"Happy 9/11?"

By: Lowell
Published On: 9/11/2008 10:40:28 AM

Just a short - but I think powerful - anecdote from this morning.  I was picking up my car from a repair shop in Arlington, and as we were finishing up the paperwork, the woman at the counter wished me a "Happy 9/11." I was kinda taken aback at first, muttered something like, "uh, thanks, but I don't think there's too much happy about this day."  The story then got more complicated, as the car repair shop woman went on to tell me that her sister was working as a security guard at the Pentagon on 9/11 and SAW THE PLANE HIT THE BUILDING. Her sister also heard the screams of people in the burning Pentagon. My god. Anyway, seven years later, the car repair shop woman's sister has serious PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder), and really has never recovered from the horror of that day.  Needless to say, that totally changed my perception of the initial comment, "Happy 9/11."  Wow.

Comments



Do you have an Obama bumper sticker on your car? (Rebecca - 9/11/2008 12:52:46 PM)
Maybe she said that because she thought you were a terrorist sympathizer because of your Democratic bumper sticker. -Just a thought. On the other hand maybe she just didn't  know how perverted she sounded.

I had a woman who kept pulling in front of me on the way to work. This was shortly after the Palin bounce. The woman kept giving me the finger out the driver's side window. I hadn't passed her at any time so I just assumed it was because of my Obama sticker. I could be wrong of course but there is a lot of hate out there.



No, I don't think that was it (Lowell - 9/11/2008 1:16:15 PM)
at all.


Don't have to be "happy" about 9/11 (vademgirl - 9/11/2008 3:43:38 PM)
My [now] former brother-in-law Dennis is currently CIO of the Pentagon. In 2001, he was meeting almost daily at the Pentagon. His morning meeting that fateful day had ended and he decided to head out instead of staying to watch the burning twin towers on the TVs. His colleage who had asked for a ride, decided to stay and watch the TV which cost him his life. As Dennis was walking to his car, to his horror he heard the plane coming over his head, turned and could feel the heat and wind blast from the explosion. He was so dazed by what he saw he could hardly remember walking out of the Pentagon parking lot as police had blocked off every entrance/exit. I know HE'LL never forget not only that sight, but that over 100 of his friends and colleagues died that day. How someone could say "happy 9/11" is simply trying to cope or deal with it as best they can. Those who choose to politicize it by accusing others of being unpatriotic are the ones to be wary of. All of the Barack Obama offices are shut down today in observance of today's anniversary, and unfortunately, in fear that O's campaign may be accused of being "unpatriotic" which is absolutely ridiculous. I think it's disgusting to use tragedy to polarize people for political purposes.