My way of paying tribute to those who died on 9/11...*

I was in Oklahoma, just outside OKC, on the morning of September 11, 2001,
when my mother called me and told me to "turn on the tv." I will never forget the shock and horror I felt as I watched the second plane hit...My boyfriend and I were madly in love and on a cross-country trip at the time, bound for LA...We were full of optimism and excitement...until that unforgettable phone call...We drove to Dallas that day to see my friend Matt Lum. While in Dallas, we watched countless hours of news footage chronicaling the day, the destruction, the pain and the confusion...Initially the news was relatively uncensored, so we watched as people fell to their death...we listened as experts speculated about how something like this could happen...And for the remaining portion of our trip across the states, I gathered newspapers and magazines...anything I could...all in an attempt to grasp the enormous and horrific nature of this tragedy.

Recently, I posted about the movie Loose Change~ a film I encourage you to watch (for free). I also posted about WTC, Oliver Stone's film about two firefighters rescued miraculously from the rubble. If you haven't already, I suggest you see WTC. You can read my "review" and/or decide for yourself...The post about WTC also has links to many worthwhile charities supporting firefighters, police, and rescue workers. I also recently posted this very distressing video of GW from a correspondence dinner in 03 (or was it 04?)...It's here for you, below, to view again because I feel it is very important we consider the "sensibility" of our Commander in Chief...and that we honor those who have died fighting the "war on terror" that started as a result of 9/11.


While researching and putting together this post, I found alot of very disturbing footage and alot of different theories about the events of that day...

The footage of the Towers is hard to watch...but I feel the clips I have selected are relevant, if heartbreaking, because we owe it to every citizen that died that day and since to remember the absolute worst and ugliest and scariest and saddest moments of that day...Not because I want to enrage or anger you or exploit your grief...but because I feel that we must try to understand their experiences and their pain in order to serve and honor their courage and their sacrifice...We must acknowledge our utter powerlessness in order to enrich and embolden our collective strength...We must remember so as not to become complacent in the face of fear-mongers, war-mongers, liars and profiteers...
We must remember...
If we don't, who will?

So...I present to you a considered~if crude~ compilation:
This clip may as well be called "Holy Shit" because it captures the first tower collapsing and the voices of shocked New Yorkers witnessing the unfathomable:

This clip is chilling...It shows the second tower getting hit...

This clip is just heartbreaking...It is narrarated by the reporter who shot the footage,
and I must warn you, it's graphic: a man waving for help...and falling...

This video clip is a compilation of eye witness accounts. It's about 10minutes long.
It's very upsetting. Note the firefighter who says it was like
a "planned detonation-boom boom boom boom"......
...Peter Jennings essentially silenced by the footage...Pataki having to
"map out" for the reporter where the towers were~ because there's nothing left...

You absolutely must watch A&E's fascinating "Anatomy of 9/11." Unbelievable.
This is part 1 of 10. Amazing...

You can watch part 2 here, and you can watch part 3 here. Also: Part 4. Part 5. Part 6. Part 7. Part 8. Part 9. And finally, part 10.
Just Unreal. "Sheer terror." "A day of fatal confusion."
"There was nothing we could do. They were doomed."

This video about Bldg.7 is also fascinating. Note that Larry Silverstein, the lease-holder
of the towers says they decided to "pull it," which is a term for a controlled demolition.

This video is called "Follow The Money" and like any loyal Law & Order viewer knows,
that is standard procedure when you investigate a crime...We can make no mistake about it, 9/11 was a crime...but the question is who was the perpetrator? Follow the money...?...

Please click here to see the amazing documentary shot by Jules and Gedeon Naudet and narrarated by firefighter James Henlon that was broadcast on CBS. You can not miss this. What started out as a documentary "about a boy becoming a man" became a chronicle of the day, the horror and the bravery. There is unbelievable footage (and the only footage) from within the tower, as well as footage of the first tower getting hit. It's an astonishingly gripping testament to their heroism, documenting candidly just how courageous and strong the FDNY were on September 11th and in the days following...You will be truly humbled trying to comprehend their commitment to helping others and their dedication to the city of New York in face of so much destruction, despair and hopelessness. Beautiful. Emotional. Unforgettable.

I also recommend you check out parts 1&2 of a short movie called "The Evil of 9/11."
I've embedded both parts below. The music can be annoying but keep the sound on...it's worth it, I promise...you may not agree with particular parts of the movie, but it is important enough to atleast contemplate the points raised...especially the NWO,
the secrecy among our top officials, and the cold facts about steel framed buildings...


Just to be "fair and balanced" click here for an interesting take on that famous moment when the President was told about the Towers while visiting children in a Florida school for a photo op. Spoiler alert: Ann Coulter is one of the "character witnesses!"

You may recall Michael Moore famously attacked Bush for his reaction to the news.
Below is the Epilogue from his film Fahrenheit 9/11:

There is one last take on the events of that infamous day I want to share with you...Of all the clips I've compiled here, this one is the simplest, perhaps, in that it doesn't have fancy editing or music or images of the day...but I think it's equally important. It's simply a concise breakdown by Jim Marrs that is incredibly thoughtful, powerful
(and depressing)...PLEASE WATCH THIS!

I don't know that there is any appropriate way to end this post...
My intention was to create a somber and humbling tribute to those who died...
My hope is that you honor and remember the tragedy of 9/11 with respect and compassion...and with a renewed sense of passion and purpose...

I leave you with a tribute to the FDNY, a truly heroic group...
Included is a list of the 343 firefighters who died on 9/11 at the WTC...
(Yes, the music is a little hoaky but the sentiment will not be lost on you)...

You can purchase FDNY World Trade Center Memorial shirts, decals, & pins
from the Official Fire Store for the FDNY (click on link or call 1-800-229-9258).
Since September 11th 2001 the prime beneficiary was The Widows and Children's Fund of the FDNY Uniformed Firefighters Association (UFA). Other, smaller distributions were made to the FDNY Officer's Union (UFOA), which established a scholarship fund for the children of the WTC firefighter victims; and some of the individual fire houses.
To Donate Directly, send a check or money order to:
Uniformed Firefighters Assoc. Scholarship Fund
204 E.23rd St. NY, NY 10010

*To learn more about the Memorial for the 343 Fallen Firefighters
check out the National Firefighters Hall of Heroes.

Please also check out Denis Leary's Foundation for Firefighters.

*Click here to learn more about the 84 Fallen Port Authority workers
37 of whom were Police Officers.
*World Trade Center Relief information about resources
and charities can be found here.
*Click here to learn more about the ongoing health issues of the Rescue
and Recovery Workers as tracked by the CDC.
*Click here for additional information about the WTC and it's history.