story1961.xml
Title
story1961.xml
Source
born-digital
Media Type
story
Date Entered
2002-09-09
911DA Story: Story
My view on the 9/11 disasters.
By Lynda H Appell
Personal Thoughts on The Attack on America
by mugwort, 12th September 2001.
The following essay is not meant to be the ultimate view of that horrific day. It is simply my personal thoughts. The opinions expressed are mine alone.
My personal take on the tragedy that devastated virtually all of the US and most of the world.
I was in a cheeful mood on my way to visit my sister in complete ignorance on what happened in NYC and Washington DC. Then I over heard at 8th and Market in downtown Phila, PA on my way to Cherry Hill, NJ, some women talking very excitedly, profoundly upset the World Trade Center was bombed, completely destroyed. They also said the Pentagon was bombed too.
At first there was complete disbelief. Oh they must have heard some absurd rumors. Someone's pulling an extremely poor taste joke. Than as I heard more and more people saying pretty much the same thing came to a complete realization that it was true.
As I went to the high speed line literally thousands, if not tens of thousands of travelers were there. It was wall to wall people. Normally the trains run every ten minutes during the day. Sepember 11th they were running every five minutes. Even than it was for many persons, including yours truly, standing room only. It seemed as if everybody was made a desperate mad dash to escape the "City of Brotherly Love" Mayor John Street had declared a city emergency.
When I arrived at my sibling the TV was on and than I saw the devastation that was on all the news channels. I say that because my relative and I with her remote switched back and forth from the local, PBS and cable channels for as much news as possible.
We soon found out, as did the rest of the world of course that four planes were hijacked and made to hit the New York high rise towers and the seat of the Defense Department of the US. Govt. Also an airplane just outside of Pittsburgh. Unfortunately I didn't hear that much detail about that incident. It seemed that the targets were the heart of the political and economic life of the great USA.
The rest of this article are my thoughts, feelings. How can I begin to express myself. How can I find the words to describe my opinion on the worst act of terrorism on US soil? I feel that practically anything I write will be inadequate. For how does one explain a terrorist act in which there is as far as I know, no precedent.
Well here goes. First whoever is responsible for this horrific act are mass murderers who did not give a damn about their victims. I feel deep sorrow for all the individuals murdered. I especially am feeling deepest sympathy for the airplane passengers. At least some of the workers in the World Trade Center had some chance of surviving. Those on the plane had none. Can you imagine the terror, horror they must have experienced in their last moments. The men, women, children. Oh the sheer horror of it. It's terrifically difficult to imagine the total terror that the victims felt.
What really got me was how innocent they were and how much they did not deserve this. Of course no one deserved this. It was a cruel if not the cruelest thing to do to someone.
As I saw the photographs of the men, women jumping from the upper floors of the Towers in New York, they reminded me of the young women who jumped to escape the flames in the 1911 Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire. I felt so sorry for the people who felt they had no choice.
I hope whoever is responsible for these horrible acts will get what they deserve. Also hoping that no innocent people will be punished. That Arab Americans will not be unfairly treated. One of my husband and my friends is a Palestinian arab. I know her and her family are upset too.
I also fear that since the US has strong ties with Israel that anti-semites will blame the Jews for what happened. Being Jewish myself this is a real concern for me.
I know there are sites that do just that. Don't want to name them because I don't want to give them any more publicity. Please trust me. I've seen them.
Also being a mental health consumer, being successfully treated for a mood disorder this is a reminder that the vast majority of people with mental illness who are under the right treatment are law abiding.
Also concerned that the one year commemoration of 9/11 may open up old emotional wounds. Men and women and for that matter, boys and girls prone to Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder may be having an especially rough time right now.
This past January, a woman friend with PTSD committed suicide over 9/11. Even now she is dearly missed.
Speaking of mental health consumer/psychiatric survivor a few years ago I visited "Fountain House" clubhouse. It is basically a voc-rehab for consumers/survivors. I am member of "Welcome House" clubhouse. Please see my "Clubhouse" article. There is a connection here. Many members of Fountain House also worked in the World Trade Center. Hoping they are ok and if not I send my deepest sympathies to their significant others. I also send my deepest sympathies to all the significant others who lost their loved ones on this tragic day.
One last thought, to coin a phrase inspired by Joni Mitchell "Don't they always know when they're gone, They beefed up airport security and made it much more inconvient but much safer." In other words it had to take an event like this to realize airport security had to be much improved. I hope that employees involved will be from now on well trained and fairly compensated as well. After all they have our lives in their hands. It reminds me on a grand scale about how a stop light seems to be always put up after a tragedy occurs. For once I'd wish people would have some foresight instead of always having hindsight.
Lastly I hope the American people will not let the "American Patriot Act" take away our freedoms. I think it was Benjamin Franklin who said those who give up freedom for peace deserve it when they lose both."
By Lynda H Appell
Personal Thoughts on The Attack on America
by mugwort, 12th September 2001.
The following essay is not meant to be the ultimate view of that horrific day. It is simply my personal thoughts. The opinions expressed are mine alone.
My personal take on the tragedy that devastated virtually all of the US and most of the world.
I was in a cheeful mood on my way to visit my sister in complete ignorance on what happened in NYC and Washington DC. Then I over heard at 8th and Market in downtown Phila, PA on my way to Cherry Hill, NJ, some women talking very excitedly, profoundly upset the World Trade Center was bombed, completely destroyed. They also said the Pentagon was bombed too.
At first there was complete disbelief. Oh they must have heard some absurd rumors. Someone's pulling an extremely poor taste joke. Than as I heard more and more people saying pretty much the same thing came to a complete realization that it was true.
As I went to the high speed line literally thousands, if not tens of thousands of travelers were there. It was wall to wall people. Normally the trains run every ten minutes during the day. Sepember 11th they were running every five minutes. Even than it was for many persons, including yours truly, standing room only. It seemed as if everybody was made a desperate mad dash to escape the "City of Brotherly Love" Mayor John Street had declared a city emergency.
When I arrived at my sibling the TV was on and than I saw the devastation that was on all the news channels. I say that because my relative and I with her remote switched back and forth from the local, PBS and cable channels for as much news as possible.
We soon found out, as did the rest of the world of course that four planes were hijacked and made to hit the New York high rise towers and the seat of the Defense Department of the US. Govt. Also an airplane just outside of Pittsburgh. Unfortunately I didn't hear that much detail about that incident. It seemed that the targets were the heart of the political and economic life of the great USA.
The rest of this article are my thoughts, feelings. How can I begin to express myself. How can I find the words to describe my opinion on the worst act of terrorism on US soil? I feel that practically anything I write will be inadequate. For how does one explain a terrorist act in which there is as far as I know, no precedent.
Well here goes. First whoever is responsible for this horrific act are mass murderers who did not give a damn about their victims. I feel deep sorrow for all the individuals murdered. I especially am feeling deepest sympathy for the airplane passengers. At least some of the workers in the World Trade Center had some chance of surviving. Those on the plane had none. Can you imagine the terror, horror they must have experienced in their last moments. The men, women, children. Oh the sheer horror of it. It's terrifically difficult to imagine the total terror that the victims felt.
What really got me was how innocent they were and how much they did not deserve this. Of course no one deserved this. It was a cruel if not the cruelest thing to do to someone.
As I saw the photographs of the men, women jumping from the upper floors of the Towers in New York, they reminded me of the young women who jumped to escape the flames in the 1911 Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire. I felt so sorry for the people who felt they had no choice.
I hope whoever is responsible for these horrible acts will get what they deserve. Also hoping that no innocent people will be punished. That Arab Americans will not be unfairly treated. One of my husband and my friends is a Palestinian arab. I know her and her family are upset too.
I also fear that since the US has strong ties with Israel that anti-semites will blame the Jews for what happened. Being Jewish myself this is a real concern for me.
I know there are sites that do just that. Don't want to name them because I don't want to give them any more publicity. Please trust me. I've seen them.
Also being a mental health consumer, being successfully treated for a mood disorder this is a reminder that the vast majority of people with mental illness who are under the right treatment are law abiding.
Also concerned that the one year commemoration of 9/11 may open up old emotional wounds. Men and women and for that matter, boys and girls prone to Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder may be having an especially rough time right now.
This past January, a woman friend with PTSD committed suicide over 9/11. Even now she is dearly missed.
Speaking of mental health consumer/psychiatric survivor a few years ago I visited "Fountain House" clubhouse. It is basically a voc-rehab for consumers/survivors. I am member of "Welcome House" clubhouse. Please see my "Clubhouse" article. There is a connection here. Many members of Fountain House also worked in the World Trade Center. Hoping they are ok and if not I send my deepest sympathies to their significant others. I also send my deepest sympathies to all the significant others who lost their loved ones on this tragic day.
One last thought, to coin a phrase inspired by Joni Mitchell "Don't they always know when they're gone, They beefed up airport security and made it much more inconvient but much safer." In other words it had to take an event like this to realize airport security had to be much improved. I hope that employees involved will be from now on well trained and fairly compensated as well. After all they have our lives in their hands. It reminds me on a grand scale about how a stop light seems to be always put up after a tragedy occurs. For once I'd wish people would have some foresight instead of always having hindsight.
Lastly I hope the American people will not let the "American Patriot Act" take away our freedoms. I think it was Benjamin Franklin who said those who give up freedom for peace deserve it when they lose both."
Collection
Citation
“story1961.xml,” September 11 Digital Archive, accessed December 14, 2025, https://911digitalarchive.org/items/show/17001.