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 am a teacher at IS 68 - Isaac Bildersee Intermediate School (Brooklyn, New York). I first heard, from some of the students, that a plane had crashed into the WTC. I assumed, that it was an accident with a small, general aviation, aircraft. I was soon to learn that this was not the case. From the school's third floor windows, I was able to view the WTC billowing smoke. At the same time, televisions began to be turned on giving an eerie dual view of the great tragic events. Shortly thereafter, I was summoned to the Principal's office, by page and walkie talkie transmission. I was asked to join the team that was coordinating early release of students whose parents were showing up to take them out of school. For the next several hours, I was checking parents' identification - - sending for students - - verifying identification - - signing out students - - etc. The usual 30 - 45 minute drive home, to Staten Island, was transformed into an odyssey of detours, delays and encounters with an odd assortment of emergency vehicles from around the area. When school resumed, my carpool passed a local firehouse with its parking lot clogged by the vehicles of now dead heroes, New York's Bravest. NMAH Story: Life Changed Has your life changed because of September 11, 2001? If so, tell us how. My daily commute to work, over the Verazzano Bridge, has become much longer. The continued presence of NYPD, State Troopers, military personnel, etc. is a grim reminder of the state of the world we all live in. It is hard to view the NYC skyline without thinking of the lives that were lost on 9/11/2001. NMAH Story: Remembered What do you think should be remembered about September 11th? We should remember that innocent lives were lost, heroes were born (and many died) due to the actions of terrorists. Freedom does not come cheaply and we must defend it. 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 flown an American flag at my home. For a full year after 9/11/2001, I also wore a flag pin on my clothing every day. My father fought in WWII - - possibly because of this, I have always felt that our flag was almost sacred. When the question of whether desecrating the flag should be a criminal offense was debated, I said that the true question should only be whether or not it was a capital offense. GOD BLESS THE USA! 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 nmah5495.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. 2003-04-13 IP Address The IP address of the device used to submit the item. 24.168.60.236