4 20 2325 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource "September 11: Bearing Witness to History" Stories Submitted Online Description An account of the resource Visitors to the Smithsonian National Museum of American History's, "Bearing Witness to History" online exhibition submitted these reflections beginning in 2002. NMAH Story NMAH Story: Story How did you witness history on September 11th? Share your experience. I remember September 11th very clearly. I was in my 2nd period class which was ending and all of a sudden my principal runs in and says "STOP EVERYTHING, TURN ON YOUR TV!!!" At the time I had no idea what was happening. As I watched my teatcher turn on the TV a lot was running through my mind. On the tv at the sight of the TWIN TOWERES, I remember the news casters just shouting and going through a lot of chaos. A lot of smoke and everything. It was actually very hard to make out what was happening. The bell range... As I proceeded to my next class I started to think about my family wondering if they were ok. In my next class my classmates and I looked at the tv. As I was watching and looking at the tower that just had been hit, I said to myself" Awww... the pilot didn't see the towers maybe his glasses fell off or something but then as I looked I then witnessed the next plane go straight into the next tower... NMAH Story: Life Changed Has your life changed because of September 11, 2001? If so, tell us how. In some way it has. As I slept on the night of Sept. 11th I thought that something would happen. I know longer felt safe in my own home... NMAH Story: Remembered What do you think should be remembered about September 11th? Definatly the people who died, the people who risked their lives, and their familys. NMAH Story: Flag Did you fly an American flag after the events of September 11th? Have your feelings about the American flag changed as a result of September 11th? Yes, I flew the flag HIGHT AND PROUDLY!Myfamily and I went out and brought several flags. Currently as I write there is a flag hanging on my door. I AM AN AMERICAN!!!!! Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource nmah3267.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. story Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2002-09-11 IP Address The IP address of the device used to submit the item. 209.204.95.2 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource "September 11: Bearing Witness to History" Stories Submitted Online Description An account of the resource Visitors to the Smithsonian National Museum of American History's, "Bearing Witness to History" online exhibition submitted these reflections beginning in 2002. NMAH Story NMAH Story: Story How did you witness history on September 11th? Share your experience. i saw it on the tv in my art class. i didnt see the first plane hit but i saw footage after it hit. the teacher let us finish some of our art projects but most of us just watched the sights of the massive building burning. about half way throught the class the next plane hit which really caught my attention. then the pentagon got hit and then we had to go to history class. at history the teacher had us watch what was happening. i was a lil scared but i was kinda mixed up about this happening. NMAH Story: Life Changed Has your life changed because of September 11, 2001? If so, tell us how. NMAH Story: Remembered What do you think should be remembered about September 11th? the people who died and the day should be honored for there lives that were takin in this horrific day NMAH Story: Flag Did you fly an American flag after the events of September 11th? Have your feelings about the American flag changed as a result of September 11th? yeah i did but we need to get over it and one cant dwell on the past Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource nmah3182.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. story Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2002-09-11 IP Address The IP address of the device used to submit the item. 64.83.143.13 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource "September 11: Bearing Witness to History" Stories Submitted Online Description An account of the resource Visitors to the Smithsonian National Museum of American History's, "Bearing Witness to History" online exhibition submitted these reflections beginning in 2002. NMAH Story NMAH Story: Story How did you witness history on September 11th? Share your experience. I was at high school walking to my next class which was competitive forensics and a friend came up to me and told me that a plane had crashed into one of the World Trade Towers in New York. I didn't really believe him, or if I did it, I thought that it would have been a small plane. Then I got to class and my teacher had the TV on and was watching the live coverage. I just remember being like "It isn't that bad. Sure there is alot of smoke but it is still standing and everything." I watched live coverage as the second plane hit the second tower and as both towers fell. More than anything I was just in disbelief. I just kept repeating to myself that it couldn't be real and that this couldn't be happening. We sat there and watched for two hours (I skipped the my next class). NMAH Story: Life Changed Has your life changed because of September 11, 2001? If so, tell us how. Well, obviously the things that everyone has to go through. Like extra security and all of that. More personally then that though it has prompted me to take political science courses both at the University of Wyoming (my home university) and at the University of Otago in Dunedin, New Zealand where I am studying abraid. It has made me want to learn about the complex situation that exsist in the Middle East and why there is tension and conflict between the United States and different political groups. NMAH Story: Remembered What do you think should be remembered about September 11th? I think that the workers (both during and after) in New York should be remembered and honored. And the general out pour of sympathy and support that come from all over the US and the world. In addition, I think we need to remember the history that led to this event. Both within the last decade all the way back to the turn of the century. We need to remember what action and policies in our past contributed to this tragedy. We need to remember that not all threats are external and that in addition to looking for justice outside of our nation, we need to look inside our beliefs and values as a nation as see if there aren't things that we need to change. NMAH Story: Flag Did you fly an American flag after the events of September 11th? Have your feelings about the American flag changed as a result of September 11th? I did not fly a flag after 9/11, and really my feelings about the flag haven't changed. It is a symbol, I certainly have new images attached to the symbol (such as the flag being flow over the rumble of the towers) but I still see it as just a symbol. It is no more important now then it was before. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource nmah6583.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. story Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2004-09-02 IP Address The IP address of the device used to submit the item. 139.80.123.40 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource "September 11: Bearing Witness to History" Stories Submitted Online Description An account of the resource Visitors to the Smithsonian National Museum of American History's, "Bearing Witness to History" online exhibition submitted these reflections beginning in 2002. NMAH Story NMAH Story: Story How did you witness history on September 11th? Share your experience. that morning I started my job I was a delivery driver started work at 3:30 am that morning it was like any other day got in my truck and started to make my deliveries right before this all started to happen I had been in one of the stores that I delivered to and I got done there and I started down the road to my next stop I had my radio on listening to some music when the report came in that the plane had hit the world trade center had kind of a sick feeling in my stomach at the time then it seemed that my heart was very sorrowfull then as I listened then another report came in that another plane hit the second bld and that is when I felt that this was no acciedent and then i herd about the other plane hitting the pentagon bld and then the other plane crashing then I started thinking about the people children firefighter police who was hurt the people in the buildings who was alive who lost their life i thought about the people that were on the planes when you hear about things that happened that day all kinds of things go through your mind and then when you get home and turn the tv on and see before your eyes what is reported it sinks in. NMAH Story: Life Changed Has your life changed because of September 11, 2001? If so, tell us how. NMAH Story: Remembered What do you think should be remembered about September 11th? The people who lost their lives the famlies and loved one all the ones that helped all the emergency people police fire doctors ect but most of all the children all that lost their lives in the trade center blds the ones that were on the planes if you have loved ones hug them and tell them that you love them while there still here. NMAH Story: Flag Did you fly an American flag after the events of September 11th? Have your feelings about the American flag changed as a result of September 11th? yes and it is still old glory Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource nmah411.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. story Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2002-08-24 IP Address The IP address of the device used to submit the item. 205.188.208.134 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource "September 11: Bearing Witness to History" Stories Submitted Online Description An account of the resource Visitors to the Smithsonian National Museum of American History's, "Bearing Witness to History" online exhibition submitted these reflections beginning in 2002. NMAH Story NMAH Story: Story How did you witness history on September 11th? Share your experience. I was in my van heading for school after a trip to the dentist office. I am lessening to NPR (National Public Radio), and I hear that a terrorist attack has happened on the world trade center. It is short before 9am just about 8 minutes until the president will hear about the attack. I thought nothing of it really until I got to school and heard it was not bomb, but 4 airplanes that had been hijacked. One into the North Tower, One for the South, One for the Pentagon, and One crashing in the middle of a field. I find it weird that I will hear about before or president and this good or bad? Of all the planes the one that landed in the field will be the hardest question for me answer about the 11th. Would I have the courage to crash that plane to prevent the attack or live a few more hours to save my life. NMAH Story: Life Changed Has your life changed because of September 11, 2001? If so, tell us how. Yes. It makes me ask mself life or death "what if"'s everyday. NMAH Story: Remembered What do you think should be remembered about September 11th? NEVER BE COCKY!!! NMAH Story: Flag Did you fly an American flag after the events of September 11th? Have your feelings about the American flag changed as a result of September 11th? Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource nmah6379.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. story Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2003-12-11 IP Address The IP address of the device used to submit the item. 24.163.67.169 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource "September 11: Bearing Witness to History" Stories Submitted Online Description An account of the resource Visitors to the Smithsonian National Museum of American History's, "Bearing Witness to History" online exhibition submitted these reflections beginning in 2002. NMAH Story NMAH Story: Story How did you witness history on September 11th? Share your experience. I learned of the 1st plane as I sat in my hot tub listening to NPR news on headphones, but then I took them off and got dressed and drove to the BART station. I read my book on the train, and as I came out of the station onto Market Street, I overheard a couple of people say something about a 2nd Plane. And there were lots of people on the street outside the Mills Building (Stock Exchange and Options Traders) almost all in animated conversation and/or on cell phones. A couple of minutes later my wife called my cell and asked where I was - I told her I was in the City on my way to the Main Office. She told me of the attack on the 2 towers, said she had seen the 2nd plane hit. She told me to stay away from the BofA Building! I was standing at the street light waiting to cross the intersection next to the tallest building in San Francisco, the 52-story Bank of America Building. She said to get away, as there were still several planes that had not landed as a result of the FAA immediate grounding order, and one of them was a San Francisco bound (Flight 92). NMAH Story: Life Changed Has your life changed because of September 11, 2001? If so, tell us how. Yes. I have not taken down our American Flag. I still don't know what the terrorists meant to prove. I understand that all extremism that involves hurting or killing other people is the greatest sin. I understand that Muslim societies in most of the Middle East are where the religion IS the state. I recognize that in the US, and most Western societies, where religion and the state are seperate, is correct. I clearly see that any religion can only, by its very nature, try to impose its dogma and doctrine when it has the power of the state as well. I do not blame Islam, I blame all extremists. And really only those who would use their religion as a reason for harming, hurting or killing others. Religion that does this is a pariah, as it violates the only and single true moral absolute - the Golden Rule. But we cannot war against a religion, as it isn't a thing, it is a belief. We can only seek and demand justice for the wrong acts done to others in the name of any religion. NMAH Story: Remembered What do you think should be remembered about September 11th? That the freedom our society and nation has, the very thing that makes us who we are, also makes us vulnerable to these attacks. We must remember that the guilty are still out there, and any deviation from finding them and bringing them to justice is wrong. Pre-emptive wars, to change one set of despotic leaders, are secondary. We must recognize that soverign nations that harbor terrorists are not our enemy, only those in that country who allow it. But we must find and punish Bin Laden and his cabal, nothing else is as important as that. NMAH Story: Flag Did you fly an American flag after the events of September 11th? Have your feelings about the American flag changed as a result of September 11th? Haven't stopped flying it. Nothing has changed. I understand the dynamics of our nation are such that there are those who have the mindset and the freedom to burn it. Just like the freedom the terrorists used to enable them to set fire to the WTC and the Pentagon. If my falg was burned, I would just put up another one. That's what we should do in lower Manhattan. Put up two (or more) even taller buildings (or towers that reach as high - that will act as a reminder of what was lost, what was gained, and what we stand for. Memorialize the site. It is the right thing, and a tall structure, even taller than WTC 1 and 2 is needed. We didn't leave the hole in the Pentagon, did we? Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource nmah1497.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. story Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2002-09-08 IP Address The IP address of the device used to submit the item. 12.65.168.247 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource "September 11: Bearing Witness to History" Stories Submitted Online Description An account of the resource Visitors to the Smithsonian National Museum of American History's, "Bearing Witness to History" online exhibition submitted these reflections beginning in 2002. NMAH Story NMAH Story: Story How did you witness history on September 11th? Share your experience. I have already given a detailed account of my experiences regarding September 11th, and I received an email requesting permission for the Library of Congress to display it, and also an invitation to write more, if I like. So here I am. I may write more later, but I will tell you what's gone on, briefly, since then. NMAH Story: Life Changed Has your life changed because of September 11, 2001? If so, tell us how. I have, since the moment the first plane struck on 9/11, felt "called" by my late Uncle Felix's spirit, to seek enlightenment. I was far away at the time, in Vienna, which is where my father and my Uncle Felix were born, on the advice of a Vedic monk named Maya Ma. My Uncle Felix's spirit was standing right before me, practically, and he said, "I knew how to make money, but I wasn't happy, and you're smart to want to seek enlightenment." Since then, that has become my calling, but it's been slow-going and painful, at times. I have post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which doesn't make it any easier. In fact, the terrorist attacks of 9/11 have only added to my sense of insecurity and these wars for oil Bush wages do not make me feel any safer. They do not protect us, and frankly, I feel scared to share this with you, since so many of our "inalienable" rights as US citizens have been taken from us, courtesy of the Patriot Act. I have had a number of spiritual teachers since then, "most notably," perhaps, Amma, "the hugging saint of India," and also Thich Nhat Hanh, among others. I was just rejected, though, for the three-month winter retreat, because I fell in love with a man I deemed "too young" for me, David Viaforo, and they didn't like that at the monastery. I found this particularly disappointing, since I spent most of the past year, trying to "integrate" into that community, as a resident at one of Thay's (we call Thich Nhat Hanh, Thay, for short) centers. At first, I went to Deer Park Monastery in Escondido, which is in Southern California, for two weeks, on a "trial basis," and while I had a fairly good time there, monastics recommended I go to Plum Village, which is in the South of France, and where he lives in exile with his senior disciple, Sister Chan Khong, from Vietnam for opposing the war there in the 60s. I did go, in the spring, for another two weeks, and while it was recommended I return, I did not, as my mother then told me she'd rather I didn't live in another country, so I returned, never to go back. I waited until fall of this past year to go back to Deer Park, as Thay, Sister Chan Khong, and the sangha from many of his centers were on tour in the US in the summer and Deer Park was closed to the public at that time. I then asked, informally, if I could attend the two-month practice period at Green Gulch Farm Zen Center, since it is very near where I live, and I used to go there frequently. But, like before, in the fall of 2001, when I filed an application for a price, I was rejected--presumably because I have PTSD, but it wasn't clear. I missed Amma's 50th birthday celebrations in Kochin, India, which millions of people attended, but it wouldn't have been easy to go, according to my chart, from what my Vedic astrologer, Prasannan, told me. I didn't actually end up going, because of poor planning--leaving getting a visa until I thought it was "too late," though I later heard I could get one expedited, as it usually takes a month. I'd felt alienation from Amma and her community about the time my mother got breast cancer in the fall of 2002. Among other things, someone black and poor came into the San Francisco satsang, saying he had cancer and needed $35 to get to a hospice in Oregon. No one I spoke to that night believed him but me, and while he may have been lying, as he later came into a soup kitchen in the city, where Amma devotees volunteer--I used to be one of them, before all this happened--I still want to give him the benefit of the doubt, since cancer is an epidemic in this part of the country. He was the only black person to come into that satsang in the year I attended regularly, and I'd wonder why that was the case, when in he walked with the note he handed to me, as if he could read my mind. It was for this reason that I felt Dr. King's birthday should be celebrated in Amma's temple in San Ramon, but that story is coming up in a moment. Marin County, where I live, has the highest rates of breast, testicular, prostate, and brain cancer in the country, and it is very scary, as the pristine area where I live, Muir Beach, has high bacteria level in the water of its only tributary, Redwood Creek, and the trees cut in the name of wildfire management have been painted with round-up, a deadly herbicide. Much of the cancer is attributed to environmental causes, so I have extra cause for alarm. I did go on tour this summer, briefly, with Amma--both to her San Ramon ashram, nearby, and also to LA, where she gave programs and a retreat. I had, by the way, toured with Amma in 2002--that is when I began to do so. First, in the summer, when I went to 7 out of 11 cities in the US, including NYC and DC, where I saw the "site," as where TWC was is now called, and also the Pentagon, which I'd never been to before, but I've worked for, long ago, as a civilian, indirectly. I left prayers for peace there, and it is my sincere hope that peace comes, as no one wants these wars for oile Bush wages--not even Bush himself, but he doesn't know that yet. :) In the fall, I went to Michigan and San Ramon, both cities on Amma's US tour, but that is about the time the proverbial crap hit the fan when it came to my Mom's breast cancer. I sort of feel like the government should be sponsoring my quest to seek enlightenment. My calling, in that moment the first plane struck is about the only one of its kind I've heard of, though I know many people have felt more spiritually inclined since then. In fact, I was just reading an article about Attorney General Ashkroft, which said how "religious" he and Bush are, but really, if they were, would all this bombing have occurred? You have to stop and think... In 1994, I lost my last full-time job, because I love everyone too much to work for the military anymore. Some time prior to that, I'd gotten deathly ill while working on a "missile deployment" proposal for Synergy, a government contractor in DC, as a consultant, which was what I did then, and I guess I still do, in my own way. In LA, too, I had a chance to meet Leonardo DiCaprio, as per "premonition dreams" that began about the time Mom had breast cancer, but it was not meant to be. He and Martin Scorcese were "too busy" working on their latest project about Howard Hughes' life, and Leo ditched his own fundraiser he was to host with Gale Anne Hurd, an executive producer, who was once married to James Cameron, who directed "Titanic"--about which I've had many "premonition dreams"--for Reef Check, a UCLA institution. His mother, Irmelin DiCaprio, was on the board for the event, and when I asked where she was, during the VIP party after the Greg MacGillivray premiere of "Coral Reef Adventure" in IMAX at Universal City Walk, I was told she flew her own mother home to Germany that night. It's an "irony," as my own mother is from Koningsberg, on the Baltic Sea (?), but it has since been renamed Kaliningrad, I believe, after the Wall. While in LA, I rather hesitantly asked Amma if I could go to India to try living there and get the health care I like. One "revelation" I had in Plum Village was when I was "touching the Earth," for my land ancestors. While I am a first-generation American, born here, I felt like I'd be abandoning my homeland if I left here, so that is a consideration, too. Amma has an Ayurveda center in India, and since I have no health insurance and insurance doesn't usually cover such things, anyway, I haven't had panchakarma, which is a rejuvenative and detoxification method used by the sages for millenium--not since before my Mom had breast cancer, anyway. I used to get it seasonally for years, staring more or less in late 1996, when my Uncle Felix died while on a tour of Cairo, Egypt, with my aunt Melida. He hada heart attack a day or so after she broke her arm, while children were playing with a ball that knocked her over. He died within hours of reaching the hospital, and she had to ship his body home in a special coffin, as Egyptian authorities did not let her cremate his remains. And she knew no Arabic, which is the native language, so it was a traumatic time--for her, especially. I've also been "frozen" with fear, and I haven't even had a thermogram, which, from what I understand, is superior to a mammogram, in that it uses infrared heat and not radiation and is far more effective at spotting breast cancer. I recently attended a free talk about this by a leading expert, Dr. Phil Hoekstra, who came to Mill Valley all the way from Michigan, to be at Beth McDougall's Clear Center for Health, there. Amma said yes. I did, however, recently finally file for some health insurance with Blue Cross, and my case is pending, after many mix-ups, regarding my wonderful therapist, Soonja Kim-Raynor, who works with "undermothered women." I had been suicidally depressed this holiday season, what with Mom not letting me come visit for that, for the first time in my life, and she helped a lot by calling her long distance and talking to her over the phone for some time--my father, too. We will have a follow-up session, the three of us, next week, and I hope it will be good. I do hope to get some health insurance soon. I have since then developed some "cold feet," regarding going to India to live--notice I did not go for her 50th birthday, and that was a chance in a lifetime. I have heard it is hot and dirty and there is a lot of poverty, among other things. I do not consider myself that devoted to Amma, at present, though I may be, one day, again. I don't attend satsang or do seva, which is selfless service, regularly, anymore, though I am working on a book about my experiences as her devotee. It may become a post-9/11 thing, since I got my "calling" to seek enlightenment shortly thereafter, "by chance." Living there, however, would be a "viable alternative" to me living here, since at present, my funds are down, due to the recession after the terrorist attacks and wars Bush wages for oil, and the cost of living at Amma's main ashram are low, to say the least. I understand the market is up the last year, as my financial advisor, Alison Sullivan, has put it--but what I inherit is down, due to the past three years' losses, apparently, according to my mother, who handles these things. I do wish I'd been more wise with my money all this time, as I'd be far better off, had that been the case. I never was compensated for surviving the terrorist attacks of 9/11, even though my flights home via London on the 14th were canceled after that, and it took five days for my parents to arrange for new ones, as I couldn't get through on the phone to Virgin Atlantic, which flew me from London to the Bay area, where two of the planes were headed that day. I had "premonition dreams" about flying on that airline, and I made special arrangements to do that, since its owner, Richard Branson, was friends with Diana, Princess of Wales, and I had a lot of nightmares about her, ever since she died, out on a date, chased to death by the paparazzi, with her boyfriend, Dodi Fayed. In fact, I re-visited Althorp that year, just prior to my returning to Vienna, after 28 years away, finally--and I also did some charity work for the Foundation for Women's Health, Research, and Development, which is opposed to female genital mutilation, a cause of which I've been very supportive, over the years. If I didn't live here, too, I could theoretically finally stop driving my "gas-guzzling" car, a Nissan Sentra, which gets 30 mpg. One interesting thing I learned at Leo's website-he has his own charitable foundation for environmental causes--is something his friend, Bobby Kennedy, Jr. writes of, too--that if we all drove cars that got 40 mpg, then we'd break dependency on foreign oil, and these nasty wars Bush insists on waging for it would cease to "have a cause." The famed poet, June Jordan, died of breast cancer in June of 2002, and I didn't find out for about a year after that--not until I went to a Breast Cancer Action town meeting in Oakland and her long-time collaborator, Adrienne Torf, played a piano piece for the occasion. The keynote speaker for it was Faith Fancher, the TV news journalist who made a series on her own illness. She died last year, I read in the newspaper near New Year's Day. In regards to what I wrote earlier, I have requested, two years running now, that Dr. King's birthday holiday be observed in Amma's main temple in the US, at the M.A. Center in San Ramon. Last year, this was not granted, though Amma just won the Gandhi-King Award in Geneva at the first conference for women religious and spiritual leaders the UN held there. This past year, Yolanda King, having met Amma in LA, "by chance," last summer--after I engaged in a discussion with Amma about all this at Q&A in San Ramon, during a retreat--gave a speech at her 50th birthday in India. And this month, just yesterday, in fact, her head monk, Br. Dayamrita at the ashram in San Ramon, "granted" me the opportunity to bring a short video, "I Have a Dream," to the temple, and it was run there after the talk and devotional singing, which I found less than satisfactory, but gratifying, nonetheless. Dr. King's work took on new meaning for me about the time my mother had breast cancer. Then, my faith was shaken, and I found myself returning to my spiritual roots, which are Judeo-Christian in heritage, but agnostic by upbringing. I consider Dr. King one of my greatest Christian teachers. My father, for one, was involved in the Civil Rights movement when the assassination occurred. He'd been professor at Howard University in the 60s, and our family moved to the DC area not long before that, so he could take the job in German literature. Shortly after that, he had a series of ulcers and retired from teaching altogether at age 54 or so, and my mother, who had been home-schooled in the jungles of Puyo, Ecuador, since they are both Holocaust survivors and she escaped rather young, went to work as an accountant, which is the best work she could find, under the circumstances. My father then began, out of frustration, to be physically and verbally abusive, and though he is an old man, now, he still is prone to being tyrannical, in word, if not in deed. He's also just had a major stroke, and I was not permitted to come visit this past Christmas, nor at my birthday in July, though my guru expressly wanted me to. I live on the West coast and my family of origin lives near DC, still, as I wrote before. I will admit that an agnostic upbringing is not much to return to, but that is why Buddhism had appealed to me, since it is non-theistic by nature. I began to go to a Jewish renewal group, led by Rabbi Michael Lerner, called Beyt Tikkun. But just the other day, he had me leave the annual meeting, because I was not a due-paying member, yet. I had considered joining, and he had led me to believe it was OK for people in my boat to attend, so I was shocked he'd do that to me there. I was the only one. I wonder how many others were not due-paying members, but kept their mouths shut. Also, on November 15th, this past fall, I attended a concert ritual, held by Jennifer Berezan and friends at the Scottish Rite Temple, in Oakland, called, "Praises for the World." I went with her and Joan Marler to visit ancient temples to the Goddess on Malta in the summer of 2000, before all this disaster struck. And while I had a good time, I also did not feel "healed," as I sometimes do as an Amma devotee, though the going can be very rocky, indeed. In fact, I have sometimes wanted to return to graduate school, but I never did, as I was put on academic probation last time, for stress, before I knew I had PTSD, and I never returned to finish the master's degree I sought in expressive therapies, at the time, 1995. I had moved to Massachusetts, then, from the DC area, and that was very hard. I do prefer the weather here, as it is much milder than what I grew up with and had in Massachusetts and NY, when I lived there, too. Anyway, I feel like I'd need to "be over" the PTSD, pretty much for good, to go back to graduate school, if I ever do, though I don't know if that is the case. I would focus in something more aligned with my "calling," now, I believe, if I ever do that. In the spring of 2002, I met up again with Swamini Mayatitananda, or Maya Ma, as she is called. She was keynote speaker at the California Association of Ayurvedic Medicine's conference in Berkeley. There, she agreed to take me as a student at her Wise Earth School of Ayurveda in Candler, North Carolina, but I never did go that fall. I opted, instead, to go on retreat once more with Thay and Sister Chan Khong at UCSD, where I re-newed the five mindfulness trainings I took the previous year, before the attacks. One of them is a commitment not to kill, even in one's mind, and that can be hard--that latter part, anyway, for me, personally. I never kill anyone in reality. So, that is "it," in a nutshell. Pretty sad stuff, huh? I never really did feel like I "fulfilled" this calling I so clearly got on 9/11, the moment the first plane struck. Over two years have passed since then, and my interest in this is waning and has, pretty much, since my mother's breast cancer, which is better, by the way, after two lumpectomies and a botched radiation treatment. I do feel, though, that seeking enlightenment is "life's highest goal," and that I keep trying, no matter what. I keep thinking that my Uncle Felix's spirit, because of how he worded it, meant for me to be Thay's student and live in, say, Plum Village, where the system in France, for one, is much more sustainable and saner than the one here. I feel far safer and saner there, frankly, what with the government and major media so vocally opposed to the wars Bush wages for oil. In fact, early on in my mother's breast cancer, I had a "premonition dream" that Amma was like the rising sun, smiling on a symbol of the Eiffel Tower, only people lived there, in an array of dwellings held aloft by cables underneath. I took this as a symbol of Plum Village at the time, but now, I wonder if it wasn't meant to be her ashram in France, which is an ancient manor, her main center in Europe. Maybe one day, I will "find the way." I want to admit, though, that since becoming devoted to Amma in the summer of 2001, which is when I first got darshan from her, several of my long-standing ailments have cleared up, including quite severe back pain from spondilylothesis, starting back in the early 90s, after a car accident, I think. And more "miraculous" than that is the fact that, lately, sometimes for a week or so, some of my major PTSD symptoms "clear up" for a time, so that is good. I am hoping that will continue to the point that there is no need for a "reprieve," and I will be "cured." I truly believe that healing is possible, and I'm not sure if my satguru, Amma, instigates this, though many such miracles are attributed to her, daily. She says they are "illusory," though, and I believe that, as well. I also believe that peace is possible and, obviously, war is not the answer, as Bush seems to think. P.S. I wish I could attach my book, when it is done, as it may turn out to be interesting to you there. Please consider arranging for such an option at your website. I have since revised a copy of an earlier book of poems I wrote, "Cherry Tree Lane," dedicated to the Princess of Wales and Mother Teresa, who inspired me to self-publish it for charity. Since I mostly just gave it away, it ended up costing me money, and back when I had more, I set up my own charitable fund named after myself, which I've since closed, due to the recession and financial hardship. I sent Richard Branson a copy, along with a tape about Mumia Abu-Jamal, on death row, still, for a crime he didn't commit--killing a police officer named Daniel Faulkner. And while his death sentence was lifted in the winter of 2001--after I gave up hope he'd be released, because of the terrorist attacks and war Bush waged in Afghanistan (though none of the hijackers were from there)--he still remains on death row, physically, and his state Supreme Court appeal last fall was denied. How this could be, I don't know, since he is innocent. I gave Amma the depostions in his case early on--during my second darshan, in fact--and in them, the real killer, Arnold Beverly, confessed to being hired by the mob to do this awful thing. Apparently, the police were in on it, too, and the FBI. Branson, by the way, never published my book, though his Virgin enterprises could and sell it and the film, too. NMAH Story: Remembered What do you think should be remembered about September 11th? Everything that is of importance--for me, personally, see above. NMAH Story: Flag Did you fly an American flag after the events of September 11th? Have your feelings about the American flag changed as a result of September 11th? No, I am not a flag-waver, and it is my God-given right as a US citizen not to be one. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource nmah6409.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. story Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2004-01-18 IP Address The IP address of the device used to submit the item. 66.81.218.139 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource "September 11: Bearing Witness to History" Stories Submitted Online Description An account of the resource Visitors to the Smithsonian National Museum of American History's, "Bearing Witness to History" online exhibition submitted these reflections beginning in 2002. NMAH Story NMAH Story: Story How did you witness history on September 11th? Share your experience. On September 11th 2001 I was in school and I remeber thinking How could this Happen to us? Then I thought of my Brother, who was working in Canada at the time and was being restationed in New York the next day. I just wanted him to come home. So I would know he was safe and My mom would calm down at least a little. As far back as I can remember I have never witnessed anything as sad and and scary. The feelings I had that day will stay with me forever. NMAH Story: Life Changed Has your life changed because of September 11, 2001? If so, tell us how. Yes, My life has changed in a tremendous way. I used to love to travel and now i am almost to scared to leave my home state. I would not get on a plane now if my life depended on it. There is just to much that could happen. I dont want anyone in my family to ever set foot on another plane. It is just to terrifying to think that my family or I could be gone just like that. NMAH Story: Remembered What do you think should be remembered about September 11th? Mostly I think that the lives lost should be remembered the most. Buildings can be replaced but people cant. NMAH Story: Flag Did you fly an American flag after the events of September 11th? Have your feelings about the American flag changed as a result of September 11th? Yes, My family flew a flag after the attacks. I now feel more pride in the flag. I feel that it stands for more now. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource nmah5394.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. story Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2003-01-09 IP Address The IP address of the device used to submit the item. 168.11.56.10 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource "September 11: Bearing Witness to History" Stories Submitted Online Description An account of the resource Visitors to the Smithsonian National Museum of American History's, "Bearing Witness to History" online exhibition submitted these reflections beginning in 2002. NMAH Story NMAH Story: Story How did you witness history on September 11th? Share your experience. I was living my everyday life and I heard the horrible tragedy NMAH Story: Life Changed Has your life changed because of September 11, 2001? If so, tell us how. My life has not changed as a result of 9-11. NMAH Story: Remembered What do you think should be remembered about September 11th? About the unity of the nation. NMAH Story: Flag Did you fly an American flag after the events of September 11th? Have your feelings about the American flag changed as a result of September 11th? I didn't an American flag after 9-11. But my feelings about the flag has deepend. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource nmah755.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. story Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2002-09-03 IP Address The IP address of the device used to submit the item. 208.162.207.172 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource "September 11: Bearing Witness to History" Stories Submitted Online Description An account of the resource Visitors to the Smithsonian National Museum of American History's, "Bearing Witness to History" online exhibition submitted these reflections beginning in 2002. NMAH Story NMAH Story: Story How did you witness history on September 11th? Share your experience. I witnessed history on september 11th when i was in 2nd period at school. I was a teachers aide and my friend ran in and told me what had happened. There wasnt a t.v in the classroom so we walked across the hall into a different classroom to watch the news and to see what was going on. Everyone watching the t.v was silent no one could say anything everyone was in shock, and couldn't believe what had happened. As I looked around the room no one would say anything, we all just sat there we didn't know what to do or think it was a horrible feeling. NMAH Story: Life Changed Has your life changed because of September 11, 2001? If so, tell us how. I think my life has changed because of September 11th. I think after this whole thing happened everyone had a lot more respect for people and everyone was willing to do all they could do to help everyone out. I think everyone in the United States has been affected by this whole thing. NMAH Story: Remembered What do you think should be remembered about September 11th? I think everything should be remembered about 9/11. I think we need to remember family and friends that were killed during the attacks, we should remember doctors, fire fighters, and everyone else that went to the twin towers and helped. We need to remember everything and everyone that was involved in 9/11. NMAH Story: Flag Did you fly an American flag after the events of September 11th? Have your feelings about the American flag changed as a result of September 11th? We fly an American flag now after the events of September 11th. I have always saw the flag as a sign of freedom. But, now after the events of 9/11 my feelings are stronger, when i look at the flag now it really brings a whole new feeling to me, it reminds me of how the United States has stuck together through all these hard times the past year, and brings a whole new meaning to me when i see the American Flag now. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource nmah2558.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. story Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2002-09-10 IP Address The IP address of the device used to submit the item. 66.144.13.254 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource "September 11: Bearing Witness to History" Stories Submitted Online Description An account of the resource Visitors to the Smithsonian National Museum of American History's, "Bearing Witness to History" online exhibition submitted these reflections beginning in 2002. NMAH Story NMAH Story: Story How did you witness history on September 11th? Share your experience. The story of two companies GovPX and GARBAN Ed Jerlin of Garban was ready to transition the real time GARBAN-GSCC link into production. GSCC and GARBAN records matched for a four days in a row. This was on September 10th. For all of us at vFission a start up this was to be a new beginning. Significant! A completed project for a major financial firm now known as GARBAN ICAP. GARBAN was housed in 26th floor of the North Tower. I, Raman Kannan, a part time employee of world's greatest firm GovPX Inc, a part time consultant of vFission, was to be at GARBAN on September 11th finalizing the production environment for this application. Ed Jerlin and Gordon Skidds CTO of Garban had patiently trained us with their data formats, processes, network of systems etc. I had never attended any after work school events with my kids. I am not sure how why I attended the Back to School night at the Holmdel Satz Middle school on September 10th. I was late and missed my usual train into Manhatten leaving Middletown train station at 6:42 AM. If I missed that train I had the habit of taking the next best express leaving Middletown at 8:11. I was on that train reviewing list of critical resources and tasks needed for a succesful launch. This train used to terminate at Newark Penn Station and I would normally take the PATH into World Trace Center. What gracious buildings they were. In the busy life I lead never had the time to stop and enjoy the beauty they offered. Never questioned their existence. When I got out of the train my cell was ringing and there was huge crowd. At first, I had taken it for usual delay we had become used to at the PATH. But then there were loud announcements, mostly inaudible. My wife on the phone was commanding me back home. Everything was quite unusal. So I decided to take the express back to Middletown leaving right after 8:50 AM. I shared that car with 10 others. I had a radio and was relaying back all the radio news broadcast. There was no doubt that this was the work of terrorists. Past Rahway station we could not see anything until my station arrived. When I came home around 9:52 I found something very wrong with the TV picture. A whole tower was missing. I kept asking my wife what happened. My thoughts immediately razed to Rich Bonnecki and Don Laster at Garban. Rich and I shared the same town with almost identical spirit. Don had earned my respect as a superlative technician practicing very rigorous discipline of software engineering. I thought about these two in particular because I was afraid for their safety. Rich by habit always shrugged off PA announcements never came out of his office. Don while mentally far superior to myself had a physical disability. He could not climb down the stairs on his own. I was now very concerned. I tried to call Rich at his house and left a couple of messages. I called the CTO and told him I had the latest data for many of their reference data. I later learned that Don made it to safety and Don almost had an entire software backed up at his residence. With Ed's permission I sent all the software components by email to Don. Everything had to be put back together. Peter McDonald, Rich and I culled all the data from my data archives. GARBAN lost all their technology assets. I always felt that GARBAN was a chaotic place because of the market they were conducting business in but cared for their people like no one else. Sure enough, in affirmation of that observation everyone including Don made out to safety except Ms. Karen Diettrich. She had gone to a higher floor (above 100s) to be at a meeting. Many friends I had at Garban were hurting. Many refused to come back to work. Even Vito did not want to be bathered at his house in Vermont. Ms. Karen Diettrich had two lovely twins boy and a girl. I was heart broken when I saw them at the funeral. Garban is now back on track and everyone is working hard as ever. Bill Sweeney and Byron Nicas who are my professional mentors at Citibank were not near the scene and suffered major delays getting back home. Bill Sweeney had asked me to convey to his family that he is safe and well. Which I did and Bill always made me feel part of his core team. GovPX where I held a 3 day job was located on the 26th Floor on 2 World Financial Center (AKA ML building) right opposite to the North Tower. Senior VP had seen bodies falling down but every one made it to safety. CEO Dr. Larry Leuzzi was a seasoned mathematician and never allowed distractions in life to sway him one way or the other. He also felt the burden of supporting his 26 employees and their financial commitments. There was only one way out: bring govpx back on line. I owe a lot of my professional recovery to GovPX and especially Senior VP Angelo Susi and CEO Larry Leuzzi. On September 15th 4 days after the mindless attacks, a core team of GovPX technology division including the senior VP of GovPX, climbed the stairs to the 26th floor with the help of US Coast Guard and carried down most essential hardware essential to the fixed income ticker plant that govpx operates. GovPX operated out of SIAC backup site until March 2002 and personal were housed at 64 Wall Street 8th floor. During this offsite operation GovPX employees climbed to the 26th floor to retrieve important hardware elements to complete our recovery. In February 2002 GovPX moved back to 2 WFC and we are back on line happily ever after. We have big dreams leveraging new technologies and products for the coming years. NMAH Story: Life Changed Has your life changed because of September 11, 2001? If so, tell us how. Garban generously paid all our bills but that was the end of vFission. I no longer could take the risk of being a consultant, and GovPX needed my 5 day attention to bring back the systems. Our Senior VP Mr. Angelo Susi generously recommended that I assume a full time position at GovPX. I am now a full time employee of GovPX. I spend more time at home and do not work on weekends or evenings like I used to. Ever more grateful to Almighty than ever before. Twice HE has saved me in 1993 I got stuck in an elevator bank in 111 Wall at Citibank office complex and in 2001 I was unusally late and never reached my destination 26th Floor World Trade 1 so called North Tower. NMAH Story: Remembered What do you think should be remembered about September 11th? Allow me to express our emotions as a poem on behalf of all those who wanted to be there working in lower Manhatten but could not: BLESS AMERICA FOR EVER TO COME In GOD who resides in all Now reside all those who perished Where they strolled and stroked in life In death,they left behind a deep scar on mother earth and right in our hearts There is no cause that can justify the pain, suffering and misery In death there exists no difference Those who sought death intent on pain and mayhem And those who sought death to breath life The vile and the valourous have both merged in death Father, mother, son and strangers have all merged For ever, in death they left deep scar In all of us living a fleeting moment Mindless and the mindful all have merged leaving behind lot of memories forever to come nations around the globe have united to rid the senseless demons living amongst us Lest we may sport the idea job well done They have left behind sons, daughters, moms and dads We will never be done until we see them through college All have happy endings and full life too Poems, Podiums, speeches, memorials are never enough Buildings must arise taller than ever before Or we may be taken for the imbecile The wicked must be punished until justice served The vile must be chased out into oblivion or we may be taken for the impotent Emotions and high rises alone cannot mean job well done We will never be done as a nation until we fulfill all their obligations they left behind just as our own Oh! Almighty God! Oh Cosmic Purusha! We are despondent and dependent on Thy Give us strength and courage to erase the sick Give us clarity and wisdom to root the evil out Give us sound judgement to build upon the good Oh! Almighty God! Bless us in America! America, The Land of living free! America, The Land of giving hearts! Land where millions come to learn! Land where most stay to earn! A land where all live in dignity A Land where Thy grace shines brightest Thank you for all that we have, oh My Lord! Please bless America for ever to come. Om Namo Narayana! NMAH Story: Flag Did you fly an American flag after the events of September 11th? Have your feelings about the American flag changed as a result of September 11th? Yes. We did. I also understood the value of speaking one language. Although I am a naturalized US Citizen, spoken language brought me closer to many during this time. But for a few that made faces I never had a problem expressing my opinion and feelings during this ordeal. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource nmah5065.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. story Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2002-09-16 IP Address The IP address of the device used to submit the item. 208.156.35.231 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource "September 11: Bearing Witness to History" Stories Submitted Online Description An account of the resource Visitors to the Smithsonian National Museum of American History's, "Bearing Witness to History" online exhibition submitted these reflections beginning in 2002. NMAH Story NMAH Story: Story How did you witness history on September 11th? Share your experience. I received an early morning phone call from my brother telling me to turn on the television. I turned it on and didn't understand anything that was going on.As I watched and listened in disbeleif, my mouth dropped open and I froze. I started to cry. I didn't understand any of it. I just kept thinking "Why?".Why would somebody do this? I watched and saw so much pain. I wanted to help but there was nothing for me to do. I felt so helpless.Useless.So I said a prayer,a prayer for all those involved and a prayer for America's strength and independance. God Bless America! NMAH Story: Life Changed Has your life changed because of September 11, 2001? If so, tell us how. Yes,it has changed very much.It has made me appreciate everything I have taken for granted. Each day since has been completely different than that of before the attacks! I am so proud to be American. I am so lucky to live in such a wonderful place. A place with people who stick together and support each other. NMAH Story: Remembered What do you think should be remembered about September 11th? Everything! NMAH Story: Flag Did you fly an American flag after the events of September 11th? Have your feelings about the American flag changed as a result of September 11th? yes, I did fly the American flag for a long time.Yes, it makes me so proud! Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource nmah4348.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. story Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2002-09-11 IP Address The IP address of the device used to submit the item. 198.81.17.156 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource "September 11: Bearing Witness to History" Stories Submitted Online Description An account of the resource Visitors to the Smithsonian National Museum of American History's, "Bearing Witness to History" online exhibition submitted these reflections beginning in 2002. NMAH Story NMAH Story: Story How did you witness history on September 11th? Share your experience. I was at home and my husband called to ask me to turn on the television to CNN, he had heard something on the radio about a plane hitting the WTC. I turned on CNN and saw the tower burning. As I was watching the second plane flew into the other building. I called my husband and my mother to tell them what was going on. I was crying as I continued to watch. I was devastated when the buildings fell. Like so many others, I am sure, watching those majestic building collapse was one of the worst things I have ever seen in my life. My heart was heavy as I thought of all the citizens if different countries who would not be going home that day. I rejoiced for those who made it out. NMAH Story: Life Changed Has your life changed because of September 11, 2001? If so, tell us how. Yes, I am more vigilant in watching my surroundings, I am more aware of how precious life is and I have the utmost respect for the men and women in our military who put their lives on the line in a time of war. NMAH Story: Remembered What do you think should be remembered about September 11th? We should always remember those who died that day. We should also remember that the US is vulnerable to others who might wish our country harm. NMAH Story: Flag Did you fly an American flag after the events of September 11th? Have your feelings about the American flag changed as a result of September 11th? Yes, my flag has flown 24/7 since it happened. I am proud of our flag. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource nmah893.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. story Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2002-09-04 IP Address The IP address of the device used to submit the item. 65.240.65.201 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource "September 11: Bearing Witness to History" Stories Submitted Online Description An account of the resource Visitors to the Smithsonian National Museum of American History's, "Bearing Witness to History" online exhibition submitted these reflections beginning in 2002. NMAH Story NMAH Story: Story How did you witness history on September 11th? Share your experience. I remember waking up and going down stairs for brekfeast where my mom was watching Tv and she told me what had happened. I didnt really understand where the Trade towers were or why they were so important. my mom told me everythng about them but then i couldnt figure out how a plane could crash inot something like that but then i realized it was a terrorist attack. I didnt think much about that untill the nest day when I was sitting in my History class and my teacher brought out and article from a newspaper. The article was so pure,honest, and incredible by the end of it almost the whole class was in tears including the teacher as it had finally hit us what had happened and what we were able to live through. NMAH Story: Life Changed Has your life changed because of September 11, 2001? If so, tell us how. I think in a way its changed every American life whether in family,mind or economy, even if they dont want to admit it or they dont realize it yet.I know its changed my life in ways I cant understand or explain. Inow have the thought in my head that America is not unbreakable and we are just as vulnarable. NMAH Story: Remembered What do you think should be remembered about September 11th? I think the people who dies because of it and the firefighters and workers who is now someones hero. and out of all this pain and suffering it united america back together and showed us the power and stregth we really have. NMAH Story: Flag Did you fly an American flag after the events of September 11th? Have your feelings about the American flag changed as a result of September 11th? I out one in my locker yes. They have changed to the fact that i now realize what the people were thinking and going through when our flag was made. i also realize the importance of symbols more. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource nmah4799.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. story Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2002-09-12 IP Address The IP address of the device used to submit the item. 65.176.112.91 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource "September 11: Bearing Witness to History" Stories Submitted Online Description An account of the resource Visitors to the Smithsonian National Museum of American History's, "Bearing Witness to History" online exhibition submitted these reflections beginning in 2002. NMAH Story NMAH Story: Story How did you witness history on September 11th? Share your experience. NMAH Story: Life Changed Has your life changed because of September 11, 2001? If so, tell us how. Yes, I feel that I know more about my country, and I'm extreamly proud to live in Americia. Before i used to live in just another country but now its transformed from an ordanary country to the U.S.A. I have so many freedomes before I didn't reconize that i have the freedome of speach now I'm proud to be part of the United States of Americia. NMAH Story: Remembered What do you think should be remembered about September 11th? That on september 11th Americia didn't quarrell but got stronger and united to fight the war on terrosim forever. NMAH Story: Flag Did you fly an American flag after the events of September 11th? Have your feelings about the American flag changed as a result of September 11th? At my home I flew a flag as soon as I could get my hands on one. So did everyone else, it took about four months before I found a flag for sale but I saw them for sale everywhere. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource nmah1341.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. story Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2002-09-06 IP Address The IP address of the device used to submit the item. 198.237.72.252 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource "September 11: Bearing Witness to History" Stories Submitted Online Description An account of the resource Visitors to the Smithsonian National Museum of American History's, "Bearing Witness to History" online exhibition submitted these reflections beginning in 2002. NMAH Story NMAH Story: Story How did you witness history on September 11th? Share your experience. My story of September 11,2001 begins on Friday,September 7,2001. I had traveled from Austin,Texas to Washington D.C. on Wednesday September 5,2001 to meet with some Justice Department staff and to attend the FBI National Academy Graduation of one of the TDCJ chiefs on Friday. I was looking foreward to the trip for two reasons, the new FBI Director's first day on the job was Monday September 3,2001 and I was going to meet up with several U.S. Marshal buddies of mine that I worked cases with over the years who were stationed at their headquaters near the Pentagon. On Friday the Law Enforcement Executives that were present for the graduation met with Director Robert Muller. I was impressed with Mr. Muller immediately. He spoke to me and my boss at the time, John McAuliffe, for several minuites. Director Muller was telling us that the road ahead for the FBI was one of co-operation and sharing with state and local departments.The FBI, in law enforcement circles did not have a stellar track record of in the arena of co-operation.There was a lot heard about this co-operation after 9/11 but I can honestly say that Director Muller was putting out that message his first week on the job. On Friday evening I met with several US Marshal friends of mine and had a couple of beers at a bar near the Pentagon. I returned to Texas on Saturday flying out of National. On Tuesday, September 11,2001, I awoke early and I drove to Huntsville, Texas for a meeting scheduled for the early morning hours. While I was enroute I received A text message on my pager "A small plane has hit the World Trade Center in NYC". I continued my drive and a short time later I pulled up at the back door of the TDCJ headquarters building, walked in and spoke with Nina Saucier, a Criminal Intelligence Analyst at when I was informed that a second plane had hit the World Trade Center. It was a sensitive issue for me as I was born and raised in the NYC area. The Agency had not paid the satelite bill and we had no News Broadcasts in our command center.Eventually the Satelite was turned on and the pictures told the story. I could not fathom NYC without the Trade Center. You see I was born in Manhattan to parents that were Irish immigrants. Police Officers, Fireman and Construction workers were a big part of my life growing up in the Irish community. The Irish are proud of what they have built in NYC. They are a lot of Irish that are, and have been in the Union trades,(IronWorkers,Steamfitters,Carpenters,etc.)worked on the Trade Center. Several of my friends when I was in high school,had summer jobs working as helpers in various trades, during the building of the Trade Center. Windows on the World, was where I had a celebratory dinner at 19 whem I Quit smoking after I won a bet that I would outlast my other friends.I had been there with Dates over the years.I could not believe that the towers had collapsed and were no more. We are a free and open society, law enforcement needs the tools to to do their job, the Patriot Act is necessary. I just hope that is not too little too late........... NMAH Story: Life Changed Has your life changed because of September 11, 2001? If so, tell us how. NMAH Story: Remembered What do you think should be remembered about September 11th? The men and women of the NYFD, NYPD and NYPA who lost their lives trying to save others. NMAH Story: Flag Did you fly an American flag after the events of September 11th? Have your feelings about the American flag changed as a result of September 11th? Yes,No I have always felt a deep pride in he flag. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource nmah5711.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. story Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2003-09-10 IP Address The IP address of the device used to submit the item. 66.68.76.116 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource "September 11: Bearing Witness to History" Stories Submitted Online Description An account of the resource Visitors to the Smithsonian National Museum of American History's, "Bearing Witness to History" online exhibition submitted these reflections beginning in 2002. NMAH Story NMAH Story: Story How did you witness history on September 11th? Share your experience. My experience isn't nearly as interesting as many people's stories because I live in Orlando, FL. But on that morning, I had gone into school early to help a teacher friend of mine out with some Camera help in our school TV studio. We were talking and he left the room for a few minutes. I had gone on the computer to check some info on a flight of mine that I was taking in a couple months when all of a sudden... my teacher friend came running through the door saying, "Did you hear what happened to the WTC in New York?" I said, "No, what happened?" He said, "I dunno... let's turn on these tvs and check it out." Being we were in a TV studio, we had about 10 TVs on every news channel in Orlando. Every one of the TVs had the same shot of the two towers, one with a big hole and black smoke coming out of it. We were watching in dis-belief, wondering what was going on. While we were watching, all of a sudden another plane comes flying in to the other tower. Everyone in the room gasped or screamed. We wanted to keep watching it to find out more info but 9:30 rolled around and it was time to go on the air for the morning news. We wanted to air some video tape we took of the planes while it was happening (thanks to my friend, we taped it) but the Principal of the school said he didn't want to cause panic in the school and we were not to even mention it the students. So we ran the show like normal and when the anchors said, "Good morning Piedmont Lakes, Today is Tuesday, September 11, 2001," I knew that this day would not soon be forgotten. So we did the show and all went to our respected classes and very few kids were aware of what was currently making history in the World. However kids who knew what happened were quickly spreading the news and a few kids even starting crying. We went on with our day like normal and the Principal emailed the teachers telling them not to mention or talk about what was happening or they could lose their jobs. I saw this email because my teacher-friend showed it to me. But my 3rd period U.S. History teacher decided we shouldn't be left in the shadows and not know what was happening. She told us that both towers were hit, both collapsed, the Pentagon was hit, and a plane crashed somewhere in Pennsylvannia. Everyone in the room was in awe and shock. As soon as she finished saying this, she got a call telling her to send me the main office and that I was checking out for the day. I thought to myself, "YES!" My mom was in the office and took me home. She said she knew I'd want to know what was going on since I love Airliners and I was so glad she did. We went home and as soon as I turned on the TV, I started to cry. I couldn't believe the disaster that NYC was in and the way the Pentagon looked. I popped in a video tape and recorded the next 4 hours of CNN. I figured I better tape this because I want to be able to show that I saw September 11 for myself. Even though I didn't live in either of these places effected, my heart was severely effected. NMAH Story: Life Changed Has your life changed because of September 11, 2001? If so, tell us how. My life has changed a little but not much compared to many people. I can't do what I use to love to do, and that is go and walk around the Orlando airport for hours every other weekend and watch planes. Also, I look at life very differently and cherish each day more as if it was my last. NMAH Story: Remembered What do you think should be remembered about September 11th? The Heroism of everyone in New York and D.C. and on flight 93. Also I will never forget how Patriotic and pround of the USA everyone was and still is to this day. NMAH Story: Flag Did you fly an American flag after the events of September 11th? Have your feelings about the American flag changed as a result of September 11th? Yes I did for quite a while. Everywhere I turned, I pretty much had something to do with the USA. My feelings have deeply changed about the flag since 9/11 because now when I look at it, I think of everyone who has ever died for our country, including 9/11, and I realize how lucky I am to be free. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource nmah5602.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. story Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2003-08-21 IP Address The IP address of the device used to submit the item. 4.72.71.27 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource "September 11: Bearing Witness to History" Stories Submitted Online Description An account of the resource Visitors to the Smithsonian National Museum of American History's, "Bearing Witness to History" online exhibition submitted these reflections beginning in 2002. NMAH Story NMAH Story: Story How did you witness history on September 11th? Share your experience. September 11th started out as just another ordinary day. I was another teenager living in California. My aunt had always have the radio on while we were on the way to school. On the radio, reports of September 11th were heard. It was said to be in New York, in the World Trade Center. At first, I did not think it was a big deal, just ordinary tragic news on the radio. When I arrived at school, more reports of September 11th were spread around. The reality of September 11th had not be so visible to me until around 10:30, when I entered my 3rd period class. My teacher had had the T.V. on, and I gazed upon the television screen, and silently watched as the passenger airplane rushed into the trade center, as instant flames rose up. It was just like watching a movie to me; so surreal, yet it was true. I have never been to the World Trade Center. Yet a sense of depression overwhelmed me, thinking of those who rushed home, only to hear brief last words of their loved ones, and those who lie in confusion and pain, not understanding the hatred towards them. NMAH Story: Life Changed Has your life changed because of September 11, 2001? If so, tell us how. September 11th has shown me how much can change in just a mere few minutes. Life is so precious. One cannot maintain stability in life. Life is always changing, and unexpected. September 11th has shown me that anything is possible. Now i view life as something that is controlled by fate, and the most that I can do is to cherish life as much as possible, and to tell those how much I love them. After all, one must live life up to the fullest. NMAH Story: Remembered What do you think should be remembered about September 11th? In every tragic event, something valuable comes out of it. We should not dwell on the past, yet remember and love those whom suffered and were lost. September 11th should come to show us to tell those whom we love how much we care about them. You never know what could happen. NMAH Story: Flag Did you fly an American flag after the events of September 11th? Have your feelings about the American flag changed as a result of September 11th? I had not been able to fly an American flag after the events of September 11th. Yet I have come to be so much more patriotic after the tragic events of the fall of the World Trade Center. Now I see the American flag as beautiful and herotic. Freedom is not free. Sadly, those who had to pay the price were innocent ordinary people. From afar, when I see the gallantly waving red, white and blue, an image of flaming towers are present in the backround. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource nmah6086.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. story Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2003-09-11 IP Address The IP address of the device used to submit the item. 209.79.69.225 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource "September 11: Bearing Witness to History" Stories Submitted Online Description An account of the resource Visitors to the Smithsonian National Museum of American History's, "Bearing Witness to History" online exhibition submitted these reflections beginning in 2002. NMAH Story NMAH Story: Story How did you witness history on September 11th? Share your experience. I was at home an my mom came in and told me that I should sit down. We just moved from Paris, France and we didn't have our shipment. My sister called that day and told us that something terrible had happened, the twin towers collapsed. I was in such shock that I didn't know what to say. I just sat there blank. My mouth was dry, if I started speaking nothing would come out. That whole day was nothing but shock and sadness. I couldn't do anything. I was accross the globe and was verry worried. The Twin Towers were gone.... NMAH Story: Life Changed Has your life changed because of September 11, 2001? If so, tell us how. The week that it happened, I was asinged two bodyguards. I didn't like it very much. I was really worried that I wouldn't be able to go anywhere and do anything. We live in indonesia and we have to be very causious on how and what we say. We still have to. We have many fench friends and they would call us up and tell us how sorry they were, and that if they could help on anything they would be more than happy. When my familly is around they give caution on what they say because they don't want us to fell bad on what happened. We love our county. NMAH Story: Remembered What do you think should be remembered about September 11th? We should remmember the brave police officers and the NYFD that helped us with the twin towers. We should remmember the people that died for our country and prais them of what they have done. We should remmember the people that died in the twin towers and think of them today. It has been a year, but it still has a big impact on our lives. NMAH Story: Flag Did you fly an American flag after the events of September 11th? Have your feelings about the American flag changed as a result of September 11th? I have a stronger feeling of the US flag. It mean that we ave pride and we love our country very much. It means that we are united and and we stand together for eternity. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource nmah2983.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. story Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2002-09-10 IP Address The IP address of the device used to submit the item. 202.155.42.212 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource "September 11: Bearing Witness to History" Stories Submitted Online Description An account of the resource Visitors to the Smithsonian National Museum of American History's, "Bearing Witness to History" online exhibition submitted these reflections beginning in 2002. NMAH Story NMAH Story: Story How did you witness history on September 11th? Share your experience. It was a bright September day, I was at work in the recovery room at Auburn Memorial Hospital when one of my co workers came in and said "a plane just hit the world trade towers" and we started talking about how the Empire State building had been hit by a plane years ago.I walked across the hall and we stood there just in time to see the second plane hit.A bright blue sky and a plane disappearing into a building like an optical allusion ...we cried we heard rumors about other planes falling from the sky... I wanted to be with my family...just hold my son and cry...we watched the news all the time. My boyfriend and I had reservations for a birthday trip to Toronto for the weekend of the 15th,we cancelled the trip I couldn't be out of the country during this crisis. A good friend of mine has always been very patriotic he was born on the 8th of July and I always tell him his birthday should have been the 4th , he sings "God Bless America" whenever anyone asks him to, he has an American flag on his car and one hanging at his house,at every christmas party he would sing "New York New York". He tells me he was patriotic before it became "PC".He also works for the D-MORT team and spent 2 weeks in NYC working with the identification team. He tells me he just can't sing "New York New York" without crying,those 2 weeks he spent at ground zero have changed him forever. NMAH Story: Life Changed Has your life changed because of September 11, 2001? If so, tell us how. NMAH Story: Remembered What do you think should be remembered about September 11th? NMAH Story: Flag Did you fly an American flag after the events of September 11th? Have your feelings about the American flag changed as a result of September 11th? I have always had a flag in front of my house...now I ware one on my scrub top to. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource nmah97.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. story Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2002-07-28 IP Address The IP address of the device used to submit the item. 24.49.200.154