Homework Assignment: Remembering 9/11
I had so many remarkable photos to choose from for this blog today but instead of one of the damage and violence I chose a peaceful reminder.
My Son’s homework last night was to talk to his Parents about 9/11 and what it meant to them. It seemed easy enough at 3 0′clock when he first mentioned it but was actually difficult several hours later when we sat down to talk about it.
I was on my way to work in Pontiac, about 45 minutes from home, when I heard about the plane crashes. It was very confusing. I couldn’t tell if they were continuing to talk about the same crash or if there had been another. At that time in the early morning, no one really knew what was going on.
While at the office I was visiting that day there was not a radio or tv so we weren’t aware of what was going on until someone called in and said there had been another plane crash. And then another. Suddenly I was scared. It seemed like it was never going to end. I didn’t really like the idea of being near Detroit because it is a big city. I wanted to get home to little old Burton. Burtucky we call it. A much smaller, less target oriented place.
Once home I was immeditely addicted to the television and crying. My Husband got home from work and thought I was nuts. He had been cooped in the factory all day and the news hadn’t really filtered through the plant. He was listening to a book on tape on the way home. He told me it would be okay, that I was surely over reacting.
By the time night came there had not been any crashes for hours but we were afraid to go to sleep. Afraid we weren’t going to wake up.
That was my part of Drew’s assignment. His Dad’s story went way deep into the politics and the (dis)placement of the blame. That the acts of violence were evil and inexcusable, but that although the victims were innocent the United States was not.
I understand and agree with much of what he said. I know that Bin Laden was once on the payroll of the U.S.. I remember hearing that Sadam Hussein was once given a key to the city of Detroit. I understood that we have done our share of “mean things” but I still do not want to hear it in the same conversation that talks about the tragedy and lives lost that day.
I am sure there are interesting discussions going on in classes everywhere today. The politics are important and the issues are dealt with every day. Today I don’t focus on religious differences or government screw ups. I remember that I am lucky to be here, that life is delicate, and I am grateful for another day.
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That was awesome! I agree with you completely. I have come to be the same way.
My mother’s birthday was the day before, so we went to a friend’s house and had a party. After midnight we started fighting, so it was like a sign but of course we didn’t know it. We left and I didn’t go to school the next day… I was actually sleeping through the tragedy. When we got up, our phone line had been cut accidentally by some nearby car wreck, so our satellite didn’t work, and we heard it on the radio and just couldn’t make sense of it. We went back over to that friend’s house, and immediately made amends. My youngest sister was exactly 5 months old that day, and I had turned 16 exactly 2 weeks before… I was scared to death! The next day at school, we had a bomb threat… talk about someone with a morbid sense of humor.
Cindy! I forget what a young thing you are! LOL! You were 16 then? You’re more mature than me now!
I was just remarking at another blog (www.thirtysomethingandsearching.today.com) that we all have similar accountings of that day. Michele at that same blog I just mentioned, Kelly says that she refused to put up a tragic image on her post and also focused on a peaceful image of the American Flag. Looks like we all feel the same.
Thanks All.
I am wondering what will be taught in schools about 9/11 in the future. Your son and his class are discussing it, but I wonder how they will teach it in 20 years. Will it be a day remembered, like Pearl Harbor or will it be a more political topic. Great post.
We all have our memories, but none have touched me like Michael over at Frugal Living(http://frugalliving.today.com/). He has been touched by 9/11 like no one I have ever known. It breaks my heart.
~Kelly
http://www.30somethingandsearching.today.com/
Most of the blog posts I’ve read about 9/11 were personal recounts of where people were when it happened. I haven’t seen anything from people who were really close to it, though. I can’t imagine how scary it would have been to actually see, in real life, the planes crash in to the towers.
Thanks Kelly for the comment and for bringing my attention to Michael’s post. I had no idea he had experienced this.
Airsoft… Thank you for comments, as well. I hadn’t read any very close accounts either until Kelly recommended we visit http://frugalliving.today.com to read the accounting of someone we write with. It’s a lovely tribute and worth it to copy and paste the link and jump over there.
Michele Price… I almost missed you way up there!
Thank you so much for stopping by.
http://mikeytherhino.wordpress.....-meanings/
I was still a strident Pro Hillary/Anti-Obama democrat when I wrote this. Most of the post is a personal account of the events in my life on that day. Take the political ranting with a grain of salt, I was VERY pissed about the Reverend wright thing, but the events are as i recall them.
MIKE! That’s a great post! Thanks for sharing your accounting of the day.