nmah6519.xml

nmah6519.xml

born-digital

story

yes

no

2004-05-11

I was at work on September 11 and was very busy preparing for a long-awaited trip to Poland on September 11. When I hear the first reports from a colleague, I turned on my radio and listened in horror to the reports pouring in. At lunch time I went to our conference room where a TV set had been placed to see the pictures for myself. The images of the buildings and, most of all, the people jumping to their deaths I will never forget.
My trip to Poland had to be canceled since all planes were grounded until the weekend. On Sunday a friend and I flew to Denver, got a car and drove to Cheyenne, WY. We went into the city to see the state capitol building, where we found a memorial service underway. Candles were passed out, and it was very comforting to be with these strangers.
Later on the trip we rode the train to the top of Pike's Peak, where there is a plaque commenorating the writing of "America the Beautiful." It was then that I knew that my country would survive and prosper in spite of this terrible experience.
In November 2001, my brother and I went to London for a few days. We were shopping at Harrods Department Store, and our salesperson was a tall, distinguised Hindu gentleman. After we had completed our purchases, he told us how very sorry he was about September 11. He also said that he had had some heated arguments with Arab colleagues at the store, and that some of them had indeed been disrespectful. I will never forget his kind words to my brother and me, who were thousands of miles from home.

I don't believe so. Traveling abroad is my hobby, and I have continued to maked trips to various locations in Europe. I do think about September 11 nearly every day.

That there are people who hate us very much and who will go to any lengths, including suicide, to injure us. The so-called "War on Terror" is unwinnable, but we must pursue it anyway.

I don't fly the American flag, but I do usually wear a small lapel pin of the flag.