A conversation on TED.com: Where were you September 11? what was your reaction? and how do you plan on remembering it?

Mark Roy
Marietta, GA
United States

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Where were you September 11? what was your reaction? and how do you plan on remembering it?

In the US, 9/11 was the day we were reminded of the fragility of life and confidence. It is a scar that will never heal. Where were you when you heard the news and how did it make you feel??

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Topics: anti terrorism peace

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Sidharth Hariharan
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Sep 5 2011: September 11? hmm yes.. 11 days later my birthday so started celebrating it :D
- Mark Roy
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  Sep 5 2011: You started celebrating your birthday when you heard of the 9/11 attacks????!
  - Sidharth Hariharan
    
    0
    Sep 6 2011: no after 11 days.. :)
Erol Toksoy 10+
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Sep 5 2011: I was at the office working. My girlfriend was in NY for a language school at that time so I was in a great panic untill she called my moms house in late that night. And for the record I felt great sadness and sympathy for the people who lost their beloved ones there and always curse any act of terror. But I was not shocked because in Turkey and middle east we suffer a hell a lot more terror than Americans experienced that day both caused or at least fueled up by USA and other western countries. So for me it was like an awakening for Americans and other christian societies they finally came up to see how the rest of the world live. Still think it shouldn't happen but this is how life goes. If you hurt people so much on purpose eventually they hurt you back.
- Mark Roy
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  Sep 5 2011: Thanks for sharing Erol. Boy, do i agree with your thoughts! 9/11 really awakened us to our illusion of invincibility. Hope things get better in your corner of the world!
Bob Shingles 10+
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Sep 5 2011: I was staying home "sick" that day. I can still remember that it was a bright sunny morning, with fluffy wisps of clouds in the sky, as I heard the news.

"America Under Attack!"

"Preposterous!" was my first response but then I saw footage of the planes flying into the buildings.

At times, I wish I could say there was some deep emotional response but I really did not know what to think at the time. I was just numb.

To be honest, after some time, I felt some relief after seeing only planes fly into buildings. The initial thought I had after hearing "America Under Attack!" was to assume that the United States was at war with another nation.

If you think planes flying into buildings is bad, a full scale nuclear war is worse.

I don't plan on remembering the event any more than that. The best thing I think everyone can do is continue to live their lives. I think it best the let the dead rest.
- Mark Roy
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  Sep 5 2011: Bob, that's real funny, I had the same feeling of relief after hearing it was planes hitting towers in NYC. I thought we were also under a full-out attack!
  
  I do think that we should remember 9/11 though because it's important to realize how close we were to having our entire futures changed as Americans. The 3rd stage of imperial decline is "denial of risk and peril", following "undisciplined pursuit of more". We dodged a bullet on 9/11. Let's never forget that
  - Bob Shingles 10+
    
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    Sep 5 2011: But September 11 did change the future of the United States.
    
    The "War of Terrorism" would have never been declared thus resulting in the 10 year occupation of Afghanistan.
    
    It could also be argued that without the climate of fear generated by September 11, the United States might have not been so quick to invade Iraq. Maybe more people would have questioned the reasons for invasion.
    
    No, the terrorist attacks may not have killed millions of people but our future was changed and I do not think it was for the better.
    - Mark Roy
      
      0
      
      Sep 5 2011: I agree with that. Im just saying it's a good thing to remember what 9/11 meant for US dominance. It meant we were/are vulnerable. And now with us losing our AAA credit rating and talks of our dollar being replaced as the reserve currency of the world, it's clear US isn't the same country she was in the 1900's