That morning at about 5:45am local time my husband who was listening to the news on his earphones as he got ready for work, woke me and said, "A plane flew into the World Trade Center!" I responded, "You mean a terrorist attack?" He said, "I don't know." I jumped out of bed and switched on the TV.
I watched the confusing and terrible sight. I went and woke up my two elementary school age children and had them sit down and watch the TV, I told them that something really important and historic had just happened and they needed to remember. I kept them home from school that day. We watched as the 2nd plane hit.
I truly felt it in my psyche. Life took a hard turn that day. At first we had a surge of patriotism. Then, we willingly gave up important rights under the guise of 'national patriotism' and massive surveillance began 'against the bad actors', but we didn't know then what we'd done to ourselves. Then the false war started.
Following that day, I noticed a strange pall fell over everyone walking around in public spaces. Strangers didn't make eye contact or smile at each other anymore. People didn't greet each other in the elevators, at the grocery store or anywhere. Something changed. People became protective, suspicious. The joy we had as a nation was extinguished.
My daughter went to get her driver's license so she has a unique momento. My husband called me and told me what happened I was shocked and felt so vulnerable...was glued to the TV for weeks until I learned it was our own government that was the enemy...yes it is definitely before 9/11 and after 9/11...as shocking as JFK assassination...
Sitting in my third-grade classroom with my fellow classmates while our teacher Miss Westfall instructed our lesson. The wall speaker which was reserved for morning anouncements or to wish us happy holidays before Christmas break, came to life.
Our deep-voiced and kindly Principal was speaking. He told us of the tragedy that had just happened. My young teacher was visibly shocked. The Principal told the teachers to send all the students out to the playground for a recess until he could decide what to do.
As we young kids gathered on the playground, we felt a little excited and a little bit scared. We were too young to understand the importance and gravity of what had just happened.
We could see a huddle of female teachers crying and consoling each other outside the classrooms. We realized that This Was Bad.
We were called back in and told that we should run home as fast as we could and be with our mothers. And we did. Flying like the wind. A free half-day home. Yippee! Our mothers were all at home, as mothers were at the time and we found them in front of the TV or on the phone with a neighbor lady speaking in frantic tones. This was the old America where there were mothers at home and kids walked to school by themselves and one income was enough...
That morning at about 5:45am local time my husband who was listening to the news on his earphones as he got ready for work, woke me and said, "A plane flew into the World Trade Center!" I responded, "You mean a terrorist attack?" He said, "I don't know." I jumped out of bed and switched on the TV.
I watched the confusing and terrible sight. I went and woke up my two elementary school age children and had them sit down and watch the TV, I told them that something really important and historic had just happened and they needed to remember. I kept them home from school that day. We watched as the 2nd plane hit.
I truly felt it in my psyche. Life took a hard turn that day. At first we had a surge of patriotism. Then, we willingly gave up important rights under the guise of 'national patriotism' and massive surveillance began 'against the bad actors', but we didn't know then what we'd done to ourselves. Then the false war started.
Following that day, I noticed a strange pall fell over everyone walking around in public spaces. Strangers didn't make eye contact or smile at each other anymore. People didn't greet each other in the elevators, at the grocery store or anywhere. Something changed. People became protective, suspicious. The joy we had as a nation was extinguished.
And that was the first domino of many to come...
My daughter went to get her driver's license so she has a unique momento. My husband called me and told me what happened I was shocked and felt so vulnerable...was glued to the TV for weeks until I learned it was our own government that was the enemy...yes it is definitely before 9/11 and after 9/11...as shocking as JFK assassination...
Yes. I remember that, too. My memory is this:
Sitting in my third-grade classroom with my fellow classmates while our teacher Miss Westfall instructed our lesson. The wall speaker which was reserved for morning anouncements or to wish us happy holidays before Christmas break, came to life.
Our deep-voiced and kindly Principal was speaking. He told us of the tragedy that had just happened. My young teacher was visibly shocked. The Principal told the teachers to send all the students out to the playground for a recess until he could decide what to do.
As we young kids gathered on the playground, we felt a little excited and a little bit scared. We were too young to understand the importance and gravity of what had just happened.
We could see a huddle of female teachers crying and consoling each other outside the classrooms. We realized that This Was Bad.
We were called back in and told that we should run home as fast as we could and be with our mothers. And we did. Flying like the wind. A free half-day home. Yippee! Our mothers were all at home, as mothers were at the time and we found them in front of the TV or on the phone with a neighbor lady speaking in frantic tones. This was the old America where there were mothers at home and kids walked to school by themselves and one income was enough...
Later, we'd understand.
Yes...how well I remember...I was in 7th grade but we didn't get to go home...we just sat in school numb...and cried...