nmah713.xml

nmah713.xml

born-digital

story

yes

no

2002-09-01

I was working in Manhattan about 25 blocks away but could see what was happening by looking directly down the avenue. I will never forget the sight of these terrified and desperate people who appeared to be jumping from the upper floors as they must have been literally burning up and felt that this would be a less painful way to die. My knees buckled and I began to cry. I worked in the Trade Center for 2 years, and I walked back and forth through the structure almost daily when I was employed by a Money Center Bank for almost 2 years. I will never forget what I witnessed - it is the saddest day of my life. Nothing will ever bring closure to me as this was an act of brutality that can never be justified or explained. People compare these terrorists to animals. Unfortunately that analogy is unfair, as animals kill to survive, not for distorted rationale. In times like these I fantasize about ancient justice systems where living things, and I will call them things, not humans, would be punished to fit their crime. Not executed as per 21st century rules of justice, where humans are compassionate, but as would ancient law. Not swift, but slow and torturous, making them suffer for as long as possible, and having their fasmily and friends, their country and countrymen watch through the media, and recognize that these are not men, not animals, not anything worthy or respect or civil law. These things, with no feelings, should be brutalized and tortured in the presence of the world - to send a message that they will not be martyred, not go to a better life, not be looked upon as heros, but as the lowest form of pond scum, as cowards, and as psychotic beasts who rationalize their brutality with distortions.

As you can tell, I have developed tremendous pent up hostility to living things of this nature. I have also found that I am depressed whenever I am in lower Manhatten, or even see pictures or films of the Trade Center. I knew no one personally who perished in this horror, but as I have when visiting museums in Washington and Isreal, a holocaust can only bring tears to my eyes. Innocent people murdered through the justification of madmen. It is in my thoughts as often as daily.

I think that each individual will remember this day in their own way. There is no need to try to standardize what should be remembered. Each of us was touched in a different but emotionally stressful way. It is not something that anyone in this lifetime will ever forget.

Yes, my home has a flag displayed. I love this country, and I am proud to be an American. I think that given the opportunity, more people would opt to be an American than any other nationality. Those who speak against us would be your neigbor if they could. They are jealous of the fact that this great nation can function at such a high level, with more prosperity shared among more individuals than in any other place in the world. It is also the only country that is truly a world wide culture, of all religions, races, and a of the most diverse ethnic backgrounds, who can live together without internal war. I think that our flag is a symbol, and that this symbol represents wealth and power to many folks in the the rest of the world. In reality it represents the strength and breadth of the diversity of the people who have worked together to make this country the best place in the world to live and raise a family.