Reflections on a Tragic Day
Thank you for the comprehensive, intense and very memorable September 11 issue “America: A Year After.” What struck me most was how your writers portrayed and honored the indomitable spirit and humanity of those closely affected by the September 11 tragedy. The twin beams of light reflected New York City’s lost souls, and our nation’s resilience. This issue, as with last year’s, will be placed under my mattress for a future date with history, to be shown to my soon-to-be-born grandson. Brede M. Woods Brewster, N.Y.
Although the enormity of the tragedy at the World Trade Center made it the overwhelming event of September 11, I am disappointed that you didn’t pay enough attention to the Pentagon in your Special Commemorative Edition. The attack there took 184 innocent lives. And in the past year, hundreds of people have worked literally around the clock to restore the nation’s bastion of defense, so that on September 11, 2002, those of us attending the memorial service faced a building that looked exactly the way it did on Sept. 10, 2001. My husband, Nick, a construction engineer, is one of the dedicated workers who have put in 15 hours a day, six to seven days a week, for much of the past year. In his case, he realized anew each day that the plane had struck exactly where his office had been when he was renovating that part of the Pentagon just months earlier. The spirit and dedication of these workers, who proudly adopted Todd Beamer’s last words, “Let’s roll,” as their model, are truly inspiring. It seems that their story, and that of the Pentagon victims, would have been worth more attention. Phyllis McIntosh Silver Spring, Md.
Fareed Zakaria’s article, “Bin Laden’s Bad Bet,” in your Special Commemorative Edition was the most encouraging and sensible thing I have read since the September 11 terrorist attacks. Encouraging in that it points out that Al Qaeda and other terrorist organizations are on the wane, and sensible because NEWSWEEK explored what was necessary for the terrorists to get their message across in the way of ideologues, pamphlets and party lines. On this year’s 9-11 anniversary I thank you for this interesting and stress-relieving story. William Pipes Murphy, N.C.
I am an average American citizen recovering from the effects of September 11. I suffered no personal losses or tragedy associated with the attack; still, I find myself continuing to be affected. The pictures of fatherless children and of grieving widows and mothers that once caused tears to stream down my cheeks now result in choked sobs as the reality of this profound tragedy is made clear. Magazine articles and television programs that covered the tragedy sensitively helped make our nation’s response to grieving more accessible and easier to bear. But on the first-year mark of this horrible day, wouldn’t it have been more appropriate to establish a national day of mourning, rather than be subjected to nonstop news coverage? Mary Danahy, one of the widows interviewed in your commemorative issue, explained that for her, closure is hard to find when tapes of the collapsing towers are played over and over again on the evening news. Shouldn’t we refrain from watching such scenes out of respect for those who lost loved ones that day? On September 11 I am going to keep my television turned off and instead fill my day with wishes that a sense of hope and well-being be restored to those families who continue to grieve. Katerina Cavanagh Woodbridge, Conn.
I sympathize with the emotions expressed by Lt. Col. Robert Grunewald, who managed to escape from the Pentagon just 75 feet from where the plane hit, and continues to work there (" ‘I Just Can’t Get Away From It’"). But I take exception to his comment that for those of us who lost a loved one in the World Trade Center, it’s “not in our face” every day, since we don’t work in the building that was attacked. Many people who work in the downtown area lost loved ones. I witnessed the murder of someone I love, and now my office window provides a view of his grave site. It is in my face every single day, and I am far from being the only one who experiences this. Anne O’Connor Pelham, N.Y.
Yes! The Alan Brinkley, Arthur Schlesinger Jr., David Levering Lewis and Joyce Appleby comments put into words, plain and simple, what has concerned me since shortly after September 11 (“A Date With History”). I don’t know who scares me more–Bush or those who surround him. Margaret J. Adams Montoursville, Pa.
Thank you so much for the cover of your September 11 commemorative issue. One year after that tragic day, your readers don’t need to see celebrities or world leaders on the magazine’s cover. They need to see people who really reflect what makes this country so wonderful. Who could represent that more than those three firefighters originally pictured raising the American flag amid the rubble of the World Trade Center? Bruce Gustafson Marquette, Mich.
I am puzzled, confused and even astounded by all the talk about “moving on” and “closure” pertaining to the first anniversary of September 11. Do people –really think that there’s some sort of magic synthesis that occurs once a bereaved person lives through the first year of loss? Prior to September 11, most of us had lived through a significant loss and learned that grief is an ongoing, life- time process–not linear, but circular. There is no start, and certainly no end, to feelings of sadness and loss. So why are we all led to believe that our emotional lives will improve greatly with the passing of one day? Robin Stowell Ventura, Calif.
What a smug, condescending and, above all, uniform group of historians discussing September 11 and its ramifications (“A Date With History”). No debate, no opposing opinions, just an out-of-touch group slamming this country and its president. It’s an inappropriate climax to a beautiful, balanced and informative issue–which I will keep after removing this article. Lisa V. Schultz Weston, Fla.
I want to ask every American who continues to complain about Mondays, how was your Tuesday, September 11, 2001? I, for one, am grateful for my job. I am more tolerant. I appreciate the freedom–and feel the right–to lift up my skirt so I can walk faster, or for any other reason. I give more compliments. I celebrate diversity, because I still believe we can all work together, no matter what. I recycle much more than I throw away. There is new life in my commitment to my teenage son. And I take a deep breath of fresh air every chance I get. Carol Anne Kennedy Austin, Texas
Your editor Mark Whitaker’s introduction to the September 11 issue, “Tales of Hope and Survival,” is an excellent sidebar to the photo next to it. However, he repeats one lingering misconception: that only New Yorkers see a big hole where the Twin Towers once stood. All Americans see a big hole, and many of us have one in our hearts. The Twin Towers were more than mere buildings. They were symbols of the United States, monuments to our strength, influence and success. As a child, I watched as they were built. Growing up, making car trips to visit relatives in New England, I always knew we were almost there when I saw the top of the towers. I still get a rush when I think about their imposing presence on the Manhattan skyline. In the same way someone enters your home and steals your most prized possessions, the Twin Towers were violently taken away from us. They didn’t just belong to New Yorkers; they belonged to every American. We’ve all been robbed. Robert W. Porter Jr. Powder Springs, Ga.
Ultimately our fate will rest in our ability to peacefully coexist with one another. This reality can’t be obscured, nor will it be changed, by the fact that we are not to blame for the horrors that have been bestowed upon us in the past year (“Going to High School Near Ground Zero”). Stuyvesant High School student Inna Guzenfeld’s my turn essay is most significant in that it shows the world the sensitivity, strength and remarkable resolve displayed by America’s youth during this most difficult of times. One can only hope that Inna, and millions like her around the world, will one day shepherd in a new era of peace, understanding and mutual respect. In the not so distant future it will indeed be “Her Turn.” Jack Mandall Long Branch, N.J.
As a physician with 44 years of experience as a country doctor, I have seen countless episodes of heartache and tragedy, death and sorrow, as well as innumerable cases of love and joy. Your September 11 issue was both beautiful and heartrending. I cried throughout the day as I read the stories of the people who were so personally and tragically affected by the attack. Erick Reeber, M.D. Bagley, Minn.
Your special commemorative edition did not make a single mention of the Port Authority Police, 37 of whom were lost on September 11. As the wife of a Port Authority police officer, I experienced an unsettling feeling in 1993 when the Trade Center was first attacked. Only the loved ones of those who were there on September 11 can know the absolute terror I felt at the second attack. My husband rushed to the scene with three other officers and narrowly escaped death at least four times that we know of. My husband and his fellow officers were approaching the first tower right before it fell; it was a miracle that he was not inside when it crumbled. But 37 other Port Authority families did not experience a miracle that day. The agony that these families have lived with has been made worse by the media’s neglect of the brave Port Authority police personnel who died that day. Those of us whose loved ones were there to rescue and assist are outraged that their efforts have been ignored. Your readers might be interested to know that 3 percent of the force perished that day–the largest number of police officers killed in the line of duty in a single incident in our country’s history; that Port Authority police officers are trained extensively in law enforcement, firefighting and rescue operations, and that the Port Authority Police protect the airports, bridges, tunnels and port facilities of New York and New Jersey. Since the attacks, they have been working 12-hour days with little vacation time. I must say that I am so proud of my husband and his fellow Port Authority officers for their brave and selfless sacrifices on September 11. It is unfortunate that many others don’t seem to remember they were even there. Mary Ann Maniscalco Brooklyn, N.Y.
I so appreciate Anna Quindlen’s writing about her son’s Sept. 11 birthday and the experiences of her family during these fateful times (“One Day, Now Broken in Two,” The Last Word). I, too, am one of those people with a Sept. 11 birthday. Until now, this has been such a nondescript time of year, with summer over but fall not quite in full gear. Yet for me it was always a time of upbeat reflection and eager anticipation of my new year. Since the attacks of last year, Sept. 11 has been associated, and rightly so, with horror, terror, pain, death, fear and loss. While I am not as angry as some people who feel that their special day has been violated, it has been hard for me to automatically and honestly provide my birthdate when asked for this vital information. Sheryl P. Simons Philadelphia, Pa.
What are my lasting impressions of September 11? My heightened appreciation for the symbol of our flag and all that it represents. I hold family and friends more dear than ever. I have an even greater respect for firefighters, police officers and emergency medical service personnel. However, I pray that our country’s continuing “war on terrorism” doesn’t turn into another political quagmire. I worry for the young people who serve our country in the armed forces and the challenges that –may await them. No matter how noble the cause fought for, we always lose a part of our future. Roxanne Rowley Manistee, Mich.
September 11 dawned like many other school mornings. Seventh grade had recently begun, and my world was filled with so much. I was a typical seventh grader, happy and secure in my life. But that changed in one day. My classmates and I all began to realize that something bad was happening that day. Teachers were speaking quietly. Parents began picking up their children. We did not understand the depth of the situation until we were released early from school and came home to watch on TV the horror of people running from clouds of smoke. I went to bed feeling as if I had reached adulthood in just one day. My wall of security was shattered. On the days following September 11, I became aware of the magnitude of hatred some people have for us and our nation. But I also watched as many people assisted the effort to rescue, and then just recover. I was seeing the good of so many people. Our nation was going to rebuild and to stay strong, and flags flew everywhere. My sense of security also began to rebuild. I still worry about homeland security and wonder if airports are safe. But I am proud of my country and the people who work so hard to be a positive influence here: the firefighters, the police and the people who govern our country. As I continue down my road to adulthood, I am glad to have been positively affected by so many people I don’t know. Liz Gentile Pequannock, N.J.
I am a World War II veteran, though somewhat less than heroic. As a callow youth of 21, I volunteered for the service and spent 18 months in the Pacific area during the height of the conflict. However, although close to the action, I never saw combat duty. I have always considered myself a patriot, but I am not sure how the majority of my fellow Americans would view me now. I don’t find it comforting that families of the September 11 victims are receiving millions of dollars, while the relatives of American soldiers dying in the Middle East receive a relative pittance. Surely their loss is just as great and their anguish just as deep. Richard F. Proud Parachute, Colo.
