TEN15 | jlmcvay

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OK, the initial comparisons to Pearl Harbor seemed legitmate, just because it was a surprise attack on the United States. But beyond that, it loses its meaning and I think people are reacting badly. This is not World War II. There is not a worldwide conflict already in progress that we have been staying out of as best we could. You can try to argue that terrorism has been a worldwide conflict and we haven't been dealing with it, but that just is not the same thing. I agree that there should be military action, but is war the answer? Does it have to be? Can't terrorists be brought to justice without full out war? Why not? It seems that every military leader ranting on raving on television agrees that this kind of terrorism could not be perpetrated with the backing of a state or states. Well, why don't we try bringing them to our side instead of annihilating them? Eliminate the backing of terrorism. People on the street are saying we should attack "them." Who is "them?" It isn't a country. It's a group or groups that don't work within borders. But if we attack, it will be within borders. Doesn't this seem nonsensical? It does to me... Maybe this is idealistic, but who wants to kill innocent people? Surely we don't... we've already lost so many.

9/15/2001 12:37:39 PM : :

We went to Union Sqaure again last night. Candles everywhere. Tried to keep them lit when we could. Some have just burned down to the ground and, in some cases, the ground is burning.

9/15/2001 12:25:34 PM : :

Jen and I went down to Canal Street along the West Side Highway tonight. The rescue workers pass along there both ways. People are standing all along the Highway cheering the workers.

Some of them respond with thanks, while others don't seem to notice--- other things obviously on their mind. These guys are amazing. People were waving flags, holding candles, giving them snacks, and even sharing food and water with each other.

Think what you will of patriotism right now, but you can tell it helps those heroes at least a little, and that's all that really matters right now, in my opinion. I don't really want to focus my mind on retaliation or anything right now and I don't think that should be the world's focus yet. There is still work to be done and splitting our interest doesn't seem like the best thing to do.

9/14/2001 11:11:02 PM : :

Another place to find nyc blogs, if you're interested.

9/14/2001 09:55:21 PM : :

Something to think about.

9/14/2001 03:05:20 PM : :

When Guiliani said we would build an even taller set of towers in place of the destroyed ones, it made me proud. A sign that we can't be defeated or held back by terror. Here is another view from someone you may not have expected to hear from. I don't know. I mean, that sounds nice, but I can't decide right now what I think is best. Maybe the only ones who can truly decide, though, are those most directly affected by the tragedy: the survivors and the loved ones left behind. Maybe the final decision should be left to them. Would they like remembrance through defiance or remembrance through memorial?

9/14/2001 02:01:05 PM : :

"I wanna go back. I wanna go back. And I don't even know how I got off the track. It's time I got back. It's time I got back. And I don't even know how I got off the track." --Weezer

9/14/2001 01:54:05 PM : :

The streets between Canal and 14th have reopened to relatively small amounts of traffic and wet pavement after last night's rain. According to the Weather Channel, it's under 60 degrees for the first time this season and will be wet all day. It's gray and gloomy outside... it's odd how the weather coincides with the apparent beginning of the mourning process. I guess movies take their cue from nature. Anyway, as appropriate as the gloom outside may be, I wish it weren't there, hampering the rescue efforts a litttle further downtown. And the satellite that provides my building with channels upon channels of constant coverage seems to be acting up, so the TV is off, and, for the first time in days, I'm listening to a CD. I just haven't had any desire whatsoever to listen to music, and I have to admit it seems strange to do so now.

9/14/2001 01:48:19 PM : :

More links to blogs about the WTC.

9/14/2001 02:09:07 AM : :

This is the type of story you like to hear.

9/14/2001 02:04:25 AM : :

The thunder began just a while ago over Manhattan.

Jen and I went and saw a movie today at UA Union Square-- Rush Hour 2. It was a distraction, at least. I'd been inside all afternoon watching the people on the local news with pictures of their loved ones, holding on to the hope that they were alive... I'm still trying to hold on to hope for them also.

And, for the first time since the catastrophe [sidebar: it just began to pour outside, damnit], we ventured north of 14th Street.

Union Square is full of people. We listened to a lot of them speaking in a forum which had sprung up in which they passed around a baton to designate who had the floor. Heard a lot of opinions... some good, some bad. I'll just say that I hope people use that thing their skull is meant to protect. It can do a lot of good, and prevent a lot of bad.

9/14/2001 01:37:05 AM : :

For even more reactions check this out.

9/14/2001 12:03:55 AM : :

The Millenium Hilton is about to collapse, they're now saying... I've stayed at that hotel twice... once with just my father, and another time with my whole family.

9/13/2001 05:05:08 PM : :

I've added InfoShare up above. I found the link at Do You Feel Loved?.

9/13/2001 04:23:54 PM : :

Last night was interesting. There's just this sense in the closed area of the city of wanting to go do something. You want to go outside and just be there. It's odd because you're inside and you're just bombarded with it on TV and you feel like your only escape from that is to get outside where you're actually going to have to experience the city. So along those lines, myself, Jen, Devanshi, and Candace headed out on the street. You're just kind of drawn south from here... to Houston Street. The air, and it seems to be the worst along Bowery where we were walking, is getting bad. we all brought an extra shirt along to hold over our faces. There were people with those little white masks carpenters and painters wear. We asked some people where they got theirs and they said the police stationed along Houston Street were handing them out. But they'd already run out when we inquired about them.

We walked west along Houston, lingering in places and eventually ending up at 6th Avenue. This seemed to be the place where the most vehicles and personnel were making their way uptown from the WTC. Here was a small group of people behind police tape applauding every rescue worker they saw go in and out. As we got there, the group started to grow a bit. On the edge of a median in the road had been placed a large number of candles and flowers, along with a few pictures, letters, and notes. There was a man with an American flag that stretched an arm's length that he would hold up to view every time the group applauded the workers making there way past that point. Eventually, Devanshi and Candace decided to head back because the air was bothering them, but Jen and I stuck around. We found ourselves trying to keep as many of the candles there lit as possible with a lighter... The gusts of wind would blow out quite a few candles every so often, but it just seemed like something you should try. Apparently we're going to be on Canadian television. There was a reporter there with a cameraman who asked us a few questions.

We also encountered a couple of very angry people shouting cries of war or ranting on about how they wanted a piece of "him," and using a number of ethnic slurs in the process. One guy was obviously crazy and no one wanted to really mess with him so it seemed people decided to just humor him or ignore him until he eventually went away. Another man was argued with and backed off pretty quickly. Basically it seems like most people, I think, know that there is going to be some sort of retaliation, but everyone there seemed to be level-headed... I don't think lashing out blindly is going to do any good and it seems like that may be the popular sentiment right now.

9/13/2001 12:15:46 PM : :

I just got back from my first venture out of the day. There's a slight haze over the streets, along with a pointedly bad smell. There are actually a number of eateries, delis, and even storefronts open. To my surprise, St. Mark's Comics was open for business and this week's shipments arrived as scheduled today. I ran into Mike Dauphin on the street and he told me that some of the NYU dining halls that were supposed to be open 24 hours with free food for displaced students had ran out of food last night.

9/12/2001 02:35:53 PM : :

By the way, it's good to hear that my friends are safe. Among them are Bryan, Dan, Liza, Christina and, of course Jenny. Check them out for some other thoughts and experiences from yesterday.

9/12/2001 10:52:46 AM : :

Waking up today was an odd experience. You have to kind of come to the realization all over again that yesterday actually happened.... not that I ever fully came to that realization anytime yesterday, which is probably what made it so strange today. The city is closed below 14th Street and I'm on 9th, which should be interesting to say the least.

Last night, Jen, Devanshi, and myself walked down to Houston; everything below Houston and west of Broadway was totally blocked off to everyone except emegency personnel... even residents were being turned away and told they should try to make arrangements for the night. We spoke to a police officer: Officer Williams who was one of the many officers directing the proper people in and others away. She said she'd been on duty since 6:30 that morning (it was now around 9 or 10 pm). Unfortunately, at one point her family hadn't know where she'd been when all the trouble was happening earlier in the day and it took her a while to get to a phone. All she wanted to do was get home to her six year old son, but, unfortunately, they don't work in shifts... they simply work until relieved. We saw lots of people heading past that point down to the WTC... including a city bus full of military personnel decked out in camouflage, but I'm sure the people at the check points probably get releived less often. They may not be pulling people out of the rubble, but you could tell just by watching how much they were doing to help in the rescue efforts and the trauma to the city. They were all taking the time to try and explain to everyone why they could not go through and trying to respect those who were upset by it. And some people were just being complete assholes to them. The area had apparently been closed off for some time, but people would approach them saying that they'd just left their home in the closed area. Now why would you walk out of a completely closed area at all if you wanted to get back in? Some people just don't make sense. Of course, most people seemed to be understanding, or, at least, realized that arguing was ridiculous in the face of what had happened already. Most people acted decently. The police get a bad rap a lot of times in this town, but I don't think anyone can deny that they have done more in this situation than anyone else possibly could have and it is because of them that the city is so relatively calm right now.

I urge anyone who may read this to please respect the officers you see on the street. They're doing so much to help us all right now.

9/12/2001 10:39:44 AM : :

I wonder if it's the U.S. bombing Afghanistan or if it's someone else. (?) I know I only lived through the end of the Cold War, but this seems even worse right now.

9/11/2001 06:02:32 PM : :

This is getting weird... the news and everyone spoken to who may be an authority seems to have gone from complete shock to pushing for retalliation and perhaps war. Oddly enough, the streets just outside my window seem to be among the calmest place in the nation... and now I'm watching CNN reports of bombing in Afghanistan.

9/11/2001 06:01:24 PM : :

updates

9/11/2001 01:34:03 PM : :

The World Trade Center doesn't exist anymore. This is very weird.

9/11/2001 11:48:46 AM : :

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