Please take a moment of silence to remember today.
This morning early I walked on
While my darling was in a dream
The last sweet days of summer bloomed
And dressed the trees in green
Then soaring high in the gleaming sky
From far across the bay
Came a fearsome roar from a distance shore
At the dawning of the day
Then I called my men to follow me
Knowing well that the view was dim
Though tired and worn, how they fought all morn’
As time was closing in
And my heart was sad though sore with pride
For brave lads all were they
As the angels fly, how they climbed so high
On the dawning of the day
But the edge is moving nearer now
Inside the fading sun
And calling, calling out to them
My brothers, one by one
But only dusty silence sounds
The ashes float away
As the twilight ends and the night descends
‘til the dawning of the day
Forgive me love, I’m going now
So very far away
When darkness falls, only think me near
And do not be afraid
And please don’t grieve when I am gone
Abide in what remains
‘til the shadows end and we meet again
on the dawning of the day
For when the shadows end, we shall meet again
On the dawning of the day
--Mary Fahl, The Dawning of the Day
A 911 Tribute.
In the grand scheme of things, it really isn't a big deal. People made a big deal out of it, but ultimately, it really didn't do anything. A few people died, a few poorly-constructed buildings collapsed. Yeah, it sucks for them, but ultimately, far, far more important things have happened.
People need to stop pretending it was important. It wasn't. The Chilean coup d'etat was a far more important event, but no one ever remembers that it occurred on September 11th.
Actually, 9/11 was a pretty unimportant event. The only real impact was Bush being able to cow Congress into doing his bidding and get the United States into two wars.
In the grand scheme of things, it really isn't a big deal. People made a big deal out of it, but ultimately, it really didn't do anything. A few people died, a few poorly-constructed buildings collapsed. Yeah, it sucks for them, but ultimately, far, far more important things have happened.
People need to stop pretending it was important. It wasn't. The Chilean coup d'etat was a far more important event, but no one ever remembers that it occurred on September 11th.
You seem the kind of person who goes to funerals to tell people how much of a prick the deceased was.
O God of love, compassion, and healing,
look on us, people of many different faiths
and traditions,
who gather today at this site,
the scene of incredible violence and pain.
We ask you in your goodness
to give eternal light and peace
to all who died here—
the heroic first-responders:
our fire fighters, police officers,
emergency service workers, and
Port Authority personnel,
along with all the innocent men and women
who were victims of this tragedy
simply because their work or service
brought them here on September 11, 2001.
We ask you, in your compassion
to bring healing to those
who, because of their presence here that day,
suffer from injuries and illness.
Heal, too, the pain of still-grieving families
and all who lost loved ones in this tragedy.
Give them strength to continue their lives
with courage and hope.
We are mindful as well
of those who suffered death, injury, and loss
on the same day at the Pentagon and in
Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
Our hearts are one with theirs
as our prayer embraces their pain and suffering.
God of peace, bring your peace to our violent world:
peace in the hearts of all men and women
and peace among the nations of the earth.
Turn to your way of love
those whose hearts and minds
are consumed with hatred.
God of understanding,
overwhelmed by the magnitude of this tragedy,
we seek your light and guidance
as we confront such terrible events.
Grant that those whose lives were spared
may live so that the lives lost here
may not have been lost in vain.
Comfort and console us,
strengthen us in hope,
and give us the wisdom and courage
to work tirelessly for a world
where true peace and love reign
among nations and in the hearts of all.
--Pope Benedict XVI
Prayer at Ground Zero
New York, 20 April 2008
The Chilean coup d'etat was a far more important event, but no one ever remembers that it occurred on September 11th.
Most of the people who post here aren't in Chile.
And maybe it *is* a good day to bring in hard questions and debates about this event, and all that surrounded it... It's a good time to pounder about it.
In a polite and civilian way, of course.
Most of the people who post here aren't in Chile.
So they don't matter because they're Chilean?
Most of us here aren't New Yorkers either, and there's a very high probability that the OP is not a New Yorker.
Well, people really should stop mourning 9-11, since it happened so long ago now. HOWEVER, I don't like the way you are speaking Titanium Dragon. It's not necessary to be such a prick. I'm sure you'd be ****** off if someone YOU knew and loved died then and someone dismisses the event and the deceased as completely irrelevant and unimportant. You should take the feelings of others into consideration you know. Remember: If you have nothing USEFUL to say, then it's better to keep your mouth shut. *sigh* can't believe you.
Not particularly, no. People I know have died and ultimately it wasn't particularly important.
Well, people really should stop mourning 9-11, since it happened so long ago now. HOWEVER, I don't like the way you are speaking Titanium Dragon. It's not necessary to be such a prick. I'm sure you'd be ****** off if someone YOU knew and loved died then and someone dismisses the event and the deceased as completely irrelevant and unimportant. You should take the feelings of others into consideration you know. Remember: If you have nothing USEFUL to say, then it's better to keep your mouth shut. *sigh* can't believe you.
As much as I hate to say it, I agree with TD. He's a bit courser than I would've been, but it doesn't change the fact that we need to move forward rather than constantly reminding ourselves of the hurt of the past.
My condolences to the families that lost loved ones, but would you rather live your lives to the fullest or mourn the loss forever? Haul topsoil in to the site, put up a small monument with the names of those lost that day and close the book. The world trade center plaza should be left as a memorial park to those that died and the rest of us should move forward. Let the families of the dead mourn if they wish at the largest grave in the country, but we as a country cannot stop everything every year on the 11th of September.
I apologize to any I have offended.
It's callous quite perhaps, but funerals, mournings and all that shouldn't be used as an excuse to silence and censor criticism and the like.
And maybe it *is* a good day to bring in hard questions and debates about this event, and all that surrounded it... It's a good time to pounder about it.
In a polite and civilian way, of course.
Telling someone off for gatecrashing your memorial service is not silencing or censoring criticsm.
It is telling someone to stop acting like a jerk.
There is no "polite and civil way" to mock another's grief. I can see how some would want to try to pretend such exists to excuse their lack of simple decency.
As much as I hate to say it, I agree with TD. He's a bit courser than I would've been, but it doesn't change the fact that we need to move forward rather than constantly reminding ourselves of the hurt of the past.
Those who do not learn from the past are doomed to repeat it.
My condolences to the families that lost loved ones, but would you rather live your lives to the fullest or mourn the loss forever?
The two are not incompatible.
Haul topsoil in to the site, put up a small monument with the names of those lost that day and close the book. The world trade center plaza should be left as a memorial park to those that died and the rest of us should move forward. Let the families of the dead mourn if they wish at the largest grave in the country, but we as a country cannot stop everything every year on the 11th of September.
You are not required to stop anything.
Others wish to express their grief more, for family, friends, and their countrymen in general.
The country also stops everything every year on the 11th of November in memory of others who have fallen, whether they be family or not. Does your casual sneering extend to all those participating on that day as well?
I apologize to any I have offended.
If you were sincere you would not have offended in the first place.
If you continue to mourn, the terrorists have won.
No, if you fail to remember the terrorists have won.
If you sneer at those who remember, your humanity has lost.
Mourning does little good. And it does no good at all if it lasts for seven years. My grandfather for one died a little less than 5 years ago, and I no longer mourn him. Rather, I honour him by making myself a better person and do what he did best: work hard and don't let the bad stuff get to ya.
Mourning does much good. It allows you to fully discharge all of your feelings for someone. Sometimes it is done quickly, and sometimes it is not.
Likewise there is more to honoring those who have passed than just getting on with things.
It takes nothing to stand aside and let others mourn.
It takes a great meanness of spirit to denigrate those still caught in their grief.
