9/11

Maybe you're sick of talking about this, but as tomorrow is quite literally the 10 year anniversary, I think it's interesting to talk about. Mainly-

Where you were?
What impact it's had on your life?
Do you think America is stronger because of it?
How will it influence the future?

That kind of stuff.

Personally, when I look back I remember there was this period of time where America was so unified and beautiful, and now were back to the same dark seedy place we started at, full of hate and intolerance. Even from another countries perspective, I'm sure seeing such a huge scale random act of needless violence happen was probably disturbing and unsettling. Over 3000 people died because of religious intolerance. We're in the 21st century and we still have an issue where people are completely incapable of accepting another person's beliefs.

At Starbucks they're offering free coffee from 8-11am to "promote conversation," which really sickens me that the company is using such a tragic day to promote their brand. Nobody is going to come in and actually sit around and talk about 9/11. People are going to come in, get their free coffee, and leave. Fuck Starbucks. If you guys really like coffee, promise me you'll go to 7/11 or Dunkin Doughnuts. It's better and it's cheaper.

I have no comments on the matter, I'm not on the mood to talk about Americans and how most of them have become douche bags in the present time. Sorry if I'm offending anyone, thats clearly not my intention.

In Psych, we watched a CNN special on 9/11, it had actual footage of both planes crashing into the buildings which i had never seen before. It also showed footage of people jumping out of the buildings, which is probably one of the most unsettling and disturbing things ive had to watch at school. There were girls crying in my class when they watched it and i felt like utter shit when it finished. Now that I'm older i can put it into perspective a lot better. I was only in first grade when it happened, so obviously at the time i had no idea what it meant and was just happy to be out of school early.

Do I think america is stronger because of it? I would hope so, so many people died, its terrible to try to think about it, but i think this made the population of america, in general, stronger. I would definitely say the country is much more patriotic because of it. But unfortunately, 9/11 fueled a new prejudice against Muslims, that we have to deal with for the rest of our lives. The ignorance of some people is uncanny, and the media fuels it so its never really dying down. But i can say that there are a lot of people that became less ignorant after this and know that it was an extremist that planned this and anyone that commits murder is no longer Muslim.

Hopefully it will influence our future for the better, making the country stronger as a whole, and i hope all of the troops come home as soon as its safe. That starbucks thing is pretty messed up.... why would you talk to a complete strangers about a topic as sensitive as 9/11, and like free coffee would motivate someone to do that.

Oh yeah my highschool was in the news. The hot teacher is my us history teacher <3

http://www.11alive.com/video/default.aspx?bctid=1151791070001

Damn. Seriously? My respect points for Starbucks sure went a shitload down. I could see them giving free coffee away as a small token in condolence of the tragic day and for the loss of so many people, but for just to start a conversation? Seriously...


I was either in kindergarten or in first grade, and like Omar, didn't think anything of it, was too young to understand, and had no idea what it even meant. I don't think, that I can remember, my school even let out early for that day. I really can't even say that it affected me in the least bit, even up until today... but I look around, and there are all these people that actually had relatives that were there in the building when it happened. It makes me feel like crap that I can't say "Its alright, I know how you feel"... because obviously, I can't. I have nothing to relate to it, even though I wish I could say something to make some of those people feel better. I know I should really consider myself lucky though... I was never exactly a patriot in the beginning, but still.
There really isn't anything else I can say about it that Omar didn't already cover (pretty much everything he said I agree with)
I do suppose that it made us more patriotic, but it obviously did hurt us more in the end... I could predict that America is never going to let it down, and its most certainly going to be in the future textbooks of highschool classrooms 20 years from now, labeled as a new mark in American history.
One things for sure, America definitely has been keeping up with its security, particularly at airports. Although pretty aggravating, it is an improvement.
By the way Omar, if you happen to know if that video would be on youtube or something, I wouldn't mind seeing it for myself..


One more thing... I heard that they recently dug up some evidence that terrorists were about to make another attack having something to do with car bombs for the anniversary on 9/11. I barely know anything about it, but whats everyone's thoughts on that?

It's interesting hearing about it from people who were alive when it happened, but didn't realize it's impact. I was too young to really fully emotionally understand it too, but I knew people that were working in the Pentagon on that day and narrowly survived. I remember sitting in front of the TV for hours watching the planes, and people falling to their death, and even a week later the skyline of the city was covered in smoke. It was terrifying.

I think while a lot of people learned from it, it made some people more radically ignorant than ever before. It was a year ago that New York, one of the most liberal diverse cities in the world, that was contesting a Muslim community center ten blocks from ground zero. Just goes to show that hatred and violence only breeds more hatred and violence.

I heard about the car bomb thing that's supposed to happen today. All I read is that they were following two marked men with known intentions of committing a terrorist attacks to find where they hid these trucks they'd stolen and planned on using in tunnels in NY and DC, and that they've lost them. I think security in the city is going to be really high today, and I actually I feel pretty calm that nothing will happen. I hope I don't have to eat my words. I find it upsetting that 10 years later that this is still happening. It makes you wonder how relieved we can really be that Osama is dead.

Yeah... I have the same vibe. I don't see anyone letting this down for at least another good ten years from now, which is the pretty fucked up thing. I really don't think Osama being dead will affect anything very much in the long run.

Also Omar, I watched your video. Your teacher is pretty.
I think it's great that your school did that and everything... but sometimes I just think it would be for the best that everyone would just let it go. Its an honor to be one of the people to set something like that up for the anniversary of 9/11, but its not like were celebrating something... its not something that a lot of people would really want to be reminded of. That was one of our weakest points in history, and the fact that the media keeps bringing it up just seems sorta... I dunno, probably kind of like a big reminder-kick in the face when they see it advertised everywhere. I could see something like this being brought up in history a long time for now, but the fact that its so published so soon after it happens, its just kinda like everyone is dragging it on. I know its not exactly something that we can all just forget about, but I just think a lot of places shouldn't be promoting it as often as they are. Starbucks, for the obvious example.

I would tap that teacher.


To add to your thoughts Angie, I was talking to someone earlier that had a really unpopular opinion, that instead of sensationalizing 9/11 (showing videos of the twin towers in black and white, having day long tributes to it), that they should focus on forgiving the people that did it. I don't think in any way that this person meant that we should say it was okay what they did, but to bear so much hate and resentment even 10 years later only furthers this war. Peace would be so much more tangible if people could learn to let go the tragedies that happened a long time ago, and not blame an entire group of people for something only a small group of radicals is responsible for. I just thought it was an interesting perspective, because when you think about it that's the advice that a life counselor would give you if someone committed some sort of personal attack on you, so why is it totally inappropriate to suggest that on a larger scale.

Im not going to lie, when I read the part where you said that they should focus on forgiving the people that did it, my first immediate accusing reaction was "what the heck?"

But as I read on, it made perfect sense. Its basically saying "why accuse the entire group when only one kid stole your apple juice?" Making the good suffer for the bad, in the long run.

We only wish it were that easy to say though. America, or any country in general really, aren't big on forgiving anyone for anything. If one person starts something, of course its going to raise hell, and that one person/group who started it risked their entire country for their sake. Hate the ones who started it, spare the ones who had nothing to do with it. I guess in Americas perspective, its more like "If they choose to live in the place that is terrorizing our country, then they choose to support the enemy, which is just as bad as a terrorist attack."
The thing is though, obviously not everyone has a choice where to live. Most of them can't help it.

Its just another flaw in modern society, there are always people that are too ignorant to see beyond their stupidity which means that nothing will ever get accomplished. I agree, and i know a lot of other people that would also agree with what that guy said, but theres always that one group of like stereotypical republican conservative rednecks that cant see beyond anything which is what keeps our country from progressing in all foreign affairs.

Yeahhhh... what Omar said. Also, I forgot to add in, the only reason I had that reaction when I first read it was because when you said he thought they should forgive them, I thought you meant the actual group that did it, not the entire country.

He meant the individual group as well as the country, for clarification. Like when you go to counseling for rape or abuse, they work on getting you to forgive your rapist/abuser. He was saying that the healthy thing to do would be to forgive those specific people, and that that is the only way to end the cycle of hate. He didn't mean that we should condone terrorist attacks, but rather forgive or really get over 9/11. Like I said, unpopular opinion, but it's an interesting thought. I'm not even entirely sure how I feel about it.

When I think about it historically, I compare it to how a lot of African Americans are reverse racists because their ancestors were persecuted by white people. If they forgave not only white people in general, but the specific people that enslaved their people, they could significantly lessen racism. Being racist and aggressive back only fuels more racism and intolerance. Someone has to be the bigger person at some point.

I do agree for the most part with that guy, although I find it hard to forgive the individual group of people who did it. I just can't forgive someone who has no intention of giving apology, or don't even feel sorry for what they did, especially for something as big and as harmful as that. Im just one of those people I guess, that if someone does something on purpose and won't say sorry, Ill always hold a grudge. Typical American maybe, but I never judge a whole group for what one individual did and im ready to just forget the whole 9/11 thing unlike most Americans.

Its like in fullmetal alchemist when scar had to forgive the people who persecuted the people of Ishbal! -nerdgasm-

Its not quite the same though, because didn't he come into realization that it wasn't actually caused by Amestrians, but by homunculi?

And no one forgave the homunculi.

-better nerdgasm-

Yeah, but scar had to forgive them so he could join their side and help them fight, and then later he found out that it was due to the homunculi.

Only on this forum can we go from 9/11 to fma..

Shen wrote:

Its like in fullmetal alchemist when scar had to forgive the people who persecuted the people of Ishbal! -nerdgasm-

Omg, I didn't connect it to that, but that's actually EXACTLY what he meant. I wonder if that's where he got it from. Love you nerds.

Oh yeah, that's true.

Even towards the end when they made Mustang not kill Envy. That kind of had something to do with forgiveness in order to lead a country properly, so he wouldn't end up leading it in pure hatred and vengeance.
Which is pretty much exactly how America is. I love FMA and it's hidden morals.