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The sadness, how much pride the usa had, and still shock
I remember how quiet the skies were and that it was just eerie not hearing any noises, but if you did you asked yourself if it was happening again.
We watched the news every day. We had special prayers and moments of silence every day. People played patriotic songs. However, there were also a lot of hate crimes occurring post-9/11.
everything... my emotions still run raw...
Life was strange. It was like people were nicer to each other because everyone was contemplating how valuable life is. A lot of people I knew either lived in NYC or had friends and relatives in NYC that they frantically were trying to contact. It was probably the scariest day of my life.
I was so young that I didn't really grasp the severity of it, but what sticks out most was the sense or pride people had for our country after. I didn't really get it but I remember flags going up everywhere.
Watching it on TV day after day! Utter disbelief!
I remember the news - the dust for weeks and weeks every time they showed ground zero. I remember being fearful/anxious every time I heard the noise of an airplane flying above me for the next few months once I finally understood (as much I could at 9 years old) what happened on September 11th , 2001.
I remember that a lot of people lost their lives and that many people were frantically looking for loved ones. The nation seemed to experience two different emotions at once. We came together and supported strangers, some even lost their lives. While we were all checking on our neighbors, a fear swept over america. Innocent people who were attacked and assaulted due to ignorance. Our country tightened up its control and people went into a frantic argument of security vs individual freedom. A large portion of modern history has been impacted by what happened 18 years ago. Racial profiling, security measures, stereotyping, surveillance, immigration, and so much more became the front on all of our minds.
Just general disbelief that something so extreme could happen in the US.
One vivid memory is of President Bush and how his response made me feel that we would make it through the horror. I was relieved and proud that he separated Islam and the terrorists. I also knew that there would be far too many who would blame an entire group who shared a faith, rather than blame the individuals who committed this atrocity. Finally, I was awed that technology had reached a point that allowed us to see the entire event in real time.
The constant news coverage and high fervor and emotion that accompanied it
I remember being afraid of everything! Having to leave my family, thinking of them at school, work while I was at school trying to be brave for my students as well. People didn't trust anyone or anything for a while. I was glued to the TV and learning about the events as things played out over many weeks after 9/11
The tension in the streets, in the building as walked and traveled through NYC. The photographs on buildings, light poles, random walls but mainly on the fire department buildings. The constant bomb scares. I remember one bomb scare that they evacuated Grand Central station, during school, and a teacher suddenly breaking into tears hearing this news , fearful, her husband worked there. It was false alarm. So many that I unplugged my phone at night. I needed peace. Anthrax scare was also during this time. A student looked at hands one day and saw white powder, and he normally a big tough kid, suddenly was scared looking me, teacher what is this white powder is it..... is it... and I said after touched the dust, its chalk dust. Just chalk dust.
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