AND, Two years ago this day..........

[Big J R]

.....We received a phone call at work from our IT department, saying something terrible had happened in New York.

 

We all switched our computers over to BBC live news and witnessed the tragedy of the twin towers.

 

Something I'll never forget !

[Urchin Boy]

I Was In School !

 

But Something That I'll Never Forget !

 

Did Anyone Do A Minute Silence Today ??

[clarence]

<img src="/images/graemlins/argue.gif" alt="" /> yep

[ESG]

minutes silence? why?

[CANV EFM]

a minutes silence for everything is now the order of the day..

[Urchin Boy]

It's A Mark Of Respect ! ESG

[Badger]

But it is used so often that it's meaning has been diluted.

[ESG]

how?, for what?

 

more Britons died at Hillsborough

[Urchin Boy]

I Know, But Surely This Was A Big Event Which Should Be Marked With Respect !

[ESG]

not knockin the respect

just fail to see the validity of faceless office workers having a minutes silence

 

wheres it all end?

[Urchin Boy]

I'm Sure The Scenes From Tuesday Emotially Moved A Lot Of People !

[Matt H]

On September 11th 2001 I was in an English lesson that afternoon when I was sent on a errand to the school Library. The TV was on, (nothing wrong with that) but the volume had been turned up, (which was not normal) and everyone was staring at the screen. My Technology teacher was getting quite hysterical as she was going to New York about 6 weeks afterwards.

 

I thought it must be something serious as many of the teachers that weren't teaching were all crowded around this one screen. I could only hear the words like 'planes' 'towers' 'people' so I thought something had happened at an Airport.

 

I got home that afternoon just as the 2nd Tower fell and listened to it on the Radio on my way to Heybridge who Canvey were playing that night.

 

Now I admit I am not a very big fan of America/Americans and to some extent I believe they probably earnt it and/or deserved it.

 

There was no reference to September 11th at my College last Thursday and I was quite happy with that. As I had to stand for a minute's silence the year before at school and saw it as a complete waste of time, (even if it was just a minute) because it had nothing to do with me and I couldn't give a toss. It was America and I don't really like America's attitude to the rest of the World.

 

 

Matt CIFC <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

[YELLOW]

On September 11th 2001 I was at home. My dad rang me about 2.15 and said something pretty big was going on in New York. Two planes had hit the World Trade Centre and so I assumed at first that they were light aircraft and it had been some tragic accident. My dad then said they believed it was terrorism. I remember thinking how the hell could two planes be hijacked. Switching the TV on it was a scene of absolute carnage, smoke everywhere and as I watched the rerun of the plane smashing into the second tower, it was obvious that this was a passenger airliner and quite deliberate.

 

I'd no sooner hung the phone up when the news flashed to Washington and reports claimed the Pentagon had been hit. I think that there was a state of real panic now. Reports were coming in that all British airports had been closed and people were being evacuated from high rise buildings in London and there was still reports that some airliners were missing.

 

Certainly a day I'll never forget and think the changed the World for ever.

[Mr Happy]

Why are some people using this anniversary to knock the Americans. I'm no fan of America but over 3000 people from many countries were slaughtered by these evil acts of terrorism. The dead and bereaved deserve our respect. If you want to take part in a minutes silence then do it. If not then don't but please do not use something as tragic as this just to slag of America.

[Big J R]

Well said Mr H !

 

Respect is Respect, after all said and done !

[Urchin Boy]

Well Said Mr H !

[Urchino]

Thought i would add where i was on the day of the attacks.

 

I was in an antique centre called "Grays antique Hall" (just off Bond Street)and saw four people crowded around a radio and like matt could only hear words!

We then walked down the stairs to see Colin Badiel (David's dad)and he told us what had happened but even he was sketchy on details, i then remember rushing to a pub with them both and seeing the Tower fall down. Everyone in the pub was hysterical thinking it was world war 3!

 

Whatever people think about America the 3000 + people in the towers, Pentagon or bystanders and their families did not and could not deserve what happened on that day.

On that day i will always stop and remember the People that Perished.

[Mr Happy]

Well said Urchino

[Urchin Boy]

Yeah Well Said Urchino !

[John@TheFleet]

Many valid points from both sides have been made here. However, I can't help but wonder that if the attacks had occured in Russia or Japan or Australia, would there be the 'war on terrorism' we see now? Would we have invaded Iraq?

 

Sept. 11 perhaps does warrant a silence because of the world-wide impact but what about Omagh? What about Dumblaine? What about Lockerbie? What about Hungerford? What about Hillsborough? What about Sarah Paine? Not in the same scale numbers wise, not all terrorism but all tragic losses of life and all just as devastating to the families concerned. Where do you stop? We could spend our whole lives standing in silence. I observe silences at events, as everyone should without exception. One silence I never fail to observe is Rememberence. 300 million dead people in the 2nd World War alone equates to the biggest act of terrorism the world has, and hopefully will have, ever seen.

Tributes and silences do not bring people back but they make the survivors and the living feel better.