What will you do in rememberance of 9/11?

In My Humble Opinion
41

This Wed. my fiance’ and I will go to work. After work we will go mountain biking if the weather permits. I’ll prob drink a few beers and watch some ESPN. And she will read and we talk about our day.

My soon to be mother & father in law are both in the military and are veterans of three wars. They are doing the same thing my fiance’ and I are doing…
celebrating freedom from fear.

We just don’t agree with doing anything different than we always do. Mainly because we don’t believe in contributing to those who are making big bucks off of the 9/11 anniversary.

42

If there was any chance I would have watched TV that day, it’s gone. Even if I hadn’t become sick of the constant 9/11 coverage on 9/12, I would have been just from the past few days (and the rest of the week).

So I’m going to do this:

Nothing that I don’t normally do. Get up, eat, do whatever I have to do.

The only variation I can see to my Routine is that it would probably be a great day to watch my copy of “The Godfather”. It’s not as if I’ll be missing anything on TV.

43

What I will do:

  1. Reflect on the numerous astonishing atrocities committed by our country, most often the CIA, due to our blind loyalty to unbridled capitalism (including the deposing and/or murder of numerous democratically elected leaders), and the virtually nonexistent coverage this has gotten in our American history classes and books.

  2. Reflect on how our blind loyalty to unbridled capitalism has made a freaking fad out of Nine Eleven ™, complete with reams of questionable merchandise and “ground zero” virtually turning into a theme park (I wish this were an exaggeration).

  3. Sympathize with the people of Iraq, who, because of the possible actions of one man (one many of them still support, I might add) have suffered unimaginably at the hands of our military. Much of it by decree of Bill Clinton because he needed a distraction from scandals. And now, of course, Dubya wants to follow in his footsteps.

  4. Fight back a mixture of nausea and rage caused by numerous citizens within our own country who have been subject to harrassment, ostracizing, and even violence because they either 1) belonged to the same race as the terrorists, 2) looked like they might possibly belong to the same race as the terrorists.

  5. Keep the TV on ESPN all day (with possible side trips to ESPN2 and VH1), because the last thing I need is yet more meatheaded garbage about how we all have to completely support Dubya no matter what and unbridled, unregulated, unchecked capitalism is all good and no bad and anyone who doesn’t unthinkingly follow prevailing national sentiment on every aspect of this tragedy is on the side of the terrorists.

What I am proud of is my ability to think critically and not blindly swallow everything my country’s media insists is the truth. I’m not giving this up for anything.

(Oh yeah…I’m also expecting a job offer.)

44

Thanks for that, DKW. You worded it very well.

Good luck on the job!

45

I will remember the people lost, watch HBO’s In Memoriam and wear red, white, and blue.

After that, I intentd to do all the things the terrorists and their sympathizers hate:

!. I’m going to eat pork.
2. I’m going to read.
3. I’m going to watch movies and listen to music.
4. I’m going to have hot, sweaty gay sex with my boyfriend.
5. I’m going to practice unbridled capitalism.

In short, I’m going to live my life in freedom and security, the thing the terrorists hate most.

46

I have yet to fully deal emotionally with what happened last year, and still don’t know that I will have by tomorrow.

There is going to be a ceremony tomorrow morning down at Gateway Park, at the foot of the Key Bridge, which connects Arlington (Rosslyn) to DC. The ceremony is to remember the 183 men and women who lost their lives when the Pentagon was hit by American Airlines Flight 77. This happened just a short hop down the street from this park. A 30’ x 60’ flag will be unfurled from the top of the wall at the park. All four of us from my office are going to walk down together.

The rest of the day, I suppose, will be a combination of things. Work, of course, as life must go on. Trying not to cry. Fighting my own conflicting instincts to avoid appearing patriotic so people like An Arky don’t think I’m a “drooling moron,” then realizing I don’t give a rat’s ass what they think. Being glad that I live somewhere where people like DKW are free to hold and express their opinions without being jailed or murdered.

That’s about it.

47

I’m going to work.

48

I’ve commemorated Sept. 11 by voting in the primaries today. Not that I wouldn’t have voted otherwise, but it feels more important to me this year. To me, being a patriot means being an informed and responsible citizen. I will try to avoid the radio and TV as much as possible tomorrow.

49

I’m going to work. I’d say “wearing all black”, but it’s what I do anyway. I had to watch CNN while my car’s oil was getting changed (not a magazine in the place, no form of entertainment whatsoever) and this’ll be the biggest American bout of mental masturbation for a long time.

50

When the terrorist attacks against America began, I watched in shock and felt deeply the loss of so many innocent lives. I felt pain at the unspeakable horrors that took place and wondered how could this happen? Who could do these things?

I know that I am not the only one struggling with my emotions as we remember what took place.

Here in Australia I didn’t feel removed from what happed, I felt grieved by it and like many, felt hopeless to do anything to aid those who were suffering.

We all saw too much of the devastation of these events, constantly repeated in the media, to the point where many of us could stand it no more, and now it’s happening all over again.

In the days that followed September 11, I needed to find a way to grieve, to let out the emotions that were building up inside. I put together a tribute, it doesn’t have any pictures of horror, no planes or burning buildings. Instead it has pictures that show how people have been brought together from all places, in all situations, of all faiths to support those who lost so much. Doing this helped me to grieve, I hope that in some small way it may help you too.

Let us remember though, that acts of terrorism occur every day, and thousands of lives are lost in countries around the world every year through the hatred and misunderstanding of others. There is no denying that the events of September 11 2001 were horrific and unimaginable but let us grieve also, for the lives of other innocents that are lost every year.

http://www.anchorweb.com.au/911

51

living in the UK, i dont know how extensive the media coverage will be. on the whole i’ll do nothing, considered hanging a US flag out my window (upside down though) as a protest but it seems pointless. The ‘Ingerland’ yobs would probably break my windows for not ‘supporting out American allies’.

52

I will be at work as usual. I doubt it will really hit me until the minute’s silence tomorrow afternoon. I will respect that and then carry on working, and meet up with friends in the evening. I’m not sure what else to expect or what else I will do specifically for this anniversary; I don’t know how I’ll feel tomorrow.

53

Well I’m going to be in work. I know the company is doing something for us tomorrow. Actually the head of HR made mentioned there’d be cookies at all branches which makes sense
[sarcasm on MAX!]
because nothing says solemn remembrance like cookies
[sarcasm off]

54

The day is here. A year ago (about 6 or 7 hours from now) I felt paralyzed. I am much stronger now, and will get some work done. I don’t have to work Wed., but I want to. There was a refresher on TV which I thought was well done. I think it’s good that at memorial services, the names of the victims will be read. I’m assuming they won’t read the names of Atta and crew.

I hung a new, large flag out. I also started participating in the SDMB community last year. It’s been very helpful regarding issues about last Sept. Thanks. ~ Peace

55

I will do nothing.

But I won’t forget.

56

Read The Onion - it was the issue (The Holy Fucking Shit Issue) at this time last year that introduced me to that estemed publication, and I was astounded by how it managed to treat such a tragic event with a magnificent combination of humour and sensitivity.

Some of the recent gems:
Bush won’t stop asking Cheney if we can invade yet
Who will bring Closure to a Grieving Nation

Grim

57

I respected the minutes silence, but in addition to the 9/11 victims of Pennsilvania, the Pentagon and the WTC, I thought of other victims of terrorist violence who dont always get remembered, such as the innocent muslims wiped out in the former Yugoslavia in acts of Genocide. Like the Jewish victims of pogroms throughout europe, the Jewish and Muslim victims of terrorist actions in Israel and Palestine, The Hindus and Muslims massacred in India and the victims of Terrorism in Ireland and Britain, most recently Gerrard Lawlor.
We must never forget what we as a species are capable of.

58

I have done nothing at all to remember a damn thing for the past year. Since our threads about it here stopped, I completely put it out of my mind and have paid no attention at all to anything on the subject in the media.

That being said, I still have no intention of going to any services or doing anything fancy.

I’ll just think about how the events changed our world for the worst and brood.

59

My 7th grade daughter is spending the half-hour before school today decorating a friend’s locker with balloons–for her birthday, which was actually last Sunday, the 8th.

Not to denigrate the whole 9/11 experience or anything, but IMO that’s the healthiest thing for her to be doing today, not standing around a flagpole at school “remembering” an act of terrorism. She remembers it just fine–what she remembers is that once Mom and Dad had explained to her that Decatur probably didn’t have any targets that would interest Al Qaeda, she shrugged and got on with her 6th grade life.

Which was as it should be.

60

I am wearing all BLACK, Black Suit, Shirt, Socks, Shoes, for all those who died on 9/11/2001, New York - WTC, Wash D.C. - Pentagon, and the field in PA, for all those on the fateful airplanes that crashed, that did not want to be apart of an abhorrant attack on our country, and for the Police, Fire, Emergency/Rescue, K-9, Chaplains/Priest, and all the others who risked their lives to help others, many of whom they did not know.
I also have a flag pin on my lapel.

I took a moment of silence, and prayed for the survivors, and the people who lost loved ones, at all the sites.

I will not watch TV, or listen to the Radio, I am not giving the news/media whores any attention. My real name is Jennifer, people call me Jenn, I will be listening to WJNN, my own mix tapes or CD’s.

I do not have to be told to remember/never forget, I will always remember, can not - do not, never/ever forget.

But, I am at work, being productive, doing my job like always, kicking ass and taking names. Doing my normal everyday routine.

I will think about the Pentagon, I know the destruction, and devastation was not as severe as at New York City - WTC, but when I was in the Navy, I worked a few years ago in the very offices that was hit by the plane. I have a special part in my heart for that place. Yes, I served for 10 years in the U.S. Navy, and the United States of America.

I never got a chance to go to see the NY Twin Towers - WTC, my husband and I were going to go to NYC, I have never been and he was going to take me show me around, we were going to go about this time last year, I will never see the WTC.

I guess that’s it, this what I am doing and what I am thinking.