I can't believe it's been 3 years since the attack on America. I still remember it as if it were yesterday. I still remember what I was doing when I heard the news. I just watched an HBO documentary made to tribute the fallen heroes/victims of that fateful day. Unbelievable...

NalaMarie

I can belive it's three years - the actual attacks, the terrorist attacks since and the "war on terrorism" has come to be one of those things, to me, that always seems to have been there.

Where do the years go, three years since September 11, Is till remember where I was (in Australia) and watching the horrifying sight on tv! And, the War on Terrorism goes on, just look at Bali and Jakarta not to mention Iraq!

Three years ago I was an undergrad who was watching it unfold between classes - running into the student union to get a quick look at the television. In my second class, I sat with a friend and chatted (by writing on our notebooks) about what was going on, then after we went to the student union again and saw that the towers had fallen.

My friend was from NYC and she ust broke down - luckily, one of the administrators came over and took her to where the rabbi was (she was Jewish), leaving me to wander around watching the various televisions to try and figure out what was going on.

They had all the secondary schools in lockdown and my mom was at work, so I called my mom saying that all the classes were cancelled and if she couold pick me up then instead of in a few hours (I was originally planning on hanging around in the library while waiting for her).

It still hasn't really hit me because all I saw of this was on tv - I'd never been to NYC, so I never saw the WTC or 'ground zero', and by the time I got to DC, the Pentagon had been rebuilt.

I remember exactly where I was... I'd just started my teacher training and was observing in a local primary school... I came out of school, got in the car to hear about the second tower collapsing and thought, "what on earth is going on?" Went home and sat on the sofa with my jaw wide open watching the TV news of it.

I was walking to my second hour, (biology,) when a teen started yelling that we were "under attack." Of course I didn't believe him and figured it was some sort of strange joke.

A moment after the bell rang my math teacher burst into the room, switched on the television, and ran back to his own class. I can't remember much of what I saw but do recall being so incredibly shocked, angry...basically just thinking to myself "I don't believe it."

Classes were more or less cancelled; all we did was talk, though some teachers who I assume knew people in NY just cried while others quietly ushered us into their classrooms.
Unreal. I'll never forget it.

I was in the office when a colleague who had been shopping rushed in to tell us that he has seen it on a television in Woolworths, that people were crowded around the sets watching. I quickly went onto the Sky News website and watched it unfold from there, as I was the only person in the office with Internet I was relaying the news to the others as it happened.

I was in a little office with no radio and no television. My mother called me up at like 9:40 AM and told me "They got the World Trade Center" and I was like in shock but I figured it was true, then when my mother said "and they got the Pentagon too" I told her to stop joking because it's a sick joke...she said she's not joking and I told her that I was always taught in school that the Pentagon cannot be seen from the air and cannot be seen via satellite. She said that if I had a television I should watch it. I then remembered there was a small beat up television, black and white, that I could watch. I turned it on and saw the towers smoking and the Pentagon partially caved in. Then the news reaired the footage of the second plane slamming into the WTC. I remember calling my co-worker and telling him what happened and then I called my boss who laughed when I voiced my concern about Philadelphia being attacked. Believe it or not, he wouldn't let no one go home early.

What I saw on television that day will always be with me, for in that one day we were all joined together, regardless of color of skin.

I pulled up to the gas station where I always buy my morning coffee. It was a block from my office, and the other gal I work with always met me there on HER way to work. That day, our boss stopped in as well, for a roll, and as we all stood there at the counter, some strange news was being relayed on the radio, and I didn't understand it. I don't listen to radio or watch any news in my morning routine, but Luann and Jan do, and they said that a plane had struck the WTC, but no one was really sure what it was. Keep in mind I'm 1 hour behind New York time, but this was before 9:00 there.

We listened for a moment to the reports on the radio, then quietly got into our cars and headed down to the office, where we turned on the TV and watched, stunned, what unfolded. My mother called me and I was on the phone with her when the second tower was hit. and then still when they fell. I cried. We all cried, I think. And in the midst of it all, it was business as usual. We had companies coming in after shipments, and the drivers came in and watched with us, some just sitting quiet, others shouting racial epithets about Arabs. And my mother, on the phone, and always more practical than she realizes, talking about how Daddy was going to have to reschedule his flight the next day. He's a pilot.

Somewhere in the midst of the day, I got an email from my sister. It was a forward from one of her best friends, a Bosnian Muslim refugee who had recently moved from our town to New York to go to graduate school in foreign relations. It was pictures, taken from her apartment's roof in Manhattan, and a commentary which is part of the reason why I defend Muslims against the stereotypes I see too often. (Surely she is not THAT atypical a muslim, you see.) She has always been one of the most insightful people I know, and her war-torn life added a perspective to the event that I'll never forget.

Like most everyone else who wasn't actually IN New York on that day, and probably many who were, the entire day sits in my head behind a shroud, surreal and foggy, yet somehow strangely crystal clear.

I recall this event vividly to this day, a couple of television stations here in Australia have also shown docos about it during the last couple of days.
I was staying up fairly late watching cable and happened to flick onto one of the news stations. They were replaying the film of the first plane flying into the building and I was, like everyone I guess, just stunned but couldn`t stop watching. I rang my brothers house and woke his wife up with the news that a plane had just been flown into the world trade centre. I must have spoken in a excited manner as she passed the phone to my brother and said "it`s Chris I think hes going nuts, he wants you to put the tele on and check out the news". As I was explaining what had happened and telling him to quickly turn the t.v on I saw the other plane approaching. "Oh my god, mate there`s another plane coming in, just put the %$#@&% tele on I`ve got to go". I rang a couple of others and sat down to watch the horror of this event unroll. It was like watching a movie, I felt so detached, it was just too much to take in.
I had started the video recorder when I saw the first news about this but stayed up most of the night watching.
There are images that I would rather not remember, but as cliched as it sounds, some things you just can`t forget.

I don't have a colorful "recall" of that morning (and I'd like to say that all the responses here have been awesome to read--it was a day that had limitless reaction all over the globe). September 11 was my late Father's birthday. It was a day that you went to the cemetery and laid flowers down and paid some honor to the history of time. As I was trying to think whether to get carnations or daisies for the wreath I had to buy for his grave I sat and watched the "Today" show and got the news, as I do daily. It was almost over when a plane was reported to have crashed into one of the towers. At first, it seemed like nothing to the reporters or even to me. It was stated that small planes have been known to run into the towers. Then the second plane showed up. Purposely steering into its target. I remember Matt Lauer saying something like: "Oh, my! That almost looks deliberate". None of it made any logical sense in those early moments. After watching further (and whoever said it) the word 'surreal' fits perfectly. I called friends [most of whom were watching "Barney" with their kids or grandkids] and hadn't watched what happened. Surprisingly, there were no tears amongst us. But I know we all understood and felt that horrible feeling of vulnerability that day. And, sad for us all, we have never gotten over it completely. I never did make it to my Dad's grave.

9:48 am
I was at the fair and then I heard on the news that a plane had struck one of the twin towers.
10:01
another plane had struck the towers. ( at this point I was frekin out)
10:30
"OH MY GOD. THE PENTAGON IS HIT."
Later that Day the Twin Towers Fell.
It will be a day long remebered.
I would also take a vou of silence.

It was my daughter's third birthday (and second week of Pre-school) and I was almost 8 months pregnant with my son. Needless to say, I was unable to bake the cupcakes to take to her class - we had to run out and buy them at a supermarket. Her birthday party, which was at a nearby mall, had to be canceled because the mall had to be evacuated; this is a big navy area, and they were afraid that the bases would be next to be hit... I really thought I would go into labor early. I cried the entire day.

My husband (who is originally from New York in the Bronx, and spent virtually all of his adult life in NYC [he had even lived in Battery Park City at one point]) and I had met and gotten married in Manhattan. We lived there for 3 years before deciding to move south with our daughter. The irony of that event is that the weekend before it happened, we were thinking about moving back!

I am appalled and heart-broken about the events of that fateful day; I always get tears in my eyes thinking about it. My heart aches for all of those who lost loved ones and friends on September 11, 2001. Yet, I choose to think of it as one of the happiest days of my (and my husband's) life, thanks to our daughter. I know that there were others who had birthdays that day or were born on that day, so I wish them all a belated Happy Birthday!

Trivia - I was watching a TV show a little while ago and it was focusing on a couple who decided to get married on the 1 year anniversary of Sept. 11. Their reasoning was they thought the date should be to gather with family togetehr and be thankful for what you have and that they didn't want the date to always have this 'it's a bad day' stigma.

I thought the reasonings were very good - I can't imagine how some of the people who share a birthday feel... I imagine they don't feel much like celebrating the day they were born.

From an objective point of view, I doubt very seriously that there is anyone alive who wasn't born on the anniversary of some tragedy, personal or public. To be honest, though September 11 marked a turning point in American history, and one of a slim few of those to happen in MY lifetime, I have to remember it was not nearly the first such tragedy to strike America, let alone the rest of the world. I'm sure those born on December 7 manage to get the cake down.

I don't mean to minimize it, as it's still very fresh to us all, and I imagine it wouldn't be easy to go out after chocolate cake with candles when the rest of the country is taking a moment of silence. But for my own personal reasons I refuse to make a day of mourning out of it, and since I think they are good reasons, I think others should do the same. (Of course, part of those reasons are that I believe (across the board) that celebrations of life are more appropriate on the anniversaries of death than weeping and sorrowful retrospection, but I'm sure that is a different discussion.)

I first heard about the attacks when I was driving to school. It takes me an hour to drive to school, so I got to hear a lot. At first, all I was hearing about was the Pentagon. I didn't even hear about the WTC until I was almost at school. I remember being extremely confused, and the idea of terrorism hadn't even entered my mind. I was like, "Why are all these planes crashing? Don't people know how to fly anymore? What's going on?" It wasn't until they said it was deliberate that I understood. But I didn't get any real information because no one really knew what was going on. I called my mom and told her that the Twin Towers were gone, and she just couldn't believe it. She thought I had heard incorrectly. Our college classes were cancelled, and it took me forever to get out of our parking garage.

I remember waking up at about 7:30 am on that fateful Tuesday morning in Los Angeles where I live
by that time the towers had already fallen
so I was already behind the news of the day

the radio was squawking about the news
and I woke up like a cannon shot I was so surprised
barely awake I stumbled into my living room and turned
the TV on and was horrified...I called my entire family
aunts, uncles, cousins, brother and mom
I figured that they were all OK (none were in NYC)
but I just needed to check
my mom was glad I called cause she lives in Taiwan
and she said that she had been trying to call us here in the States, but that the phones were all jammed/busy.

I work in a high rise in West LA
and I called work to check in and got a voice mail
from the head of our office who said our building had been evacuated...
I couldn't go to work
I talked with some friends about going to Disneyland and just hanging out...just to do something
show that we had no fear and that we as Americans could still go about our lives, but Dland was closed as well

I spent the rest of the day at home with the news on
alternating between sadness, horror, grief, anger and helplessness

I was in my office building in France/Monaco on a sunny afternoon and was surprised to hear someone with their computer sound turned up full blast and a few people looking at the monitor through the glass window that separated us. My British colleague and I hurried over to see what was going on and they were exclaiming about the first crash...it was in the afternoon in Europe.

We rushed back to our own PCs and started searching frantically for English news as we assumed it was a French hoax. I said, 'I'll try the Beeb, you try Sky' and nothing worked as they were jammed. Then finally we'd get bits of reports and at one point, we actually thought that the Pennsylvania flight might possibly be unrelated. I know it sounds naive now, but then, we're a long ways away and hearing it like that was scary...
Then the second crash occured precluding a hoax...then they announced the Pentagon plane...we were absolutely frantic as we searched for news. Then we heard about the Pennsylvania crash. It seemed unreal, and you wished it were a hoax quite frankly.

I'd just become a moderator that very week at FT, therefore I was able to get on to the forums and we would get messages via the news here. Cellar Door managed to send us a message I think. As the online sites were quickly jammed, FT was a comfort as the news was coming from people we knew, not just bits and pieces. We'd hear from people around the world and how they were hearing it.

As I was the only American any of my company colleagues knew personally, my office became crowded and people came in to pay their respects, and discuss it. Most of them expressed their shock and dismay and sympathy as if I'd lost a loved one myself, but some expressed their cynicism, even at that moment. We received many calls that night as people knew I was American amongst our friends and relatives.

I got a call from my kid who was over the border in Italy as they'd been picking out a cat in a hotel lobby when the lady called them to the television with the first crash. They apparently saw the second one and subsequent ones.
She asked me to get the kitten some supplies before I came home. Reeling with disbelief still, I waited in line with kitty litter and kitten food and a toy, and people were busily dicussing it.
My other child said they'd announced it in his class too, and as he's the only American anyone knows, he heard lots of stuff. Lots of expats live in their own world but we're all in both worlds and we saw both sides of the coin.

I felt far away, and almost as though I wondered if I'd ever see home again.
This was compounded by the continuing events, the Embassy telling Americans not to travel and various dire warnings, and the basic feeling of being cut off from it all.

I remember the three minutes silence because, some people protested having to observe it, however, one colleague hid this from me and stood with me.

Another poignant moment was about two weeks later, when I sat at a cafe and talked to the Muslim mothers from my son's school and we wondered how on earth this had happened?

I remember finally being able to talk to my parents in California who were just waking up and finding out the terrible news. Like LA, the whole state capital had been shut down as well as the Golden Gate Bridge I believe.

I remember that little furball of a kitten that night though, and how good it was to take our minds off of the tragedy unfolding...with new life.

I remember it well. It was our 36th wedding anniversary.

I had not left for my job that day and it all began to unfold with much mystery. The first plane was initially believed to be an accident. We watched the coverage in horror as the second plane struck and there was no doubt it was an attack.
When the first tower fell in the midst of much dust, I told my wife I thought it had just collapsed. The reporter was in as much disbelief as we were. They replayed it from another camera and it was horrifying to see it reduced to rubble, knowing the many people who still reminded in the building.
The day was unsure for many Americans, not knowing what was next.
Our local gas prices started climbing, and by the end of the day there was $5 dollar gas reported. Probably not an unrealistic take from a suppliers point of view. However there was one station on our strip that never raise his price.
Good Americans stepped forward to face the disaster. Our government officials took the necessary steps to stop panic. Wall street was closed.
We survived the attack. And we are still surviving.
But we should never forget the hatred that existed and still exists in the Moslem community against Americans.
Jax

It was heading towards midnight here in Australia and I was in bed as I had school the next day, but not quite asleep. Then I heard my brother calling from the lounge room, "Come and watch this. Quick". I was curious to know what could've been so urgent at midnight. I quickly ran to the lounge and saw headlines and images flying across the screen of collapsing buildings and the words, 'World Trade Centre', 'attack', 'terror', 'breaking news' etc.

It had only been a about a month and half since we arrived home from a holiday to my cousin's place in New York City and had seen and taken photos in front of Twin Towers.

I was surprised at what happened just by what I was hearing and watching on TV. I can only imagine what it must've been like for those of you who live there, like my cousin, and seen this day in history unfold in front of your eyes.

"the hatred that exists in the Moslem world against the Americans".
What steps have the Americans made to change the hatred to love, respect or even get the Moslem community to like them.By profiling them as potential terrorists ,they have further alienated them.Even President Bush is staking his political future on terrorism.
Three years ago there was seldom a word heard about terrorism,now it seems that it is a daily occurence.
As for the war against terrorism ,there is no doubt as to who is winning,every big event worldwide has increased security.
It was painful to see an increased security force at the Olympic games where there should have been a great celebration of youthful athleticism

It's difficult to determine what is meant by the phrase "Muslim community" you know. I'm sure a great many American citizens, born and raised here, who are a part of the "muslim community" would suggest the term be more specifically defined. So would every non-American muslim I personally know, including both Europian and Arab muslims.

I don't think it unfair to say we, the collective "We" that includes ALL members of American society (not just the non-muslim ones) as well as anyone else who abhors the kind of violence perpetrated on the 11th of September, 2001, should not forget the hatred which still exists in the community of the madmen who perpetrate it. I don't think it unfair to say that We should never forget that there are people of ALL walks of life, be it an Arab Muslim or an American citizen (lets not forget the bombing of the Oklahoma City Federal Building when we talk about terrorism), who hate what America symbolizes to them. I do think it unfair to say that we should believe in the first place, let alone never forget, that the Muslim community in general hates America or Americans.

I am guessing this is a topic for another thread, and perhaps one that no longer exists here, but if it needs to be said...

Thank you, Lothruin. You expressed my sentiments exactly. Having lived with several hundred students from different countries at International House in NYC, whose motto is 'that brotherhood shall prevail', I felt that I too had to speak up.

Can we please remember that the 19 accused perpetrators of the 9/11 attacks belonged to a very small and isolated group of extremists who not only hated America, but the rest of the 'Western' world, including Europe? There were victims from many different countries and religions, including Muslims. There have been different attacks in American history that were carried out by non-Muslims.

I thought that 9/11 had taught us a lesson: not to hate. Shall I dredge out every unpleasant act in this country's history and thus carry a grugde against any person of the same ethnicity? As my husband and I have told our daughter each of the past two birthdays, just because there are a few people in this world who do bad things, it does not mean that the rest of the world or the rest of the people in it is as bad.