We Are All Victims of 911

We are all still victims of 911, ten years later. Yesterday I could not help but notice everyone tweeting about being struck for hours in traffic in NYC because police were doing random searches of cars going over bridges. Traffic is very bad here on a good day, let alone under high security alert. I had an appointment for a test in the city. I pick Saturday mornings because the traffic is lighter and we can drive in and park. After hearing what was going on last night, I decided we should take the subway in and do a little extra walking as opposed to sitting in two hours of possible non moving traffic.

My husband and I get up early, as usual. We plan to leave early for all the walking that is involved as the trains do not go to that hospital. We park and walk a half mile to the train and it comes immediately. Great! As soon as we take off, they announce it will not be going to the stop I need today, instead we have to take around train to get to that point. I sigh. We get off and head to the next train. It’s a very long walk in the hot, humid subway. It comes in 5 minutes and we get on. So that takes a little more walking and waiting.

We get off and need to walk the rest of the way from there, about a half mile, so far total 1 mile to get to the hospital. My test literally takes 5 minutes and I’m done. We go to McDonald’s for breakfast before heading home and discuss our options. If we walk from where we are now to take the one train, that’s one and a half miles plus another half when we get off to go to the car. Or we can take a cab to the train station we need. Or we can try taking two trains again. I opt for walking. A lot of it was uphill. I am tired and the two benedrylls I took this morning weren’t helping. We finally get to the train station and take the one train back to the car’s neighborhood, and then start walking the last half mile. All the messages announced on the train linger in my mind. “The is the NYC Police Dept.: report all suspicious bags or packages to an officer of MTA employee.” I see plenty of bags, everyone has one. What I don’t see are any cops or MTA employees. I am frankly too tired to care at the moment, I still have a long trek home.

Mind you, the car trip there would have been 20 minutes and another 20 to come home under regular circumstances. But then again we are not living under normal circumstances, are we. If not for the significance of this weekend and the terror threats, we might have had a different situation. I would have been sitting comfortably in my car and missed out on all this healthy exercise. I guess it will help me sleep good tonight too. Maybe it was a blessing in disguise? That’s just me trying to make lemons into lemonade. It could have been worse, but hell I am tired now!

Let’s pray any threats made are thwarted and get some sleep.



New Terrorist Threats



Programming here was interrupted last night so they could discuss some new terrorist threats being made against the city of New York. The threats are specific and credible they say. All the focus this week on 911, with stories and pictures, really is taking me back to ten years ago. I feel the anxiety building up all over again. It doesn’t even seem like ten years have past. And now, because of this anniversary, we may be under attack again.

Yes our police department has taken every precaution possible to keep the city on alert. But how do you protect seven to eight million people? There are so many ways these people have to attack us, it’s anyone’s guess what they may do. I know they can’t tell us too much about what they know. Right now they just want us to be aware and alert so we can report anything suspicious we may see. The whole thing makes me so uneasy.

We can’t live our lives in fear. That’s what they said ten years ago to help our residents move on with their lives. But how can we not have fear? We are a target of terrorists, maybe the main target. Some times I feel like we are at their mercy.

Ten years ago, after the attacks, the helicopters flew around every morning, for months. They started at sun rise and circled around for at least an hour. That was the sound I woke up to every day. I felt like I was on an episode of “Mash.” At least I haven’t heard any helicopters yet.

None of us can ever forget 911. The consequences of that attack are still being felt today. We still need to rebuild, families are still coping with their loss, the trial of the co-conspirators still hasn’t happened, we have our military still fighting over it overseas and rescue people are still getting ill and dying from breathing in all that toxic material. When does it end? Or does it?

I hope everyone has a safe weekend as we all pause to reflect on that day and pray for the victims and their families.



911 And First Responders!

Excuse me if I am a little more than riled up this morning! I have come to learn that 911 First Responders will NOT be invited to this year’s 911 ceremony. Why? Because there isn’t enough room for them! All of the victims families will be allowed to attend. First Responders will be given a separate ceremony at a later date, it’s reported that there were approximately 91,000 First Responders. Those are the facts…now I vent.

You know what? No one told First Responders that there wasn’t enough room for them when they risked their lives to save others! No one told them there wasn’t room for them as they inhaled all that debris, which has caused some to died and others to become ill (some terminally). No one told the first responders who became ill that they would have to wait years for medical coverage and payments for their related disabilities. In fact, not long ago I heard that studies done on the debris from the site, was not harmful! There is no way in hell I am going to believe that. Now there is no room for them?

There was room for a new mosque near the site of 911. The very people who brought down the Twin Towers might have been funding it. No one has gotten any answers as far as I know. They were asked to build it elsewhere out of respect for the feelings of the victims and residents of the city. They refused, insisting it had to be built at a location that looks out over Ground Zero. There is room for a mosque, but not for First Responders?

I am just frustrated and exasperated. It seems as though nothing ever decided is “right.” It just may be my opinion, but surely someone has to see my logic. It’s always the same in this country. Those that are victims have no rights and those that commit crimes against society have to have their rights protected. When does it end? Are these First responders to be thrown a bone by creating a separated ceremony for them? It’s an insult and a disgrace they way they have been treated for all these years and now this?

There was room there for all of them on 911. There was room for all the victims under the rumble, many of whom were saved by these rescue workers. Now, there is no room, how sad are we as a society to allow things like this to happen. And good luck trying to get anyone to respond if there ever is another attack. Why the hell would they?