[edit on 9/11/2007 by donwhite]

Six years ago I was 23 living in the same Calgary home I live in today. My first child was only a one-year-old at the time. Thinking of it that way makes 9/11/01 seem so long ago but my memories of that day are still very clear.

Even then I was a "netizen." I wasn't visiting forums like today but my time online was spent on IRC. That morning I got out of bed and without breaking habit went to the computer to log into chat and see my online friends. Being a few timezones away from NYC, the attacks had already taken place, the towers had already fallen. As soon as I logged in I got an instant message from a friend in Australia.
Immediately she asks, " do you know what happened?"
I assumed it was some net drama she was referring to and I told her I just woke up. She said it was really bad and told me that 747s were attacking America. 747s? This made no sence to me. In the chat room all kinds of mixed messages were being posted. I couldn't make any sence of what was going on. Wanting to figure out what was happening, I went to the Google News site. Back then it wasn't anything like it is now and the front page was still reporting that one of the towers fell. So I went back into chat and "reported" that. They told me BOTH towers fell. This made it clear the the news online wasn't very current so I left the computer and went to the living room.

I turned on the TV and put on CNN. They were rolling the tape of the second plane crashing into the WTC over and over again. There were scenes of people running away from clouds as the towers fell.
I just laid there. I had the 11th and the 12th off from work. I just laid on my couch watching CNN for two days, mortified and confused. It felt like my heart was ripped in two.

Today, here in Calgary we mourn. Even though there is 3000 kilometers between here and NYC, we mourn. The Calgary Fire Department members are remembering the firefighters who perished in the World Trade Center by wearing their formal uniforms to and from work today.

Of the 2,750 victims of the WTC attack one of them was from Calgary. His name was Mike Pelletier. He worked on the 109th floor in the South Tower. He worked on the same floor as another Canadian, Ralph Gerhardt. The floor above them, another Canadian, Ken Basnicki. He was on his first business trip to New York.

May all the victims of the 9/11 attacks rest in peace.

This is an excellent podcast and a great tribute to the memory of 9/11. Thanks to all those who contributed.

My memories of that day were very similar to others. I was at work when the news broke and several coworkers had left to be with their families. I had watched the events unfold on the only TV we had in the building and couldn't believe it.

My first thought was, who would do this?. Who could hate this country so much as to attack us they way they did? I even thought, well if someone has a problem with this country then explain it to us. I just couldn't understand the reasons for it.

Because I couldn't understand and had to find out is how I have been changed forever. I now follow the news more closely and pay particular attention to the Middle East and have learned even more here on ATS. Even though I know more now, I am still trying to understand.

My heart goes out to the victims and their families of 9/11.

[edit on 9/11/2007 by Hal9000]

I might be the only one, but here goes.

I remember getting up, going into the kitchen, and seeing my father glued to the tv. He told me what had happened, and I stood there watching the looping footage of the planes hitting the towers, the towers falling, listening to the broken-record reporters who had nothing new to say.

I remember looking around the kitchen and not understanding what the big deal was. In fact, I turned my back to it and went outside to smoke a cigarette. I remember thinking, "So what? This # happens all over the world. Why is it suddenly such an up-in-arms tragedy when it's here, instead of there? Why don't we have the same emotional reactions when other countries are attacked? Why is this so special?"

I remember sitting down on the stoop, lighting up, and wondering why I didn't feel anything, why I wasn't as moved as my parents, why I wasn't anxious and worried and sad. ("Detached" is the best word, I think.) It did not phase me that people had died, were dying, were about to die. Didn't mean much that planes had hit these 'important buildings' (of which I'd never even heard of before that day), that the country had been attacked (by whomever).

Several people on the podcast (which was, by the way, awesome to hear -- I agree with Dave that 'twas better heard than read) said that it took them a few minutes, even a few hours, to come to the realization of what had really taken place...

It has, quite literally, taken me years to feel something for this event... and those feelings are still very detached, very mixed...


(And after typing this, I'm fairly certain that I'll get flamed. But I'd rather be honest and unpopular, than disrespectfully lie.)

[edit on 12-9-2007 by Diseria]

Great pod cast! Thanks ATS for giving us the opp. to tell our stories. I think it is an important part of the mourning process for those lost, and that whole gone world.

Diseria:
I do remember being surprised by the people who were so surprised. Some found it so incomprehensible that we would be attacked. Back when I thought the threat was exterior, I do remember thinking "now they'll see, this nits fo' reals!" It was almost like watching America grow up.

I don't really go in for this public display stuff. I was as shocked as anyone on that day, and initially thought it was Palestinians. I know better now of course, having woken up to what is happening.

I didn't listen to all of it. I must admit I was put off by the reference to the brave men and women of Flight 93. Surely you know that was nonsense dreamt up to cover the fact they shot it down, the only plane on that day not to get through your superb defence systems, the ones you spent billions on over many years to detect and destroy advanced Russian aircraft, never mind a few civilian airliners trundling around leaving huge radio, heat and radar signatures behind them. By talking about the heores of Flight 93 you get me worried. Are you, as some suggest, disinfo. Is this site, which must cost a fortune to run, paid for by the government. I'm not saying it is, I'm just asking.

As to 911. I won't forget for one second what happened that day, or the million plus innocent civilians who have been murdered since by the US, UK and Israel. And my tribute to them all, and to the many victimes to come, will not be an mP3 emotional audio file, but the rest of my life spent trying to expose the bastards who did it, not Arabs, but slick suited terrorists who are far more dangerous for not being considered as such by the vast majority of people.

Suraci...

I have personally KNOWN and SERVED with HEROES. And UNTIL the day comes that factually DISPUTES what every one of the family members who were talking with their loved ones and were an unwilling part of the process said WHAT took place, I will BELIEVE that story. You show me DOCUMENTED EVIDENCE that disputes the families testimony.... I'll give you a listen.... UNTIL THAT TIME, I will STAND by my comments about THOSE HEROES.

Dave

[edit on 9/20/2007 by Dave Rabbit]

My memories of this day 7 years ago still are as clear as yesterday.

As most of you know I work on the phone doing technical support for a major cable supplier. On 9/11/2001 I was on the phone taking calls. Callers were informing us that a plane had hit the WTC. We all were confused and baffled. Then word came that a second tower was hit, we all became frightened.

Then no more calls came in, now we were scared. Apparently when the towers went down major phone switches were effected.

Our company offered anyone who wish to leave may do so, and I did.

I am Canadian but the impact of that day still brings tears to my eyes if I think about it. I hold back from discussing that day or visiting any websites about it.

I have not watched the podcast yet because I am working and I know myself too well that I would not be able to talk to customers if I do.

I know as humans this tragedy has no borders, we all feel this pain.

Rhain

That was a truly moving podcast...thanks to everyone for sharing.
Great job ATS

Bumping this thread back up for everyone to watch this podcast.

We will never forget.