"NEW YORK - CNN will mark the fifth anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks by replaying on the Internet the cable network's coverage of that day's events.
Viewers can watch how events unfolded starting at 8:30 a.m., minutes before the first reports of an airplane hitting the World Trade Center. The feed will run in real time, as the network showed it five years ago, until midnight"
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I got a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach when I read this announcement a few minutes ago. . At least CNN is not preempting their TV coverage to show films of the carnage of 9/11. That would be too much to bear.
On September 11, 2001, my husband and I were sitting in our breakfast nook talking and the phone rang. It was our daughter calling to tell us "Quick. Turn on CNN. A plane just flew into one of the World Trade Center buildings." We rushed to the TV just in time to see the second plane hit. Even now, five years later, I feel numb and scared thinking about that day. The Pentagon hit. Flight 93 crashes.
All so unreal. We could not bring ourselves to stray far from the TV even as the images become more filled with the horror of the poor people jumping from the buildings. And the dazed and shocked survivors running from the scene.
. .
I know we need to remember these terrible events but I dread the coming anniversary week surrounding September 11. The psyche of our nation has been strained. We need solace and comfort. Watching reruns of 9/11 will not comfort us. I, myself, could use a good fireside chat by FDR reassuring us that all will be well and that "We have nothing to fear but fear itself"
Where were you on 9/11?
9 comments:
"We have nothing to fear but fear itself"
That is so true. Take all the world's terrorists and they wouldn't fill a good-sized convention room. Yes their individual acts can be atrocious, but they can only impact society in a larger sense if we let them. If we refuse to play along, they're just a bunch of hoodlums that act up once in a while. It's kind of like bullies -- as long as we stay afraid, we give them a power over us that they don't deserve.
Andrew
To Love, Honor and Dismay
I was sitting in my chair in the den, watching Good Morning America, Chancy. I saw the film of the first hit and then watched as the second plane hit, in total horror of what was unfolding. I will never forget it.
Thanks Andrew. You make an extremely good point.
The very first Blog (July 3rd) that I wrote tells of my being in a little town in Italy (after having spent the day at the St. Francis basillica in Assisi) and being horrified to watch it all unfold on TV. I actually use my blog as my way to reach out so that I will not be sucked into depression over where our wonderful country is being led.
I agree, Chancy. I was at work and rushed down to hall to see why everyone was gathered around the t.v. The scenes were so horrific, I had to leave. I just couldn't grasp what was happening. Yes, we need to remember and strengthen our resolve, but with dignity, not commercialism.
Hunky Husband and I were birding in Florida (near where the President and his party, it turned out, were visiting a school) with Elder Brother and his wife, that day. Driving back from the coastal area that we had been covering, at about 3:15 PM, I noted that flags were at half-mast. Elder Brother turned on the radio. The first thing we heard was that an airplane had crashed into the pentagon. After a couple of minutes, the flights into the World Trade Center--and, later, the flight that went down in Pennsylvania--were mentioned. Surreal. I could only think of "War of the Worlds", at first. It took a few minutes for me to become convinced that we were really hearing a newscast. Only when we got back to the motel did we have access to the video being telecast. One viewing of the tapes were enough to last the rest of my life.
I do agree with Andrew. Were we to spend as much money on things that absolutely do affect millions of people (yellow fever, heart disease, cancer, AIDS), rather than on ineffectual "security measures" (some of which also take away our freedoms), I should be much more satisfied. It is insane to try to guard against every possible disaster--even if that disaster is called Katrina. We only spend ourselves into ruin, that way.
Cop Car
My daughter called and woke me that morning, and I immediately turned on my tv. It was truly a horrible day, and I couldn't stop watching. But, I won't watch it again. Once was quite enough.
Because I live in Alaska and we are four time zones away from the East Coast, it had happened by the time I got up. Since I woke early that morning, I was reading the e-mail from my on-line support group and the posts suddenly turned from our usual discussions to the World Trade Center. I didn't see a TV until I got to work, and then I stayed away from it as much as possible. I didn't watch it then and I won't watch it now. Knowing it happened is bad enough. Seeing the small glimpses I got of it was bad enough. There is no need to renew the horrible images in my mind.
Never will I forget the images from CNN that horrific day.
I could not bring myself to watch it again and really do not understand the point of airing it once more.
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