story20647.xml
Title
story20647.xml
Source
born-digital
Media Type
story
Date Entered
2006-09-11
911DA Story: Story
On the five year anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, I don't think America is any "safer," but certainly I feel safer.
That's because I moved out of the Washington, D.C. area.
After 9/11, the "anthrax scare," and the "beltway snipers," I decided that I could no longer feel safe living in northern Virginia, so close to the nation's capital. When I neared completion of my doctorate program at George Mason University, I applied for jobs in all the "warm" states: California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Louisiana (thank goodness I didn't get a job in New Orleans!), Mississippi, Georgia, Florida and the Carolinas. I also encouraged my college-aged daughters to leave the D.C. area. Now we are all re-located to "warm" states and I feel less anxiety about our individual safety.
As I look back, I believe all three of us suffered physical and emotional stress as a result of this cluster of incidents. It was a very unsettling couple of years living so close to Washington, D.C. I'm glad to be gone from there.
That's because I moved out of the Washington, D.C. area.
After 9/11, the "anthrax scare," and the "beltway snipers," I decided that I could no longer feel safe living in northern Virginia, so close to the nation's capital. When I neared completion of my doctorate program at George Mason University, I applied for jobs in all the "warm" states: California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Louisiana (thank goodness I didn't get a job in New Orleans!), Mississippi, Georgia, Florida and the Carolinas. I also encouraged my college-aged daughters to leave the D.C. area. Now we are all re-located to "warm" states and I feel less anxiety about our individual safety.
As I look back, I believe all three of us suffered physical and emotional stress as a result of this cluster of incidents. It was a very unsettling couple of years living so close to Washington, D.C. I'm glad to be gone from there.
Collection
Citation
“story20647.xml,” September 11 Digital Archive, accessed April 19, 2025, https://911digitalarchive.org/items/show/10469.