# 9/11 - simple questions **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 4, 2011, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/9-11-simple-questions/584287 "2011-06-04T04:25:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2011, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/9-11-simple-questions/584287/21 "2011-06-08T12:28:44Z")
I know hindsight is 20/20 and all, but it seemed to be somewhat well known that the WTC was a target for terrorism, that terrorists viewed it as a symbol of American hegemony or whatever. Now of course, you can’t not have things of value in the WTC or be overly fearful of what was likely viewed as a more or less remote possibility, but if I was an organization that was holding $200M in gold, I think I might would want to put it somewhere a little less obvious. ---
**Author:** ![MLS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MLS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MLS)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2011, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/9-11-simple-questions/584287/22 "2011-06-08T17:11:23Z")
The Windows on the World restaurant on the top floor was known to have an extraordinary collection of vintage wines, some worth a thousand or more per bottle. ---
**Author:** ![thelabdude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dc4da7/32.png) [@thelabdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelabdude)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2011, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/9-11-simple-questions/584287/23 "2011-06-08T20:01:34Z")
Now that is a true loss. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2011, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/9-11-simple-questions/584287/24 "2011-06-09T02:19:19Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > [Helen Keller Archive lost in WTC](http://www.pw.org/content/helen_keller_archive_lost_world_trade_center_attack?cmnt_all=1) It just seems inconceivable to me that they had irreplaceable artifacts like original letters from Helen Keller and did not at least scan those in and create a digital backup copy! You could have done that with a $150 scanner. What carelessness! ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2011, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/9-11-simple-questions/584287/25 "2011-06-10T19:59:54Z")
> [@t-bonham@scc.net](#): > > It just seems inconceivable to me that they had irreplaceable artifacts like original letters from Helen Keller and did not at least scan those in and create a digital backup copy! You could have done that with a $150 scanner. What carelessness! What if the scanner couldn’t read the documents? ---
**Author:** ![Profound\_Gibberish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/65b543/32.png) [@Profound\_Gibberish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Profound_Gibberish)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2011, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/9-11-simple-questions/584287/26 "2011-06-10T20:10:19Z")
> [@An\_Arky](#): > > I know hindsight is 20/20 and all, but it seemed to be somewhat well known that the WTC was a target for terrorism, that terrorists viewed it as a symbol of American hegemony or whatever. Now of course, you can’t not have things of value in the WTC or be overly fearful of what was likely viewed as a more or less remote possibility, but if I was an organization that was holding $200M in gold, I think I might would want to put it somewhere a little less obvious. I was just about to make the same comment. IIRC, NYC put their crisis reponse center there after the first bombing. I’m sure it all made sense at the time, but when you look at it now, it’s one big “duoh!” ---
**Author:** ![Dahnlor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dahnlor/32/533_2.png) [@Dahnlor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dahnlor)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2011, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/9-11-simple-questions/584287/27 "2011-06-10T21:25:04Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > What if the scanner couldn’t read the documents? Get a better scanner. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2011, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/9-11-simple-questions/584287/28 "2011-06-10T23:13:48Z")
You know who got undercounted? Undocumented immigrant workers. Their families were afraid to report that they were there, lest they all be deported forthwith. Emma’s Revolution did an award-winning song about that, “[If I Give Your Name](http://emmasrevolution.com/listen/album/one/3-if-i-give-your-name/).” Sample verse: \*Mi esposa, my wife, worked on the 80th floor The company had hired illegals before She got the job by word of mouth That’s the way in the north when you’re from the south They say 3,000 but the counting’s not done Mi esposa está muerta Three thousand and one I have no papers, I have no rights All my days end in sleepless nights Missing you, silently If I give your name, Will they come after me?\* The verses mention various family members who died there without being counted, and each verse increments the number one by one to symbolize the undercounting. “They gave some ashes to families, but I’ll only have the ones I breathe.” ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2011, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/9-11-simple-questions/584287/29 "2011-06-11T00:08:32Z")
> [@echo6160](#): > > So you’re telling me that the precious metals just _vaporized_? If you google around you’ll find some people do believe the gold and silver did just that. I don’t know if it’s even possible. ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2011, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/9-11-simple-questions/584287/30 "2011-06-11T00:11:30Z")
Not really a hijack since it’s 9-11 related: did the terrorists choose “9/11” because it was an emergency number as a little additional insult? Or was the date more or less arbitrary? ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2011, 7:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/9-11-simple-questions/584287/31 "2011-06-11T07:46:09Z")
> [@Love\_Rhombus](#): > > Not really a hijack since it’s 9-11 related: did the terrorists choose “9/11” because it was an emergency number as a little additional insult? Or was the date more or less arbitrary? There are quintillions of boards with quintillions of threads exactly on this query, as well as many similar ones. Even Google says “Fuck it. I’m tired of this. Use Bing.” ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2011, 9:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/9-11-simple-questions/584287/32 "2011-06-11T09:13:23Z")
> [@Love\_Rhombus](#): > > Not really a hijack since it’s 9-11 related: did the terrorists choose “9/11” because it was an emergency number as a little additional insult? Or was the date more or less arbitrary? Or was it because this was Election Day in most of the country, and they didn’t like democracy, preferring theocracy as a government? ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2011, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/9-11-simple-questions/584287/33 "2011-06-21T02:53:48Z")
> [@Love\_Rhombus](#): > > Not really a hijack since it’s 9-11 related: did the terrorists choose “9/11” because it was an emergency number as a little additional insult? Or was the date more or less arbitrary? I’m partial to the theory that it had to do with the anniversary of the Camp David Accords. ---
**Author:** ![gloriacollins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b9e5f3/32.png) [@gloriacollins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gloriacollins)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2011, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/9-11-simple-questions/584287/34 "2011-06-21T05:27:08Z")
nearly 3000 died… ---
**Author:** ![postcards](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8e8cbc/32.png) [@postcards](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/postcards)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2011, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/9-11-simple-questions/584287/35 "2011-06-21T12:42:47Z")
> [@Lute Skywatcher](#): > > I’m partial to the theory that it had to do with the anniversary of the Camp David Accords. Which were signed on [September 17, 1978](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camp_David_Accords). ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2011, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/9-11-simple-questions/584287/36 "2011-06-21T13:05:48Z")
> [@Love\_Rhombus](#): > > Not really a hijack since it’s 9-11 related: did the terrorists choose “9/11” because it was an emergency number as a little additional insult? Or was the date more or less arbitrary? Like **Leo Bloom** said, this hasn’t been settled and it may never be. To me that indicates there wasn’t any real significance to the date because these guys wanted to be clear about their message. I think it was chosen out of expediency. > [@t-bonham@scc.net](#): > > Or was it because this was Election Day in most of the country, and they didn’t like democracy, preferring theocracy as a government? What elections were being held that day? The only one I know about was the New York mayoral primary. I doubt the terrorists were aware or would have cared about that. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2011, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/9-11-simple-questions/584287/37 "2011-06-21T21:30:22Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > What elections were being held that day? The only one I know about was the New York mayoral primary. I doubt the terrorists were aware or would have cared about that. And most of the other cities in New York State. Also Los Angeles. Also Minneapolis, MN (and most county or municipal elections in Minnesota). And municipal elections in Iowa. In fact, off-years like 2001 are when most County, City, & School Board elections are held, and many of them are the 2nd Tuesday in September, which was 9/11/2001. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2011, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/9-11-simple-questions/584287/38 "2011-06-22T01:16:59Z")
They don’t just hate our freedom… …they hate our county municipal elections in Minnesota and Iowa! ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2011, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/9-11-simple-questions/584287/39 "2011-06-23T16:51:33Z")
> [@postcards](#): > > Which were signed on [September 17, 1978](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camp_David_Accords). Yeah, after negotiations started on the fifth. What’s halfway between five and 17? ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2011, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/9-11-simple-questions/584287/40 "2011-06-23T17:38:47Z")
> [@Love\_Rhombus](#): > > Not really a hijack since it’s 9-11 related: did the terrorists choose “9/11” because it was an emergency number as a little additional insult? Or was the date more or less arbitrary? Except putting the month number before the date is not a world-wide practice. And, who could tell in advance that “9/11” would become the nickname for these events? It could have been something else that caught the journalists’ attention as the nickname, like “Pearl Harbour” instead of “12/7”. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/9-11-simple-questions/584287.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/9-11-simple-questions/584287.md?page=3)