I was planning this Post for Sunday, but since
Wild & Precious
is having a link up for tomorrow, y'all get this a lil early!
10 Years ago, I was a Sophomore in C O L L E G E at BGSU (Ohio school in case you all don't know!)
I was wearing a Khaki skirt with a navy blue polo top. White shoes. I was standing in front of the mirror, curling my hair, getting ready for my 11 am class.
I finished early, and went down to the main floor of my dorm building to check out a vacuum to clean our floor in my dorm room.
I get down to the check out counter and I hear sobbing. A woman is pressed against the radio hanging on every word the man on the radio is saying. I retreat back to my room thinking okay that was weird.
Literally 3 min go by and a girl comes charging down the hall asking if anyone's cable was working. NO ONE on the floor had a working T.V. cept yours truly.
To this day, I have no idea why MY DORM ROOM was the ONLY room that had a working tv. It was a little 15 inch screen. I had an ENTIRE DORM FLOOR crowed around me in my little room SHHHing everyone to be quiet since the volume only went up so far on my little beater TV.
It went silent. I attempted to call my house. I got a BEEP BEEP BEEP all circuits are busy sound. It was AWFUL.
I tried again. AND AGAIN and AGAIN.
I couldn't reach my dad. I began to panic. I was scared because I knew my dad was working downtown Chicago that day. They had said on the TV that they were closing down all major tall buildings in the city.
I walked to my class, only to get there and have the professor tell my class that there would be no class, more of an open discussion and if we wanted to leave, we were allowed. Otherwise, stay and discuss what had just taken place in New York. People were crying all over in class.
I did reach my father later that day. It was a huge sigh of relief. He was ok.
I did not know ANYONE that lost their life that tragic day in NY. No friends of friends type thing either.
I saved all the news paper articles that came out in our Ohio paper that week. I had to keep an Art Journal for one of my classes and that is what I am sharing with you all today.
It's been TEN YEARS. And I'll be honest. I am TIRED of hearing about 9/11
I am tired that every morning in the AM we have to "Please remain standing for a moment of silence" after the pledge for the whole 9/11 thing. COME ON.
Pearl Harbor and the Vietnam War were much more significant wars and we don't remain standing for them!
We can never move on of we don't quit dwelling on past events.
Just my 2 cents. :)
Link up here!
I think it's really nice you kept the newspaper clippings. I do disagree with you though about how to move on. I think it's too easy for people to forgot what a horrific day that was. And, so I think having those moments is a good thing. I think it's good to remember. And, I think saying this war is not as significant is insulting to the people putting their lives on the line and paying the ultimate price for it. (And fyi- This is written in a nice tone, I know it can be hard to tell over text. Just a respectful disagreeing of opinions.)
ReplyDeleteI think the part that is different from Vietnam and Pearl Harbor (while both were also tragic) is that it happened on the mainland of the US. To ordinary people. They weren't military, they were just business people going to work for the day. I think it's nice they're remembering the victims of that day 10 years later. I didn't lose anyone either, but everyone moves on and grieves in different ways. I don't want to dwell on it either, but it's nice to take a day to remember the lives lost and to remember to be thankful for those that protect us now.
ReplyDeleteAfter it happened for a while, we were just Americans. The political battles stopped and we were bonded as a country. It would be nice if we could actually feel that sense of pride without a disaster happening. I'm all for moving on and learning from it, but I think it's ok if people want to take time out to remember those that were lost.
I do think it's kind of weird that you have children having a moment of silence for an event they weren't even alive during...
Just my two cents! Have a good weekend :)
I disagree with you as well. If you lost a family member that day, you would not feel this way. Why would you post about "remembering 9/11" and then contidict yourself and say, "im tired of hearing about 9/11" ...sorry to disagree with you, just my thoughts.
ReplyDeleteHave to agree with Jane - I didn't know anyone personally who lost their life that day, but I have friends that did and I cannot IMAGINE their pain in dealing with that horrific day.
ReplyDeleteIt's so beyond terrible that such a tragic thing like that has happened. I will never forget waking up and seeing that on the news. At first, I thought it was a movie on tv. My heart breaks for those that lost their loved ones and for the survivors that had to cling on and pray for their lives!! I watched a show on it last night and just shake my head in aww.. Great post!
ReplyDeleteHow cool that you thought to save all of the clippings. Definitely something important to share down the road with your kids.
ReplyDeleteAs far as the remembering, I do agree that sometimes there's a little bit of overkill, (just like there is with anything on the news these days since there are so many channels with it on 24/7) and some stations have definitely gone on way too much.
But, I disagree that we should completely move on with the moments of silence, memorials, and sharing of stories that happened that day.
We had a moment of silence in my school yesterday, and I had two classes focused on the event. The conversations that came up with my students, who were at that time 3 or 4, were just brilliant. They had so many questions about what happened that day, and how the world has changed since then, that they're afraid to ask other adults on a day to day basis because they feel "stupid" not being completely informed.
I think remembering the anniversary of a huge event like that and using it as a teaching moment for younger generations is exactly what people should be doing, just as they should with any other major event in history. As long as it's not being done for the wrong reasons.
Wish that I had saved the newspaper clippings like you. That was a great idea!
ReplyDeleteI wish I had save my newspaper clippings, but we didn't get the paper down at college as a freshman. Should have asked my parents to save the DC papers.
ReplyDeleteI 100% disagree with you about 9/11. I think they should show something on it EVERYDAY! Same with the war in Afghanistan. Our country is more concerned with Toddlers and Tiaras, The Kardashians, Teen Mom, 19 and Pregnant and Jersey show than the remnants of 9/11 and it's nauseating to me. People bring out their patriotism on 9/11 on facebook, twitter, and gchat and the next day it's back to normal life. Patriotism can be 24/7 365 days a year, but it's not. People need to be reminded.
Saving those articles was a great idea, wish I had thought to ask my parents in DC to save them for me.
ReplyDeleteI respectfully 100% disagree with you. Americans need to be reminded EVERY DAY about 9/11 because too often our country as a whole forgets priorities in life. We as a nation are more concerned with Teen Mom, 16 & Pregnant, Toddlers and Tiaras, Jersey Shore and Keeping up with the Kardashians instead of real life heroes. And that is such a shame. 9/11 Patriotism is acceptable 24/7 365 days a week, however it only comes out on FB, twitter and gchat one day of the year. Those families affect deal with it every day. I personally think children in school need to pause every day to learn there is a big world out there, and it's not just coloring and math.
People should think more of others than themselves and I believe the spirit of America right after 9/11 is one of the best examples of this.
Again, these are just my thoughts about your post, not you. :) Have a great weekend.