It Has Been Six Months

[Joeiss]

It's Been Six Months

It's hard to believe that half of a year has past. It's been six months since a nation has been stunned. It's been one hundred and eighty two days since three buildings were attacker. It's been 4368 hours since America was under attack. It's been two hundred sixty-two thousand and eighty minutes since a new war was started, and an attempt to destroy terrorism was given birth. Yes, six months ago the World Trade Center "Twin Towers" were truck by two planes which were hijacked by terrorists. Yes, six months ago the Pentagon was hit by a plane which was also hijacked by terrorists. Yes, six months ago a plane crashed in Pennsylvania because those brave passengers rallied against the terrorist hijackers, and saved possibly thousands of people from where the plane was headed. It's been six months since I heard the news that terror had swiped America off of its feet.

It was second period at my highschool. I was in drama class. I was changing out of my drama clothes and into my school uniform when I heard the pager buzz. The school chaplain started to talk. He started a prayer, so I crossed myself and slipped my dress shoes on and put my bag over my shoulder. I could not hear the exact words of what the chaplain was saying because the other kids in my class were talking and being noisy, but I could see the look of fear, the look of sadness in my drama teacher's face. I walked with a fast pace from the middle of the drama room to the speaker where my terrified teacher was standing in disbelief. I did no say a word until the prayer was over. I still did not know what was happening while I was finishing praying the Hail Mary. As soon as U had crossed myself, and my teacher had crossed herself, I asked what the school chaplain said. My drama teacher then told me that there has been a terrorist attack in New York City and Washington, DC. It was that moment that I knew the world had been changed. I still did not know the specifics of what had occurred, but all I knew what that it was bad, very bad.

The school bell rang and I left my drama class. Everybody in the halls had confused looks on their faces, so I blended in wonderfully. The only words which I heard as I walked to my English class outside in a portable were, "Did you hear what happened?" and, "Yes, but I do not know what was hit by the planes." I do not think that any student knew what was happening that morning in America. There were only guesses upon guesses for that five minutes in between my second and third period classes.

I walked up the steps to my English class which was in a portable. I walked into my class and immediately asked my teacher what happened in America. He replied in a negative tone, almost in a disgusted tone and said, "Why would I know? I only heard what you heard five minutes ago!" I walked to my seat and that is when I finally got an answer. A girl who sat in the front of the class said that the World Trade Center towers were hit by planes. Confused, I asked her what the World Trade Center towers were, and she said something about the "Twin Towers". The Twin Towers? What are these? The only Twin Towers that I knew about were Tim Duncan and David Robinson, two basketball players who earned that nickname because of their height. The class went on and I still did not know what exactly was happening in New York City and Washington. But, I soon found out.

After English class, I had my lunch period. I quickly ate my lunch in the cafeteria and went to the library to finish some of my homework from the night before. I completed my work and exited the library. Before I made it to the doors, I saw that there was a television behind the librarian's desk. I thought the television was just in black and white, or scrambled, because all I could see was two colours : black and grey. Little did I know that there was nothing wrong with that television, but that I was looking at the remains of the two World Trade Center towers.

When school finished, my brother drove me home. We arrived at my house at around three o'clock, and we immediately turned on the television and switched the channel to CNN. We watched until five o'clock, which was when my parents arrived home. They hugged us and kissed us. They called my sister to make sure she was okay. My parents left work in Toronto early that afternoon, and arrived a couple hours later. We, as a family watched the news until late at night. I learned what the "Twin Towers" were. I must have seen footage of the World Trade Center being attacked at least seventy five times. Mass destruction just occurred in America, and I felt scared.

Initial reports of the total amount of deaths were high, very high. Thankfully every day those numbers dropped lower and lower. On September 11, 2001, some new words were added to my vocabulary. Terrorism. Osama Bin Laden. Twin Towers. Taliban. Al Queda. These words are all words that when I hear them, I am saddened. I am saddened because thousands of people died on that morning of September 11th. I am still saddened because of all the pain and suffering I saw on the news that day. I am still saddened because of the amount of deaths that have occurred in retaliation to the events of September 11, and I hope that peace can happen in this hectic world of ours, and I hope that terrorism is a word that we all can take out of our vocabulary.


By : Joeiss



Now, please share your thoughts with everybody else on these forums. It can be long or short, but please share your thoughts on the events that happened on September 11, 2001. Thank you.

[Sigma]

very nice post. I really liked reading it.

[Ric]

A good account Joeiss and told from the heart, this really is the 'Where were you when JFK was shot' for our generation isnt it.

My account, here goes.
I was sitting at school merrily posting on Gametavern in a free period, it was near the end of school (GMT) and I was thinking of going home when Neo posted a topic 'Two Planes Hit World trade Centers'. At first I didnt take this seriously, a freak accident, what do the trade centers look like, where are they. To my horror and dismay, I soon found out and the image of those buildings was forever emblazoned upon my mind. I tried to go onto all the news sites I knew, Cnn, sky news, BBC, all were running very slowly, completly overloaded. I was so worried, then came a little bit of news, 'people in Afghanistan seen celebrating' thats when I knew this was no accident.

Worried at this I decided to stay online to see what happened, a plane crashed into the pentagon, fighter planes deployed albeit a little late but it was necessecery for the moral of the citizens and who knows, something else may have happened if they werent.

Then, one of the towers collapsed, the second this happened I knew tho other one would go, I waited with a numb feeling, lo and behold, it did. By this time I was real upset and angry, it was a weird feeling, I ran all the way home to watch the telly. I switched on Sky news to see a plane crash into a building, then another, then it showed the collapses. I was very upset, thousands of people just died before my very eyes and I was powerless to stop it. Then came anger and wrath. I was that close to dropping everything and joining the army so I could kick some arse. I was and am still now very vengefull, if Bin Laden was in front of me now he would be dead in a second. Thats why I have no pity for those killed in the bombing, bomb all the bastards thats what I say. I knew things were going seriously bad over there when they blew up those ancient buddahs carved into the cliff faces, saying it was offencive to islam, blowing them up was offensive to buddhism for the love of god.

I watched that telly all night and for a few days after, the same image over and over. 1 month passed, as I was starting to calm down and come to tearms with it, a plane crashed into a residential area of New York, 'an accident' people said, but I am still unsure.

One last comment, this is considered an attack on america but it has affected me so much I feelit is also an attack on me and my emotions so I am just as upset as you. And I live thousands of miles away. We grieved as one, we fight as one and we will win as one. Well done to you american fighters and well done to our boys (UK) out there on the front line as I write.

Nuff said.

[Joeiss]

Originally posted by Ric
I watched that telly all night and for a few days after, the same image over and over. 1 month passed, as I was starting to calm down and come to tearms with it, a plane crashed into a residential area of New York, 'an accident' people said, but I am still unsure.

Yeah, that crash was pretty suspicious, IMO. I am not sure if the plane was hijacked or not. I think that there was engine trouble or something, which was why the plane crashed. Well, even if it was a terrorist attack, America will never say so. I am still not sure if it was, but America will never admit that another terrorist attack happened on home soil, IMO.

BTW, good account, Ric.

[DeathsHand]

Originally posted by Joeiss


Yeah, that crash was pretty suspicious, IMO. I am not sure if the plane was hijacked or not. I think that there was engine trouble or something, which was why the plane crashed. Well, even if it was a terrorist attack, America will never say so. I am still not sure if it was, but America will never admit that another terrorist attack happened on home soil, IMO.

BTW, good account, Ric.

Well I think they said the plane was going through some sort of turbulence that comes from being too close behind another plane... and the pilot or someone apparently used the rudder too much and it snapped off which made it hard to control the plane...

But the thing is, what does that have to do with the engine falling off? Cuz remember the engines (or at least one of them) fell off too... *shrugs*... If it was terrorism, I think the only way it could have been is some kind of guy working for the terrorists somehow got a job as one of the people checking planes and knew all about stuff and was able to get the rudder and stuff all flimsy...... meaning I doubt it was terrorism ;) Not too long ago, they even released a little caution to pilots flying those kinds of planes to not excessively use the rudder or something like that... just incase as a precaution until they find out for sure 100% if there is a problem with the rudder or not... or something...

But anyways... I remember where I was when it happened... I was........ sleeping....... :unsure:

But then when I woke up at..... 2..... The thought crossed my mind to turn on the TV (which only gets channel 4, 5, 7, and 9, which is NBC, FOX, ABC, and CBS)... which was weird... but I didn't, then I went downstairs and my dad was watching the news and I was like "Whoa what the hell is this?"..... yep..... I'm sorry it's not as interesting as all of your stories ;)

Oh and BTW, I heard this on MSNBC today... it was like a little video of people sooorta having a little arguement in the street... and they were at some little street vender guy who was selling copies of various pictures from sept. 11th or something... and this one guy was sorta mad because he said something about them selling pictures of people after they hit the ground from jumping out of the building...

a: Why would you wanna sell something like that? :unsure:

b: Who the hell would wanna buy that? :unsure: :unsure:

[Revival]

Well, I was sitting in Spanish class, thinking about what I was going to do when I got home, when the headmaster came over the intercom and told us that 2 planes had crashed into the World Trade Center Towers. At that time, I didn't know much more about it, only that it happened. Next period, when I was talking to an administrator, he told me that the buildings had fallen, completely, and that another plane had crashed into the Pentagon. I didn't know what to think then, not many people did, we didn't get to see the horrifying images until we got home, the teachers were banned from turning on the televisions because a student might not be able to handle it..

I tell ya, when I got home, it was like a swirl of emotions, I was angry, sad, hurt, and confused..

[TheGrimReaper]

It was a very disturbing day for all of us.

Plus I had a penpal in New York so I was abslaoutly petrefied.

[Drunk Hobbit]

I was in the library of my school during my lunch period trying to complete my math homework. The principal came over the loud speaker and said that a plane had crashed into one of the Twin Towers and nothing more. This announcement came a couple hours after the fact.

In English class we had to listen to the radio to find out exactly what happened. My English teacher kept repeating over and over "I'm glad I'm not the president." Quite a few kids were crying. Many knew people or had family who worked in the Towers. Everyone had out there cell phone calling everyone they knew to comfirm if they were ok and the like.

The rest of the day felt like it was all a dream. I hadn't seen any of the video or pictures but in each class we talked about it.

No one was allowed to leave unless a parent picked them up or lived within walking distant. The subway most kids take home was shutdown due to the fact that it passes by the Towers. There was a lockdown for the bourough of Manhattan and I lived in Queens with no way to get home. The subway started up again from a different location so after some walking I got there. It was packed to the max and everyone comforted eachother. I arrived at Penn Station which over the news had been anounced that it was closed. Turns out it wasn't but was dead silent. I made my way over to my train. They allowed everyone to ride for free that day but still was almost entirely empty.

I arrived home and finally got to see the horrific images on the TV. A few of my friends who went to school a few blocks away from the Towers had walked all the way across the bridge to get back to Queens. I went online where I was bombarded with IMs asking if I was ok.

School was closed the next day and the smoke made its way over to my location. The day after, school resumed yet hardly anyone came in. The ride in was silent...

http://www.gametavern.net/comics/6.jpg

[Revival]

Originally posted by Danchastu
I went online where I was bombarded with IMs asking if I was ok.
You live in New York City, and you were in our thoughts.. that's a good thing. :D

[Gamer]

It doesnt seem like already half a year has passed since the towers fell...geeze, i remember the day, it was a wierd day. But hey, that also marks something good, it means that we are past half way through the school year ! :rolleyes:

[Xantar]

In times like this, I find it appropriate to curb my usual enthusiasm for long, drawn out posts. So I'll just say this:

The world was right when I walked into my English class. When I walked out, everything changed.

[Joeiss]

Originally posted by Xantar
In times like this, I find it appropriate to curb my usual enthusiasm for long, drawn out posts. So I'll just say this:

The world was right when I walked into my English class. When I walked out, everything changed.

Wow. A four sentence post by Xantar on a huge subject like this. :eek: I am shocked.

[GameMaster]

San Francisco schools were officially cancelled. I just got out the shower and my mom told me an attack had been launched on us in New York. At the time, we didn't what or who did it and if it would continue through the day or week. I stayed home from school and watched the whole day. From my television I saw the second tower get hit live. For months I heard speculation and updates on the war but it has come to a trickle now. Is he dead? Is he alive? I will never forget the feel of life loss. :( :confused:

[marionette]

all you people that heard in school are lucky. they "weren't allowed to tell us"..which sucks, because I went all day without knowing. I didn't find out about all of this until about 6:45/ and I walked into the house, and saw some buildings falling and I said, "what movie are you guys watching" and my mom was like, "they didn't tell you?!" and I was like, "tell me what! tell me what?" and she hugged me and said, "Terese, I'm sorry you didn't find out earlier, but 2 planes hit the twin towers, and the fell. and then another one hit the pentagon, and another somewhere else.." and I was like, "mom stop messing with me!" because my parents like to joke and see how gullible I am. and my mom was like, "no its no joke. look at the TV!!" and I just sat there in awe, for like the next 2 hours, watching the news. it was sad seeing the people jump out of the buildings. sad, sad, sad. I was all sad, confused, and furious at the same time..

[Joeiss]

Wow, that is weird that they didn't tell you at school, Marionette. I think that everybody has the right to know, or to be told about an event such as this.

Oh, and by the way, it looks like your brother has pulled you into the dark side of illiteracy! Like really, you are typing like NGC-Ruler... and it is weird. :eek:

[GameMaster]

If my school hadn't told me, I would have sued them for everything. You'd think after eating the hot lunch you were living in a third world country they'd be so sued. ;)

Seriously though, have you considered the option of suing?

[Joeiss]

Originally posted by Gamemaster2002
If my school hadn't told me, I would have sued them for everything. You'd think after eating the hot lunch you were living in a third world country they'd be so sued. ;)

Seriously though, have you considered the option of suing?

How the hell could you sue the school for not telling its students that a terrorist attack happened? I mean, that is really stupid. Imagine the court appearance! It would last two seconds. What would Terese be suing for? Lack of knowledge? Get real.

I don't mean to sound mean, but that arguement would never hold up in a court.

[Mechadragon]

I was in Algebra, we were taking notes with an overhead and the lights were off. Our Vice Principal came on the intercom and said that a tragedy has happened and for all the teachers to turn on their TV to CNN. I can't really remember my emotions to this. All I can remember is wondering if they would cancel school. I know I sound like a selfish ass, but its the truth. I don't remember seeing anybody crying that day. I know a few kids were taken out of class by their parents. They canceled our first football game that was scheduled for that day. None of my parents cried or anything. For some reason this didn't affect me very much. Makes me feel like an ass.....

[DeathsHand]

Originally posted by Mechadragon
For some reason this didn't affect me very much. Makes me feel like an ass.....

Same here... well err I don't really feel like an ass about it... When I went downstairs I was like "What's this?" and my dad said "terrorist attack... those buildings are both just piles of rubble now" (at the time I came downstairs, they were showing footage of when they were still standing, even though I woke up at like 2PM :D ) and he just let the news people say the rest... and I just said "That's crazy......" and then walked off and got something to eat and watched the news (I watch the news everyday... I wake up and turn on MSNBC... even before 9/11... I remember before then when it was all oo Aaliyah plane crash this, Chandra Levey that, and the Mitch Albom show was on MSNBC at 3PM each weekday (I'd watch it at lunch :p)... anyways...

I didn't cry or feel mad or anything... and the only worry I had was I knew that the person who lives accross the street has some sort of government job and he's in some sort of military-ish uniform, and he might have been in the pentagon... but I don't even know him very well...

I wasn't like "OOOHHHH WE'RE GOING TO KILL THOSE BASTARDS! WAR WAR WAR!" and I wasn't like "OMG this is terrible *cries cries cries*" I was just like "Errr this is bad" and I just had the news on all day for like 3 days... The only time I almost cried was like when I saw this list of names of people missing scrolling with this sad music playing...

But I could watch that special on CBS sunday... or any of that other footage... planes hitting the buildings... etc etc... the only thing I had trouble watching was people jumping... the first time I saw that it just sent a chill through my spine...

Basically... y'know how people can look back at wars now... or other terrible things where people died... and discuss it like it's some interesting little bit of information and they don't cry or anything like that...

That's how I see september 11th now... It's almost like I'm watching one of those things my dad watches on the history channel all the time... only it's very very recent... which makes it even more interesting, IMO...

I guess maybe if I had a close friend or relative that worked at the pentagon or WTC, or I went to public school and they had this big announcement and people were making a mega huge deal out of it right then and there when I was, I'd see things differently... but I was just a person used to watching the news too much everyday, not knowing anybody, and just finding the whole thing err... interesting... like it was a subject in history I was interested in...

and you know that in the future people will look back at the day and they wouldn't have been a part of it... it will be in history books and all that... and some people will find it an interesting subject just like Pearl Harbor and other major stuff like that... But I guess since I'm not all "GOD BLESS AMERICA!" and I don't know anybody who was there and... well I dunno...

Basically I know what happened was terrible, but I'm not all boo hoo or "graarr we will kill those camel humpers!" or all patriotic or whatever... so overall, I've already put it behind me and now it's almost like I'm some person watching documentaries on something that happened years ago... it didn't effect my life in any way... I'm still some 16 year old loner who stays up in his room all day ;)

My mom was very upset about it though... that made me feel bad... she was sitting there all perfectly fine and then all of a sudden she just said "Think of all those innocent people!" and starting crying a whole bunch and left the room... That made my eyes water not only because my mom was so upset, but because, just like when I saw the names of people scrolling on the screen, I really did think about all those people for a second...

But I'd rather not sit around and dwell and be all mad and sad about something that in no way effected my life... I wish MSNBC would go back to talking more about smaller stories and still showing the mitch albom show...

This is like my longest post in a long time :D

hopefully it won't "offend" anybody :unsure:

[Ric]

Nope I am not in the least bit offended by your post, your feelings and emotions are yours and I am glad you shared them with us. Just one thing though, Americans see it as an attack on 'them' and yet I grieve more than you do, strange.

Oh my god you didnt shrugg in that whole post.

[Revival]

Originally posted by Ric
Oh my god you didnt shrugg in that whole post.
Heh, but he still used :unsure:.. :D

[DeathsHand]

Originally posted by Ric
Oh my god you didnt shrugg in that whole post.

.... your point? *shrugs* :confused:

;)

"Nope I am not in the least bit offended by your post, your feelings and emotions are yours and I am glad you shared them with us. Just one thing though, Americans see it as an attack on 'them' and yet I grieve more than you do, strange."

Yeah I know, but y'know how some Americans are when it comes to stuff like this...

Just like if you say you don't like the Marines and you'd never sell your soul and join the army or marines or navy or anything, gekko freaks out and anybody else who's really into the country would start yelling "NO TEY AER FDENDING OUR FREDUM!"

I think it's sad that we have to defend freedom in the first place... *cough*

Anyways :p

Yeah I know what you mean about Americans thinking it's an attack on "them"... When there were citizens from like I heard something like 30+ countries killed in the attacks... Although most of people I think would be US peoples, not to mention those firefighters and such...

[marionette]

Originally posted by Joeiss


How the hell could you sue the school for not telling its students that a terrorist attack happened? I mean, that is really stupid. Imagine the court appearance! It would last two seconds. What would Terese be suing for? Lack of knowledge? Get real.

I don't mean to sound mean, but that arguement would never hold up in a court.

Yeah.. what he said. It's not worth the effort of suing, because it will never go on. I know they should of told us, and it did disappoint me, but that's in the past, and I can't change that. anyway, DH your post did not offend me, like I told you.

LoL joeiss. I have always been cursed from my brother, ask DH. I can't spell, but I guess I will start to use the spell checker. I don't want to pick up his reputation.
:)

[Yugi Starwind]

Here's what happened to me: I was home that day because I wasn't feeling well. I was flipping through channels when I saw it...the towers,the planes...everything that happened that day changed my outlook on life. And whats even freakier is my baby cousin's birthday was 9/11.

[Revival]

Your cousin's birthday is September 11th

-- or --

Your cousin's birthday was September 11th

It makes a difference.. :unsure:

[Yugi Starwind]

That is her birthday. she was born that day.

[GameMaster]

Is she destructive? ;)

[Ric]

Originally posted by Gamemaster2002
Is she destructive? ;)

Not funny, and I feel the joke is made in bad taste.

[Yugi Starwind]

No, she's energetic, but not even CLOSE to destructive.

[Revival]

I agree with Ric on this one, that was a bad and tasteless joke Gamemaster.

[Joeiss]

Meh, I found it funny, in a sick way.

[GameMaster]

Public Announcement:

I'm sorry. The joke I made earlier was sick, innappropiate, and not at all acceptable. I apologize to everyone I offended and and even to those who weren't. I hope you will all forgive me.

With Sincerity,
GameMaster

[Joeiss]

Originally posted by Gamemaster2002
Public Announcement:

I'm sorry. The joke I made earlier was sick, innappropiate, and not at all acceptable. I apologize to everyone I offended and and even to those who weren't. I hope you will all forgive me.

With Sincerity,
GameMaster

Don't worry. I forgive you. Even though I have nothing to forgive you about...

But I think that your words will be forgotten by all, so I doubt you have anything to worry about.

[Cyrax9]

I will never foget 9/11/01. I was woke up to get ready for my home instructor, and call my 3 year old cousin to wish her a happy birthday which was on 9/11. I went to take a shower, and my asking my mom to call my cousin, when she told me we have a bigger problem. I asked her "what is it, has somehting happend to the family?", because my grandmother on my dads side was, and is still very ill. She then told me "The US is now at war." I was shocked, and thought she was playing a very nasty and cruel practical joke on me, and I even remarked "Your making a sick joke, right?!?", because I was not sure if it was true. It was only after she told me to go into the computer room, that I found out it was real. I was stunned as I watched video footage of the first tower fall, and saw the plane crash into it. I felt sick to my stomach seeing all those people die. I was even more horrified when I saw live footage of the second tower collapse after the plane had hit it, at this point I wanted to puke, and I realized that the world we once knew, no longer existed, and that thousands of people had just died, and many more people would die in a war, I almost wanted to cancel my home insrtuction for the day, but I was behind as it was, from medical problems.

All I could think about the entire day was what happend, and I saw the video's of the planbe crases over and over in my head, thinking about all the innocent people who died because of a maniacal person who couldn't live peacfully. I watched the news the entire day until my teacher came, and I had my lesson, but we also put the news on from time-to-time to see what was going on.

When I finally went to bed that night, I realized the world had changed, cilvilians, firefighter's, police, and piolots had died. Two buldings were destored and one damaged, thousands had lost loved ones, and soon soldiars would be sent to fight in a war. The world would not be the same, and after the world returned to a semio-normal state, I thought to myself, maybe this is the kick in the rear the world needed to realize that people need to work together, it's just a shame so many people had to lose their lives for this. I fell asleep late that night, thinking about my 3 year old cousin, and how her birthday would forever be remembered as a day of tragedy for the US, and the modern world.

[GameMaster]

Yeah, this tradegy puts a real dampen on anyone who happens to have been born on this day. It's too bad. :(