September 11, 2005
Remember (insert here)
Through out history we have had those “moments of infamy” that each generation states to remember or the “We will never forget” is made. Yet as time passes if we have not been personally affected the emotion attached to that date does fade. This is not because we don’t care, sometimes it is because another event has happened that at the moment is receiving our main focus. Sometimes it is just our human nature.
I had the opportunity to visit California a few years ago. I stood at a memorial in the middle of a cemetery where Japanese Americans were buried in an internment camp. People left offerings there of remembrance, small personal tokens in an attempt to say "We were here, we remember you". I've witnessed the same thing in New Orleans, where it was not uncommon to see an offering left at a gravesite. A coin, a smoke, a bottle of alcohol, beads or some other type of token; though in New Orleans it became more of a tradition for visitors this can be seen elsewhere. Even here in Ohio, I have come across those who have left these tokens of rememberance not out of a personal connection to that person but something stirred them to leave something.
Even if I had not read the Washington Post article "Historians Fear Attack Date's Significance Could Fade"; I could have written about this. There was a time when I was younger two of the most common questions was "Where were you when JKF was shot" or a question related to seeing the first time a Man stood on the moon. April 19th has faded for many as a memory that was replaced by 9/11; not that we have forgotten the victims of the Oklahoma City bombing, but the personal significance to that moment has faded for some. Ask any group of people under the age of 30 what happened on December 7th, most will not be able to tell you that was the date Pearl Harbor was bombed. Ask a group under the age of 20 and even less will know.
This doesn't stem from any lack of caring that many Americans died on that day of infamy, I often use the quote "We don't remember days only moments". Those moments of extreme joy or pain that we have personally experienced we do remember. Things that were significant to us at age 5 might not be as important at age 45 as the filing cabinent that makes up our memories does shuffle some of these events to the back.
Even if Hurricane Katrina had not hit chances are this 9/11 would have faded in signficance, I do not think anyone can disagree with the fact that since Hurricane Katrina did hit this disaster is fresher, and affects more of us at this moment in time. At the moment of a major crisis all else seems to fade into the background. Other events that would be newsworthy are not discussed at all except perhaps as a byline. This is in part due to the varying media sources that give us more information than we have ever had, this is also human nature.
Steve Smith somewhat inspired me to write this by asking about Cindy Sheehan or the John Roberts nomination, then reading the Washington Post article added to that. As New Orleans and the Gulf Coast begins to rebuild, the focus will be taken off of this by the media and us. The pain and suffering and challenges for those personally affected will continue, however the average American will remember it from time to time, especially if prodded by a story. At times some of us will try to force you to remember, those like Michael Scott Speicher or another person that we feel has been forgotten so that you will act.
There will be another crisis, another disaster either human or natural by creation. Perhaps not here but somewhere in the world, another "hot button" topic will take over the media and our discussion. Cindy Sheehan was the topic of the moment but see how quickly that story ended. It is now lost the media focus and in turn most of our focus. There is still suffering from those who lost loved ones in Iraq, there are still those dying every day from starvation in Nigeria. Darfur is still a larger area of despair than the Gulf Coast. Yet we are human, there is only so much we can do. After the earthquake in Iran many pledged funds, years later promises of funds made were never delivered. People are still suffering and homeless. After 9/11 and now starting after Katrina local charities and food banks will have less to distribute because the focus is now on the Gulf States. Pleas will start to come out that these Americans as well as others in the world still have needs that existed before this latest disaster.
We don't remember days only moments.....
Posted by Lisa Renee Ward at September 11, 2005 02:14 PMLet’s just hope the media has received a wake up call on this one!
There are way too many important things going on and they REALLY need to stop spending so much time and energy on stories such as Aruba.
The Natalie story is a sad one indeed but it really had no major significance to the majority of us.
BTW - I am waiting for the day when this site is highlighted during the segments on ‘What America is Blogging about’.
I really can’t understand why we have been overlooked.
Maybe because Watchblog is NOT one sided and the media doesn’t know how to handle that.
The media is of our making, we are the ones who tune into the stories like what happened in Aruba or Laci Peterson.
We encourage their behavior with our own obsession with some of these stories. So until we change and they start to loose viewers/readership? That is probably another one of those parts of human nature that will probably never change. Even before the internet there was the same focus on one major story usually one of pain rather than joy. That can be said even before television.
We as writers here or in other parts of the blogosphere are sometimes just as responsible. I have been guilty of that in the past and probably will be in the future. At times this tunnelvision into just one main story is hard to resist.
Posted by: Lisa Renee at September 11, 2005 03:34 PMOn Sept. 10, 2001, the leaders of our government should have had Dec. 7, in their minds, especially with all the warnings we received and even the date.
The day before Katrina arrived, our government leaders should have been working diligently with memories of past hurricane devastation preparing and defending against Katrina.
Before the Katrina hit, the gas lines of the 1970’s should have been in the front of our government’s minds. If the feds had announced BEFORE Katrina hit, that oil reserves would be available to compensate for lost production at the hands of Katrina, the pump prices around the country never would have spiked as they did.
We voters should hire government leaders to be mindful of history and vulnerability and to take measures to eliminate danger if possible and mitigage loss. We Americans are partially at fault for we don’t care about a person’s eduational background, experience or track record, grasp of current affairs and history. We do care if we can recognize their name or not (remember Schwarzeneggar) and which party they belong to, as if that is all that is needed to cast an intelligent vote.
Americans getting more uneducated generally, though more educated in their field of specialty, and we are getting overloaded by the complexity of the society we have created, and we are getting fat and lazy when it comes to politics and informed consent and admonition in correspondence with our officials, and we have all gone way overboard on this team player BS in politics.
John McCain would have made a better President than John Kerry, and Russ Feingold would have made a better president than GW Bush, but since party is everything and individual qualities and capabilities marginal in electing officials, such candidates won’t lead this country. Those connected to money and special interests and of course party leadership, will continue to be elected until we the people lay down a different set of criteria. And short of anti-incumbency grass roots movement, I just don’t see how that is possible.
Posted by: David R. Remer at September 11, 2005 04:51 PMLisa Renee,
During previous anniversaries of 9/11 the radio station I predominantly listen to would verge from their regular programing to play patriotic songs and commemorative sound bites. They haven’t done that this year. Nor are they focusing strongly on Katrina (that was Thurs. & Fri.). It’s just music as usual.
As for myself, I’m rather glad to see that we as a nation aren’t so traumatized by a four-year old disaster that we can’t focus instead on the current disaster being experienced within our own country. Now as for our lack of universal compassion for those disasters experienced elsewhere….
BTW, does anyone know where I can send material goods to help Katrina disaster relief. I live in the upper midwest and nobody around here is collecting material goods at this time (that I can find) and are instead focusing on cash donations, which I can’t give. I have seven large garbage bags full of clothes, for adults and children, as well as bedding. As many “all they have is the clothes on their backs” stories as I’ve heard thus far, I find it hard to believe that these goods are not needed NOW! I can probably double or triple what I have now, but safe storage is a problem. My kids are already overly curious about what I have stashed in those bags.
If anyone can give me a suggestion as to how to deliver these materials, I would greatly appreciate that.
Posted by: Stephanie at September 11, 2005 06:03 PMStephanie, I would suggest you contact either Goodwill Industries or Volunteers of America. They are both collecting material donation items both for victims of the Hurricane as well as locally.
Depending on your area there might be some local church groups doing the same. As an example here in Toledo there are several other faith based organizations collecting material donations such as clothing, books etc.
I’d suggest contacting one of your local media outlets or their websites as many areas have listed places and items needed for donation as another possible resource for you. We did the same with several bags of clothing selecting Volunteers of America.
Posted by: Lisa Renee at September 11, 2005 06:24 PMLisa Renee,
Thank you. I’ll definitely look up Volunteers of America. Our local Goodwill is only collecting donations as usual…which isn’t why I’m doing this at all. If it were, it would go to ECHO, which gives away the clothing ect instead of selling it.
Most of the media outlets I’ve checked are those that are saying “material goods are not being collected at this time,” so… Volunteers of America it is, if they’re around this area at all!
To clarify, this stuff that I’ve collected is stuff that we have been using, and we will eventually have to replace. However, the Katrina victims need it more and need it now, which is why I’m so frustrated that there doesn’t seem to be anywhere local to distribute it.
Posted by: Stephanie at September 11, 2005 07:22 PMToledo must be doing things differently which is a surprise since our area is usually one of the last, but there has been a good effort to not only collect funds but supplies as well.
Recently six buses that were chartered to go down to pick up those who needed to be evacuated were filled with donations so that the buses did not arrive empty.
I agree with you that clothing as well as bedding and other items are needed, hopefully your area will also organize that portion of it. Like you the financial donation part for us is tricky however having three teenage daughters? Donations of very nice clothing is something we can also do.
Posted by: Lisa Renee at September 11, 2005 07:36 PMLisa Renee,
Perhaps it’s the difference of distance. Those refugees that we were scheduled to receive were to be flown in, but it didn’t happen because they refused to leave.
*shrugs shoulders*
I’m just really frustrated that what I can do has become so marginalized that I can’t actually do it.
Alas, at least I have the “comfort” of knowing that this too shall pass and the memories will fade.
Posted by: Stephanie at September 11, 2005 08:06 PMMight be Stephanie, but there are as always those locally that could be helped by donations, especially of clothing. I made my regular donation to the local food bank, not because I didn’t think the Gulf Coast could need it, but because I also realize those that could not make ends meet here have not experienced any betterment of their situation. Too often we forget in our rush to help the latest victims that those that needed help before? Are still out there.
We have had quite a few families from not just New Orleans but other Gulf Coast areas come here, some are stating they are going to remain here. The local school districts have really gone out of their way to make what is typically a pain as far as everything needed for registration to enable these children to be able to attend school as well as providing necessary school supplies.
Posted by: Lisa Renee at September 11, 2005 08:11 PMOne thing everyone can do to help - is give to your local charities. Most of the focus and resources have been moved to the Gulf - where it is truly needed, but your local agencies will be badly affected. I saw this with Hurricane Floyd. Everyone gave to the victims there - and the people and agencies here saw a drastic shortfall. The Raleigh Rescue mission - one of my favorites - saw their selves empty.
I know everyone has limits to what they can give, but maybe times like these requires us to feel a little pain in our giving so that we can take a little bit of the pain away from others.
Think globally, act locally.
Keep the victims of Katrina in your mind and do all that you can to help there… when you find frustration with sending material gifts - consider giving them to people/agencies near where you live.
Posted by: tony at September 11, 2005 09:04 PMLisa - thanks for the article.
I remember one thing about 9/11. For a moment, we were all pulled together as a country - a single thing in common we could all share, and we forgot to dissagree… at least for a while. It was a horrible, shocking day, but that one thing felt amazing.
I missed that this time around.
Posted by: tony at September 11, 2005 09:07 PMThanks tony that is good advice and what I try to do as well. I also agree with you on the way America came together. This time with Katrina most of us still did as we have when ever there has been a huge crisis, we put aside the blame and acted. I share with you the disappointment that too many of our politicians as well as a few others forgot it is times of disaster we need to put the pettiness aside. It can wait and somehow? We always seem to find the ability to do that later.
:-)
Posted by: Lisa Renee at September 11, 2005 09:13 PMToo many desperate and delinquent politicians involved this time - from the start.
It took more time to find blame for 9/11.
Also there was an enemy who we could go after for 9/11.
It is just very hard for people to have strong feelings about things that don’t affect them. Things that are beyond our experience are probably impossible to understand except superficially.
Katrina will affect the U.S. more concretely than 9/11 but it has less of a psychological affect. We are not as afraid of storms, because we see them all the time. It is the same psychology that makes us less afraid of dangerous, but familiar things. People fear flying more than driving, for example.
The other reason 9/11 is more memorable is because more people were involved. Yes, Katrina displaced more people. But when 9/11 grounded all the airplanes and put everyone on alert, almost the whole country felt part of that disaster.
There is also the matter of how much we think a person could of or should have personally avoided his own suffering. We feel little sympathy for a person suffering a hangover. A person with the same symptoms caused by the flu gets a lot more help. On a bigger scale, that is why we feel less anxiety when we read that a woman has murdered her husband than if we hear that a man was killed randomly. It is the perceived element of control. Even if both murdered men were completely innocent, we assume that the guy killed by his wife could have done something either to provoke or avoid his fate.
9/11 was a complete surprise to the victim. Katrina was not. Whether we like it or not – or admit it or not – we make a different judgment based on that.
jack,
Most people fear flying more than driving for psychological reasons too. We feel we can do something to avoid a car accident, at least we have the chance to swerve, or if we’re the passenger, yell out. Whereas, if we’re riding in a plane, then we typically have no control. We don’t know the pilots, we don’t know how their day has gone, we don’t even get to see them most of the time, nor can we tell them to pull over if it’s obvious they need a break. That lack of control is a significant factor.
To a certain extent, if not totally rational one, we may feel we have control over disasters of the likes of Katrina. That’s what a lot of the partisan bickering is about, anyway. We can choose not to live in a place likely to be hit by a hurricane. We can leave when they tell us to. We can prepare and devise strategies, build levees and the like. Hurricanes that hit our coasts usually are not this bad. Rationalizations abound.
With terrorism however…we have no real control. We can expect and demand our government to try and prevent it from ever happening again. As individuals we can report anything suspicious and willingly give up some of our own freedoms. But…that is not enough to gain a sense of control, even an unreasonable one. Terrorism comes, it nips us to the quick, and is gone. Foresight and rationalization only come after the fact.
Posted by: Stephanie at September 12, 2005 12:58 AMMy father was a pilot, flying with him if he was not the pilot was a horrid experience. One flight in particular I will never forget was coming back from the Bahamas on my honeymoon when I got remarried (Yes we are strange as I took not only my children but my father so it was a “family” honeymoon). My father was about ready to go up to the cockpit to tell the pilot that he could handle the approach to the airport better than he did when we first hit a patch of turbulance he thought could have been avoided and the landing was horrible. Being raised his daughter, a good landing was one where the passengers did not realize they had touched ground, that was a point of pride with my father, this one involved so many jumps my youngest got sick.
So flying can be about control, as the pilot came out to meet us all upon landing my father felt it necessary to tell him upon saying “Welcome to Cleveland” “No thanks to that landing”
:-)
I realize that does not add much to this discussion but? I’m still a huge fan of my father and I miss him so to not write about him given the whole flight/control issue? I couldn’t bypass.
As a professional pilot he felt the attention on passengers was stupid given the lack of attention to not only luggage stowed on commercial jets as well as the huge number of corporate jets out there that could have been used and still could be used as a terrorism tool. He felt the attention placed on the additional security implemented was a “feel good” process as he realized how easy it would have been for a terrorist to take over not only corporate but freight flights as well. Given my respect for his opinion? I don’t disagree.
Lisa Renee,
I don’t see why anyone would mind you sharing that story. Thank you!
Did he have any suggestions on what we can do to better secure our skies?
Posted by: Stephanie at September 12, 2005 01:27 AMNot sure where to post this…
Overheard on a morning news show this morning an insurance company rep being interviewed. Evidently there is for the most part no such thing as flood insurance except in “special” circumstances. I did not hear them all but, it appears that the Katrina flood damage is not going to come close, if at all to making people “whole” again.
Only 40% of eligible people in NO had any kind of flood insurance and, that is limited to certain damage. An example was given that some people 50 miles away from the flood will likely be in a position to collect more on their insurance due to wind damage, trees down, etc. than will those who’s houses are under water.
So, anybody who “lost everything” which includes their house and possessions who think they may be covered, could be in for a rude awakening. If they had mortgages they will have payments that will continue (unless they had some kind of protection on that which applies) and no house to live in. I have heard nothing pertaining to vehicles.
Does anybody have anything more specific on this?
Posted by: steve smith at September 12, 2005 09:53 AMI do know that a bank wont give you a mortgage without flood insurance if you are in a flood zone - and these houses were. The flood insurance is from the Federal Gov.
Businesses are smart.
Posted by: Ms Schwamp at September 12, 2005 12:17 PMLisa:
Since you lured me in with the title, Lisa, I hope that you don’t mind me going a bit astray.
Does anyone remember these little tidbits of our history, this just happens to be tidbits about sports, baseball in particular: Remember Day Games, Double Headers, The Old Pitcher’s Mound, Life before The Designated Hitter Rule, or My Personal Favorite…Does anyone remember,…Being able to take your entire family to the Ballpark, without having to take out a second mortgage? I Do, and I am only 42 years of age.
Sorry Lisa, I kind of hi-jacked this thread, with something totally off base, please accept my apologies.
As Ever,
Wayne
steve -
It’s going to be a HUGE problem there. I’ve read several articles about how insurance adjusters are going into the effected areas to determine what damage was done by wind rather than flooding. The only thing I do not know about are the requirements from local and state laws as to what you have to have when building in a flood zone. I’m guessing that most of the structures there were built before any insurance requirements were put into place.
Most of the poor people who lost everything - I’m guessing - were renting. So, while they lost everything they had, they hopefully will not have a mortgage payment to contend with.
Here in NC - we saw first hand the issues with people not having flood insurance (Fran & Floyd.) I saw many people who were poor get knocked down ever further, if that’s really possible… and then of course, the people living in Top Sail (and other resort communities) who received government assistance to cover the beach front properties (most of the 2nd homes). btw - you can still get a mortgage to build there, without flood insurance… if you can find any land open there.
Posted by: tony at September 12, 2005 12:20 PMsteve & tony,
Again, I have to ask the naive question, but…. If the fed. gov. is pouring literally billions and billions of dollars into the rebuilding efforts, all under the header of disaster relief funds, then shouldn’t that cover those without flood insurance? Shouldn’t their homes be rebuilt with that money, since the money is being spent? I mean, what else is it for? I know there’s infrastructure that needs to be rebuilt too, along with businesses, but… Maybe I’m just naive, but isn’t EVERYONE who’s lost SUPPOSED to get SOMETHING to help them rebuild? If not, then why is all that government money being spent? If everyone doesn’t get a share, why are us taxpayers footing the bill?
Posted by: Stephanie at September 12, 2005 01:08 PMWell… the bulk of the money is going to rebuilding the infrastructure (roads, electrical grids, ports, etc.) I think most of the money that individuals get from FEMA will be in the form of low-interest loans. (That was the case in NC after Fran and Floyd.) I’m pretty sure that most of the consumer rebuilding will come from insurance settlements or new investments.
Posted by: tony at September 12, 2005 01:17 PMtony,
As someone speaking from experience, I trust you when you say that is probably how it WILL work. I guess my question is: How is it SUPPOSED to work?
Posted by: Stephanie at September 12, 2005 01:20 PMSorry - no ideas on how it will work down there. When I see anything, I will respond ASAP.
If you consider that after the clean up effort, you might have enough out of the $60B left over to rebuild 100,000k homes at best - if you did not consider rebuilding any of the businesses…
Really, in a city that big - $60B dissappears very quickly. My guess is that you might see some getting cash, but mostly, it’s the ground work for rebuilding we are paying for. As to what people may or may not be getting…???
Posted by: tony at September 12, 2005 01:49 PMtony,
It seems any time there is a disaster we hear about the unfortunate NC and VA flooding from Fran and Floyd which you and I because of where we live are very close to.
Every so often I see a news item about how some people are still living in trailers and/or are otherwise homeless as a result of that and you remember how long ago that was.
Posted by: steve smith at September 12, 2005 04:27 PMWayne,
Hope you are doing good.
I remember all of the things in your post. Because I am 62 I can remember going to Ebbets Field, Polo Grounds, old Yankee Stadium and a few other parks around the country.
Posted by: steve smith at September 12, 2005 04:30 PMPutting aside that I am a maniacal right winger I truly hope that werever the money comes from it takes care of the needs of everyone regardless of political affiliation or financial status. Actually I hope there could be a way to exclude those who can afford their own rebuilding.
I personally think that it would be ridiculous to rebuild anything on the same sandbar without making the necessary topographical corrections (elevations, levees, planned water rerouting, etc.) They must5 also be sure that every building and zoning code is adhered to.
Posted by: steve smith at September 12, 2005 04:37 PMSteve, I thought there are limits as to what the Federal Government would cover, for some reason the $100,000 figure stayed in my memory but I would have to research it. I also remember hearing people state that the money from FEMA would not cover all of their rebuilding costs for those who did not have flood insurance.
Wayne, I remember those days as well, thankfully here in Toledo we have the Toledo Mud Hens where you can still afford to take your family to a ballpark granted they are a farm team but it’s still enjoyable. I also if you want to go down memory lane remember the drive in movies where you could watch two movies for $5.00 a car full. We still have one drive in movie theatre left in town but it is of course alot more per person.
:-)
Posted by: Lisa Renee at September 12, 2005 06:37 PMToledo???!!!
That’s where that crazy SECTION 8 guy on M*A*S*H was from.
Posted by: tony at September 12, 2005 06:46 PMJamie Farr, lol and the home of Packos
Yep that’s Toledo.
Posted by: Lisa Renee at September 12, 2005 08:09 PMI’m from Raleigh, NC -
Home of Andy Griffith…
(I can here the whistling blowing on the wind….)
Posted by: tony at September 12, 2005 08:31 PMI suppose I should mention we are also the hometown of Katie Holmes though I don’t think that’s something to be thrilled about. Though her change to Scientology caused a stir in her former Catholic school.
And since I started this whole Remember thread, John Denver wrote an unflattering song about Toledo and rolling the sidewalks up at night. He was later booed when he tried to make an appearance in Toledo.
:-)
Aw, Katie Holmes wasn’t so bad when she was still the good girl of Hollywood. Okay, so those days are gone forever, but… ;-)
I used to be a fan, but that’s probably because I only got to see the first season of Dawson’s Creek.
Posted by: Stephanie at September 12, 2005 11:31 PMDavid R. Remer,
“Those connected to money and special interests and of course party leadership, will continue to be elected until we the people lay down a different set of criteria. And short of anti-incumbency grass roots movement, I just don’t see how that is possible.”
Great words man. Your right the only way to better the country is to have a more informed and involved public. I think that it is amazing that most of the topics/issues discussed on this blog could be fixed by these two things.
I think that the only way to make it better would be to make the formal complaint process easier. If people knew that they would be taken seriously people would be more apt to stand up and speak. People are programmed from the earlies of ages to just sit there and take it. All the way through grade school your told to sit down and shut up when you stand up for your rights. Injustices are being commited everywhere everyday.
Lisa Renee,
The issues you have brought up are good issues and need to be pointed out. I am glad you wrote this, thanks. But, I knew it was Pearl Harbor on Dec, 7 1941 I’m only 21. :) This country is backwards. We have Holidays to commemorate historic people and events but, usually people only notice if they get a day off. We have all been effected by all the events and people in the past but, we don’t ask why. We may be told but we don’t really care. We forge ahead towards the same mistakes everyone else has made a social change is what is needed in order for a cultural revolution to take place. Most people don’t even notice anything unless they are effected. I know people that when they were woken up on Sept. 11th to see whats going on, just rolled over and fell back asleep. It’s this mindset that brings our society down “yeah, but what has that got to do with me”. That statement, those words are the reason we forget and the reason bad things keep happening. Watch a documentary called the “The Children of Beslan”, you probably don’t need to but; you can see what it is to never forget but, move on with life. We have so much to learn from the effected It’s just nobody usually cares to listen more than once.
The things we should hold onto we let go of, while the things we should let go of we hold onto.
Posted by: chad at September 14, 2005 12:06 PMChad, thank you and I hope you understand that your knowledge is not a common one at age 21. Which is why I stated most. My two oldest children are around your age and they also know those dates (having me as a mother will do that). However some of their peers are not quite as knowledgeable or concerned about previous dates in history. I appreciate your comments and I am glad you are involved. We need alot more involvement by people especially those who are going to make up our future.
Posted by: Lisa Renee at September 14, 2005 02:21 PM
