(09-13-2021, 07:34 PM)mikesez Wrote: I was in high school when it happened.  A guy who I thought of as a class clown and a bully was running to each classroom to tell them to turn the news on.  Our teacher didn't have to be told twice and turned the news on right away but my initial reaction was this must be some kind of a joke. When I saw it wasn't a joke, I wondered how it could happen.  I thought no metal objects were allowed on planes so I figured they had taken over the aircraft with plastic bottles of poison gas.  I figured they put on gas masks and cracked the bottles open.  I had no idea how respirators actually work, I was 17.  Then I wondered who could have done it.  I didn't know there were Muslims pissed off at us.  I knew they were pissed off at Israel but not us.  I remembered hearing about anarchists tearing up a bunch of buildings at the WTO Seattle meetings and I thought there was a connection between the WTO and the WTC, so I figured it was those guys.
By the time the school day was over I learned the real story about Islamic terrorists and box cutters.  But I swear to you that was so left field from my prior knowledge of how the world worked that it was like a second shock.

Ten years later in 2011 I wrote something to this effect on Facebook: "Why do we say never forget? I will never forget 9/11 but if I could, I might.  Why force yourself to relive such an unpleasant day?" A girl that had gone on a couple of dates with on of my groomsmen in 2006 then vanished from our lives replied, "your opinion is worthless and so are you." Wowee! Unfriended! To this day one of the rudest interactions I've ever had on the 'book.  I think she misunderstood me? But that's social media for you.

You don’t forget because a few cowards destroyed two iconic towers, attempted to destroy the pentagon, and another flight that was destined for more destruction took thousands of innocent lives.  All for us being American. If you remember, there were people jumping from WTC center in hopes that if they made the landing they would survive.  Imagine to yourself being in the position in which jumping hundreds of feet to your most likely death is your best option.  Imagine doing that in a country in which that [BLEEP] shouldn’t have even happened.  The innocent lives, the first responders and passengers on those planes are the reason we don’t forget.  We also don’t forget because we’re supposed to be United. Despite what your political views teach you.

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