lc_story191.xml

lc_story191.xml

born-digital

story

yes

no

2004-01-04

In Southwest Ohio the weather on September 11, 2001 was as glorious as it was in New York city on that tragic morning. I was teaching school at a large suburban Cincinnati High School. News came to me in the hallway, then down the stairwell as I hurried between third and fourth bell to study hall. A young man was telling his friend that a plane had hit the trade center. I dismissed the news and rushed along to the cafeteria. There I switched on the TV and watched history unfold. I told the students they were welcome to watch the news. I stared, whispered to myself, worried and monitored my increasing autonomic arousal. I teach US History and knew this attack was an act of war. Mentally I surveilled my knowledge of Pearl Harbor and compared the two. I knew instantly that which my students could not see, that the world they knew was bifurcated, cut in half, a time before and a time after. Looking back, and studying the days events I now know I saw the second tower (chronologically) collapse, but then in the moment I did not trust my eyes and an interesting psychological phenomena occurred. That phenomena was revealed when fifth period assembled. Chasity asked me if I had heard or seen the news. I said I had and had watched the news live during fourth bell. She said that then I saw the tower collapse as if imploded on itself. I responded with all the authority of an experienced teacher that no that did not make sense, the towers could not fall that way it was impossible... Only hours later did I know the awful truth, could I believe as I have faith in human goodness that the towers both had fallen.

As a teacher of history I keep passive knowledge of the location of the president. My first rational insight on that day was that the president was safe in Florida. It gave me great peace to know he was not in DC. I repeated it endlessly to any who would hear me.

By 7th period my classes and I had head-aches from watching the news. I asked them if they would like to watch more. They said no. Never before has the scientific method or an independent variable held such comfort (I teach AP Psychology).

I have been concerned for sometime about the disasterous consequences of fear as a motivator. Fear of communism - historically and fear of terrorism in my lifetime has the potential to destroy the values upon which our nation is built. The Patriot Act has the potential to destroy the liberty of the individual. Had the fourth plane hit capitol hill and had our federal legislature been destroyed, out of fear, what emergency powers might have been granted the executive branch? The most infamous demogogue of the 20th century manipulated hate and fear to achieve constitutional dictatorial powers after the Reichstag burned. I need to know that public policy is just that, reasoned policy, not an instinctive fear response.