September 11th Thread

[Mean Mr. Mustard]

I just thought that it might be a good idea to start a thread about the 9/11 Attacks. Nothing regarding politics should be posted here but more just a thread of thoughts on the anniversary of that date.

Personally I am going to remember the day through donating blood and I would strongly encourage others to do the same.

[peter12]

Worser days than this happen every single day in the world. Some of the worst ever are happening in the Sudan right now.

Puts it in perspective for me. Yeah it was an awful murderous tragedy, but so many worse things happen to countries that can't afford to bounce back.

[JiriHrdina]

That's a good point Peter, it's amazing some of the things that go on in this world with little or no reaction.

On a related note - I went to One Yellow Rabbit's new show tonight - a one man show written and performed by Douglas Coupland (author of Generation X, Microserfs, etc) called September 10. Basically his examination of the 90s leading up to 9/11. Its a work in progress so it was a little rough but still very interesting. If you are a Coupland fan or just want to think about 9/11 in a bit of a different way you might want to check it out.

[flames_1987]

I can't help but wonder what the world would've been w/o these attacks. America would live in peace there would be no Code Oranges or sudden terroist threats. The Muslim community would be shown much more respect by America and well there would've been a lot less reason for war, not like George needs any anyways.

[Crazy Flamer]

Originally posted by peter12@Sep 11 2004, 05:24 AM
Worser days than this happen every single day in the world. Some of the worst ever are happening in the Sudan right now.

Puts it in perspective for me. Yeah it was an awful murderous tragedy, but so many worse things happen to countries that can't afford to bounce back.

I agree completely. We make such a big deal out of it. Why??? Yes, thousands of people died, and it was tragic. But tragic things, even worse than the attacks on September 11, happen quite often. Yet in most cases, you harldy hear a whisper about it.

[BlackArcher101]

It's the same reason some people use a death in the family as an excuse for too long. Some people like to make others feel sorry for them, some like the attention it gets. How long are the Americans going to play this card for?

[TheCommodoreAfro]

Originally posted by JiriHrdina@Sep 11 2004, 02:27 PM
That's a good point Peter, it's amazing some of the things that go on in this world with little or no reaction.

On a related note - I went to One Yellow Rabbit's new show tonight - a one man show written and performed by Douglas Coupland (author of Generation X, Microserfs, etc) called September 10. Basically his examination of the 90s leading up to 9/11. Its a work in progress so it was a little rough but still very interesting. If you are a Coupland fan or just want to think about 9/11 in a bit of a different way you might want to check it out.

Not to hijack this thread - I work for a theatre company in Japan. One of the surprising things in it currently is the amount of "political theatre" coming out recently. Typically it accounts for a few playwrights inspired by the likes of Dario Fo, but even here in Japan this trend is on the rise.

Political Theatre

IMHO, 9-11 had an impact on the world not because of the scale of attacks. As others noted things just as scary are happening today. The school massacre to me, is more barbaric as it's a calm slaughter by people of children compared to an anonymous attack by an airplane cum missle.

Getting back to my point, the media exposure and "reality TV" style of the event is part of the big reason for this focus - everyone around the world had those images broadcasted into their homes, so the impact is more profound as we are able to see it.

[Clarkey]

You guys are a bunch of losers for trying to downplay what happened on September 11. As Canadians our inferiority complex towards the states has gone way to far, it's unhealthy to be that spiteful to our best ally.

Yes there are terrible things happening around the world everyday, the recent child hostage/murder situation is right up there with 9/11, some say it's worse. But to simply say "get over it" is a crappy attitude, I don't think you would be over it if terrorists took out bankers hall and the Calgary tower 3 years ago.

Good on you for donating blood, that's character and class right there if you ask me.

[Crazy Flamer]

Originally posted by Clarkey@Sep 11 2004, 06:39 AM
You guys are a bunch of losers for trying to downplay what happened on September 11. As Canadians our inferiority complex towards the states has gone way to far, it's unhealthy to be that spiteful to our best ally.

Yes there are terrible things happening around the world everyday, the recent child hostage/murder situation is right up there with 9/11, some say it's worse. But to simply say "get over it" is a crappy attitude, I don't think you would be over it if terrorists took out bankers hall and the Calgary tower 3 years ago.

Good on you for donating blood, that's character and class right there if you ask me.

Losers? We have our opinions and we have a right to hold our opinions. To call us losers is quite enlightening. What intellectual insight!

And there's a reason terrorists took out buidlings in New York and not here in Calgary. And if Banker's Hall had been hit by terrorists, your damn right I would want to move on, and I sure as hell would not be out there trying to get the whole world to mourn with me. That's just plain arrogance.

[CaptainCrunch]

Wow this thread certainly took a downward turn

With all due respect you guys who are downplaying 9/11, or telling us that America should get over it are coming accross as pretty cold.

the World changed for the worse on Sept 11, in one day there was a mass murder of unprecidented proportions that didn't happen over days or months or years. It happened in hours.

Sure there's war deaths, or deaths from natural happenings, but only a short time ago thousands of innocent people who had nothing more in thier day planner then going to work and going home were snuffed out, they weren't soldiers, or politicians, they were just ordinary people.

I lost a couple of friends who were working in the trade center, so when people say "We'll if it happened in Bankers Hall I'd be over it", or 9/11 is America fault, please forgive me when I say bully for you, that you can be so emotionally detached, and you can sit here on your high horse and start throwing lectures out.

And there's a reason terrorists took out buidlings in New York and not here in Calgary. And if Banker's Hall had been hit by terrorists, your damn right I would want to move on, and I sure as hell would not be out there trying to get the whole world to mourn with me. That's just plain arrogance.

I agree completely. We make such a big deal out of it. Why??? Yes, thousands of people died, and it was tragic. But tragic things, even worse than the attacks on September 11, happen quite often. Yet in most cases, you harldy hear a whisper about it.

The its our opinion thing is fine, even though I don't agree with it, but the person at the start of the thread didn't ask for a political discussion on the events of 9/11, he asked for memories or thoughts, not a damn political discussion. If you want to get up on a pulpit and tell us how there are greater tragedies, or how the American's caused it or whatever, start another thread.

Maybe I'm old when I say that the whole thing smacks of a lack of respect and manners.

Personally I'm probably not going to be over 9/11 for a while because it had personal consequences for me, I'll probably do something tommorrow, or take a moment.

The World changed on 9/11 period, it opened the doorway for incidents like the one in Russia, it caused war, and there's no end in sight.

[FlamesAddiction]

The thing that makes 9/11 stand out so much even though other autrocities occur all the time is that 9/11 was televised and well documented. More people witnessed it while it was happening (via the media) than most other autrocities. Obviously that will create more emotional involvement. Plus there were people killed from all over the world.

[RougeUnderoos]

Yeah come on -- the thread was started for a particular reason. If you don't like it, don't bother. It's not like there aren't a million other OT topics on the subject.

[evman150]

Anybody else terribly apathetic about the whole thing?

Cause I know I am.

[Bill Bumface]

If you are going to start a September 11th thread, there better damn well be a November 11th thread.

[TheCommodoreAfro]

I don't think anyone intended to make the event any less important than it is, but I can only speak for me.

[HelloHockeyFans]

It's absolutely true that worse things have happened, but that doesn't take away from the tragedy of September 11th.

[Mean Mr. Mustard]

Originally posted by hulkrogan@Sep 11 2004, 08:38 AM
If you are going to start a September 11th thread, there better damn well be a November 11th thread.

And there damn well will be one but come on people. On TV you watch 3000 people die. You saw people whose only "faults" were that they they were American and that they worked in two really big towers, or that they were police officers, fire men/women and paramedics who tried to help the people in those buildings. Sure there are more deaths that happen every day, but why should that downplay the horrible attacks that happened in September 11th.

[the_only_turek_fan]

Originally posted by HelloHockeyFans@Sep 11 2004, 08:19 AM
It's absolutely true that worse things have happened, but that doesn't take away from the tragedy of September 11th.

Exactly.

It was one of the worst things that I have ever seen in my life. It was like something out of a movie.

I will never ever forget that day.

[La Flames Fan]

A horrible day for the world and for America. I thnk it brought reality home, it brought down the feeling that America was the all mighty super power, but found it was vulnerable and perhaps as not well loved over the world as once thought. I think the reason for its attention over other atrocities all over the world was its sensational fashion in which it was carried out. Planes, buildings....Not to take away from all the injustice throughout the world today.


I won't comment on what happened after that though....

[Agamemnon]

Pretty foolish to ask for no political comments on an event that is easily the most politicized in this century. Hell, the Presidential election has itself mentioned Sept. 11 while stumping for votes more times than I can recall, so why are Bush and Kerry allowed to make political observations, but it's wrong for us to because we were 'asked' not to at the front of the thread.

For all of you who admonish those who don't think Sept. 11th was a big deal, how come you're only remembering Americans who died? I'm sure there were just as innocent people who died in Russia, Afghanistan, Iraq, Indonesia, Sudan, etc., so why do 3,000 wealthy Americans get the universal funeral?

I've no problem remembering the event, and I think there's a whole lot we've got to learn from it. But by blindly saying stuff like "America is our greatest ally, they can do no wrong, it is our duty to mourn for their dead and hate their enemies" is living in the '60's 70's. We have a powerful economic and cultural relationship w/ the US. That in no way by itself is a 'good' thing simply because it is. Maybe we should re-think our strategic posturing, and maybe some of you should allow people to have whatever opinion they want on the tragedy.