I live in Virginia. You know, close to the Pentagon that got hit too. I was only in middle school but I was still freaked. I mean, it happened in our back yard! The silly rumors the kids were talking didn't help either. (Like: NUKES ARE COMING SHIT WE ALL GONNA DIE) There's nothing else like children terrified they're going to DIE at any second thanks to terrorists/war. Shit sucked.

Also for Americans: >>273491 http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/thu-september-20-2001/september-11--2001 Same speech minus the shitty music.

Whatever barriers we put up are gone. Even if it's just momentary. We are judging people by not the color of their skin, but the content of their character. You know, all this talk about "These guys are criminal masterminds. They've gotten together and their extraordinary guile and their wit and their skill..." It's, it's—it's a lie. Any fool can blow something up. Any fool can destroy. But to see these guys, these firefighters and these policemen and people from all over the country, literally with buckets, rebuilding... that’s extraordinary. And that's why we have already won... they can't... it's light. It's democracy. They can't shut that down.

Thanks Jon.

  Mom used to wake me up in a huff anyway, but she was obviously a lot more bothered and unnerved than usual. I remember being worried about how I failed a social studies exam and didn't tell her about it yet, and then I saw the news. I knew it was serious and a horrible, but I had no idea that it would be the inciting incident for the rest of the decade.

That morning was also the first time I saw the video for System of a Down's "Chop Suey!"

I literally had no idea what the WTC was before 9/11 happened due to not having any vested interest in political whatnots and never having been to NYC.

But I was in the hospital when the first plane hit and was watching with people. There was just silence everywhere and people were just looking on confused, and then the second plane hit and they got scared. The towers didn't fall til I got home, and when it happened both of my parents were crying in the living room.

I don't think I fully realized the gravity of the situation when it was going on, but I remember it down to the pair of boxers I was wearing.

I wasn't really affected at all, but I won't disrespect the dead.

>>273659

That was a pretty common sentiment, so I don't think you have to worry about doing that.

I was 19, graduated high school so I was at home and my moms boyfriend was on me a for few days about seeing something at CNN.com. So I finally said ok and looked up what he wanted to see. Saw a banner of breaking news on top with the world trade center on fire and turned on the TV. It was when the first plane just hit and then I watched the second go in live. Then went to AOL chats to see what people were talking about and turned on the radio. I called my girlfriend at the time that was in California, it was like 6am there. He mom answered and I was telling her to turn on the news. Saw everything on TV and freaked out when they fell. It was a mass hystera here in Pittsburgh even though Shanksville is far far away from Pittsburgh.

I was 17. Senior in highschool. I had the credits enough to attend a tech school. The Hancock County Tech Center. So I went there for A+ repair and multimedia- that was my entire senior year. Just assembling old 486 computers and installing Windows 3.0. And working with powerpoint.

Things were looking so up then. It was the beginning of the last school year of my childhood. I planned to enlist in the military fresh out of graduation and both accumulate fundage for college and learn a tradeskill- of what, I wasn't sure yet. I still am not.

I remember it in the eidetic way I do most things I hate. We were in break period, sitting in the cafeteria and jabbering about Silent Hill 2. And I think also if China was ever intending to zerg rush other countries with infantry. Heeerrrrrp teenagers. Some joker had started to play 'because I got high' over the school intercom. Quickly shut down by an amused 'fucking kids' minded teacher.

There was no intercom announcement. There was no panic word to set anybody off. It just happened. Out of nowhere, like somebody had spooked the herd, my peers started flowing towards the long hallway back to the various classes. You could practically _smell_ something wasn't right. And it wasn't. Everybody, EVERYBODY was heading to the computer repair room, because it was equipped with satellite and television. And there we stood, watching one of the towers on fire in the class room.

17 year old me didn't think much of it. I thought it'd be just a terrible accident, or another failed attempt to bomb it. I thought it would never amount to anything. And then another plane flew into the building. And then they started collapsing.

Then mom showed up out the back of the crowd and demanded to bring me home. She was a bit out of her mind and wasn't looking all that interested in argument. So, that's how the day ended. We went home, we watched Fox News. All day. We wanted to know who did it, and when we'd have the coordinates to where they live. And how big a mess it was going to make when we blew it up.

Mom was on the verge of mental breakdown for the next few months- next year, really. Enlisting like I planned was just going to drive her over the edge. I'm positive. Nine years later, I'm kind of considering doing it before I'm too old to do it.

>>273659
>I literally had no idea what the WTC was before 9/11 happened due to not having any vested interest in political whatnots and never having been to NYC
This this this this this. I never admit it though ever.

>>273576
You're pretty mad, bro.

I mean. Come on. I ain't saying I don't feel empathy, and I don't make fun of what happened. So. Yeah.

I'm going to clarify right now, since my post was deleted, and then the opportunity was used to throw backhanded insults like "socially retarded" and implying that I was, in some bloody way, disrespecting the dead. And I feel that's pretty shitty of you all.

Tons of people die every day, and sure, some people need special days to remember the dead, but I think it's pretty terrible to quantify your grief for the dead, to say "oh here's a day I will remember them."

I didn't care about the day then, and I don't care now. It's just a day. I'll mourn on my own terms when I feel it's appropriate, and I'm not sorry for that.

>>273677
But is that something you feel the need to say today of all days? I mean for fuck's sake, are you even surprised that people were a little pissed off?

I don't remember the specifics of finding out, just that it was in science class and I didn't take it seriously because my science teacher was normally a huge goofball. It wasn't until lunch that I realised something big had happened.
Lunch was insanely eerie. Everyone was in the halls in groups, huddled around radios and shit listening to the news. I was friends with the AV club, and I sat in there with them as we watched CNN. School got let out early and I came home to find my mum in the bedroom, just watching the news. I remember her telling me that this was important and frightening because 'if they're crazy enough to attack the States, they'll have no probably attacking anyone.'
Living in the capital of Canada, the tension lasted for months.

>>273678

He asked and I gave my honest opinion. That's all there is to it. If you don't like my opinion ask me about it, don't just throw around insults like a bunch of children. Mind you, Pablo could have been referring to Jazz, but I didn't see what she posted, but still.

>>273677
It's usually customary to remember the dead on the day they died.

>>273685

And I think that custom is stupid, isn't that what I just said?

>>273687

does it offend you?

auuggggh you mean i have to go out of my way to be nice to people?!?!?!!?!?

also my actual memory of the day is hearing about it on the radio and my friends dad turning to us and saying "i bet it was muslims."

after having heard so many disturbing war stories from shit like Kosovo it wasnt as shocking to me until I saw the footage of people jumping. Seeing that desperate nihilistic fear scared me. I can't even begin to comprehend the emotions someone has to be going through to do that.

As for the whole "blah blah why this day and not others" well thats pretty fucking obvious because it happened in one of the media capitols of the world, and was filmed by seemingly everyone in the city. We all saw this thing unfold unlike any disaster. Yea we've had many worse disasters but none so widely broadcast across every communication network. How often do we see live footage of people killing themselves and those helping people getting crushed by debris? Think about the bigger picture.

>>273687
Does it bother you that people celebrate their life on the day they were born?
Or celebrate their marriage on the date of their wedding?

It's a way of organizing and confining the emotions to a specific day. It keeps the meaning behind it from being diluted.

>>273696

it offends me you motherfuckers with your birthdays on the same day every year god what a bunch of stupid assholes.

>>273696

Nothing bothers me, I wasn't saying that I had a problem with it, I was saying I have a problem with being insulted for having my own opinion.

I don't celebrate by birthday either, if you're going to imply that I'm a hypocrite or something. My last birthday party was when I was 12. Days aren't important, people are, and I show my respect when I want to, not when I'm told to. It's not really all that complicated.

>>273693

I didn't disrespect anyone. He asked if we forgot, I said I don't care, that's all.

>>273689

No.

>>273699

>My last birthday party was when I was 12.

it all makes sense

>>273702

By my choice. :)

>>273706

it all makes sense

>>273677

We're creatures of ritual and symbolism. Yes, more people die every day from cigarettes and heart disease. But it's the how that matters: this wasn't an everyday occurrence, for most of us it came without warning, and the sheer horror of it...people leaped to their deaths rather than die from smoke and fire. Body parts were scattered for blocks from the site.

In hindsight, I too understood very little of what was going on at the time, and yes, like everyone else, all the kids at my school were all "ZOMG! WWIII!! END OF THE WORLD!"

Also, there are quite a lot of images featuring the WTC which are, in hindsight, eerie.

>>273707

You're beautiful, don't ever change.

>>273699
Oh, okay. I didn't read your original comment, but I was under the impression you were bothered by the fact that most of society does things a certain way.
You have a bad habit of stating your opinion in a callous way. Maybe if you learned a bit of tact you wouldn't insult others opinions by stating your own and then turning everything into a circular shitfest.

>>273711
Don't mind him, honey. He's from Rhode Island.
They have a virus that palsies the tact center of the brain and increases the volume of their voice. It's caused by potato deficiency. ;)

>>273711

I have a bad habit of assuming that people will take my opinion, as I take theirs, with a grain of salt. But yes, I should walk on eggshells on imageboards, because people tend to skim, and take things out of context. No worries though, thank you for taking the time to reread.

>>273713
Yeah, online where body language, tone of voice and such don't come through, so you have to expect that people are going to misread opinions, especially ones that don't agree with theirs.
I'm slowly starting to learn your opinions and tone past the 'fuckers'

  >>273717

It's a regional thing, apparently.

dfajgadufg too many posts.
SORRY IF I INSULTED ANYONE, I'M JUST...VERY DISAGREEABLE AND NOT ALL THAT NICE A PERSON.
SORRY AGAIN.

>>273721

I forgive you. I forgive you forever.

>>273721

Oh boo! Don't you worry about that.

>>273708

continuing sad/eerie/ironic images of the WTC

PUPPIES FOR EVERYONE

  >>273719

fuck is small time

cunt confirmed for best word

>>273734

Oh yeah, we say that plenty too.

I'm starting to get what Moe keeps saying.

>>273737

I like the sound of your part of the country. You appreciate language.

>>273744

We don't get along with people from outside our state too well.

>>273727

Dawwww! :D

>>273726

Now with more asbestos

>>273719

He should really be saying ALL of Massachusetts is like that, cause they are.

There's a reason everyone, including you, calls you guys Massholes.

>>273793
By 'all of Massachusetts' you mean 'everything east of Worcester' rite

>>273567
ABC Family is running Aladdin.

>>273795

Worcester included, though, but yeah. And a good portion of the New Hampshire and Rhode Island state lines.

>>273582
>I was in 6th grade when it happened.

Stopped reading there.

>>273795

lawl

I was sitting in class, I was just starting 5th grade, then there was an announcement that the World Trade Centre had been attacked. Most of us were all "whats The World Trade Centre?"

When I got home I saw it was on TV and I said that this is all anyone will ever talk about on the news (I like watching the news) foreeeeeverrrrr.

I didn't know how right I was.

The event didn't shock me or anyone in my family, since terrorist attacks were just a fact of life to us, and we didn't think America was somehow immune to attack, especially with all the dicking around they did in the middle east and since I was pretty young and used to sudden shifts, I just accepted the concept of terrorists crazy and cruel enough to use civilian planes to execute such a massive assault.

It's my good friend's birthday today, so I didn't even realize it was September Eleventh, it was just September 11th until I turned on the TV and saw the news. I didn't really think about it for the rest of the day. So I guess I kinda forgot. My memory is not the greatest.

I remember hearing about it during English class, we were going over Walden.
After someone said that the WTC had been attacked I said "Well, that's odd, why didn't they hit the Pentagon instead." Couple minutes later, it gets hit.

Also my moms birthday.
Gave her a box of choclets.

I was washing my face getting ready for class when it happened. I was 15 and I think my mom called me over to watch the morning news. It took me a couple moments to understand what was going on. I don't remember anything about that day otherwise except for my 2nd period teacher for...world history? I think? He talked about it with us a bit. We were pretty quiet for the rest of that class. The rest of the day went on as normal outside of me following the news more than usual for a couple months (and still not getting it)

I still remember being excited about bombing the shit out of the Afghan mountains. And the subsequent bullshit in Iraq and arguments with rednecks (derp derp I live in Texas)

I remember being pretty scared though I think I was freaked out more by the possibility of a draft since more than anything else (that came way after 9/11 though), I was pretty selfish and cowardly (still am to an extent).

I never really watched the videos of people falling. Just the planes crashing over and over and over again, the explosions, the people covered in dust running for their lives...

I don't really make jokes about 9/11 outside of laughing at the usual gifs and whatnot (can't help it, I just wasn't close enough to it) but I don't really...think about the date much either. I still forget the specific year sometimes since time blurs together so much for me. "9/11" isn't really a date to me. It's a word. A proper noun. It's this horrible thing that happened that shouldn't have happened and scared the fuck out of me but that was then and this is now and I have other things to be scared the fuck out of.

TLDR lol 9/11. I'm going to go eat a burger and try not to cry into it now.