-� Japanese Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto was asked why he wasn't celebrating the successful attack on Pearl Harbor
"I can hear you! The rest of the world hears you! And the people who knocked these buildings down will hear all of US soon!"
-During President George W. Bush's tour of the WTC site, when he presented a speach to the rescue workers.
- As a personal note, the actual audio does this quote more justice. If anyone can find a sound bite, please let me know.
-NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue
http://espn.go.com/gammons/s/2001/0915/1251620.html
http://www.miami.com/herald/content/features/columnists/pitts/digidocs/000565.htm
From: LuLu�
Sent: Friday, September 14, 2001 11:21 PM
To: Matt Goldstein
Subject: WTC Tuesday�
My PC has been down for days. AOL hosed it....anyway, I'm fine thanks for being concerned. I saw the WTC burn though. I was on my express bus, coming out of the tunnel just seconds before the first plane crash, when I got a call from Florida, of all places.
Anyway my niece told me it was on fire, I turned to look out of the window of the bus and saw the unbelievable! I can't begin to describe what I saw, TV just didn't capture just how vivid it actually was. I saw it before the dark smoke engulfed the entire building. My bus went a few more blocks then we felt the second explosion and I saw it, the second tower had exploded....Flames were everywhere and people began to line the streets within seconds.
I saw one man running down the street with no shirt or shoes on, he was in a panic. I decided to continue onto my job up on 23rd street figuring it would be safe up there as opposed to getting off of the bus and trying to walk somewhere in the War Zone, as I now call the downtown area.
We left work at 2pm and walked down to the Staten Island ferry, 1 1/2 hour walk. I had to by a bandana to cover my nose and mouth, the smoke was pretty intense. There was debris everywhere once we were down by the South Street Seaport.
The streets were practically abandoned and the people that were walking were very quiet looking around in disbelief. At one point, with my shoes off in pain, I had stepped on a manhole cover. A cop standing by yelled at me to get off of it as he thought it may explode from a gas leak. My feet looked as if I had gray socks on from all of the soot that had fallen. I felt shock, I just could't believe what had just happened. We saw blown out windows, cars and buses just abandoned in the middle of the streets... A day none of us will ever forget.
There are many from Staten Island that were in the buildings, as many Islanders work downtown for the convenience. It is so very tragic. I purchased a portable camera and took pictures on the ferry as we pulled away from the dock. It was an image that I still can't get over, no trade center buildings in the skyline, just dark black smoke.
I spoke with two police officers, on the ferry, that were there when the buildings fell. They told me stories that were surreal. One thought his partner was dead when the buildings collapsed as the smoke was so intense he couldn't see him. He was right behind him in shock, but was ok. I'll send pictures when I get them developed.
I cant put my feelings to words This tragedy today that's shocked the whole world Pain and anger, overtakes my mind There is no sense that I can find� The sun comes up but it's the darkest of days As lives are lost and loved ones pray Our tv scenes show how movies are made But today its real and now were all afraid.� Pain and anger, vengeance is mine Those that did this will soon find Not with money as thats what they hate But ultimately it will be their fate� We come together united as one All affected, the war will be won They cannot take from us our will For freedom of life we will fulfill� You went too far this time around And soon your answer will be found We cannot be deterred from right Its you that will ultimately lose this fight� My pain wont stop my tears wont dry But some day soon I promise i'll fly I will not let you scare me away This life is mine for all my days� Senseless death, catastrophic destruction Our greatest place sustains a volcanoes eruption Massive structures fall to the ground You will pay, you will be found� But my pain is so deep for all those lost For the families, the friends an unthinkable cost Mammoth collapse of the largest of towers But what they have done has awoken the powers� Never so proud as I am today I feel like im there though a country away Taken for granted for all that they've done To make my life here second to none�� Weep as I write theres so much to say And so lost as to how we'll all find our way I need you to help me get through this all And I will help you, please don't let yourself fall� But I Just cant get these pictures out of my head Planes hittings buildings, so many dead. Digging through rubble , theres some alive What ever it takes we have to revive.� Some say it's the beginning of the end I say it's the beginning of a new trend No more will we see those run and hide When this is over, by our rules they'll abide� From a foreigners view id just like to suggest That you have given us more than we'd like to accept But today I can say that i'm forever proud If you'd take me and tell me im part of your crowd� We'll see in the future how well we've done That life will be better and fear will be none My tears have tried, at least for a time Knowing were right and freedom is mine.