Digital TV | Learning | Community | Events | Search | Home
Monday January 05 2009
Virtual Forum
Please, respond to any thread of this forum.
Subject: September 11th I am a teacher and was in class when I heard about the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. I felt very frightened and the only thing I could think about was contacting my parents and my brother, who live two hours away. I wanted to be sure that they were all right. While the country was in shock, I thought this past holiday season was the best I could remember in a while. Due to the attack, I think people were taking care to remember what the spirit of Christmas is really about: being with family, being kind to others, being thankful for what we have, and being giving toward others. As this year progresses, I hope that we will continue to remember those who lost their lives and those who are overseas preserving the freedoms we enjoy. Anonymous |
Subject: September 11th Dear WSIU, When the planes hit the World Trade Center, my class had just come back from Mass and our secretary informed us that something had happened in New York. We went to go watch it on TV and we had just gotten to it, and the second plane hit the tower. Terrorism has definitely changed my life in a very big way. Since then our privacy has definitely been taken away. The government taps into our email and phone calls. I think that it is really unnessesary for them to do that. I think that we should be careful about what happens to our rights and freedoms. The government is taking them away very quickly. Thank you for listening. Jenny Kramer |
Subject: Homeland Security Dear WSIU Public Broadcasting, I was coming back from church and the school secretary told us that a plane crashed into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. Then we went to a TV and watched the news and the planes crash until lunch. We all talked about what happened and what would be the effects of it. Terrorism hasn't really changed my daily life except for school because we always talk about it. THe stock market is the only other thing that affected me. Aaron |
Subject: Terrorism Message: Dear WSIU Public Brosdcasting, On September 11 I was at school as usual. Somebody said that the World Trade Center Towers were hit by a plane. Everyone gathered around a TV at our school--it didn't seem real. Ever since then almost everyday I have thought about what happened that day. I think everyone should be more watchful. The government should also be more careful and take steps to prevent any other attacks. They should do this without taking away our rights and freedoms. Todd Hentges |
Subject: Sept. 11 Thoughts Message: In one word - disbelief. I am a teacher and when another faculty member told me everything that had occurred that morning I thought she was kidding me until I saw her arms. Her arms were covered with goose bumps. For the younger children that day we decided not to tell them anything and let their parents break the news to them in their own way. All through that day we had parents coming to school - some to take their children home and others just to be near their kids. The next day in my classroom we spent alot of time talking about what had happened and trying to sort the rumors from factual happenings. These discussions continued every day for a while and then maybe once or twice a week until finally we didn't discuss it at all because the kids had lost interest. We did patriotic things like making flags and writing about heroes. Personally, my first thoughts were for my family who live in Albany, NY and Fairfax, Virginia. I know that they all travel to NYC on business. After learning of their safety, the enormity of the tragedy and the horror of it all hit. Even now after all this time, I still say disbelief is my continuing feeling. How could this have happened here in our country. Anonymous |
Subject: The Flag I'm sick of everyone jumping on the patriotic bandwagon. It's gotten to the point that the American flag is nothing more than a marketing campaign for every business and organization. Bring back the real American values and not lose sight of the whole reason this sudden burst of patriotism occured. anonymous |
subject: Economic Impact I think one of the most important things that we fail to realize is that not only are the jobs from the World Trade Center gone but also that several businesses within the immediate vicinity are also still out of jobs so there are many, many families who have been drastically affected by this. This should make us all realize how very, very fortunate we are and that we need to think of others. Sue Davis |
Subject: September 11 I feel since September 11th the entire world has changed. We are more aware that tragedy can occur at any moment. Personally, I appreciate every day and especially appreciate my children, family and friends. We never know when they can be taken from us. We all need to pray for world peace and that our leaders make correct decisions concerning terrorism. Sue Hawthorne |
Subject: Budget Impact of September 11th While viewing President Bush's 2002 State of the Union Address, I thought I detected a big nod of approval from the interim leader of Afghanistan: Chairman Hamid Karzai. President Bush was saying, " America will lead by defending liberty and justice because they are right and true and unchanging for all people everywhere. No nation owns these aspirations, and no nation is exempt from them. We have no intention of imposing our culture - but America will always stand firm for the non-negotiable demands of human dignity: the rule of law... limits on the power of the state... respect for women... private property... free speech... equal justice... and religious tolerance." In my view this was one of the President's strongest messages, but there can be no question that the war on terrorism is going to cost more money than Americans can even imagine. The long term economic impact of September 11th on the United States is probably not even knowable. Submitted by: |
Subject: Response to September 11th The carnage and destruction of September 11 horrified us all. That so many in our country (and beyond) would be moved to donate $$ to assist those victimized speaks highly of us as a people. The response in those early days was heartwarming, and understandable in that it gave the donors a way to feel that they had been able to do something--anything--to help. As the fund totals continued to skyrocket to multi-multi-million dollar levels to benefit these 5,000 families, I could not help but wonder how the loss of these fathers and mothers and children and siblings were so much more terrible than that of any of the police or firefighters or rescue workers that were killed in the line of duty before or after September 11, in communities all across the country? Or innocent bystanders and coworkers killed during senseless mass attacks by our own citizens at schools and factories and restaurants across America. What message is our silence giving to those parentless children while both individual donations and tax dollars through acts of Congress continue to be developed and earmarked only for the NY/DC 5,000? Submitted by: |
"Christmas is different this year. In other Christmas seasons in other times our holiday message in America has been one of great joy as we celebrate the month of December with our hearts as light as snowflakes. Since Sept. 11 our message has changed, not just the message of Christmas, but the message of America. We have grown more serious and our smiles are filed with poignancy. Suddenly our eyes are no longer the perfect blue and brown of innocence. We have seen terror in our own city streets and in the heart of our finest city. We have felt terror as weaponized bacteria called Anthrax was introduced into the mail system. Submitted by: |