember these kind of things!
Spent nearly 90 minutes this AM at the new Pentagon Memorial. Beautiful in its peaceful simplicity with marble benches for each of the 184 victims of September 11th and small burbling fountains underneath each bench. They are aligned in order of the age of the victims with the youngest (a wee 3 year old girl) the closest to the building, and fanning out in the shape of a plane. Was lovely to see several hundred people there, and more arriving steadily to recall their friends and family, as well as mourn the strangers they had never met.
Found my college classmate’s bench, as well as my fellow church members and spent some time talking to each of them.
Its a powerful memorial, with the benches allowing time to rest with one’s friend and the water makes us recall the ongoing ripples these people will have on all our lives.
If you are ever in the DC area, make it a stop on your visit.
Its weird reading all the comments, over here its well covered, remembered etc, memorial coverage was on every news report every half hour, or whenever I heard the news it was. Every year since it’s happened they put something on TV, but I’m not sure about this year as I don’t really watch tv anymore and I don’t have a guide so i can’t even look if there was, but I suspect there was. We don’t have an official ‘minute silence’ but the US consulate always does stuff, which is honoured by the Australian Government. The thing is, the date here is not 9/11 we do it the other way around 11/9 so it doesn’t automatically spring to mind when you write the date.
A long time after it happened it was the first thing I thought of when I woke up and the last thing I thought of when I went to bed and I remember thinking “I wonder when the day will come where I don’t think of it everyday’ I’m glad I don’t now, its not healthy to dwell, but appropriate remembrance is ALWAYS healthy.
Your writing on the subject is excellent and thought provoking as always Colin.
Hi Colin,
Speaking from the UK, although there wasn’t anything at our work, I work near to the Cenotaph (the war memorial for the dead of the two World Wars). There was nothing official but there was a fair gathering of people (more than on most days) there then, just standing and remembering. Just thought you might like to know that it’s not forgotten.
I didn’t know anyone in the twin towers but lost a friend to the IRA many years back - so I understand the rage.