My parents have always told me about how they and everyone else reacted when they heard that John F. Kennedy died. I dont think I ever quite understood how they felt until today. I got out of PE at 9:10 Ct and walked to my World History class. As I turned down the hallway to my classroom I heard a teacher remark, "They have already hit both the buildings." I didnt understand what she was talking about, and now that I think about it, I didnt give it much thought at all. As I sat down in my chair I prepared to study for the test we had today. Our teacher walked in and turned on the radio on the small alarm clock she had in her room. I was absolutely horrified. I was too shocked to begin crying until I heard the President's respond to the terrorist attacks. I cried for the first time in 2 years. Other people in my class were upset, but I dont think most of them understood what was going on. THIS WAS an attack on American. It was an attack on our way of life. This is something that has never happened before. But, what I could not understand is how our teachers reacted. Or maybe what I could not understand was their LACK of reaction. It was like nothing had happened. My world Geograpy teacher went on with our normal day as I sit there in shock. After that class I went to IPC (integrated Physics and Chemistry) To my same surprise, my teacher chose to ignore my requests to listen to the radio report by saying, "We are studying Science, not world affairs". My mother works accross the street from the Federal building in downtown Houston and was told to go home. So she came to pick me up from school at around 11:30. When she picked me up I was no longer sobbing, I was mad. I am not only mad about this horrible act, I am mad at the fact that citizens of this country can care so little about an attack on sites that symbolize America and all the good it represents. I am ready to do something to contribute to my country. I now beleive that I know how my parents felt when Kennedy died. I am going to go give blood now and I suggest that all of you do the same. Do something good for the greatest country in the world....
DrewP -- I feel that %100. There's been a general sense of malaise about UH today. It saddens me greatly. I had two Chinese classes this morning and in both my teachers expressed utter disregard and disconcern about the entire entire affair. My classmates laughed about it. I could feel the vomit rising in my throat -- never have I been so full of hatred. I actually envisioned lashing out at my classmates! This is what I fear the most, America becoming consumed by hatred. Its not a rational emotion and like wildfire, is virtually impossible to extinguish once it builds momentum. Muslims, among other, will suffer greatly because we can't properly reconcile this great tragedy. Before you sleep tonight, pray to God that he give you merciful penance after your death.
I know what you mean DrewP. I was in school when the space shuttle Challenger blew up. I remember all the excitement leading up to it, and how classes were delayed when the teachers hooked up the televisions so that we could watch the shuttle take off. And when it blew up 70 seconds into it's takeoff it's like the life was sucked out of the school and the country. Absolutely horrible. I guess kids today have their own horror to remember in school unfortunately.
We couldn't even do Calculus today. Yet the administration wanted them to stay on task. My Calculus teacher thought otherwise.
During history class we had a break so of course I casme here and then I saw the first post about the attack and was like no way this has go to be a joke but then i went to a news site and was like oh **** i dont believe this so I told the teacher to turn on CNN so we watched it for the remander of class. The next period is an arts/elective period which some people have free so most of us watched the news then and the school decided to have a normal schedule and leave it up to the teachers and students what to do so we watched the news for the rest of the day pretty much.
I told one guy if he had heard the news, and he literally didn't say a word about it. He went back to playing with his cell phone. My adv prof. was sobbing and told us to go home. Some on campus seemed oblivious to it, though I don't recall anyone laughing. Some of us did discuss it with concern though. I remember some people had the gall to laugh at the Challenger blowup. I'm very surprised at the lack of compassion some have. I don't think it says alot about where we are in society today.
I remember that, too. I was in 9th grade at Tolland High School in Tolland, CT when the Challenger exploded, and I recall one student in particular saying that it was too bad our study hall teacher wasn't on the shuttle flight.
I don't beleive most Americans are this way....... There are a select few who are either just ignorant and young or cold, heartless ass clowns.......
Everything was perfectly normal this morning - I went to school, to athletics first period, then I walked into my algebra II class. The announcements came on...normal: "There will be a Spanish club meeting in the commons. Band...meets after school today" Then, at the very end of the announcements... "There is word of a crash in NYC, teachers, please turn on your televisions." We all looked around at each other quizzically, than looked at the teacher, who shrugged and turned on the radio. It didn't take long for it to sink in to all of us. The World Trade Center had just been crahed into by two commercial planes, hijacked with a lot of passengers on board. So she turned on the TV, and we all watched the video in horror. Then Peter Jennings goes, "this just in...there is word that a third plane has crashed into the Pentagon." No one could believe what was happening. The whole day we watched ABC news, 7 hours straight, with people calling home and others walking around like zombies. One of my classmates was upset that she'd miss the Astros-Giants game. Unbelievable.
Ironically, I was sitting on my couch, watching TV early in the morning with my wife when the Shuttle exploded. I remember it vividly, and I will never forget. This morning, my wife and I were watching TV, sitting on the couch when the news broke.
George requests that you and your wife no longer sit on the couch and watch TV. I am not sure if this would be considered insensitive or not. It is not meant to be I am just trying to lighten the mood a little on this very somber day.
Firstly, I will not try and pretend to know what American Citzens are feeling right now. My heart and prayers go out to all the victims and loved ones who were caught in this disaster. I was watching The West Wing (about 11pm Australian Time), when a special news buletin came on saying that two planes had crashed into the World Trade Center. There was some footage of the buildings on fire, but I thought it was just a freak accident (no disrespect intended). Then the major buletins came on, and I thought "Oh ****...." I continued watching and when I heared the Pentagon was attacked, and the towers had collapsed I felt really sad. When I got up the next morning, I was wishing it was all a dream. My dad came in and told me that the Americans are going to blow the **** out of the people who did this. I'm just glad that Melbourne is far, far, away.
It is sad when people can be so indifferent about a huge terrorist attack. It just shows how ignorant they are. They have to have something happen to them or their families before they can care less. I first heard about the attack this morning before I went to school, but I didn't know how bad it was. When my college shut down, I turned on the radio and I was shocked. This is the worst disaster ever. My heart goes out to the pilots, flight attendants, and passengers that lost their lives. I cannot imagine the horror or what must have been racing through their minds while they were sitting on their plane awaiting their death. My condolences to the many who have died at the World Trade Center towers and their families. People's lives were torn apart on this sad day in history. We need to find out who did this and bring them to justice. This must happen and soon. Palestinians celebrating over the U.S. tragedy is one of the most disturbing things I have ever seen. God bless the victims and their familes. My prayers go out to them.
Of course, beyond the seemingly heartless comments and all that is the attempt to profit from tragedy. For example, when hundreds of Dallasites were driving to Reunion to give blood or to find some other way to help, gas station owners were out making sure their workers were raising gasoline prices significantly. One station in Crowley reportedly raised their price for a gallon of gas to $3.29 (according to FOX4 in Dallas). Every station between Garland and McKinney that I saw had raised their prices at least 30 cents. The lone station I saw whose price hadn't changed was the RaceTrak on Parker in Plano.
I could not think of anything else today , I watched CBS News off and on and bounced back and forth on the Net for 10 hours .This is so serious , I think All Sports should be cancelled for a week , No NFL games should be played this week . Wait until Next Monday to start things back up again . Joking about things is sort of the American Way of loosening things up , My older brother told me that when he was in High School in 86 And the Challenger exploded , within hours kids were making up jokes like "The Teacher must have Had Dandruff , because her 'Head and Shoulders' washed up an shore" Some people just can't handle the severity of some situations .
I kind of noticed this about UH today as well. I mean, there were people talking about it and students were hovered around the few TVs on campus, but I didn't get a general sense of concern. And was it me, or did it seem like only the English department felt it didn't have the heart to hold class? But occasionally I would hear a student really sounding scared. I guess it was just the shock of the whole thing that took time to settle in.
Damn at UT I walked into my second class at 9:30 and I heard some people say something about two planes hit the WTC buildings and another one may have hit the pentagon and that one of the towers had collapsed. I was just thinking there's no way this could be real and at that point I couldn't even envision the severity of what happened. I had to sit through an our and a half of class just thinking "No WTC buildings, there's no way that's real" over and over. But when I got back to Dobie and walked in and everyone was dead silent watching the TV over the elevator, I knew it was real. I haven't done anything but follow this all day. Deepest sympathies to all those involved.
I first heard the news when i was getting out of car listening to 94.5 Buzz. At first, I didnt really think to high of it, I was just reacting as how I reacted when the bombing took place there in '93. I was thinkin "whatever the day must go on". When I arrived in my Tech Math class at University of Houston, I overheard someone else said that the Pentagon was hit also. I was like, "well, it could have been a coincidence". After class was out, I was just thinking the whole way that I just could not believe it. While sitting awaiting for my Art History class, i thought there was no way i could pay attention with all of these thoughts in my head so, i left and skipped class. As I sit hear typing this, I have been watchin the news like my life would depend on it and I dont know if I can get a good nights sleep and wake up 6am to head to work tommarrow. This is just one day that NONE OF US can forget about. All of my prayers and condelences out to all the families and friends who have been affected by this tragic unexpected event.
Your Dad knows what he is talking about. Afghanistan is going to be a permanent night light for the world. Burn you mother****ers, BURN.
