65 thoughts on “Blog #158 – Oral Interviews about 9/11/01”

1. Sylvia Duncan September 11, 2023 at 10:36 pm

   What is your name? John Duncan
   How old were you on 9/11? 31
   Where were you when you found out about 9/11? I was on a business trip in Singapore at the time.
   How did this affect how you felt? I was overseas and concerned about getting back to the United States. I recall that they shut down a lot of flights in and out of New York City and around the world at the time to ensure safety precautions. I was with my wife, and didn’t have friends or relatives in New York city, so in that sense I didn’t feel isolated or stranded or feel like I wasn’t able to reach anybody who had been affected by the tragedy.
   What do you remember most about that day? It was night time in Singapore when it happened so I remember I actually went to see a play in Singapore and we came out of the play and we overheard people saying something had happened in New York and we were not really sure what it was at the time. When we got back to our hotel we turned on CNN and we saw where the first tower had been hit. There was a twelve hour time difference and I remember staying up the entire night watching to see how everything transpired. The image of the towers collapsing and the stories of loss never leave you. It is a collective memory of everyone my age.
   What do you remember about the media coverage of the attacks? Honesty, I don’t remember a ton. We only had access to CNN and there was a lot of uncertainty when it first happened.There was a lot of confusion, uncertainty and misinformation. I recall at the time not having a lot of clarity on why and how it happened.

   My personal reaction includes being surprised just how slow the information came out when it happened compared to how it is today. It’s just surprising if you think about how fast information spreads nowadays and how quick people know what’s going on about a situation. My shared memories of 9/11 was going to the 9/11 memorial in New York and learning about all the lives lost. I remember how it was raining when my family visited the memorial and how I learned a lot about the events that happened on that day.
2. Felipe Serrano September 16, 2023 at 11:03 am

   What is your name, how old were you on 9/11/2001

   My name is Angela Londono, I was 23 at that time.

   Where were you on 9/11,

   I was working in Bogota, Colombia as a nurse. I was in surgery all day so I didn’t get the news until I went home at night.

   What were other people’s reactions to 9/11

   People were extremely shocked. They couldn’t believe that it was really happening. People thought that there was going to be a world war because of the attack. There was a lot of fear and uncertainty.
   All flights to the United States were cancelled.
   What do you remember of the media coverage of the attacks?

   There was Coverage 24/7. It was breaking news, they were updating every hour and there was continuous video coverage for several months after the attack.

   I’m going to show you this video, George W. Bush’s address to the nation and the world after the attacks. (SHOWED VIDEO) Now can you tell me your reaction to the video?

   I really liked the president’s reaction because it Is important that the leader stays calm and makes people feel that the government will do everything in its power to help those in need, to take immediate action, to reinforce security, and to bring justice for those who committed such evil acts. I really liked how he assured people that the country would function. He kept the banks open, government entities would keep working normally. When there is a disaster and the banks close that increases panic. People don’t enter into a panic and break down society because they think that their money isn’t safe and they won’t be able to get things like food and services. He escalated the situation by keeping everything open as it would have been a lot worse if everything shut down.

   Now that it’s been over 20 years since the attack, how do you think The world has changed since that day? Why? Has the world stayed the same since then? In what ways?

   There was a big change in airport security with the creation of the TSA and other entities throughout the world. There were tons of new rules at airports. There is more screening for personal ids to make sure they can track the people who are traveling. More security points and checkpoints were created to make sure luggage and carry-ons were safe. All nations were worried about terrorist attacks and they followed the US on airport security and regulation until it became a standard in every place in the world. Everyone started realizing that this could happen anywhere and anytime. All world governments started to create government groups dedicated to national security. The big countries started investigating and creating special units to start terrorism. It was so massive and so cruel and it was a wake-up call that all countries needed to join together and fight terrorism. It brought up the importance of fighting terrorism. Everyone started to contribute to the fight against terrorism.

   My reaction: My mother’s reaction really opened my eyes. I saw how the world changed through the eyes of someone who at that time, had never been to the United States and wouldn’t until 2012. It was made clear to me that this event didn’t just shake the roots of the American outlook on terrorism but the worldview. This event instilled fear in the world as it was made clear to everyone that they were not safe from domestic or foreign terrorism. New government entities were created and security is up to a higher standard. It was certainly an event that changed the world and how we see it today.
3. Josh Peltz September 16, 2023 at 12:16 pm

   1).What is your name? How old were you on 9/11? “Nicole Peltz, 30 years old.”

   2).What is your first memory of when you first heard about the attacks? What kind of conclusions did you come to about the planes crashing into the buildings (did you at first think it was an accident or was it something worse)? Why? “I was at St. John’s hospital when I first heard the plane crash and ran to find a TV. When the first plane crashed, I thought it was an accident, and then when the second plane crashed, it became obvious that it was an intentional attack”.

   3).Where were you when the attacks happened? What were other people’s reactions to the attacks? “I was in the call room at St. John, and myself and everyone around me were astonished, horrified, and confused at the plane crashes.”

   4).Have you ever been to New York City or Washington, D.C.? If so, how did that affect your reaction to the attacks? If not, how did the attacks alter or change your views of the cities and their inhabitants? “Yes, I’ve been to both cities. Watching the destruction in the cities seemed surreal, almost like a movie. I can only imagine how fearful the inhabitants were, not knowing if more attacks were coming.”

   5).Did you know anyone in the cities? If so, did you try to contact them to see if they were okay? What was the conversation like?
   “Yes, I knew people in New York and could not get ahold of them and felt sick until I got ahold of them. I got a sense of relief when I got ahold of them. Listening to their experience of the day really brought the reality of the attacks home.”

   6).If you were stranded in another city after 9/11, how did you cope with being away from family? “I was not.”

   7).Could you describe your most vivid memory of that day, 9/11? “I was standing in the cafeteria of St. John’s Hospital, and I started hearing people talk about a plane crash in New York City. Then I heard a second crash occur, so I ran to the TV to see it on the news, and even the news channel didn’t know what was going on. Shortly after I put on the TV, I saw the towers start to crumble and was horrified.”

   8).How did life change for you in the immediate aftermath of the attacks? “I think a sense of feeling frightened and also air travel became more scary and vulnerable, not knowing if you could be on a plane with terrorists.”

   My personal reaction to this interview gave me empathy. I can only imagine the vulnerability and nervousness that people around America felt that day in 2001. Especially people in New York, not knowing if your loved ones are safe and not knowing when or if another attack is happening. I can definitely understand why air travel has changed so much in the past 20 years. Without the regulations we have today, we could have seen multiple terrorist attacks in America. It is important that we constantly make sure our air travel systems in America are safe and never forget the people we lost that day on September 11th, 2001.
4. Eli Haenick September 16, 2023 at 3:45 pm

   What is your name? How old were you on 9/11?:
   Martin Haenick, he was 29 going on 30
   What is your first memory of when you first heard about the attacks? What kind of conclusions did you come to about the planes crashing into the buildings (did you at first think it was an accident or was it something worse)? Why?
   He had a coworker tell him about it and he went into a room with a TV on and it was talking about the attacks, all of the major news channels had it. He had more questions than conclusions and relied on the news. The news told him that they were planned and coordinated attacks.
   Where were you when the attacks happened? What were other peoples’ reactions to the attacks?
   He was working at Great Lakes health plan. Around him everybody was really shocked, the atmosphere was really odd. Most people were really distressed and distracted. However a few people said that there was nothing that anyone could do about it an for everyone to get back to work
   Have you ever been to New York City or Washington D.C.? If so, how did that affect your reactions to the attacks? If not, how did the attacks alter / change your views of the cities and their inhabitants?
   He had not been to D.C but had been to New York with his family and had some family there but they were not really anywhere close to the place of the attack, going to New York really didn’t have much of an effect on his view on the attacks. He felt really concerned for the people and a connection because “we are all Americans”.
   Did you know anyone in the cities? If so, did you try to contact them to see if they were o.k.? What was the conversation like?
   Even though he did have some distant cousins they were out of harm’s way so he didn’t talk to them.
   If you were stranded in another city after 9/11, how did you cope with being away from family?
   He was not stranded so he didn’t have to worry but said that he traveled shortly after and security was really tight and security lines were very long.
   What were other peoples’ reactions like in the days after the attacks?
   Everybody was shocked, angry and confused. He remembers driving to work and saw somebody throwing up on the side of the road and he said that it made everything feel different. The atmosphere shifted, everybody was connected. He said that it was a tragedy that unified everyone similar to a president’s assassination. It was in everybody’s mind for weeks.
   Could you describe your most vivid memory of that day, 9/11?
   Watching the news reports in the conference room and feeling absolutely shocked.
   How did life change for you in the immediate aftermath of the attacks?
   He traveled quite recently after the attacks and he recalls the travel being really messed up. He also said that it was on every news channel for a while after and it was all anyone could think and talk about. He just felt really afraid, anxious and angry. But it didn’t really affect any daily routines
   Did this make you feel similar to the insurrection, would you liken it to anything recent.
   He said that he would liken it to the pandemic. He said that it was in no way similar to the insurrection because it was horrible and internal. While 9/11 was external and unified the insurrection was internal and dividing and was not exactly unpredictable. The insurrection was a disgrace while 9/11 brought us all together
   What do you remember of the media coverage of the attacks?
   It was everywhere, he remembers being devastated by the footage and correspondence and the praise of the first responders. He remembers how people twisted 9/11 into a reason to invade Iraq and to build weapons even when the terrorists were Saudi Arabian.
   What did you think of President Bush’s address later that night? (Show them the transcript here or video below.)
   Everyone was supportive because it was unifying and people like Bush and Guliani had crazy popularity because they were rallying Americans.
   How did life change for you and your family in the weeks and months immediately after 9/11?
   The Department of Homeland Security was created and people learned about hope to protect themselves from terrorists, he recalls watching the news a lot more and being more reluctant to get on an airplane.
   What are your opinions about the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq? Explain.
   He thinks that they were just to get oil and uranium and although they were strategically important the justification for the war was a blatant lie to gain wealth. He thinks that the afghan war was more necessary because The U.S needed control of the uranium depots and for a time brought control.
   Now that it’s been over 20 years since the attack, how do you think America has changed since that day? Why? Has America stayed the same since then? In what ways?
   There have been many changes directly because of the attacks one big thing was racism towards Arabs and people have used the attacks to better their racist agendas, (confirmation bias). Since then travel is much different, since then TSA became a thing and there is a lot more emphasis on using technology for safety which competes with the right to privacy. As unfortunate as it was, we as a country are safer because of it and we are at a lower risk of an attack similar to it, however we have new exposures to terrorism (computer) which makes it more difficult to identify our enemies.
5. Robert Nelson September 16, 2023 at 8:36 pm

   1). My name is Maria Nelson. I was 24 years old when the attacks on the twin towers happened.

   2 & 3). My first memory of the attack on 9/11 that I remember was that before I went to school at Wayne State University, I turned the TV on to get the news of the day, and to my surprise there was constant news about New York City being under attack. The news was showing images of the twin towers up in smoke and being destroyed. After watching the news I ended up going to school and just thinking about what I had just seen and how horrific it must be. When I arrived at the university and headed towards class, there were so many people on campus not knowing what to do and of course classes were canceled. I ended up finding my friend and we talked about what was going on and we were just all in shock and confusion.

   School ended up being canceled for the rest of the day, and the day after the country was just in a great amount of confusion and not knowing what to do next, so we basically talked about what we had just seen and the horror of people losing their lives that day and whether other parts of the country were going to be under attack as well. So everyone was on high alert for quite a few days and the news was constant about the events of the day, nothing went back to normal for a few months.

   7). I think the faith of our nation was as strong as ever because of the amount of devastation that occurred and the fact that the event and its outcomings were not immediately in control of human hands. As a result, many people turned to God for faith and strength. I remember very clearly the churches were packed with people, and I also remember going to church on Sunday and even 9/11 paramedics and firemen would come to church while they were on duty just to come and pray and be together as one nation.

   11). When President Bush at the time gave a speech I felt that it was a very moving speech and it brought the country together. We felt as strong as ever and as one nation supporting each other through the horrors that we just saw and we knew that we had to stand as a nation to defend our country, defend our freedom and to vindicate those lives that were lost insensibly.

   My reaction to my mom’s description of her experience of 9/11 is what I would expect. I could imagine all of the confusion much like that of when covid first struck. It was a Thursday and we got news that there was a virus spreading around the world. They canceled school the next day and it stayed canceled for the rest of the year. My mom was going to school at Wayne State so I’m sure it was a shared experience for her and her classmates. She also mentioned that the churches were packed which I thought was interesting because George Bush referenced Psalm 23 from the bible to remind us that we are one nation under God.
6. Matéo Milanini September 16, 2023 at 9:12 pm

   What is your name? Luc Milanini
   How old were you on 9/11? I was 20, almost 21.

   What is your first memory of when you first heard about the attacks?
   I was in Asinau, in Corsica, hiking with my dad. And we couldn’t believe it, it was terrible!

   What kind of conclusions did you come to about the planes crashing into the buildings (did you at first think it was an accident or was it something worse)? Why?
   On the TV, when we saw it, the reporter was already saying it was most likely a terrorist attack. So I didn’t have much time to think about it. What we didn’t know is how many other attacks would come after the two first on the twin towers. We later learnt that a third one was targeted towards the Pentagon.

   What were other peoples’ reactions like in the days after the attacks?
   Everyone in France was shocked and incredulous about the attacks. They all wanted to know more about the reason and the people at the base of the attacks.

   What do you remember of the media coverage of the attacks?
   All of the media and all of the channels were covering the event. They were all repeating the same thing over and over. It was so huge that the coverage of the media lasted for several days, and even weeks, after the event.

   How did life change for you and your family in the weeks and months immediately after 9/11?
   It didn’t really change since we were not living in the US. What I remember is that I was in the US a week before, with some friends, who stayed during the attacks and had to stay because the airports were closed down. When I started school, my friends were stuck and couldn’t come back until a month after.

   Self-Reflection:
   What shocked me as someone who had only seen images or reports of the event is how it was perceived from foreign lands. In Europe, France to be more specific, everyone knew very quickly through news and tv channels and everyone was shocked. The interesting thing is they already knew that it was not an accident, but an attack. However, they were still uncertain of who did it or how many more there would be. In my father’s case, I think he got really lucky, leaving only a week before it happened, or he could have been close to the danger, and even stuck in the US for a long time. This makes me realize the effect these attacks had besides just all the deaths. It created a huge travel barrier and paused the economy of multiple businesses, for an entire month or maybe more.
7. Isabela V September 16, 2023 at 10:20 pm

   Isabela V

   What is your name? How old were you on 9/11?
   Amy V, I was 25.

   What is your first memory when you first heard about the attacks?
   I remember sitting in a conference room at a seminar- or at an early conference in the hospital since I was a medical student at a reproductive endocrinology lecture, and at the very end of it, someone came in and said that a plane flew into the World Trade Center, and I just remember thinking, “that’s weird,” but not like a big deal thing, it must have been some, like, prop plane that somehow accidentally flew into the World Trade Center.

   When did you figure out that it was something worse?
   From the hospital, we walked to the doctor’s office that I was working at, um, that was like adjacent to the hospital, so we walked over to doctor’s office, but when we got to the doctor’s office by like nine o’clock, or a little bit after nine, they had it on TV, and they were showing pictures on TV of like a big plane, or like we weren’t sure, but a huge fire at the World Trade Center, and we realized that it was more than just a little thing.

   Have you ever been to NYC or DC, and did that affect your reaction to the attacks?
   Absolutely, I had just been there 25 days prior to the attacks, I was literally in the city celebrating my 25th birthday, and we went to the Empire State Building and I have pictures of us in front of the World Trade Center. So I had literally just been in New York, and at the time it happened, I was in New Hampshire, and I lived in Philadelphia but I was actually living in New Hampshire for a month, so I had literally passed through New York to get to New Hampshire just a couple weeks prior when I drove to New Hampshire. And, Dad, my boyfriend at the time, was in Philadelphia, and I was in New Hampshire, and New York was like in between both of us, so we basically lived on the East Coast, so it sort of made it more- it wasn’t just something that was happening far away. It literally was happening right around where we lived. It was scary, not only was it sad, watching what was happening, and scary for the people there, but I also sort of felt scared at that time. Like now we realize like we’re all fine and it didn’t personally affect us, but at that time, we didn’t know. Like I was worried about Uncle Tim because he lived in Washington DC, and we heard there were attacks on Washington DC and he was really close to the Pentagon, and I was worried about Dad, and if anything was gonna happen in Philadelphia, or in Pittsburgh, because my parents lived in Pittsburgh, and there was talk of a plane that was near Pittsburgh that was possibly gonna crash into Pittsburgh, so no one knew anything of what was going on, everyone was confused. You couldn’t even make a cellphone call. I had a flip phone at the time, but I was constantly trying to call people just to check on my parents and to check on David to see if they were okay, but literally you couldn’t get through because all the lines were- like you kept on getting that fast busy signal. All of the lines were crowded and you couldn’t get through to anybody so I didn’t even know if people were okay or what was going on. So it felt like, even though I wasn’t personally there, it felt like it was potentially affecting people I knew, so it was very, very scary, waiting to hear from people and make sure that they were okay. And I wasn’t even in New York, but it was still scary because no one knew what was going on.

   What do you remember other people’s reactions being like on the day of the attacks and the days after?
   The person I spent the most time with was the doctor I was working with at the time, and she was a family practice doctor in New Hampshire, and she was the most calm person that I can even remember. I just really admire the way she responded to it, because even though, you know, she could’ve had the same response as everybody, she was just so calm about it. She was definitely saddened by it, but she just sort of felt like, “if there’s any way I can help, I’ll go to New York and help people, if there’s some way I can help as a doctor,” but she just realized that it was out of her control. So I think that like everybody else, there was something that we felt like, experiencing this horrible situation, was tough and there was something that we wanted to do to control it, or know what was going on, but she sort of already recognized that it was out of her control and all she could do was just respond to it the best she could, however she could help people. And she had me to her house that night, I probably would have never gone to her house otherwise, but everyone was just- literally the whole world was in a state of shock, and so she said “Why don’t you come to my house? So at least you can stay with me and my partner,” I didn’t stay there overnight, “you can at least hang out with us and watch TV with us and just process, just be with us,” and so I went to her house and hung out with her, and she was just very calm.

   How did life change for you in the immediate aftermath of the attacks?
   It was really hard to think about anything else, except for that, and just processing. It was hard to even comprehend what people had gone through and what had actually happened. So, life really changed dramatically, I feel like that was the biggest change. Today’s world, we think that the pandemic changed us, but I would say that it was sort of the pandemic of that day. Life is still different after 9/11. Like, travel changed, security changed, like, just what you think is possible changed because no one would’ve ever thought that something like that was possible to happen ever before.

   Now that it’s over 20 years since the attacks, how do you think America has changed, and how do you think it’s stayed the same?
   It’s definitely changed that security measures are heightened as opposed to before 9/11. Over time, gradually people go back to their same routines, their same lifestyle, but we still remember what that was like, but gradually we learn to just go along with our life, because you can’t continue to dwell on the past and what happened, and you need to move on with the rest of your life, but you will always remember living through that, and the people who lost their lives that day.

   This interview gave me a feeling of what it was really like to live through 9/11, because although I’ve heard my mom’s story from 9/11 before, she had never gone into this much detail. Before this interview, I didn’t realize how much 9/11 affected people who weren’t even a part of the attacks and didn’t have family who were hurt, but after the interview, I realized that truly every aspect of life changed. The thing I found the most interesting was hearing my mom describe how different people reacted to the attacks, specifically how the doctor she was working with was so calm throughout all the chaos. This interview helped me to understand specifically what was going through people’s minds on 9/11.
8. Nauman Z. September 17, 2023 at 12:06 am

   1. Syed is my dad’s first name who I am interviewing, and he was 32 on 9/11
   2. He was told 9/11 happened from a co-worker. So, his first conclusion about 9/11 was that the attack was an accident. He thought this because there was little information about the attack at the time and had no reason to think it was an attack.
   3. He was in Boston in his workplace. Everyone’s thoughts were that it was a horrible accident at first.
   8. His most vivid memory was that after the attacks, he and his co-worker began watching
   news the whole day after he heard about the attacks.
   13. He supports the invasions in Iraq and Afghanistan because he thinks the terrorists who did the attacks should be held accountable for the killings of innocent people due to the 9/11 attacks.
   14. He thinks America is in a better both geopolitically and domestically. The reason why is because he says we are stronger than ever, and if a terrorist attack like this happens again or is threatened, the US government knows how to handle such a situation if it does arise.
   11. The best part of the speech, in his view, is that Bush clearly laid out either you are with or against us, and he did not give any leeway for a neutral position. He also liked how the speech was for the whole world and not just the American people.
   5. He did know people from the cities, and he did call some of his friends just to make sure that they were safe and not harmed.
   He has visited New York City a couple of times before, and he did see the Twin Towers after the attack. He felt incredibly sad that the attacks happened, and he felt bad for the people who lost their lives and people who lost their loved ones due to the terrorist attacks.
   10. He remembers all the major channels talking about 9/11 and showing images of the attacks, and the police/fire fighters responded, and how they were working day and night to help the people who were injured by the attacks. He found the images to be heartbreaking, but he respected the firefighters and police who were working to try and save the people who were hurt and in the rubble after the buildings collapsed.
   7. Everyone was on the same boat, which was surprised and wanting to know more information about the attacks, like why did they happen, for example. He also said after it was revealed that the attacks were caused by terrorists, he and the people he knew thought the perpetrators of the act should be brought to justice.
   9. Life did not change for him significantly or his family, but he did hear of increased discrimination against Muslims because of the 9/11 attacks.

   My personal reaction to the interview I did with my dad was informative. I learned about his perspective on the attacks and his feelings toward the following US response. I, for example, did not know if he was pro or anti the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. I also did not know when he first learned about the attacks and his initial perspective on them. In my opinion, I do not think it was surprising that he initially thought that the attacks were just accidents instead of terrorist attacks by extremists. However, I still find it odd just because everyone now knows that was not the case. Still, once again, with just knowing the initial information, I probably would have also thought it was just an accident and not planned terrorist attacks aimed at the US.
9. Ari Blank September 17, 2023 at 2:52 pm

   1. What is your name? How old were you on 9/11? 1.

   My name is Howard Blank, I was 24 years old.

   2. What is your first memory of when you first heard about the attacks? What kind of conclusions did you come to about the planes crashing into the buildings (did you at first think it was an accident or was it something worse)? Why?

   So we were in the hallway and there was a large TV in a lounge in the hospital. On the TV was the news showing that a plane had hit the World Trade Center. At the time I recall not realizing that it was a large passenger plane and I thought it was just a small plane. While we were watching we couldn’t get much information because the information available was seemingly limited. We moved on to where we were going to be in a different part of the hospital and of course, TVs are on in every part of the hospital. At that point, we saw that a second plane had hit the World Trade Center and immediately knew that this was not an accident. It was really startling and hard to comprehend.

   3. Where were you when the attacks happened? What were other peoples’ reactions to the attacks?

   I was at Henry Ford Hospital. What’s really interesting is that my sense then, was that the US had a pseudo-war already with Muslims and with extreme terrorists. At the time I was working with a lot of people from the Middle East and so there was a sense of despair and disappointment and sadness all at once. There were a lot of people that came from Middle Eastern countries that I was with, and so they felt just as sad and I’m sure quietly they felt like they were going to be targeted. I think they knew that right away.

   4. Have you ever been to New York City or Washington D.C.? If so, how did that affect your reactions to the attacks? If not, how did the attacks alter / change your views of the cities and their inhabitants?

   So very interestingly I was born and raised basically in Washington DC. I don’t think my view of the city changed at all. It’s a great City and I’ve been there many times. I love seeing all the sites there. What has changed about Washington is that it is no longer quite the same open and free place that it used to be. I don’t remember when they closed down the streets around the White House, but Pennsylvania Avenue used to be a wide open Street and it no longer is. That’s just a single example of how the safety culture has changed or the anti-terrorism culture has changed the city itself. I still think that the spirit of the city is the same. I’ve also been to New York many times, although honestly, I’m not sure I’ve been to Manhattan since 9/11 if that’s possible. I have some great photos of the World Trade Center that I took from the water and obviously, those are no longer viable pictures.

   5. Did you know anyone in the cities? If so, did you try to contact them to see if they were o.k.? What was the conversation like?

   I knew lots of people in the cities, especially New York and I definitely wanted to contact them. This was really in a time prior to widespread or easy use of cell phones. That made it a little bit more difficult. Not only that, but my sister lived in Washington DC so I was extremely concerned about her. In fact, she worked right by the White House so that made me very nervous at the time. Unfortunately, I knew someone that was in the Pentagon who was killed by the plane that hit the building. I was not in contact with him at the time but we went to high school together, and another friend of mine knew him very well because they went to the Naval Academy together.

   10. What do you remember of the media coverage of the attacks?

   10. I’ll tell you about the media coverage. It was non-stop, it was crazy. you think now there are certain topics that are covered like crazy. This was every channel, every Network, every radio station, every newspaper, and there was no social media. There was only coverage of everything about 9/11 so every football game was canceled. But the media coverage was over the top crazy crazy. It was in your face, and they showed the president every minute. I mean it was insane.

   11. What did you think of President Bush’s address later that night?

   11. I remember watching George Bush speak. He really tried to unite Americans and provide a sense of reassurance and calm but the reality is, no one knew anything. What’s super interesting is they grounded every plane that was in the air, and planes that were inbound to the United States got grounded somewhere else. No one really knew what would happen when they let planes fly again. What was going to happen if there were more bombs on planes that were hidden? That was really a crazy thing, but getting back to the question about the address I mean he just tried to provide reassurance. It’s really hard as a human to fake emotion on TV, and you could tell he was nervous. The event was so unknown and nobody knew what to expect next. I don’t know if I have specific memories of what he said. I’m sure he said we will stand together and we’re going to fight, but that’s a lot easier said than done.

   My personal reaction: I interviewed my Dad about 9/11. I could tell how depressing this day was because my dad got emotional answering certain questions. Although I will never feel the same feelings he did on 9/11, this helped me understand a little how bad it really was. I can’t relate to everything that my dad said, but it seems like the whole United States was shut down for a day. This is something I can relate to because COVID-19 also shut down the US. On the other hand, my dad had a personal relationship with many people living near the attacks. This also hits home for me, because my family is also close to my dad’s family, and I am thankful they weren’t killed. I have also seen the picture that my dad took of the Twin Towers before they were hit. It makes me sad that they aren’t there anymore and many people were killed in the attacks. All in all, my experience interviewing my dad helped me understand the attacks more in-depth, and I was able to feel the emotions of the day better.
10. Myles Rontal September 17, 2023 at 4:35 pm

    1. Daniel Chait, (Dad’s best friend), 28 years old
    2. He was working in the financial district on Maiden Lane in Manahttan, was in a meeting at work, had gone in early. Someone came in into the meeting, and said I think there is a parade going on because there is a bunch of confetti. Him and his coworkers went outside and smelled smoke, and could tell it wasn’t confetting, but paper and dust. Then he looked up the road and could see smoke coming out of the tower, it looked like something hit it. At first he thought it was an accident because no one knew what had happened, they had just heard rumors. The thing that he was first worried about was was the building going to fall in his direction, and if he would have to get out of the way.
    7. People’s reactions were trying to get out of lower manhattan. He was trying to get back to his apartment on the Upper West Side. He got into the subway and could tell everyone was scared and worried. He found out that he was on one of the last subways to leave lower Manhattan, to get out of the financial district, where it happened. The train that he normally would take was the one that would go right under the world trade center so he couldn’t get on it. The different train went to the upper east side and he had to run all the way home through Central park.
    9. The city was very different, no one went to work. People were feeling anxious and depressed. It took quite a while to do stuff normally, like go to work, see friends, and go out to dinner. 2 weeks later was the first time he saw friends. He had to go back downtown to his office and get his things. He remembers going down there and the streets were all covered in ash, and it felt like a ghost town. They had to move their office because no one could work near the Towers. Police guarded the area and people had to show them documents to get through to the district. The whole district was blocked off. The other big thing that happened was he was afraid that there was going to be another attack. He felt worried to live in New York, because at any moment this could happen again.
    10. He watched the video over and over of the towers falling down. He remembers John Stewart on the daily show, was the first one to come on TV after the attacks. Stewart was in tears had a monolouge and started the show. He felt that it was the first moment that things were getting back to normal.
    13. He thinks that the invasion of Iraq was very misguided. There was a fake attempt to connect it to 9/11 when there was really no connection. To him it was obvious at the time that there was no connection and they were making it up. Human cost and money cost were tragedies. The effect of the wars was a new generation in the middle east with an anti-American view for reasons that could have been prevented. Further strengthening reliance on cheap fossil fuels. Conservative parties around the world believe in climate change but the Republican party in the USA doesn’t. We lost decades in climate change because we didn’t go all electric. Had a once in a century opportunity. Republicans lied about climate change and tricked everyone to believe it. He thinks that the positive is that Obama, and Biden put in huge incentives to make electric energy. He thinks that technology is available but every time someone tries to make a new step half the government tries to defund those programs.
    14. One of the big differences was back then the president was very clearstating to not stereotype Muslims. He thinks that today the Republicans stereotype and make assumptions on Muslims.

    My personal reaction to this was shock. I never truly understood how big of a impact this had on the New York City community, and how much it changed in the immediate weeks after the tragedy. I didn’t understand the true vulnerability of New York and how depressed people felt even if they themselves had not experienced lost personally. Another thing I didn’t realize was how big of an opportunity the government had to go all electrical and stop buying oil from the Middle East. Lastly, I couldn’t believe the stereotypes that were given to an entire faith, Muslims, after a splinter of their community attacked the USA. My shared memory is when I visited the 9/11 memorial cite, learning a lot about the events that happened that day and the impact it had on our country.
11. Lana O September 17, 2023 at 5:08 pm

    What is your name? How old were you on 9/11?
    Capt. Kevin O’Rourke, I was 22 years old.

    What is your first memory of when you first heard about the attacks? What kind of conclusions did you come to about the planes crashing into the buildings (did you at first think it was an accident or was it something worse)? Why?

    My first memory was hearing about it on the TV when the first plane hit. I thought at first that it was an accident, then afterwards I saw the 2nd plane hit on live TV. After that 2nd plane hit I remember thinking right away that it wasn’t an accident, it was intentional.

    How did it feel as someone fresh out of the military, that there was a terrorist attack?

    I was sad, no other way to say it. It was a surreal thought of “is this really happening?” Everyone else felt the same way.

    Where were you when the attacks happened? What were other peoples’ reactions to the attacks?

    I had just got home from the military 2 weeks prior. I was in my house and was in my living room when I heard about the first plane and saw then I saw the second plane hit on live TV. Nobody was home when I saw it but afterwards everybody I knew was in disbelief.

    Now that it’s been over 20 years since the attack, how do you think America has changed since that day? Why? Has America stayed the same since then? In what ways?

    I think after it happened, as a police officer, the world came together and everybody loved the police, firefighters, all first responders. People also really liked and supported the military then.

    No, security protocols have changed and over the past 20 years the military and first responders are not looked upon as positively.

    What did you think of President Bush’s address later that night?

    I liked it so much I wanted to go back to the military and wanted to be recalled. But being a morse code operator I didn’t as it wasn’t a high demand job. It was mostly the army and marines that got recalled. I was glad that he made a stern message that those who did it would suffer the consequences.

    It’s always interesting learning about others and their experience when talking about 9/11. Hearing about where people were and what people thought really shows how different this attack affected everyone. I’ve asked close family members their memories of 9/11, but not so much my dad. Learning about his view of being a young fresh out military person who saw the attacks and still went into the law enforcement field was an informative experience. Some of his answers surprised me, for example when he said he wanted to go back into the military afterwards. I never knew he wanted to be recalled back. Like I said before, I’ve talked to others about their experiences, but never someone from the law enforcement. So it was intriguing to hear about how people from the military and law enforcement thought about 9/11 and how the world stopped to try and help America. This interview helped me to understand further how 9/11 affected America afterwards including first responders.
12. Landon Lamb September 17, 2023 at 6:47 pm

    What is your name? How old were you on 9/11?
    Dana Lamb, 22 years old
    What is your first memory of when you first heard about the attacks? What kind of conclusions did you come to about the planes crashing into the buildings (did you at first think it was an accident or was it something worse)? Why?
    When she first knew the planes hit the towers she didn’t fully comprehend what was happening, she had never lived through anything like this. Her first impression was it had to be an accident as the day went on and the news was everywhere she knew that it was something more and she knew that she was frightened.
    Where were you when the attacks happened? What were other peoples’ reactions to the attacks?
    She was at the MSU Student Bookstore, she was in line to return some textbooks. She was standing there and heard the T.V.s for the first time turn on when she was in line. They all dumbfoundedly stared at the coverage of the day on the T.V. Everyone was quiet but the room seemed super loud with the T.V.s on. Most classes were canceled that day. She went to Berkely hall to her class and not many students were there and all they did was talk about what was going on. Mostly listening to the students with family in New York City.
    Have you ever been to New York City or Washington D.C.? If so, how did that affect your reactions to the attacks? If not, how did the attacks alter / change your views of the cities and their inhabitants?
    She had been to Washington DC before as a young girl. The fact she had been there or not didn’t affect the fear or concern that she had for the families of the innocent people.
    What do you remember of the media coverage of the attacks?
    She remembered that it was constant and you couldn’t get away from the news coverage, pictures, and videos of the towers being hit. She had a sick feeling of seeing the people jump from the towers, she could never imagine what that decision had to feel like, it was upsetting.
    How did life change for you in the immediate aftermath of the attacks?
    She didn’t really feel like her life changed after the event. She would say that this is the first time that there was a sense that there was an actual evil out there, one that her grandparents felt during WW2 or the Vietnam war. Her generation hadn’t been exposed to anything like that. If that could happen then, is there more targets in the US and who could be impacted next?
    My Personal Reaction:
    It was surprising for me to first learn about this in school since I wasn’t even born at the time. It was just surprising how this could have happened with all the security in place at airports, this just seemed impossible. What my mom said about this topic really showed me how much it shocked people at the time and how they thought this couldn’t happen. Also, it made me think about how much the world has changed its precautions about security in airports and just world security in general to make sure nothing like this ever happens again to anyone or any country.
13. Saanvi September 17, 2023 at 6:52 pm

    What is your name and how old were you on 9/11?
    My name is Rachna and I was 20.

    What was your first memory of the attack, and what kind of conclusions did you come to about the planes crashing into the building?
    I was getting ready for the class with the radio on, the music stopped on the radio, and there was breaking news. I was listening to the radio but I didn’t really understand what they were talking about. It sounded like an accident and I thought it was an accident and so I kept getting ready but then I was walking to class and the campus seemed really quiet. When I got to class everybody was just watching the TV and I was just really confused.

    How did you deal with being away from family on the day of the attack? Was it more scary?
    I wasn’t that afraid because my parents were in Michigan (she was at UofM) but I had a lot of friends who were from New York and they were really having a hard time getting in touch with their family so I was feeling really bad for them.

    How did your life change in the immediate aftermath of the attack?
    There was a lot of concern about being blamed for the attack because I’m Brown and Indian. A lot of my friends who were guys were being harassed and bothered. Whenever we would cross borders to Canada, or on the airplane I always felt like ‘Were there more people looking at me differently?” and that there was more scrutiny towards me but there was definitely a lot more alertness and everybody felt like a suspect. Now I’ve become so used to being checked I don’t really think much about it anymore.

    What are some other notable reactions from people around you?
    I remember a lot of my friends were Muslim, they were really afraid. So some of my friends used to wear more traditional clothes and they were afraid to go out. Other people who had family in New York were very sad and very scared. Some of them couldn’t get in touch with their family. It was just a very unsure time. We were in a very big university and there were rumors that something bad could have happened to us because we were so big and we might be the next target and so all these rumors of what’s the next bad thing that will happen.

    It has been over 20 years since the attack, how do you think America has changed since that day?
    First, it really showcased that America’s politics and policies are not necessarily widely accepted everywhere so I think we were always under the impression that everything in America is great but clearly other countries don’t think that and then it also gives you a perspective to think about is the American way always the right way? So there’s a lot of pressure on foreign policy and I think a lot of those things went into question. Inside the country, a lot of the negative sentiment is against certain religions or certain cultures. I think those feelings maybe were always there but it was like it gave freedom for people to hate the same group of people. 9/11 gave people an excuse to express the feelings they had already been feeling to hate others.

    Reflection: This interview allowed me to learn more in-depth about my aunt’s reaction to the attack. I have always heard bits and pieces from my family but never a full story. I also was interested to hear how being Indian impacted her. I have always heard teachers say something about how racism increased, with every person in the class looking at me but we never really went into detail about how that showed up in someone’s everyday life so it was interesting to hear that from her. I also thought that her experience being in a university setting was different than what I had heard from my parents. In a university known for loud football games, huge classes, and a packed campus I can see how everything going quiet would have been a very unsettling experience.
14. Baity Wagner September 17, 2023 at 6:54 pm

    What’s your name? How old were you on 9/11?

    My name is Tom Wagner. I was 27 on 9/11.

    What is your first memory of when you first heard about the attacks? What kind of conclusions did you come to about the planes crashing into the buildings (did you at first think it was an accident or was it something worse)? Why?

    I was in Chicago on business. I had just gotten out of the shower and had CNN playing in my hotel room as I got ready and they were reporting on how the first tower had just gotten hit. It was a beautiful day. It wasn’t obvious the true intention behind the attack. They had reported it was Cessna. I went along with my day. I work for a food company and I manage stadiums. I headed to a meeting at the White Sox ballpark. We had the TVs on and we all saw the second plane hit the towers. We all saw it live. People gasped, and a very somber tone entered the room. It was devastating to see people jump out of the towers because they would rather jump than burn to death.

    Have you ever been to New York City or Washington D.C.? If so, how did that affect your reactions to the attacks? If not, how did the attacks alter / change your views of the cities and their inhabitants?

    Yes, I have. I drove through New York to get home to New Jersey all the time. Anyone who had been there could see the Twin Towers on the city skyline. It changed the physical look of NYC. They attacked the towers for a reason. It was a representation of American capitalism. Now it was a physical representation of grief.

    If you were stranded in another city after 9/11, how did you cope with being away from family?

    I was in Chicago and I was supposed to fly home that day back to Arizona. I had gone to the airport with a few of my friends two of which were heading back to Arizona with me and the others to Texas. About mid-afternoon, we realized we were not going home. Who knows when we will be cleared to fly? We rented a car from the airport. The line was huge and we took the last available car. Our other friends in line behind us had to take a UHual home. It was about a 3-day trip home and it was a great way to cope with it. We traveled through America and through these small towns listening to the news for 3 days. We listened to how our country handled it throughout America.

    What are your opinions about the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq? Explain.

    The war in Iraq was wrong. I think we were misled. We were told they had nuclear weapons of mass destruction which we didn’t find. They may have turned a blind eye but they weren’t responsible. At that point, Americans wanted revenge, and just about anyone would do it. However, I believe the war in Afghanistan was right. Bin Landen hided in Afghanstan and Pakistan. Bin Laden hid 2 miles away from Pakistan’s version of West Point. They knew where he was and Pakistan was technically our ally. We stayed in Afghanistan way too long. We thought we could build a nation that looked like us and help the women of Afghanistan. We thought we could help the people of Afghanistan and for a while, we did until we pulled out. Now if our country says “Hey, we’re from America. We’re here to help” they will be like, ” Other countries would say yeah right. People clung to aircraft heading back to America. The pullout was executed poorly.

    Now that it’s been over 20 years since the attack, how do you think America has changed since that day? Why? Has America stayed the same since then? In what ways?

    Obviously, there’s a significant change in security (in Airports, etc.) and how we operate. You could probably sneak a boxcutter or something to that effect before the attacks. The Patriotism definitely increased and there was tons of community. I mean, on Flight 93, people gave their lives for this country so they wouldn’t hit another building. We had the best of what Americans had to offer, community and support. We had a big election beforehand and political tensions were high. All that didn’t seem to matter anymore. I don’t think we’ll ever have that again.
15. Libby Knoper September 17, 2023 at 7:13 pm

    1. What is your name? How old were you on 9/11? “Christine Knoper, I was 23 years old”
    2. What is your first memory of when you first heard about the attacks? What kind of conclusions did you come to about the planes crashing into the buildings (did you at first think it was an accident or was it something worse)? Why? “I first thought it was an accident then I was worried because Pop (Dad) was in Washington D.C. and Aunt Sue (Sister) was in Minnesota. I grew up near NY and DC so I was scared for the people I knew that could have been injured or killed.”
    3. Where were you when the attacks happened? What were other peoples’ reactions to the attacks? “I was teaching 3rd grade at Greenfield Elementary School. We were told to be super quiet about it, to not tell the students. And we had to be locked down. On every possible break, we went to the office for more details. I wasn’t able to watch the news coverage until after school. We stood together watching footage and crying. I wouldn’t find out until that night that Pop was safe and would come home when he could get a ride.”
    4. Have you ever been to New York City or Washington D.C.? If so, how did that affect your reactions to the attacks? “I’ve been to Washington D.C. many, many, times. Because I grew up on the East Coast, I had tons of friends who were working in Washington and New York. Pop (Dad) was working in DC at the time and we couldn’t get through to anyone. We couldn’t make sure he was okay or anyone was ok. I don’t remember that there was texting and no cell phones were working, it was crazy. Most landlines weren’t working either since so many people were calling and checking on people. We didn’t have social media and we were dependent on news stations.”
    What were other peoples’ reactions like in the days after the attacks? “People were so sad. Everybody knew someone who died. So much sadness that was also coupled with fear. No one knew if there was going to be another attack. Poppy drove home with people he didn’t know to get home. I always admired all the helpers like the dad of a boy in my class who was a firefighter and he went to New York to help”
    5. How did life change for you and your family in the weeks and months immediately after 9/11? “There was a lot of talk about safety and how to be safe. No one wanted to travel. Poppy went back to traveling and so did Aunt Sue so we were scared of them getting back on a plane. Watched the news a lot. Sadness for those families who lost someone. Just lots of sadness and fear”

    My personal reaction to all this was sad and shock because my mom had never told me much from her perspective, I’ve only known how she was teaching and that my grandfather was in DC when it happened but not that much about her fear and what she and her family did afterward and once they were finally reunited with her father and sister. I also learned how some elementary schools didn’t want the students to know since they were just little kids. I also learned that lots of firefighters from different states and different areas in New York and DC came to help with the fire and the safety of everyone.
16. Margaux Nollet September 17, 2023 at 8:30 pm

    1- What is your name? How old were you on 9/11?
    My name is Marie Nollet and I was 28 on 9/11.

    2- Where were you when the attacks happened? What were other peoples’ reactions to the attacks?
    On the day of the attack, I was in Saint-Malo, a medieval city in Britany (France), with my husband and parents. We were on vacation and spent the day visiting the city, walking around the ramparts. It was around 2 p.m. when the attacks occurred for us. It was still a sunny day, as we had a 6-hour time difference with the United States. When my father returned from buying a postal card, he told us that two planes had crashed into the twin towers in New York City and another into the Pentagon, and we were stunned and in disbelief.

    3- What is your first memory of when you first heard about the attacks? What kind of conclusions did you come to about the planes crashing into the buildings (did you at first think it was an accident or was it something worse)? Why?
    The first question we asked my father when he came back was, “Are you sure it wasn’t a movie trailer or something?” We were certain it couldn’t be something happening in real life. After that, we drove back to our apartment and watched the news for several hours. We initially thought it was an accident, but it was shortly indicated on the news that it was a terrorist attack. For us French, it was shocking and unbelievable to see the United States of America, one of the most powerful countries in the world, being attacked in the heart of New York City, one of the biggest cities. We felt terrible for the people in the towers. My family and I were speechless and didn’t go to bed until 1 or 2 a.m., trying to figure out why it was happening and thinking about the effects on those who were living through it, such as firefighters, people in the towers, or passengers on the planes. We were thinking about the families of the thousands of individuals who were dying right in front of us. It was the end of the world as we knew it. For me, the United States of America is the incantation of World Power, and they were touched the] without being able to stop it. They could only stand there and watch people jump, yell, and run.

    4- Have you ever been to New York City or Washington D.C.? If so, how did that affect your reactions to the attacks? If not, how did the attacks alter / change your views of the cities and their inhabitants?
    We visited New York City with our children a decade after the attacks, six months after moving to the United States. Our children were three, six, and ten years old. It was critical to get them to Ground Zero (the memorial). We needed to go there as adults to pay our respects to the innocent individuals who died there and their families. We also wanted to teach our children about what had happened because we have always believed that it is necessary to teach history and remember significant events so that future generations can do better. We knew that teaching children about the past would help them understand how we got to where we are now.

    5- What were other peoples’ reactions like in the days after the attacks?
    Even in France, the aftermath was massive. For several days, this was the only topic on the news, in the papers, and in people’s conversations. Nothing else seemed to matter in the world but this. People’s attention was solely focused on the World Trade Center. There was also a lot of empathy since we all felt that it could have been any of us on the plane or in the building. This domestic attack disrupted people’s regular lives and routines. Nobody was safe anywhere, and everyone was terrified. Nobody dared to leave their houses.

    6- What do you remember of the media coverage of the attacks?
    Every single station would cover it at all hours of the day and night. There were live documentaries, interviews, explanations, and new footage… Every front page of every newspaper and magazine was covering this. They paused regular movies and game programs on 9/11 to cover what was going on. There were no commercials whatsoever; it was just continuous broadcasting.

    My personal reaction:
    This interview made me understand that life had stopped everywhere, not only in the United States. It had an immense impact on everyone. It also showed that this was unprecedented and that many people outside the United States believed that the country was too powerful to ever suffer as much as it did. People around the world were scared that more planes would fly into other large cities, killing as many people as possible, so they stayed locked in their homes. Although this event was terrible, it did make flying safer, and stronger restrictions were put in place, which stopped many other awful things from happening. This interview was eye-opening, and more people should consider discussing 9/11 in order to raise awareness.
17. Robert Morgan September 17, 2023 at 9:16 pm

    Where were you when the attacks happened? What were other peoples’ reactions to the attacks? I was at work. They were really dumbfounded and confused. They mostly thought it was an accident at first and then they got very angry and immediately thought it was middle eastern-ers because there had been an attack on a US battleship called the USS Cole and the middle east had been a politically turbulent area.

    What were other peoples’ reactions like in the days after the attacks? There were people who were scared, there were people who were angry, some people wanted us to immediately bomb Iraq, but I would say definitely many people thought of military solutions or thought muslims needed to be put in separate facilities or put in jail. There were rumors early on that there were people from more southern Michigan/Detroit areas attacking different areas of Dearborn and they were looking to beat up people in Dearborn, but these weren’t true and there was nothing that happened like that.

    Could you describe your most vivid memory of that day, 9/11? Seeing the towers just with smoke coming out of them and people trying to flee blocks away and when they finally came down (the coming down part was very traumatic because those were huge structures), and the pentagon with a huge chunk of it taken out from a plane crash. One was that all the flights were canceled and flights were being rerouted to Canada because they could not land in the US.

    Did you know anyone in the cities? If so, did you try to contact them to see if they were o.k.? What was the conversation like? I didn’t, the people that I knew were in suburban areas around New York city, but I talked to them first to make sure they were okay.

    Now that it’s been over 20 years since the attack, how do you think America has changed since that day? Why? Has America stayed the same since then? In what ways? I think there is a faction of people who demand we blindly follow the military and stand and perform certain rituals with the American flag and I think we got much more militaristic even more than we had been and probably a lot less trusting of each other. I think we’re still willing to go shopping and participate in the same things, all the entertainment things we still do we just accept the security concessions, like having your bags searched.

    My reaction was just utter surprisal. I had no idea how much it really turned America towards the military and against the Middle East. Like once the attacks happened, everyone wanted to go full force against the middle east with militaristic plans. Then, I couldn’t believe that people thought that all muslims or people from the Middle East in the US must be imprisoned or put into separate facilities. It made me feel sad because my mom is muslim, so I can’t even begin to understand what she might’ve gone through. One thing that I understood about people after the attacks was being terrified and wanting to check in with everyone you know, and my dad said that Bush’s address felt like tough talk and I agree, it felt like it was more terrifying than he should have, but he was also saying what was needed. It was an event that was truly terrifying and changed the way that the US handled certain situations.
18. Vishwa Charabuddi September 17, 2023 at 9:23 pm

    What is your name? How old were you on 9/11? (Kavitha Charabuddi, 24)

    What is your first memory of when you first heard about the attacks? (I was at work and I remember when me and my colleagues all surrounded the news screen in our lounge area.)

    What kind of conclusions did you come to about the planes crashing into the buildings (did you at first think it was an accident or was it something worse)? Why? (I initially thought it was an accident but I couldn’t comprehend the moment when another plane flew in.)

    Where were you when the attacks happened? What were other peoples’ reactions to the attacks? (I was at work and we all were shocked.)

    Have you ever been to New York City or Washington D.C.? If so, how did that affect your reactions to the attacks? If not, how did the attacks alter / change your views of the cities and their inhabitants? (I’ve been to the 9/11 memorial in NYC and it made me have a lot of empathy for the people.)

    Did you know anyone in the cities? If so, did you try to contact them to see if they were o.k.? What was the conversation like? (My cousin was in New York at the time and she was fine.)

    If you were stranded in another city after 9/11, how did you cope with being away from family? (I wasn’t stranded.)

    What were other peoples’ reactions like in the days after the attacks? (A lot of people were very shocked and in disbelief, especially at my workplace.)

    Could you describe your most vivid memory of that day, 9/11?
    How did life change for you in the immediate aftermath of the attacks? (I remember seeing the television with the amount of fire from the towers.)

    What do you remember of the media coverage of the attacks? (I remember the voice of the people who were covering it sounded very worrying.)

    What did you think of President Bush’s address later that night? (Show them the transcript here or video below.) (I believed that Bush’s address was very empathetic and was trying to calm the people.)

    How did life change for you and your family in the weeks and months immediately after 9/11? (Life felt a little more insecure for the next week and so.)

    What are your opinions about the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq? Explain. (I believe that we escalated the situation in the middle east.)

    Now that it’s been over 20 years since the attack, how do you think America has changed since that day? Why? Has America stayed the same since then? In what ways? (Airport security has been changed significantly ever since.)

    Question Summary:

    My mom recalled that fateful day when she and her colleagues at work huddled around the news screen in their lounge area. It’s a memory etched into the minds of many who lived through it with the shock, the disbelief, and the realization that something unprecedented was unfolding. She was at work when the attacks occurred, and like many others, they were all shocked. It was a moment that brought people together in shared astonishment and grief.
    Thankfully, her cousin was in New York at the time and was safe, but for many, the frantic calls to loved ones in the affected cities were heartbreaking and nerve-wracking. She mentioned that the voices of the news anchors sounded very worrying. This speaks to the somber and uncertain atmosphere that gripped the nation as people sought answers amid the chaos. She shared that life felt more insecure for the next week and beyond. The sense of vulnerability and uncertainty casts a long shadow over the country.

    Personal Statement:

    Listening to her account of that day reminds me of the collective trauma and unity that emerged in the wake of 9/11. It was a moment that reshaped the world and left an indelible mark on the American psyche. Her empathy for the victims and her belief in the importance of addressing the situation in the Middle East echo the complex emotions and discussions that continue to surround the events of that day. As we reflect on 9/11 over 20 years later, it’s evident that it profoundly changed America. The heightened airport security measures, the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, and the enduring impact on foreign policy are just a few examples. The scars of that day are still visible in our society, a reminder of our resilience in the face of tragedy and the importance of coming together as a nation.
19. Juliette Shebib September 17, 2023 at 9:25 pm

    1. What is your name? How old were you on 9/11?
    My dads name is Richard Shebib, and he was 33 years old.

    2.Where were you when the attacks happened? What were other peoples’ reactions to the attacks?
    When the attacks had happened, my dad said that he was stationed in the Air Force in Italy, and was in the air traffic control center at Aviano AB just outside of Venice.

    3.What is your first memory of when you first heard about the attacks?
    His first memory is from when he was in the air traffic control center in Italy, he remembers that the Italians always had a tv on while up there and he remembers watching the “movie” they chose for this shift on the tv from across the room. He noticed it had the Twin Towers and one was on fire, and he was trying to figure what they were watching because it wasn’t something he had seen before. Around the time that he watched the second plane hit, he started to realize that they were watching their local Italian news channel. He remembers every single one of the Italians turned back to look at him.

    4. What’s the first thing you did after you realized what was happening?
    Around the time he realized what was happening, his commander called their bat phone and told my dad to recall all of the fighters back to the base, which he did. Everyone was asking my dad what was happening but he couldn’t say. After about three hours, the base was in full lock down. He said that there were Humvees with 60 Cal at all the base entrances and that there were 8 F-16’s armed up with live missiles and pilots on 24/7 alert status.

    5.What do you remember about the media coverage of the attacks?
    He says that he remember that the media coverage of the attacks was nonstop, it was on every channel 24/7. The media mentions how after 4 planes had been hijacked, they realized that it was an attack and not just an accident of some sort. They would shows walls and walls of people who would put up photos of missing there were makeshift shrines everywhere.

    My first initial reaction when I started interviewing my dad on what he recalled about 9/11 was interest. I typically only hear stories of 9/11 from people who watched it on tv form work or home. Now, while my dad wasn’t exactly somewhere dangerous at the time, he was still on duty at an Air Force base and was assigned work to due in response to the attack. For me, while its still very sad to think about the tragedy of 9/11, it was interesting to learn about 9/11 from a new perspective
20. Maddie Z September 17, 2023 at 9:27 pm

    What is your name? How old were you on 9/11?
    Delia, 23

    What is your first memory of when you first heard about the attacks? What kind of conclusions did you come to about the planes crashing into the buildings (did you at first think it was an accident or was it something worse)? Why?
    I heard on the radio that a plane had crashed into the World Trade Center and thought something along the lines of, ‘Oh crazy some pilot doesn’t know how to fly’. So, in my mind it was totally an accident.

    Where were you when the attacks happened? What were other peoples’ reactions to the attacks?
    I was in college, driving to class and listening to the radio. It was a beautiful September morning. I remember how crisp my radio program was and how the sun shined and just what a perfect morning it was. Twenty or so minutes after first hearing about the crash, there were lots of murmurings that there was something bigger going on, and mind you this was 2001 so we didn’t really have phones with the internet or anything like that. Pretty soon we realized it was a terrorist attack and then everybody kind of migrated to the little kitchenettes where they had TVs and we were all glued to the news. Then I had to leave to pick up my two year old son and I remember being so shocked that this was the reality of the world we lived in. We were glued to the news for the rest of the day and throughout the following days.

    What do you remember of the media coverage of the attacks?
    It was fairly typical of media coverage in that type of circumstance where nobody had a full picture of what was going on and they were trying to report as much as they could. Some details were obviously wrong and there was speculation.

    Now that it’s been over 20 years since the attack, how do you think America has changed since that day? Why? Has America stayed the same since then? In what ways?
    I feel like America has lost some of its innocence. An attack like that had never really happened before and anything comparable had been at least a generation removed. I think there was just a sense of ‘I’m not feeling safe anymore’. There was definitely an increase in patriotism, for better or worse. The patriotism going too far in some cases that led to the state of today’s political climate.
    —————————————————————–
    When interviewing my mom I could clearly see how much of an impact this attack had on normal everyday people. We had no family, friends, or connections to New York at all. Yet my mom could vividly recall miniscule details about the day that the trauma of the event must have embedded into her memory. The attack truly seemed to have come off as less of a panic (for our family) but more shock for how the world turned out to be. At the time, my mother was raising my older brother and I can only imagine the fear she must have felt with the realization that this was how her child was going to grow up in this world. The attack seems to have been such a wakeup call to the people who experienced it. My heart goes out to people who were in / had family in New York at the time. I cannot imagine the pain they have gone through.
21. Maggie W September 17, 2023 at 11:11 pm

    What is your name? How old were you on 9/11?
    Craig Wehler, 23 years old

    What is your first memory of when you first heard about the attacks? What kind of conclusions did you come to about the planes crashing into the buildings (did you at first think it was an accident or was it something worse)? Why?
    I was driving to work with my roommate, Al, and we were listening to the morning radio show like always and they reported a plane crashed into one tower. Everyone assumed it was a small plane with only a few people and that it was an accident. Also it was the nicest day in September, bright blue skies and sunny. People were not super concerned at first because that is something that had happened, a small plane losing control and crashing into the city but you never hear about that with a big passenger airplane.

    What were other peoples’ reactions to the attacks?
    Once we realized what was happening when the second plane crashed into the other tower, you knew it had to be an attack because it wasn’t possible for that to happen twice by accident. We went into the conference room at work to watch the news. Some people had friends in New York. Everyone was scared and concerned, and some were visibly upset.

    I remember Mom saying that she was worried about there being other planes, did you feel this too?
    Yeah, it was scary, we didn’t know how many planes were hijacked and didn’t know where they were going to go. They couldn’t contact some planes. People even here in tall buildings were told to leave or go home.

    Have you ever been to New York City or Washington D.C.? If so, how did that affect your reactions to the attacks?
    Both. I’m from New York and knew a lot of people there and I was familiar with the city. It affected me more for that reason. I love New York City. It felt horrible to see my home changed both physically and emotionally for the people there.

    How old were you when you left New York and did you live close to where the attack happened?
    I was 15 when I moved from New York to Michigan. I lived half an hour east of the twin towers on Long Island (like from here to Detroit). The world trade center wasn’t that far from where my father worked at the United Nations when we lived there. I had been to the top of the twin towers on a tour. They are amazingly impressive structures and so strong, it was hard to believe they could come down.

    Were you stranded after 9/11? How did you cope being away from family?
    I wasn’t stranded after the shut down from things such as the airlines, but my whole family was living in GA and I was here in MI by myself. They were one of the first ones he called to talk about it.

    What were other peoples’ reactions like in the days after the attacks?
    People wanted to know who, and who was responsible. It made everyone patriotic, and politics didn’t matter and the whole country rallied as americans. President Bush went to ground zero afterwards and the Yankees were playing in the playoffs and the president threw the first pitch. It was saying, “You can attack us but you can’t change our culture” I printed out american flags for people in my office to hang in the office windows. The flag I had just taped up with scotch tape stayed up there for years.

    Could you describe your most vivid memory of that day, 9/11?
    I remember after they told everyone at work to go home and be with family I couldn’t because I didn’t have family here. My roommate left to be with his family. I had just bought my first car and they called me that morning to let me know I could pick it up, so I went to pick it up. You couldn’t be happy about anything. While it was supposed to be an exciting event, it wasn’t. I got the keys, drove it home, and parked and watched the news in silence, not talking to anyone, with a brand new car out the window.

    How did life change for you in the immediate aftermath of the attacks?
    I traveled a lot for work at the time and everything changed at the airport. You couldn’t get through security without a ticket, increased TSA security. Besides that just feeling horrible for people and learning people I knew were there in the tower.

    Could you tell me about your friend’s father who died on 9/11?
    My friend Melissa, who, in seventh, eighth, and ninth grade was in the same friend group. Her dad worked in NYC, not in the twin towers but he had a tradition with him and friends to meet in the top floor restaurant and have breakfast every Tuesday. He happened to be there that day. Knowing somebody made it more real. Not just attacking the country, attacking somebody I knew. Her dad was a really nice guy though, that’s what I remember.

    What do you remember of the media coverage of the attacks?
    I remember all of the selfless heroes there were that day. One of the things, the one plane that ended up crashing in Pennsylvania, there were a lot of things coming out from phone calls on the plane, that they had heard about what happened and knew they weren’t gonna get off that plane. And they decided to fight back, some brave people on that plane. So it couldn’t be crashed into anyone else. There were stories of taking boats getting people off the island, and firefighters ran in the second tower anyway to save people after the first one had already collapsed.

    What did you think of President Bush’s address later that night? I can show you the video now.
    It was strange to watch that address after the fact and not in the moment. He did the best you can in that situation. I liked the line about how they broke concrete in the structure but can’t break the concrete of our democracy or the structure the United States was based on.

    How did life change for you, your family, or people in general in the weeks and months immediately after 9/11?
    It was just different. You never thought about an attack on our country that level, or a plane being hijacked. It didn’t seem possible, but now it was possible and you never felt safe in the same way knowing that could happen. People who lost family members, their lives were never the same again.

    Now that it’s been over 20 years since the attack, how do you think America has changed since that day? Why? Has America stayed the same since then? In what ways?
    I think it’s changed in the fact that we were more divided than it felt like we were then. Politics push us more and more apart than it felt like we were then . President Bush had said they failed if they thought they were gonna change us. We still have great patriotism and the same freedom, living our lives free in this country. We don’t live scared because of the attacks.

    My reaction to my father’s responses:
    I think I learned a lot from asking my dad the blog questions. I don’t know if we would have had this in depth conversation without the blog assignment prompting it. It can sometimes be hard to realize how much this event really impacted America because we were not alive when the attack occurred and therefore feel disconnected. Which is why it is important to talk to people who experienced 9/11 to understand perspective. As well as to understand how it shaped the United States. The 9/11 attacks were frightening and emotional for everyone and changed life forever.
22. Zoe Burrell September 17, 2023 at 11:29 pm

    1. what’s your name and how old were you when it happened?
    Dorothy Burrell, 52 Years old.

    2. What is your first memory of when you first heard about the attacks? What kind of conclusions did you come to about the planes crashing into the buildings (did you at first think it was an accident or was it something worse)? Why?

    At first she thought it was an animation because when it came on the television she wasn’t really paying attention. She thought it was something her husband turned on to watch like a movie. At first, she thought it was a plane out of control that went into the building. But then looked down at the bottom of the television and saw it was ‘live.’

    3. Where were you when the attacks happened? What were other peoples’ reactions to the attacks?

    She was at home when it happened. The only person’s reaction she knew right when it was live was her husband. She said that “he was startled and speechless.”

    10. What do you remember of the media coverage of the attacks?

    She remember how very descriptive it was and how the cameras were following people covered with white soot, smoke, and ashes. She said she also remembers people crying.

    12. How did life change for you and your family in the weeks and months immediately after 9/11?

    They didn’t, she said that life has to go on.

    My reaction to this was I was thoroughly interested in hearing her reactions and feelings I could tell by her vivid description that she was reliving the actual event. However, it’s difficult to describe my feelings because I wasn’t born yet and I wasn’t there to actually experience it. But I feel like the people who experienced this were scared and devastated about the situation. I know that some people may say that they felt sad but, what level of sadness could they feel because they were not there in the actual moment it happened. Realistically we can imagine how it would feel but true pain and agony could not be realized if you were not there or did not experience it personally. Hopefully, this does not sound like I’m insensitive.
23. Molly Heller September 18, 2023 at 7:36 am

    1. What is your name? How old were you on 9/11?
    My name is Katie Heller, I was 22 years old on 9/11.
    2. What is your first memory of when you first heard about the attacks? What kind of conclusions did you come to about the planes crashing into the buildings (did you at first think it was an accident or was it something worse)? Why?
    I remember waking up to the phone ringing, and when I picked it up, it was my sister, Laura who said “Turn on the TV, I think the world is ending”. turned on the tv, and it showed the first tower smoking. As I was sitting there the other tower got hit and came down. I was very confused as to what was going on. I thought from the beginning these things were very bad and not accidents. Not for any particular reason, I just remembered images, and it all seemed wrong.
    7. What were other peoples’ reactions like in the days after the attacks?
    No one wanted to fly or really go anywhere, people were still freaked out and on edge. I wanted to go see Matt and my friends were surprised I was going to fly to see him. Air travel also changed a lot in the years to come.
    8. Could you describe your most vivid memory of that day, 9/11?
    I was living in San francisco, I had just moved there about a month ago. I had my own apartment, and I had worked the day before, so I didn’t have to get up in the morning. I woke up to the phone ringing, it was my sister, Laura, and she told me to turn on the tv, she said “I think the world’s ending”. I turned on the tv, and it showed the first tower smoking. As I was sitting there the other tower got hit and came down. I was really confused. I called back Laura, and didn’t know what was going on. Calling my mom was my first thought. My mom was working at the school library, no one knew what was happening. I watched the news for a while. It felt wrong, it felt like I should be going to work, even though the attacks were in New York and I was in San Francisco. It was a really pretty day, sunny, nice temperature, and it just felt really weird and wrong. Laura’s work got canceled, so we decided to meet up and go for a walk, we ended up stopping for bagels. The bagel company had to do with New York bagels so the logo had a silhouette of twin towers which felt wrong that it didn’t look like that anymore. The day felt so surreal. I thought about Matt, who I wasn’t dating at that exact point but we were still talking, and I thought about calling him. I wanted to get in touch with him, but I couldn’t reach him. I felt unsettled. The evening before, Laura and I had planned to have dinner that night with us two, but because of the attacks, everyone seemed like they wanted to be together that day. As the day of 9/11 progressed, more and more people came over for dinner, so everyone was together. Matt called back, he said he had been busy trying to figure out what was going on, we talked, and said we needed to see each other. We got more reports on the news as time passed, giving more information. We watched the news because there weren’t any smart phones, so information was not as easy to get super fast.
    10. What do you remember of the media coverage of the attacks?
    It seemed like it was a big deal, and that this was going to be a serious problem. Eventually they had to stop showing pictures of towers getting hit on the news because it was scaring kids. Every time they showed the towers falling, kids thought it was happening again.
    14. Now that it’s been over 20 years since the attack, how do you think America has changed since that day? Why? Has America stayed the same since then? In what ways?
    Travel changed a lot. People got much more distressful. More profiling began to occur like if you see someone of different descent, then you may be like “Oh I’m not sure about getting on a plane with them”. Even if they have nothing to do with it, for many people, it’s ended up being an internal concern. Everything with air travel changed, like the amount of fluids you can have, and the security systems. These things made it much more difficult to travel.

    Self-Reflection:
    My reaction to this information is how crazy it is that even though the world seemed so distraught that day, in reality, the only places physically affected were New York and D.C. As my mom, Katie, said, it seemed so unreal for it to be such a beautiful and perfect day when in reality there were terrorism attacks, and people dying in our country. I think that it is crazy that some people were able to stay as calm as they did while this was occurring even though the information was getting to them at such a slow rate. But I also think that it would be extremely tough to not be able to see anyone if they live so far away that you would need to take a plane to see them.
24. Hadi Berro September 18, 2023 at 4:47 pm

    #3: Where were you when the attacks happened? What were other peoples’ reactions to the attacks?

    I was attending science class at Detroit Mercy Dental School. The whole class was shocked. The professor brought out a TV to the classroom so we could watch the aftermath.

    #2: What is your first memory of when you first heard about the attacks? What kind of conclusions did you come to about the planes crashing into the buildings (did you at first think it was an accident or was it something worse)? Why?

    At the moment it was unbelievable news but I later realized how serious it actually was. At first, I thought it was an accident because I couldn’t imagine someone could do this intentionally, but after the second plane hit I knew it was an attack because I knew that it wasn’t a coincidence two planes hit both of the twin towers, both at around the same time.

    #12: How did life change for you and your family in the weeks and months immediately after 9/11?

    After the attack, I and my family were traumatized and heartbroken, because of the people who died. We were scared to fly or travel anywhere for months because we expected another attack to happen.

    #13: What are your opinions about the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq? Explain.

    I think it was wrong and rash of America to attack other countries without knowing for sure who was behind the attack. I also think that America shouldn’t have attacked Afghanistan because Osama Bin Laden was related to them. It doesn’t mean that if there is one bad person from a certain country then the whole country is at fault for his mistakes. I think that Iraq had nothing to do with 9/11. America falsely accused Iraq of creating nuclear weapons and killed millions of citizens because of this.

    #11: What did you think of President Bush’s address later that night?

    I think it was a uniting and powerful message at that time, and I think it was also needed, but the decision to attack Afghanistan was rushed.

    My reaction to the interview was that it was very insightful and educational. I was very interested when my dad said that he and his family were scared to fly and travel, I completely understood why though. I also felt enlightened about the wars between America Afghanistan and Iraq. It was eye-opening to get my dad’s opinion, especially because he is a very educated and smart man. The interview also made me think of what my reaction would have been if I had been alive during 9/11. I probably think my reaction would have been the same as his during that time.
25. sofia B September 18, 2023 at 5:25 pm

    David Devine. 60.
    I thought it was terrible and the woman who worked in the office next to me, her husband, was putting in telephones on the 15th floor. He happened to be in the building that day and didn’t make it out. He was in the wrong place at the wrong time. I thought it was an attack because you don’t just have a plane going into a building like that.
    I was at my office in New Jersey. They thought it was terrible.
    I didn’t notice any direct impact. Pfizer bought the company and I needed to go to Manhattan a few times for work.
    The only person I knew was the husband of the coworker.
    I would find a way to get back home. I wouldn’t panic because I would not be in any danger.
    They thought it was terrible.
    The two things that I always remember is one woman missed her bus to get there. She missed her bus. If she got on the bus before she would have been in the building during the attack. The other person, the woman, forgot her purse and went back home. Ended up not getting there before the attack happened.
    I just felt very sad for the victims. People were jumping out of windows to their death. Closed the tunnels and bridges as a safety measure.
    I don’t remember.
    That was an excellent speech. It’s just too bad our country isnt that strong anymore.
    We ended up going to many funerals. There were a lot of rescue heroes.
    We should never have gone to Iraq because of the loss of lives. For what? They were never a threat to our country. In Afghanistan, we left a lot of expensive military equipment and those who were left were killed.
    Our country right now has gone downhill. We have the highest inflation in 20 years. We have an open border that promotes fentanyl coming across as well as human trafficking. We are no longer energy dependent.
26. Rocco Firth September 18, 2023 at 5:34 pm

    What is your name? How old were you on 9/11?
    My name is Rich Firth. 30 years old.
    What is your first memory of when you first heard about the attacks?
    He remembered being shocked and scared for what else would happen.
    How did life change for you and your family in the weeks and months immediately after 9/11?
    At first everyone became very patriotic, nobody really thought anything but about nine eleven. Everyone was a little shaken up about the idea of an organized attack on the Americas and what could follow. There was a lot of fear considering this was the first time that the americas had truly been attacked on their own land.
    Now that it’s been over 20 years since the attack, how do you think America has changed since that day?
    We have become more worried/ concerned about the safety of the danger posed by other groups/ mass shootings/ bombings. The government was a little more invasive about how people lived their lives and how they tracked our information.
    Did you know anyone in the cities? If so, did you try to contact them to see if they were o.k.?
    We had one of my mothers friends, Scarlett, who was in Brooklyn, but she wasn’t around ground zero at all and she ended up being alright.
    Where were you when the attacks happened?
    I was actually out starting a business with my friend John who inherited a business installing pools from his father. He got a call from his wife who told him what had happened in New york. We had no way to watch any coverage by the news since we were out working on installing a pool for his business. AT first we thought the attacks were only an accident.
27. Corinne September 18, 2023 at 6:52 pm

    What is your name? How old were you on 9/11? – My name is Amy Alrawi and I was 26 on 9/11.

    What is your first memory of when you first heard about the attacks? What kind of conclusions did you come to about the planes crashing into the buildings (did you at first think it was an accident or was it something worse)? Why? – Okay, well, the first I heard… You see I was actually sent to a different school for testing, so I was in a motel and I was only about five minutes from the school. So, it wasn’t until around 8:30 when I turned on the TV, a few minutes before I went to school, and already they had figured out what was going on. I just remember turning it on and Good Morning America was already, like, everybody was sad and talking about it and how the planes had been hijacked, and I think at that point they were tracking the one that went down in Pennsylvania. So I knew what was going on, I had no question, but then I had to walk to the school and be afraid.

    Where were you when the attacks happened? What were other peoples’ reactions to the attacks? – Well, I was in a different city, staying in a motel, going to a school. When I got to the school the other teachers were freaked out and we had to talk to the kids who were very freaked out and all of us were literally jumping at every plane that went over our heads.

    Have you ever been to New York City or Washington D.C.? If so, how did that affect your reactions to the attacks? If not, how did the attacks alter / change your views of the cities and their inhabitants? – I had been to New York before but not very much, so I didn’t connect very much with that, but I know New York City as a place with people with grit and I kind of saw that happen that day as they had to deal with what they did. I’d been in Washington D.C. more and I had a connection to the Pentagon, which was hit, and I know people who were maybe there, which was scary.

    What were other peoples’ reactions like in the days after the attacks? – Everybody was pretty much freaked out, and one thing I significantly remember about being married to someone who is Arab is that people were looking at him very differently. Actually, that weekend, we had a flat tire on the road and a policeman came by, who you’d think would help, and when he saw Terry he left and would not help us.

    What did you think of President Bush’s address later that night? – I think it was okay, I think if he could’ve listed more direct steps he was taking to secure America it would’ve been better. In his speech, he kind of did open the door to attacking Iraq and Afghanistan in search of those who harbor the criminals, when that was a very loose definition of who was causing the problem.

    When doing this interview, it really put into perspective how terrifying 9/11 was for people who lived through it. The event affected the entire country, including children, parents, and teachers like my mom. Nowadays, we think of 9/11 as a historical fact, a devastating one, but a reality that happened and could even happen again. Back then, however, it was completely shocking and new, something that one would never expect to take place so close to home. What surprised me even more was how some people didn’t even realize the attacks happened until the whole thing was already over. It’s alarming how the whole world can be changing just a few hours away, and you might not even realize it. More personally, what I’d never thought about was how my father was treated after the attacks as compared to my mom. The story of the policeman not helping my parents just because he’s Arab was completely new to me, and, even though in the back of my mind I knew it was like that, I never truly realized how bad it must have been. All in all, this interview was very eye-opening for me, and I now have a better understanding of what happened on 9/11 and how it affected the world, especially my own family.
28. Hadley Kostello September 18, 2023 at 7:37 pm

    What is your name and how old were you when 9/11 happened?

    “My name is Tony Kostello and I was 30 years old.”

    What were you doing when 9/11 happened

    “I was in my office at work when it happened. I had gone in early to get work done before I had to head to the airport to catch a flight to Boston Logan airport-I had a depostion in Boston in the afternoon. I learned of the first plane hitting the towers as I was listening to the radio.”

    Most vivid memory?

    “My most vivid memory was sitting in a conference room in my office watching the news coverage as the second plane hit the towers.”

    What was your immediate reaction?

    “My immediate reaction was just trying to understand what was happening and why.”

    How was your life after 9/11?

    “It was vert sad and somber in the days after 9/11. Mom and I were actually supposed to go to grandpa’s condo in Lake Tahoe two days after. All flights were still cancelled at that point and we just decided to drive up north just to get away from the craziness. I ended up going to Boston a week or two later for the deposition. I remember how shocked I was when I went through security at Logan on the way home and forgot that I had keys in my pocket. Metal detector didn’t go off.”

    In what ways do you think America has changed since 9/11?

    “America has changed profoundly. The sense of security we had when I was growing up has certainly lessened. I also think that the event enabled a lot of people to come out and voice their racist views under the guise that all Muslims must be bad given what happened.”

    Self-Reflection:

    While interviewing my Dad, it helped bring more of an understanding to myself regarding what people who were not in NYC were thinking. Everyone was affected by 9/11, no matter where they were. It is still very interesting to me that no matter any American were doing before 9/11, everyones lives stopped while it happened. Everyone stopped and watched this tragedy unfold. I agree with my dad on his views of the uprising in racism against islamic people. To this day Islamic people are still being targeted by racisct sayings and opinions. To anyone born after 9/11, it is crazy to think how much security has changed, and how little ago people were able to just walk onto their flight without and checking. Hearing about the drastic changes made after 9/11 definetly brings a different view to me regarding 9/11.
29. Carly R September 18, 2023 at 7:54 pm

    1.What is your name? How old were you on 9/11?

    Nancy Roth, 24 years old.
    2. What is your first memory of when you first heard about the attacks? What kind of conclusions did you come to about the planes crashing into the buildings (did you at first think it was an accident or was it something worse)? Why?

    I was with my very first class of second-graders, my very first class teaching ever. I remember not really knowing, we didn’t really know what was going on because there weren’t smart phones and immediate news information so there was a lot of confusion. There was a lot of fear, and parents were coming to pick up their kids. At first we thought it was an accident, I didn’t think it could possibly happen on purpose.

    4. Have you ever been to New York City or Washington D.C.? If so, how did that affect your reactions to the attacks?

    I have been to New York City but not Washington D.C., but I have been to the 9/11 memorial. I mean, I’ve seen those buildings in person, so it’s just crazy, and then to see all the people running, it was just crazy.

    7. What were other peoples’ reactions like in the days after the attacks?

    Just a lot of fear and confusion and wondering if it’s gonna happen in other places.

    8. Could you describe your most vivid memory of that day, 9/11?

    I remember just wanting to be with my family, but also worried for these little kids in my class. They knew something was up and I didn’t really know enough to talk to them about it. It was a long
    day.
    9. How did life change for you in the immediate aftermath of the attacks?

    I think that was maybe the first time in my life that I realized that there are truly bad people out to hurt strangers.

    10. What do you remember of the media coverage of the attacks?

    I remember the video of people covered in ash and carrying bodies, and I remember there were daycares in those buildings, there were kids involved. All the news coverage was horrific.

    11. What did you think of President Bush’s address later that night?

    I think he tried to put the people at ease but he didn’t have any answers at that time so I don’t think I was put at ease, I guess.

    13. What are your opinions about the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq? Explain.

    Part of me thinks it’s our duty as humanitarians to help others, and then part of me is thinking we lost so many Americans trying to
    help this far away country, so I am on both sides of that.

    14. Now that it’s been over 20 years since the attack, how do you think America has changed since that day? Why? Has America stayed the same since then? In what ways?

    I think we have a lot more security in airports and in public places. I think a lot of us are more guarded and aware of things that are out of the ordinary. I think there’s just a big switch to a lot of evil, a lot more being aware. I was pretty young, but before that I don’t remember a lot of pure evil in the world.

    My personal reaction:
    My reaction to my mom’s experience with 9/11 was what I expected, but it was still extremely sad.. I can imagine all the confusion and chaos to something as horrific as 9/11. I can see how it could be a defining moment of realizing that there’s evil in the world. I can understand how this opened my mom’s eyes to understanding that there are people who want to hurt other people. It was also interesting to hear her story in such detail. I had heard my parents’ stories before, but never like this. Doing this interview was very eye opening to me.
30. Em Rito September 18, 2023 at 8:00 pm

    So… today might have been one of the first days that I had to ask my mom who she was. Thank god she knows who she is, I guess. My mothers name is Liz Rito, and she was 19 years old on September 11, 2023. One of the first questions that I asked my mom was, “what was happening when you learned about 9/11?” She responded with care and thought in each word, saying that she was walking to her 9:30 class (she was in college at the time), and when she arrived, she saw her male teacher breaking down, crying, in front of the entire class, which were stuck in a silent state of confusion and fear. I asked her about how the rest of her day we and she talked about how all of her classes were the exact same, everyone fearing for their lives and the lives of others, not knowing what would happen next or if the planes would strike again. No one knew if they were going to have classes for the remainder of the day or not and how this would affect their lives going forward. I asked her if she watched the George W. Bush address, and she told me another memory from September 11, 2001. She told me how at the end of the day, her entire dorm section met up in the commons and watched his addressment together. She said that she remembered that he was tearing up, and how he promised they would find the people behind these attacks and that the government would help provide to those who were affected in these attacks. I asked her where she went after the day was done, and she told me that she visited her mother, who worked at the college that she went to, before essentially locking herself in her dorm, trying to just make it through the remainder of the day. I asked her about how that affected the next couple of months for her, and she told me that there was a stoplight sort of situation on the news for the next couple of months, red meaning we were at high risk of an attack and green meaning we weren’t. It became a part of their daily life for a while, but eventually died down. Even though this didn’t directly impact anyone close to her, it made it so everyone’s lives changed because of the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001.

    When I was listening to her talk about how her 9/11 went down, I couldn’t help but try to understand what she was going through at that point in her life. She talked about the fear that was going through everyones mind, leading them all to vague amounts of disarray. It reminded me heavily of my eighth grade year, when the Oxford school shooting had just happened, and everyone was absolutely terrified. People in my grade were getting pulled out of class left and right, and by the end of the day, there might have been 10 kids in my final class. I had a panic attack during lunch that day, and I can still vividly remember the fear I felt that day. I can’t even begin to imagine how terrified everyone was on 9/11, not knowing which members of their family were affected or not and if they would be attacked next. It was a country wide thing, rather than just the 50 mile radius of Oxford. I hope that I never have to go something as tragic and frightening as that, and I’m so sorry to everyone who did.
31. Kaylen C. September 18, 2023 at 8:36 pm

    1. What is your name? How old were you on 9/11?
    Richard Clark. 28
    2. What is your first memory of when you first heard about the attacks? What kind of conclusions did you come to about the planes crashing into the buildings (did you at first think it was an accident or was it something worse)? Why?
    I knew it was something worse. I was told we were attacked by someone else, and school was canceled.
    3. Where were you when the attacks happened? What were other peoples’ reactions to the attacks?
    I was a Political Science Major at California State University Long Beach. I had a class that morning on Arab/American Relations. I was walking into school and a student walking out said we were attacked, and all school was canceled. I remember going back to my apartment and turning on the news.
    4. Have you ever been to New York City or Washington D.C.? If so, how did that affect your reactions to the attacks? If not, how did the attacks alter/change your views of the cities and their inhabitants?
    I have been to both cities. I have been in New York for the last 10 years and went to the 9/11 memorial site. It did not change my reaction to the cities. I feel bad that the people of New York lost so many family members.
    5. Did you know anyone in the cities? If so, did you try to contact them to see if they were okay? What was the conversation like?
    Yes, I had some family in New York. I was not close to them at all. They ended up being fine.

    10. What do you remember of the media coverage of the attacks?
    This was the first memory I have of realizing and seeing the start of the media being a propaganda machine for the government and the rich. They stopped telling both sides of the story, they stopped hiding their agenda. This is the moment in history where it all changed for the worse and has led to our world today.

    My personal reaction to this interview was that it made me realize how much these events really did affect every person in our country no matter how far they were from New York, Washington D.C., or Pennsylvania. I also did not realize how much was unknown about these attacks as they were taking place and how little information was fed to the public. This brought a new light to how everything in the country basically stopped and everyone watched the day unfold in front of them. Finally, it made me realize how well people remember exactly where they were and what they were doing when they learned of the attacks, this is something that is fascinating to me.
32. Vidushani Hettiarachchi September 18, 2023 at 8:47 pm

    What is your name? Malitha Hettiarachchi.

    How were you on 9/11? I was 22.

    What is your first memory of when you first heard about the attacks? What kind of conclusions did you come to about the planes crashing into the buildings? Why? So the first thing we thought was America was getting attacked and it could be another World War or something. So it was nighttime in Sri Lanka, I was not in the United States. I was in Sri Lanka and it was nighttime and I was in the dorms for med school. When we went to go to college in the morning, a friend of us told us that it happened last night in the US and we worried that there would be a World War and there would be bombshelling all over the world and then we saw the road cars on TV. We were in the cafeteria in the university and we were surprised and we were waiting to see what will happen next and we didn’t have a huge fear to hide or anything, there was nothing like curfew, military, security back in Sri Lanka so that’s how it was.
    Have you ever been to New York City or Washington D.C.? If so, how did that affect your reactions to the attacks? If not, how did the attacks alter / change your views of the cities and their inhabitants? I’ve been to New York City later on but not before the attack.
    Did you know anyone in the cities? If so, did you try to contact them to see if they were o.k.? What was the conversation like? I did not have anybody I know in New York CIty during that time.
    If you were stranded in another city after 9/11, how did you cope with being away from family? No, I wasn’t in this country.
    What were other peoples’ reactions like in the days after the attacks? So we continued to talk about it and tried to get more information on how it happened and how it is going to impact the United States as well as the entire world, and we were surprised after it happened.
    Could you describe your most vivid memory of that day, 9/11? Seeing that on the television while we were sitting in the cafeteria. Was it live? It wasn’t live, but immediately after.
    How did life change for you and your family in the weeks and months immediately after 9/11? Since I was not in the country, I don’t think it really affected us.
    What are your opinions about the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq? Explain. I felt it’s all about power and power of those who are in power and people who don’t know anything about power or like nothing to do with power who got affected and suffered and multiple lives were victimized just because of people’s greed for power and misinformation.
    Now that it’s been over 20 years since the attack, how do you think America has changed since that day? Why? Has America stayed the same since then? In what ways? So, based on what I’ve heard, people could just walk into an airport and get into a flight without going through security checks and do things and people could hang out in the airports in many places but now those security measures are so strong and restricted items in airplanes and those things have changed.

    Personal Reaction: My personal reaction to this interview was shocking. I didn’t believe that it would be so triggering to others that lived outside of America. Especially since my mom had no relation to America because she was in medical school in Sri Lanka. Although, I did hear that it was petrifying from other people that experienced this in America. I am forever grateful to not have been in any terrorist attacks. Four years ago, I watched a movie about 9/11, barely knowing what it was about, and I realized how much this impacted the lives of Americans and taking us one step back from world peace. Although I will never experience this, I would’ve been traumatized like the millions of people that had to live through that.
33. Ashlyn September 18, 2023 at 9:10 pm

    What is your name? How old were you on 9/11? Thomas Aubrey. 24 years old.
    What is your first memory of when you first heard about the attacks? What kind of conclusions did you come to about the planes crashing into the buildings (did you at first think it was an accident or was it something worse)? Why?
    I was leaving the office to go out for my daily appointments and I heard it on the radio. When I first heard it on the radio I thought it was an accident. I couldn’t fathom that someone would intentionally do that. At first, I thought it was a small plane, not a huge one like it was.
    Where were you when the attacks happened? What were other peoples’ reactions to the attacks?
    I was in Memphis Tennessee, where I lived at the time. People were shocked, sad, and in disbelief about the whole thing.
    Could you describe your most vivid memory of that day, 9/11?
    When I first heard about it I was driving to an appointment but I stopped at home to watch the news and that is when the second plane hit. That’s when it clicked that it wasn’t an accident and I was in even more disbelief.
    How did life change for you and your family in the weeks and months immediately after 9/11?
    There was a time everyone came together as a country, and you felt a sense of unity for our country as we shared in the horror of the events that happened.
    What did you think of President Bush’s address later that night? (Show them the transcript here or video below.)
    That it was almost surreal, I couldn’t believe that the country was attacked, but his calmness was unifying. He was incredibly calm about the events that just took place in our country and it was settling.

    While doing this interview, I felt an incredible amount of sadness wash over me. Hearing about how scary and traumatizing the event was for every person in America was heartbreaking and I hope I will never have to experience the overwhelming fear that my parents have described to me. It makes me happy though knowing that through the traumatic time, there was a shared sense of unity throughout the United States that brought people together and how we had a leader that kept people calm. Knowing how hard it was for people going through this time is heartbreaking and I pray our country never has a traumatic event like this again.
34. Lynn Meradi September 18, 2023 at 9:11 pm

    1. What is your name and how old were you on 9/11?

    “Omar Meradi, 42 years old”

    2. What is your first memory of when you first heard about the attacks? What kind of conclusions did you come to about the planes crashing into the buildings?

    “I was in Pienza, Italy on a business trip. I was sitting in my office when my director came into the office and asked me if I had seen what happened in New York City? I hadn’t checked the news so he pulled up a channel on the TV and I saw that the attacks had been everywhere. Both my co-workers and I thought that the attacks were just a plane crash, we didn’t even think of the possibility that it was a terrorist attack.”

    7. What were the peoples’ reactions like in the days after the attacks?

    “ Everyone was talking about what had just happened, it was broadcast on every channel in Italy. When everyone else in the office discovered it was a terrorist attack, they couldn’t believe that someone was capable of something like this. But there wasn’t any chaos happening, everyone was just in shock. I also remembered how all flights were canceled, no matter if they were business or just to fly back home.”

    9. “How did life change for you in the immediate aftermath of the attacks?”

    “Nothing really changed for me since I was not living in America at the time another reason is because I didn’t know anyone in America at the time so there wasn’t anyone that was telling me, firsthand, what was happening in the time after the attacks.”

    11. What did you think of President Bush’s address later that night?

    “I did not get to watch the address as soon as it came out, but later the message was shared through the new channels and I thought that President Bush’s speech was a very powerful message to the U.S. and also to the world. His speech was also handled very well by both the President and the U.S. government for what had just happened.”

    14. Now that it’s been over 20 years since the attack, how do you think America has changed since that day? Why? Has America stayed the same since then? In what ways?

    “ I think America hasn’t changed in many ways since the attack but one change that I noticed was the change in security, especially in airports. Like how they are much more strict with their background checks with the people boarding the planes. There is also a much stricter access to the country as a whole in airports.”

    Personal Reaction:

    I was kind of surprised how my dad didn’t really discuss the topic of how Muslims were treated in America after the attack. However, at the same time, it make sense, because he wasn’t living there at the time so he didn’t see everything that was happening in the coming years after the attacks. Another thing that I was interested in, but not surprised by, was how TSA in American airports added new things like further inspection of the passengers boarding their planes and the baggage they had along with them. On the actual 9/11 event, I think it made more countries aware of the fact that terrorist attacks can happen. Along with the fact that they can cause mass suffering to families involved, as well as leaving their civilians living with a lot of uncertainty because many people would be left wondering, could this ever happen again? Overall, I think this gave America and countries worldwide a more cautious view of airports and political affairs.
35. Camelia September 18, 2023 at 9:29 pm

    What’s your name and how old were you during 9/11?

    My name is Assia and I was 31 during 9/11.

    What is your first memory of when you first heard about the attacks? What kind of conclusions did you come to about the planes crashing into the buildings (did you at first think it was an accident or was it something worse)? Why?

    My first memory of the attacks was when I was making traditional Italian pasta with my friend in her apartment in Turin, Italy. Everyone in the apartment complex came out of their apartments very confused and shocked. My friend’s neighbor came into her apartment very quickly, asking us if we had heard about “what had happened in America.” We all first thought that the attacks were an airplane accident; we thought this because we never imagined a terrorist attack would even be a possibility.

    Where were you when the attacks happened? What were other people’s reactions to the attacks?

    Like I said earlier, I was in my friend’s apartment. No one was really as scared as you’d expect because we weren’t in the US, but we were all very confused and shocked at what was going on.

    Have you ever been to New York City or Washington, D.C.? If so, how did that affect your reaction to the attacks? If not, how did the attacks alter/change your views of the cities and their inhabitants?

    I went to New York City eight years after the attacks in 2009. The attacks didn’t really change my views on the city or the people living in it because they had happened so long before I visited. The only thing that I really noticed was different was the New York skyline. The Twin Towers were always something America boasted about because they showed off their economic power, so it was extremely weird seeing the skyline without them.

    What were other people’s reactions like in the days after the attacks?

    In the coming days after the attacks, everyone around me, including me and your dad, were grief-stricken and deeply sorry for the people who lost their lives and their families who lost those people as well. Your dad couldn’t believe it, and all he said was, “Whoever did this is a monster.”

    What do you remember about the media coverage of the attacks?

    The media coverage after the attack was constant, 24/7. It was everywhere—in the malls, on the radio, on most TV stations, etcetera. You couldn’t go anywhere in Italy without hearing about it.

    What did you think of President Bush’s address later that night?

    We were in Italy, so we didn’t watch the address when it first was broadcast, but we later saw it on TV stations, and both your dad and I thought it was a very necessary and powerful message sent to the American people. I liked the way President Bush assured the country they were going to be okay, as well as making sure that everything was still up and running. America needed stability during this time, and I think President Bush did his best to provide that.

    Now that it’s been over 20 years since the attack, how do you think America has changed since that day? Why?

    The change in airport security is, in my opinion, the most significant way America has changed. It created TSA and new rules like checking and scanning IDs to track travelers and checking suitcases more often. America couldn’t let this happen again. A lot of countries followed suit after America for the same reason: to not let something like 9/11 happen to them. National security was also a huge concern in America, though I’m not very well-versed in the topic.

    My reaction: It was intriguing to hear about 9/11 from someone who wasn’t in the US at the time. Hearing about how people responded in other nations, such as Italy, was fascinating since you don’t really hear those stories and perspectives often. I was expecting a lot of worried and terrified people, as there were in the US, but I don’t believe I ever considered that, since it was so close to home, people in the US reacted differently than those in other countries. I was shocked to learn that my mother didn’t bring up her religion throughout the interview. After the attacks, I asked her if anyone had treated her differently because of her religion; she responded that nobody had. This was surprising because even now I still get pointed and judgmental questions about my religion, especially around 9/11.
36. Mia R September 18, 2023 at 9:36 pm

    Name and how old were you on 9/11?

    Patty Racco, I was 24 almost 25

    What is your most vivid memory of 9/11?

    Sitting at work desk and trying to get on the CNN homepage and it not loading and having people say that two planes flew into NY buildings.
    Being in a meeting with the executive director in manufacturing (boss) and getting notifications through pagers about borders closing. Most employees lived in Canada and needed to get home.

    What was your reaction (and others around you) immediately after learning about the attacks on the twin towers? How long after the attack did you hear about it?

    Scared, weird to think about it from a timeline perspective because I can’t remember a lot of the day. Most info came out about who, fear Dearborn would be a target. Heard about attack within minutes, definitely within the half hour.

    How did 9/11 affect your life in the days, weeks and months after 9/11?

    First major event that I recognized would be historical. Info about 9/11 was on 24/7. Didn’t hear about anything else. Needed to compartmentalize for mental health. Days and weeks following going to sporting events or watching them and thinking never hearing the national anthem sung by a crowd. Traveled internationally after a month, felt dangerous to announce being American. Stitched Canadian flags on bags to highlight Canadian not American.

    Now that it’s been over 20 years since the attack, how do you think America has changed since that day? Why? Has America stayed the same since then? In what ways?

    Security on everything has changed. People view abnormalities differently, anything out of the blue is treated to the extreme. Things treated as worse case scenario. America is very divisive, 9/11 resurfaced you vs. me ideology. Being different is threatening. It reinstalled American pride in the moment. Almost every aspect of American culture has changed, whether better or worse. 9/11 became the historical moment for people who were living in the 2000s.

    My reaction:
    I think the thing that shocked me the most was my parents highlighting the fact that they were from Canada. My dad is from Canada and thinking about my grandma sewing the Canadian flags on my parents luggage is really weird. I can’t imagine living through an experience like this. My mom wasn’t near any of the attacks, but not knowing where was gonna be attacked next was a big part of the fear. I have talked to my mom about some of this before, and she has told me about being on the phone with my uncle and hearing planes flying when all planes were supposed to be grounded. She said she was so scared for him, thinking Chicago (where he was) was going to be next. I think that would be the worst part, not knowing if your family and friends were okay.
37. Ian Whan September 18, 2023 at 9:37 pm

    What is your name? How old were you on 9/11?
    Andrea Whan, 33

    What is your first memory of when you first heard about the attacks? What kind of conclusions did you come to about the planes crashing into the buildings (did you at first think it was an accident or was it something worse)? Why?

    I was frightened. I didn’t know what to expect, and I knew I had family that lived in midtown, and wanted to make sure my cousin Tatia was safe. As you are making phone calls all the lines are busy which makes it even worse. I remember leaving messages for Tatia saying call me call me but she couldn’t because the phone lines were all down. The general presumption was when it first hit the tower it was a mistake. But when I was sitting there watching the second one hit the tower nobody thought it was a mistake, I knew we were being attacked. And If New York where else. Who was behind it?

    Where were you when the attacks happened? What were other peoples’ reactions to the attacks?

    I was hosting a golf tournament for my customers. At this time I was a saleswoman for Coca A Cola. People were very confused, nobody knew or understood what was going on. When we heard about the planes being grounded in the pentagon, we didn’t know if we could shelter in place, or if it was even safe to go home to our families, there was a lot of confusion and a lot of chaos.

    How did your life change in the immediate aftermath of the attack?

    At the time I was taking care of my grandpa Bill, so it was very difficult getting flights in and out of New York. One interesting thing was how the attacks unified the country, where we were all Americans for a brief period of time, before a common enemy was identified, rather correctly or not, there was a sense of comradery that I don’t think I have experienced before or after in this country.

    What do you remember of the media coverage of the attacks?

    I only listened to NPR, specifically at the time Dan Rather, he was very calm and let people know what we did and didn’t know, which was very appreciated, instead of speculation. You had to listen to who you thought had objective, well sourced and thought out information, so you trusted what you heard and you knew how to move forward with your day to day lives living in this country. We needed to find the facts as opposed to trying to witch hunt a group of people.

    What did you think of President Bush’s address later that night?

    I thought whoever wrote the speech did a nice job because they made a valiant attempt to bring calmness to a frightened nation. But because of my general unease of the intellectual prowess of that president, it made trusting very difficult, but you have to trust the people in the room with him were smarter than he was, and I think that is a sign of a good leader too.

    Self Reflection:
    This interview really just gave me more empathy. I can’t even imagine what it was like for people who had family or friends in New York. Not being able to get a hold of them would be absolutely terrifying. I think in general my mom was put in a difficult position, as well. specifically talking about how she needed to take care of her grandpa in New York. After the attacks basically all of New York shut down making it difficult for her to get in and out of New York. Also with her job. She was a decently big salesperson in Coke A Cola, and with her job made it very difficult for her to travel to get where she needs to be, and the transformation with airport security made everything harder. I also think this opened a lot of countries’ eyes to see that they are vulnerable to high scale terrorist attacks. This interview helped me understand what people were going through during this time.
38. Carl September 18, 2023 at 9:59 pm

    What is your name? How old were you on 9/11?
    John Lawson, 70.

    What is your first memory of when you first heard about the attacks? What kind of conclusions did you come to about the planes crashing into the buildings (did you at first think it was an accident or was it something worse)? Why?

    Well, I was at work in the Grove Media Center, other faculty called the crash of the first plane to my attention, and it was put on TV screens. My immediate conclusion was that it wasn’t an accident.

    Where were you when the attacks happened? What were other peoples’ reactions to the attacks?

    Again, I was at work in the Grove Media Center. Others were shocked and surprised. My parents called asking if I knew what was going on. When it appeared that the blame would be placed on Muslims, a student who was in one of my econ classes, a Jordanian national, wanted to meet in my office because he was afraid he would be blamed. I tried to calm him and indicate that Groves was not the kind of place where he would be blamed.

    Have you ever been to New York City or Washington D.C.? If so, how did that affect your reactions to the attacks? If not, how did the attacks alter / change your views of the cities and their inhabitants?

    Yes. I had seen but never been in the Twin Towers and the Pentagon. It made sense that if you’re going to attack the political financial, and military centers of the US you would obviously hit those places. It didn’t alter my view of the inhabitants at all– I still intended to travel and visit those cities.

    Did you know anyone in the cities? If so, did you try to contact them to see if they were o.k.? What was the conversation like?

    Sure I did. I wasn’t sure who was in the tower, flights, or Pentagon. I did know someone who worked in one of the towers, he was on one of the top floors, and most of them died. He was actually a high school debater from Livonia, and I judged him once. He was killed in the tower, I remember a month or two afterward going to a memorial service at the Birmingham Temple. My college debate partner, who had gone back to his high school to coach, was there.

    What were other peoples’ reactions like in the days after the attacks?

    We had a series of lunchtime and other meetings with people who wanted to talk about it. One or two faculty members, I remember were, more so than any of the students, fanatically anti-Muslim.

    Could you describe your most vivid memory of that day, 9/11?

    Seeing over and over the planes crash and the towers crashing over TV.
    How did life change for you in the immediate aftermath of the attacks?
    First, I couldn’t travel by plane for a while. Second, I remember going to a social studies, student congress event sponsored by MIFA, one of the students was wearing a dark coat, of gothic style, I told him that “It might be wise not to wear certain symbols on his clothes for a while.”

    What do you remember of the media coverage of the attacks?

    Repetition. Repeated the same things over and over, because for a while there was not much information until it was investigated by the 9/11 Commission.

    What did you think of President Bush’s address later that night? (Show them the transcript here or video below.)

    Under the circumstances, even though I didn’t vote for him, I thought it was reasonably effective and restrained, not horribly xenophobic. I think he tried to make sure people, or Muslims, who had nothing to do with the attack didn’t get blamed. I think his invasion was understandable, but he blew it when he invaded Iraq in 2003.

    How did life change for you and your family in the weeks and months immediately after 9/11?

    Nothing direct, in terms of ordinary life, after a week or two people stopped attending the sessions that we held, and things went back to as close to normal as possible

    What are your opinions about the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq? Explain.

    I thought the attack to drive Al-Quida out of Afghanistan was justified. But the war in Iraq was based on phony or bad evidence and was unjustified.

    Now that it’s been over 20 years since the attack, how do you think America has changed since that day? Why? Has America stayed the same since then? In what ways?

    I think our freedom has declined, after the attack many laws were passed, like the Patriot Act, which allowed more surveillance. I think there was obviously an increase in Islamophobia, people who aren’t even Muslim, like Indians, were under threat, and people were murdered for it. America is still a heavily consumptive society. I think there have been attempts to coordinate information between agencies, and we’ve moved on. The bigger threat of terrorism is domestic, i.e. like Jan. 22

    Reflection:
    My interview with JL about his 9/11 experience offered a glimpse into what it must have felt like to be there. His immediate recognition that the plane crash wasn’t an accident underscores the gravity of the situation. Furthermore, his personal anecdote about the Jordanian student was truly eye-opening. I hadn’t fully realized the extent to which 9/11 fueled Islamophobia, and it’s genuinely unsettling to think how fast people began to scapegoat and assign blame to others. This is especially concerning for me as a Chinese American, particularly in an era marked by heightened tensions between the U.S. and China.
39. Will Reynolds September 18, 2023 at 10:00 pm

    1. What is your name? How old were you on 9/11?
    “Margaret Reynolds, I was 30 at the time of the attacks.”
    2. Where were you when the attacks happened? What were other peoples’ reactions to the attacks?
    “I was home with my 9-month-old daughter when the first tower was hit I was watching the morning show. I watched the plane hit the first tower. At first, we thought it was an isolated accident, but then once we started learning more we realized it was a much bigger thing and people were very afraid.”
    3. Could you describe your most vivid memory of that day, 9/11?
    “When I took my baby for a walk with my neighbor with my neighbor who also had a baby someone stopped us in the street and told us that the second tower had been hit as well as the Pentagon and then we were very afraid.”
    4. What do you remember of the media coverage of the attacks?
    “The media coverage was huge. That’s how I found out it happened initially and it was on television all day and because at the time I was a stay-at-home mom we watched the coverage unfold all day long.”
    5. Now that it’s been over 20 years since the attack, how do you think America has changed since that day? Why? Has America stayed the same since then? In what ways?
    “I think we are a more cautious society after 9/11 I think we are a more fearful society after 9/11 nothing like that had ever really happened like that in the US outside the attack on Pearl Habor which was in Hawaii so it didn’t really feel like it was the US. So I think we become a lot more aware and protective of ourselves and weary of outsiders. I think that happened because it was such a devastating attack on our own soil. Americans who were going about their daily life were killed in the middle of the week randomly.”
    6. how did life change for you and your family in the weeks and months immediately after 9/11?
    “Because I had a baby at the time it really made me wonder whether or not we should bring more children into this world. Was it safe for them? Were we making a mistake by bringing children into this place, it really made me fearful for Cate (the baby) and for any future children that we had and what kind of world were they going to grow up in and what kind of dangers would they face. Nothing like that had ever happened before so it made me a much more fearful person especially since we had just started having kids.”

    Personally, I found her reaction to the attacks surprising. I didn’t think people all the way in Michigan would really be scared by the events that had happened that day. Another thing I found interesting was how she said it was just on a random weekday. Whenever we think of the attacks now, we think of the time before them as some somber time but really, it was just another work day. We sometimes fail to remember how random the attacks were and how we had no way of knowing they were going to happen. That’s why they were so devastating, to begin with. Finally, I thought it was interesting how scared she was for the future of the country. She talked about how she was reluctant to have more children because she didn’t know if it would be safe for them or not. She was affected so greatly by this attack she thought it could have been the start of something larger against the country and was scared for the security of the country as a whole.
40. Safiya Mahmood September 18, 2023 at 10:02 pm

    1. What is your name? How old were you on 9/11?
    My name is Sviatlana Razumnik. I was 30 years old when 9/11 happened.

    2. What is your first memory of when you first heard about the attacks? What kind of conclusions did you come to about the planes crashing into the buildings (did you at first think it was an accident or was it something worse)? Why?

    “I actually didn’t hear it, I saw it on the screen when I was getting Rayyan ready for an outdoor walk, he was a baby, he was one year old. I turned on the tv but not the sound. I remember I saw the second tower get crashed and I didn’t understand that it’s the live news channel, I thought it was just some movie. So, I started clicking channels and all of them showed the same. And it was disbelief I couldn’t believe it happened. I just thought it was for real and I didn’t think of who did it, was it an accident and again they told me it was the second plane and I didn’t understand what they were talking about. Second plane? Then there was a first and I knew then, no this is not an accident.”

    4. Have you ever been to New York City or Washington D.C.? If so, how did that affect your reactions to the attacks?

    “I was born in the Soviet Union so for me two towers were the symbol of New York and the symbol of the United States. New York was the first city that I came to when I got to the United States in 1999 and I had a chance to see The Two Towers when I was landing in New York and LaGuardia. Then I went to see it from the ferry, so I always associated New York with this when I visited it. When all this happened I was in Michigan and even after seeing the planes crashing into towers and then towers collapsing it was still hard to imagine the skyline of New York without the towers. So it was heartbreaking even when I visited New York a couple years ago I still almost expected the towers to be standing.”

    7. What were other peoples’ reactions like in the days after the attacks?

    “Again it was just unbelievable, there wasn’t anger or anything, just fear and sorrow. The number of people who died kept increasing as time went on.”

    12. How did life change for you and your family in the weeks and months immediately after 9/11?

    “So at the time when 9/11 happened our documents were in the process of applying for naturalization and because your father was born in Pakistan and it’s after September 11th our process was delayed. Instead of the promise of three months we waited almost 2 years for the papers to go through and all the time we didn’t know if we even had a chance to stay here. So it’s changed for people who came from Muslim countries and changed things for our family and we waited longer to become citizens.”

    14. Now that it’s been over 20 years since the attack, how do you think America has changed since that day? Why? Has America stayed the same since then? In what ways?

    “So I think that since then the United States has changed in a good and in a bad way. Americans felt more united and more American especially in the beginning but even now. And on the other hand they felt less trusting and more hostile to everything that’s foreign, people, countries. So it’s America as a country but at the same time it’s isolated Americans from the world. And now this hostility and anger turned inward and divides America from within.”

    My reflection on my moms interview was actually very eye opening. We’ve rarely ever talked about my parents struggles when moving to the US since I wasn’t born yet. Hearing about how my dad struggled to get citizenship made me remember how much this affected Muslims and even my family. It was also interesting to see how my mom said that she didn’t there was any “anger” just devastation. I wonder if everyone felt that way or if some were actually devasted and angry. It’s also hard to believe that my mom had seen the twin towers multiple times and even taken pictures. Overall this interview made me realize that this attack affected my family more then I knew.
41. Alexander Chebl September 18, 2023 at 10:03 pm

    What is your name, how old were you on 9/11/2001.

    My name is Rita Coram. I was 27 when the attacks on 9/11 occured.

    What is your first memory of when you first heard about the attacks? What kind of conclusions did you come to about the planes crashing into the buildings (did you at first think it was an accident or was it something worse)? Why?

    Yeah so at first, I thought it was a horrible accident while watching the replay of the first plane hitting the tower but when I saw the second plane hit the tower live, there was no doubt in my mind that it was an attack on the United States.

    Where were you when the attacks happened? What were other peoples’ reactions to the attacks?

    At the time I was in the hospital and I had just finished a surgery. I walked into the lounge room, got a bagel, and sat down by the tv when I saw what happened. Honestly, I thought it was going to be World War 3.

    Did you know anyone in the cities? If so, did you try to contact them to see if they were o.k.? What was the conversation like?

    I had Multiple cousins in the New York area and I called them to make sure they were ok. My heart dropped when none of them answered and I was worried the entire time. Luckily they were alive and were very far from the destruction and death.

    What are your opinions about the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq? Explain

    When I was younger I was in the middle of the Lebanese civil war which tore apart my country. I was surrounded by falling bombs and gunfire and many of my friends and family members died because of it. I’ve realized over the years that war never ends. It’s like cancer. You go through chemotherapy which kills 99% of the cancer but that 1% always finds a way to come back and terrorize your body. So in retrospect, all I care about is that war ends before it ends humanity.

    Now that it’s been over 20 years since the attack, how do you think America has changed since that day? Why? Has America stayed the same since then? In what ways?

    I think America has become a more resilient and strong country since those attacks, especially in airports. I remember that when I went to the airport before the attacks, there was no bag checking or pat-downs. You could walk in with anything. Now with all the tight security there has rarely been an incident where someone was able to carry a gun on a plane or a bomb. I really think America is much better as a country and the sacrifices that were made were not in vain.

    Alright, thank you for providing your insight, it was very interesting to learn from a person at the time of these horrific events.

    My reaction: Learning from a person that experienced the tragedy and scares of 9/11 was really eye opening to me. I’ve never heard the actual details and what it was like for someone watching it live. I mean, it was a normal day for my mom and it’s just the surprise of the events that really got me. I mean it’s not everyday where you see such a horrible and graphic scene playout right In Front of your very eyes. It almost gave me goosebumps when I heard it. Just thinking about what was going on through peoples heads scares me. Just think about the people who were in the towers when the collisions happened. I would be scared to death.
42. Rhian September 18, 2023 at 10:21 pm

    1. What is your name? How old were you on 9/11? My name is Bobby Dansby and I was 31 years old.

    2. What is your first memory of when you first heard about the attacks? I was at my office and I was sitting at my desk with my computer when it showed a plane crash into a building. I watched the video of the plane crashing a few more times then I just turned my computer off.

    3. What kind of conclusions did you come to about the planes crashing into the buildings (did you at first think it was an accident or was it something worse)? I thought that it was fake at first because a plane that crashes into a building that large usually wouldn’t have that large of an effect in my opinion. I also thought that it was maybe fake terrorists that were in a deal with Bush or something.

    4. What were other peoples’ reactions to the attacks? I know that a lot of people were really shocked after seeing the attacks. We saw a lot of ppl pass away and jump out of buildings just because they knew that it was either that or get burned by the fires. It was hard to watch. Watching all the smoke take over the city and seeing the fireman carry the hoses up and down many stairs was shocking for me because I know that they also took a lot of effort plus they were trying to save as many people as possible and get them out of the buildings.

    5. Have you ever been to New York City or Washington D.C.? Yes, I have been to both.

    6. How did that affect your reactions to the attacks? It didn’t really affect me because I didn’t live in New York or Washington where it happened and I felt that the whole thing seemed unnatural in the first place.

    7. How did the attacks alter/change your views of the cities and their inhabitants? Know the way life can change quickly, so don’t take things for granted.

    8. What do you remember of the media coverage of the attacks? They overplayed it to where they made u terrified even more about the situation.

    9. What did you think of President Bush’s address later that night? Something did not seem authentic and I didn’t agree with the way he approached the whole thing. ( Made me not like Bush even more afterward)

    10. How did life change for you in the immediate aftermath of the attacks? I did not have the desire to fly in a plane afterward. ( what if I was in one of those planes?)

    11. Now that it’s been over 20 years since the attack, how do you think America has changed since that day? Life basically just got back to how it was before and as the years went by more and more people just forget about the whole thing. However, I still feel that people that were older like me or near my age have more of a connection to the whole event.

    My reaction: I was honestly not too shocked about my dad’s point of view. I know that my dad just loves history and likes to dig into things and he always has the theory that people would probably find different so what he was saying did not surprise me too much. I don’t really know much about President Bush, but I did not expect my dad to really disagree with him the way he did so he must’ve not been such a great guy in many people’s opinions. I also expected him to say more about how the event affected his life, but I guess it really did not mainly because he did not live in the states of the event.
43. Kabir September 18, 2023 at 10:34 pm

    What is your name? How old were you on 9/11?- Hi, my name is Sippy Kapur, I was 27 years old on September 11th.

    What is your first memory of when you first heard about the attacks? What kind of conclusions did you come to about the planes crashing into the buildings (did you at first think it was an accident or was it something worse)? Why? – My first memory of hearing about the attacks is when I was in India. I was sitting while watching the news at around six P.M. I remember being shocked at seeing the first plane crashing. At first, I assumed it was just an accident by the pilot. However, after the second plane crashed, I remember knowing deep down that this was a planned attack on the United States.

    Where were you when the attacks happened? What were other peoples’ reactions to the attacks?- I was in my home in India with my mother in-law, father in-law, husband and one year old son. I remember my father in-law and husband obviously felt horrible for all the people in New York at the time. My mother in-law and I started to cry a little bit looking at the news at all the people whose lives had been destroyed.

    Now that it’s been over 20 years since the attack, how do you think America has changed since that day? Why? Has America stayed the same since then? In what ways?- I believe that America has changed significantly since the attack in the ways that they check people for security. Nowadays, the security checks at the airport are tedious, however, they are important to prevent anything like what happened 20 years ago happen again. I think America as a whole became more united that day and has stayed in unity for many years since.

    11. What did you think of President Bush’s address later that night? (Show them the transcript here or video below.)- I think President Bush’s address that night was very good as it helped in uniting the nation. It reassured the nation that everything will be fine and they will win the war against terrorism, which I feel is very important especially on a day where the country was so vulnerable.

    12. How did life change for you and your family in the weeks and months immediately after 9/11?- Life didn’t change much for my family and I in the weeks and months after 9/11 since we still lived in India at the time. We were aware of the situation going on in America and were distraught by the news, however, it didn’t affect India too much.

    Personal Reaction: Personally, the words from my mother have opened my eyes to how bad 9/11 really was and how much it shaped the nation. For example, security checks at airports as well as many other things wouldn’t have been happening if not for 9/11. I also saw how it affected people globally as my parents (who were sitting across the world) saw the news live and were distraught by it. I could tell my mother didn’t like talking about it because she was getting emotional talking about that day. I can’t imagine how someone who lived in New York at the time must have been feeling.
44. Charlisa September 18, 2023 at 10:35 pm

    What is your name? How old were you on 9/11? — My name is Chonrada Penzak. I was 29 years old during 9/11.

    What is your first memory of when you first heard about the attacks? What kind of conclusions did you come to about the planes crashing into the buildings (did you at first think it was an accident or was it something worse)? Why? — I was in Thailand, which has a 11/12 hour time difference (depending on daylight savings). It was about 8:45 pm in Thailand. At that time, people who stay home and have access to a TV will usually be watching it. There are only about 4-5 options for channels, and it was closer to the end of the news time, so there was peak viewership. I remember my parents called me into the living room. At that time, people had no idea what was happening – it was very unusual for TV channels to switch from their regular programs. It was right after the first plane hit the world trade center and everyone who was watching was shocked. We all thought it was an accident, and we didn’t know the size of the airplane. What was really shocking to everyone who watched was seeing the people jump out of the building. I even remember my sister said that they looked almost like leaves falling from trees. It was tragic.

    When you saw the second plane, did you realize that it was something intentional? — When we saw the second plane, we knew that it was something intentional. It was quite interesting that people with TV access saw it around the world live.

    So would you say that this wasn’t only major news in America but also interrupting broadcasts around the world? — Yes, definitely

    After you saw the second plane hit, did you think it would be like a war? Where were your thoughts? — We weren’t sure at the time. I just remember thinking that it was intentional. I don’t think many people had a clear understanding of what terrorists were at the time, so most people were confused.

    What were other peoples’ reactions like in the days after the attacks? — It was big news in Thailand – as I mentioned, it happened during peak viewership. Many people felt bad about what had happened and saw the live footage. There were also some that felt almost like America got what it deserved from being the self-appointed world police. These people felt bad about the deaths, but thought that America’s aggressive interactions caused this to happen.

    How did life change for you in the immediate aftermath of the attacks? — My life didn’t change much in Thailand. It was huge news, but people in Thailand didn’t really understand the significance. I only knew a bit more because I was dating your father at the time, who was in the US.

    What are your opinions about the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq? Explain. — I think it’s understandable that the US feels the need to retaliate and bring the people responsible for justice. The wars are definitely tragic, but I can see how the US is justified in finding al-Qaeda, as a matter of national security and deterrence.

    Now that it’s been over 20 years since the attack, how do you think America has changed since that day? Why? Has America stayed the same since then? In what ways? — There’s some changes at least in traveling – airport security is much more rigorous now compared to pre-9/11. It also brought the idea of terrorism to the world stage, in the western world. In Thailand, there were also insurrections. The vast majority of Thai people are Buddhist, but in Southern Thailand, there are some Muslim populations, some of which would be considered radical and wanted the same things as those terrorists.

    So when did this happen in relation to 9/11 – were they encouraged by 9/11? — No, there have always been an Islamic population in Southern Thailand that rebelled, but the movement was definitely stronger after 9/11

    Thank you so much for sharing. I appreciate it.

    Personal Statement

    I think this interview was incredibly educational for me. I almost certainly would’ve never otherwise thought about asking my mom about how she experienced 9/11. I was interested to hear from a non-American perspective about how 9/11 interrupted broadcasts worldwide and how it affected people in other countries. I can’t imagine what it must have been like to see the planes strike the world trade center in real time; it must have been a tragic sight. In particular, I’m surprised to learn that 9/11 even had reverberating effects on Thai politics by empowering Muslim insurrectionists, and it makes me wonder about how international politics changed as a result, including the War on Terror and the NATO response.
45. Chloe Nemeth September 18, 2023 at 10:41 pm

    1. What is your name? How old were you on 9/11?
    Jeffery Nemeth, I was 24.
    3. Where were you when the attacks happened? What were other peoples’ reactions to the attacks?
    I was at work in downtown Detroit, I worked at the Detroit Free Press, where the newspaper gets printed and made. I was at work and the radio was on and they were talking about a plane hitting the World Trade Center but no one had cellphones so everyone was assuming it was a little private plane, just an accident. No one knew it was a big thing until I walked through the newsroom, everyone was watching the news on TV and you could see one tower was on fire. Everyone was in shock at that point, there had been no terrorist attacks in America before 9/11 and everyone was stunned when they found out.

    8. Could you describe your most vivid memory of that day, 9/11?

    One of the women I worked with was standing next to me as we were watching the buildings get hit, and she said, “How are they gonna get the people above the fire out of the building.” I hadn’t thought about those people before that moment but that was when I realized that all those people above the fire were gonna die and there was no way to get them out, no helicopter to fly through that smoke. I said to her, “They’re not gonna get them out” I definitely didn’t think the buildings were gonna collapse like that, everyone was shocked by that.

    9. How did life change for you in the immediate aftermath of the attacks?
    I worked downtown and they evacuated the whole of downtown Detroit because they didn’t know if there were coordinated attacks and Detroit would be a huge target for another attack because of the auto industry. Downtown was evacuated except for the free press, where I worked. The writers put out instant newspapers and I had to work on the ads that were space holders for the newspapers, nothing was prepared so I had to scramble to work on the newspaper. We sent out people on the streets with bags of newspapers to sell them and I had to drive to the ad agency and give audio to them to have the radio spots produced that night. I drove all over the place and hand-delivered them. My co-workers were out by noon and I was out around 7 or 8 because there was so much I had to do.

    10. What do you remember of the media coverage of the attacks?
    9/11 was the only story going on in the world, everything was stopped or canceled. I was supposed to go to a Tigers game that night and accept an award for my job but the game was canceled after the attacks. I remember there were no more sports until the following Monday I think. There were no other stories on the news or anything going around except the attacks. All air travel was canceled and I didn’t hear a plane in the sky for days. The news was taping Ground Zero and the ruble of the towers and whenever they thought they heard a voice they would go silent and look, that was all that was on TV.

    11. What did you think of President Bush’s address later that night?
    I remember the video of him being at an elementary school when they told him about the attacks, and he was at ground Zero the next day. I can’t remember watching his video that day but I do remember him speaking around noon the day after. Everyone was scared and worried about another attack, it had all become real.

    14. Now that it’s been over 20 years since the attack, how do you think America has changed since that day? Why? Has America stayed the same since then? In what ways?
    America changed that day and never has come close to being the same. Everything is different now: safety, air travel, and the Department of Homeland Security was created. America has changed so much since that day. America has not stayed the same sense, America lost an innocence that day that it will never get back again. 3,000 Americans being killed on our soil from a terrorist attack was something that only happened in movies. And now that it had become real, America would never be the same.

    Self-Reflection: listening to my dad talk about his experience with 9/11 really opened my eyes and helped me understand what the whole country was going through. no one was feeling safe and everyone was terrified. no matter who or where you were everyone wanted to help the best they could. I didn’t live through 9/11 but listening to my dad’s story helped me understand how shocking and crazy the attacks were for everyone.
46. Charles Walsworth September 18, 2023 at 10:59 pm

    ME: What is your name? How old were you on 9/11? DESPINA: My name is Despina and in 2001 I was 29 years old.ME: What is your first memory of when you first heard about the attacks? DESPINA: My first memory when I heard about the attacks was disbelief, fright, and uncertainty. ME: Why?. DESPINA: Because I wasn’t sure if it was one event or multiple and if it was at my location I didn’t know what to do, and what was safe. Wasn’t sure if someone was attacking us or if it was a terrorist attack. It was sad and frightening that was happening in a country where we were considering ourselves safe.ME: Where were you when the attacks happened?DESPINA: I was in my apartment getting ready to go to the pediatric clerkship rotation. ME: What were other peoples’ reactions to the attacks? DESPINA: People were frightened because they didn’t know what happened and if it was safe to work or not.ME: Have you ever been to New York City or Washington D.C.? If so, how did that affect your reactions to the attacks? If not, how did the attacks alter/change your views of the cities and their inhabitants? DESPINA: Been in both cities before and after 9/11. With D.C. I didn’t get as much of a reaction but with New York, it was more impactful because I remember driving to New York by car to Michigan and seeing the Twin Towers first. It was difficult. ME: Why was it difficult? DESPINA: They weren’t just buildings, they were a symbol to me kind of like the Statue of Liberty in a sense, and when I started seeing the towers I knew I was getting close. After seeing the rubble that was left it felt sad and strange. ME: Did you know anyone in the cities? If so, did you try to contact them to see if they were okay? What was the conversation like? DESPINA: Yes, it is close to the city in New Jersey. Honestly, I don’t remember how shocked we were. Don’t think I contacted them because my mind was in a state of shock. ME: What’s your most vivid memory of 9/11? DESPINA: People throwing themselves from the windows of the twin towers, and the buildings collapsing was unbelievable. ME: How did your life change after the attacks? DESPINA: Tsa checks, and shoes off at the airplanes, much more difficult traveling. Did the culture change? DESPINA: Definitely in airports. ME: What changed in airports? DESPINA: You could see the pilots always and they put the doors. You used to be able to go straight to your gate. ME: What do you remember about media coverage? DESPINA: The media coverage was non-stop and I found out that the Twin Towers collapsed. ME: How did you find out?DESPINA: My mom from Romania called me to tell me that there was an attack on the U.S. My mom was scared for my safety. ME: What do you think of the president’s address? DESPINA: Though it was an appropriate, powerful speech that gave the people a sense of security, in the chaos that was going on at the time. 13. I think, I think, day-to-day activities continued the same pretty much. I think the only change was the extra travel checks, which everybody was on board with.ME: Now that it’s been over 20 years since the attack, how do you think America has changed since that day? Why? Has America stayed the same since then? In what ways? DESPINA: Since the attack, I think a lot has changed. I think patriotism has declined because people felt that 9/11 was an emblem of what the U.S. was and meant for people and everybody was patriotic and looking to help and unite. Today’s chronic lack of patriotism and people not appreciating this country. A lot more division. Focusing on what is wrong and not going well in the U.S and not what is going well in the United States. They don’t focus on what the United States is a land of opportunity, a beacon of hope, and a melting pot of nationalities, and lack of perception and perspective on a short trip outside the U.S. will make people have a lot more gratitude for this country.
    My personal insight: My personal insight to the interview was how frightening and scary it must have been for the people around New York in America at the time. I never really thought about how people were unsure if there were gonna be more attacks and who was attacking them. I never considered the economic repercussions that 9/11 could have and the unity and patriotism brought along with it. The detail my mom mentioned about seeing people jumping off the World Trade Center must’ve been horrifying along with the towers crumbling to the ground. I never realized that the World Trade Center could be a symbol of New York to some and how brave the firefighters were on that day.
47. Dylan Brand September 18, 2023 at 11:09 pm

    Interviewer: Dylan Brand
    Interviewee: Neal Brand (Dad)

    1.What is your name? How old were you on 9/11?

    “My name is Neal Joshua brand. 26”

    2.What is your first memory of when you first heard about the attacks? What kind of conclusions did you come to about the planes crashing into the buildings (did you at first think it was an accident or was it something worse)?

    “I thought it was a mistake by air traffic control out of JFK and someone caused a small plane to hit the building and it wasn’t a big deal. it didn’t occur to me that when a plane hit the tower that it was an attack against our nation. In fact, I was making jokes with my friends about how someone was going to lose their job because they confused the building with a runway.”

    3.Where were you when the attacks happened? What were other peoples’ reactions to the attacks?

    “I was in my bedroom getting dressed for work in Northville michigan. I had a court hearing that morning in Detroit and my TV was on but the sound was off and I was watching a live video of one of the buildings on fire. People were furious, and unfortunately, wanted to generally hold people from arab descent or countries responsible for things they had nothing to do with. I learned that I had many ‘friends’ that had terrible and unfair opinions regarding our middle eastern brothers and sisters. Almost immediately, I knew people that refused to frequent Arabic establishments, for example restaurants and convenience stores. There were even racist views towards people that were presumed to be from the middle east but were from countries far from the middle east.”

    4.Did you know anyone in the cities? If so, did you try to contact them to see if they were o.k.? What was the conversation like?

    “Paul Kenneth Sloan. He was a friend of one of my friends. He went to Brown University. He worked for Keefe Bruyette and Woods. He died on the 89th floor of the first tower.”

    6.What do you remember of the media coverage of the attacks?

    “Most of the media coverage was based on rumors and not verified by independent sources therefore the media was reporting several stories that weren’t true or not substantiated. The media caused people in every city in our country to believe there was a possibility of an attack that was imminent in their hometown. As the day progressed and more info became available. The media repeatedly showed the planes hitting the world trade center and focused on the massive amount of human loss.”

    7.What did you think of President Bush’s address later that night?

    “I thought it was heroic and represented the fact that our nation would not be defeated by extremists and terriers that abhor our way of life. The fact that the president appeared in the wreckage of the 2 greatest buildings in our country and spoke to all the first responders gave people hope and optimism only a few hours after death and destruction shook our nation to its core.”

    8. Could you describe your most vivid memory of that day, 9/11?

    “My most vivid memory of that is watching live on television as the first tower collapsed onto the ground and filled the lower Manhattan area with dust and ash. I remembered it looked like a scene from a movie where the entire earth had been destroyed. I remember thinking how many people must have been instantly killed as well as the brave first responders who ran into the buildings, and I remember the sense of anxiety and nausea knowing it was only a matter of minutes until the second building would also collapse.”

    9.Have you ever been to New York City or Washington D.C.? If so, how did that affect your reactions to the attacks? If not, how did the attacks alter / change your views of the cities and their inhabitants?

    “In 2012 I visited New York to watch the Tigers play the Yankees in the playoffs. I went jogging early Saturday morning and I stopped at the fire station closest to where the world trade centers stood. I spoke to a fireman who was present during that day and he showed me the pictures of many firemen during that day that were killed in the attacks. We chatted for 15 minutes about their families and I remember that even 11 years later he was extremely angry that the attacks occurred and wanted our government to take much more decisive action against terrorist nations.”

    My reaction:

    Listening to my dads experience about the 9/11 attacks allowed me to feel the effects of it on a whole new level. We had talked about it before, about how everyone was scared and wanted to take action on all people of arabic descent, but this interview was on a deeper level than any story I had ever heard. The part that I felt the most was when I asked him, “Did you know anyone related to the 9/11 Attacks in any way?” Before conducting this interview I had never known that he knew someone who died that day. Generally my dad is pretty energetic and rarely sad or depressed but I could tell that having to tell me about his friend brought him back to the day it happened and affected him as if it was the first time he heard about it. Overall, this was a very emotional experience, a little for me but especially for my dad. Through the interview I was able to learn much more about my dad and also much more about the 9/11 attacks.
48. Hangyul Kim September 18, 2023 at 11:40 pm

    (This interview was recorded and then partially translated by me from Korean to English)

    1. What is your name? How old were you on 9/11?
    “Daeki Kim, I was 26 at the time.”

    2. What is your first memory of when you first heard about the attacks? What kind of conclusions did you come to about the planes crashing into the buildings (did you at first think it was an accident or was it something worse)? Why?
    “I couldn’t believe it. I couldn’t believe it. I thought it was surely a terrorist attack and I couldn’t believe it was such a big attack. When I first saw it, I was sure it was a terrorist attack, it couldn’t have been an accident. I heard of the three buildings that were attacked and knew that it wasn’t an accident.”
    3. Where were you when the attacks happened? What were other peoples’ reactions to the attacks?
    “I was eating at a restaurant and I was watching the news with my friend. I was a graduate student and while we were watching the news, we saw what had happened. We couldn’t talk for a while. We were in shock. We were just watching for a few minutes and couldn’t speak. Other people in the restaurant had their hands over their heads as they watched. I didn’t talk about it with other family members during and after it and didn’t receive any calls or anything that day. I was in Korea at the time the event happened. It was a huge tragedy and I felt such shock and sadness while watching.”
    4. Could you describe your most vivid memory of that day, 9/11?
    “George Bush’s… no, I most vividly remember watching the plane fly into the building through the news and the plane exploding in the towers.”
    5. What do you remember of the media coverage of the attacks?
    “I don’t exactly remember everything, but I do know that they expressed the Twin Towers as the heart of America. The Pentagon and the World Trade Center, the heart of America, were attacked by terrorists. That’s what the media said. They showed the videos of the towers being hit. I was so surprised and sad but also knew that America wouldn’t stand idle. I surely knew that they would do something about the terrorists, I was sure they would be killed. Not that I wanted anyone to die, but I knew the Americans would do something about it.”

    My personal reaction:
    I had heard many stories from Americans about the events of 9/11 and I’ve even visited the museum and memorial in New York. But I’ve never really considered what it was like to watch the events from an outsider’s perspective. I interviewed my dad, and he was in South Korea during the 9/11 attacks. I expected that people from other countries would at least have some reaction to the attacks, and he gave me further insight into how the Korean citizens reacted. From the interview, it seems that the Americans weren’t the only ones shocked by the attacks and the Korean news was covering the attacks soon after they happened. It’s good to know the facts, but it’s even better to get perspectives from all different angles.
49. Logan Albritton September 19, 2023 at 7:36 am

    1. What is your name? How old were you on 9/11?
    My name is Amanda Albritton and I was 21 on 9/11.

    2. What is your first memory of when you first heard about the attacks? What kind of conclusions did you come to about the planes crashing into the buildings? Why?
    I was in college in my dorm room, getting ready for class when the first plane hit. That was when it became apparent that something was happening. We still had to go to class, there wasn’t really a way to communicate other than emails but we usually we had to go to class and there was a sign posted on the door. We went to class but they told us to go back to our dorms.

    5. Did you know anyone in the cities? If so, did you try to contact them to see if they were o.k.?
    My best friend from highschool was in college at D.C. I knew she wasn’t in the Pentagon, she had to reason to be, she was at school at George Washington University. It was locked down like most colleges. I called to make sure she was okay but it took a while because all the phone lines were screwed up.

    8. Could you describe your most vivid memory of that day?
    We all stayed in and watched the TV. I was living in my sorority. We all crowded and watched the second plane hit the building. Living as far as we did in Illinois we didn’t really experience it first hand, we just watched a screen.

    10. What do you remember of the media coverage of the attacks?
    That it was constant and on every single channel. I mean, nothing had ever happened right? Nobody knew what to do. 9/11 made the world the way you live in it right? Metal detectors and security at baseball games. Anything big was a target like sports games, no one knew if there was going to be more or what was going to come next.

    My reaction: I thought that it was interesting to hear about. I didn’t know what colleges did during 9/11. I thought that they shut down and didn’t let people leave campus to keep them safe and accounted for in case something else happened, because in the elementary school and highschools, people didn’t leave and they just waited for their parents to come and pick them up when they could. I didn’t know that my mom knew someone in D.C. That must have been scary, to know someone that is that close to the planes and to not know if they’re okay or what is even happening.
50. Aaron H September 19, 2023 at 8:20 am

    Me – What is your name and how old were you on 9/11?
    Katherine – My name is Katherine T Shmanski, and I…on September 11th I would have been 61.
    Me – Okay…how and where were you when you heard about the attack, and how far in the process was it?
    Katherine – Um…I heard about the attack right after the first plane went in, and…um…followed it on television…and I lived very close to New York city. To the point where I lived in a condominium on the ocean and I could see lower Manhattan on my, on my deck as a matter of fact. The sun would set and the um twin towers would reflect the sun right into my face so I couldn’t use my deck at night. And we were, I worked at the closest full service army base to New York City.
    Me – Oh okay…um…What kind of conclusions did you come to about the attack, did you think it was an accident, planned, what?
    Katherine – No, I never thought it was an accident, as soon as the plane went into the first building I knew we were under attack somebody was gonna be do- something, somebodys doing something. And the reason I knew that is that in 1993 there was an attack on the world trade center where terrorists had blown up a rental truck in the basement. And…it didn’t, it caused hardly any damage, minimal damage…um…mainly to the terrorists but…uh…I knew that they wouldn’t give up. You know, that’s a whole different cultural mindset. Them waiting till 2011 never surprised me in the bit.
    Me – Okay, did you try to get in contact with anyone you knew, if you did what happened?
    Katherine – Well I was um where I was working it was called Fort Monmouth New Jersey, uhh our communications went through the second tower up in New York cause we were- my condo and the base were only about 10-15 nautical miles from lower manhattan and you could see everything going on. So uhm my husband worked up in Connecticut and he and I were able to connect for about…10 minutes. My, one of my sisters wanted me to drive to Philadelphia so she could take me back to Michigan and I said no I was fine where I was. And uhm…the biggest thing for me the communication was mainly my office because a lot of my employees had family who worked in the- who worked downtown New York and most; not most, but some were in the twin towers. And so there, there was a lot of…um stress management going on, uh I had to make…not difficult decisions but I told everybody in my office if you want to go home, go now they’re gonna shut this place down. And they did…you know…we had to uh close all the gates which was a little bit difficult because we were an open post. We didn’t have that many military so; we did a lot of communication, and no, anybody I really needed to talk to I was able to get to. But um…workwise we had local service only. We didn’t have anything and nobody was answering at the pentagon, so if we needed to make a decision we made it cause we couldn’t run it by a higher headquarters so.
    Me – Were you ever worried about an attack coming to some area near you or were you just-
    Katherine – Oh yes, we were. There were all sorts of rumors at the time that the uh terrorists had…uh…co-conspirators, for lack of a better word, and I am a lawyer so. Uhm, that they were coming…off the island with the emergency ferries that had gone in to get everybody off the island and that they were being taken to various spots in New Jersey, Connecticut…um…and other- the other bureaus. So there was a really heightened awareness of it, uh and it was really eerie because when they shut down the airspace…scared the heck out of me I had just gotten home it’s like 10:30 at night. Had to show my id four or five times to be able to go to my condo and I…had just walked in and for some reason the phones there were working so I was talking to my older sister who had spread the word and all of a sudden I hear a jet coming up…to uh from the south to the north and they were headed for the Verrazzano Bridge which as you could also see, and I freaked. I’m like what is that there’s supposed to be no jets, no jets! And so uh they put out a uh; they hadn’t warned anybody but, they put out a local notice that the jets that you are hearing are bringing federal personnel into New York to help. Do not panic. Which I thought was pretty good because I was standing there going where’s he going, you know. So uh, yeah I- everybody thought there was going to be one. Yeah we were, we were almost surprised that there wasn’t another one. Yeah uh…I mean, four planes were enough but.
    Me – Well you kind of already stated this, but what were other people’s reactions like in the days after the attack?
    Katherine – It, it really varied a lot. Uhm I was a senior lawyer on post for a lot of different agencies and it ran everything from the military just wanting to lock everything down; which we couldn’t do because we still had a federal mission and part of it was to get supplies into ground zero…uhm…but the, the people were in shock and for the most part we did not open up for three days. *incoherent* [I]t was a Tuesday and I think we were given authority if we needed to, to give administrative leave to everybody except the senior people so my, me and my deputy had to come in and if we need people we could call them in but they, they would, they were actually staying home because they didn’t, they want, wanted as little traffic as they could and there was a heavy death toll…in the town right near me they lost like, I wanna say 600 people and they were dealing with finding child care because a lot of orphans were created that day and uhm so the authorities wanted no traffic and actually they even shut down boats. It’s not just; you know, communication cause living on the ocean, there’s marinas all over the place, and so uh the coast guards was patrolling both sides of New York both the east side and west side of Manhattan. Plus they were coming down where it would be easier for terrorists to get into New York without having to land in New York so uhm…there’s a lot of confusion a lot of uh, everybody knew somebody who was in New York that day. Sorry. And I knew uh I knew about six people who died. What is it? 21 years, it still gets to me, so but yeah it was just a lot of confusion.
    Me – How did life change for you in the immediate aftermath of the attacks?
    Katherine – Uh…I was so busy it’s hard to tell uhm. Everything, everything was at a high pitch for a very long time. Because where I lived, you could see the towers burning for three months and actually some of the smoke got down to where I lived and middle of the night uh- middle of the morning on September 12 I had to close my, the doors. Uh in my condo because the smoke was coming inside. So uhm…everything was very heightened, you know people getting used to new ways of working about heightened security we were at the highest uh defense level; it’s called defcon, and we were at uh the highest level so lots of…security going in uhm…everybody who was Middle Eastern looking for a while got uh, people were worried about, so there was a lot of well I saw, a lot of false rumors. I saw this guy he looked like he was carrying a gun’, no he wasn’t he was carrying a fishing pole. You know, so uhm. It was managing what needed to be done with the fear and with the bias that had been growing about uh Middle Eastern uh looking men or women to some extent but mainly the men and uh…we had a couple of people…I don’t think, I think under, under wanting to be sure that everybody was protected who tried to ban uh some employees who had uh arabic names from coming into work and it was my job to tell them you show me why your doing this and I’ll let you know what legally you can do. Well it wasn’t put up a sign coming in…whatever the gentleman’s name was cannot come into this building until further notice Coronal so and so. I made him take the sign down and told him don’t do it again, he was not a happy camper. Nicest thing I can say, I told if he didnt like my opinion go talk to the General, I already cleared it with him so that was the end of that. So it was just…you had to be real careful…in dealing with your employees because, because there was so much, so many people lost everybody knew somebody. And for in-, and I went by a funeral on my way to work in the morning and on my way home at night. There was one catholic church and in…three months they had done something like 180 funerals. And it’s depressing; you know, and people could start in a good mood then they’d go by the catholic church and that would, they’d come in. You just had to give people a little bit more time to compose themselves, and tempers were high, and uh we when, we saw it, we saw it happening as it happened because we had the television on and, and we were having our monthly birthday celebration. And it was the weather; actually, they were showing the towers and how nice it was that day; it was a beautiful sunny day, and all of a sudden here comes this plane. People couldn’t believe it. I mean they literally couldn’t believe it and uhm. So I was asked to go down to the Generals office and I was sitting there when I saw the second plane go in. And I said I have to go back to my office, I have people I need to help. So I got back there and I told my deputy and my leadership, my division leaders that a second plane went into the second tower. They thought I was making it up that oh that has to be a rumor, and I said no it’s not were under attack, get everybody together. And some people just said I know what you’re gonna say, I’m really happy you’re saying it I want to leave right now, I said go. I said if I have anything really important to tell you we’ll get it to you. And uh I had a lot of people who just wanted out, which was good because they shut us down about an hour after the attack, people can get off. Nobody was allowed to leave until they got security in place, tightened security in place. Well that didn’t sit well with some people, so you just had to be very careful for a long time as to how you handled people’s uhm feelings about it, so.
    Me – Um, what do you remember of the media coverage of the attacks?
    Katherine – Oh it never ended. It never ended. In New York, it was…I think a month before the major stations did anything except the attack. It was probably less than that but that’s what it seemed like to me. And uhm…some of it was, was really good and professional and some was just *incoherent* I mean they were just looking to cause drama and those were the people nobody listened to. Uh and it was actually; for me, cause I *incoherent* I took to British broadcasting, that’s where I got my news from or NPR because the commercial broadcasts were just awful after a while because there, they didn’t have much of a story and the really important information was not being, like out. Um where I worked we had declassified some search and rescue equipment that we had the police from the various states from Maryl- from Northern Virginia to New Jersey give them, uh basically convoy all those states so that by 7:30, the night of the attack we had the same cameras on the way to…um ground zero that we had used at the caves in Afghanistan but we had to declassify that night, and of course as a senior lawyer they said is this legal? And I said well, I don’t have any ability to research it right now but I do know it’s not gonna send us to jail if I give you the okay to do it so let’s do it. And I told my bosses my new legal advice is unless it’s sending us to jail and you think it’s necessary you’re gonna get clearance, so it was that, that the media didn’t pick up on. They picked up on things that…after a couple of weeks were…nonsensical and almost ridiculous to spend the time trying to create a story out of it…um. And basically the Pentagon shut down most of the information we could tell anybody anyway, even though we declassified those uh articulated cameras, we couldn’t tell anybody. Why? Because if it’s on the news, it might affect what they did with the um search and recovery or who; if there was an additional threat, would they attempt to disrupt the search and recovery. So, um…just…sto-…you know it, I just remember thinking this can’t be good for us. As a, as a community and an area that there is so much focus on this still, people need relief. That’s why when Bon Jovi and that crew, and Spingstine put together that huge concert it was time to do it. People needed to stop…the- people needed to have something else to do rather than deal with [video cuts off].
    [Off camera, due to phone cameras being a horrible nuisance.] Me – Was there a lot of fear-mongering in the media as well?
    [Back on camera] Katherine – Yeah there was a lot of fear-mongering, um…and it was unnecessary uh there were stories, oh their- the terrorists are bringing bombs up through uh underwater; you know, in submarines. And I was thinking to myself, even a submarine won’t go up the Hudson River it’s so polluted, come on, you know! Um but it was, it was interesting to see how people adapted. Depended- you know- people after a while I’m the only one who said no we’re not watching television anymore I can’t deal with it. Um, the people adapted really well to different ways of having to work. I mean even government employees didn’t complain about the additional security when going into work, and uh we told the supervisors anybody who comes in…15 minute, no-…if their 5 minutes late no question, if they’re 15 minutes and attribute it to the, to a backup at the gate it’s administrative, and if it’s more than that we’ll let you know. So, because people were worried because of the additional security they’re going to have to take leave this, that, and the other thing. I’m not patting myself on the back, but I’d been a supervisor long enough that I knew that some of this stuff just wasn’t gonna fly. I mean I’d already been a supervisor at some major offices, and I just kept trying to tell my clients don’t be…I might’ve said the work prick but…don’t be pricks about this, you know, these are your people. You need them to be able to work for you without worrying about their families all the time, and what their leave is gonna do so, yeah. They finally recognized that yeah, if you gave them a litt- people would come in; you know, ready to fight you about their leave and this- no that’s administrative leave don’t worry about it, it’s as if you were working. Yeah, we count from when you get to the gate to try and get in, oh, oh, okay! It was really surprising to people that their bosses were being so nice, and I finally told one: yeah he got told to be nice, ohhh okay yeah we wondered who got to him! Trust me, everybody did, you know.
    Me – What did you think of President Bush’s address later that night, and if you want to I can show you the transcript or the video, but…
    Katherine – Uh, to, his speech to the nation?
    Me – Yeah!
    Katherine – I thought he handled it perfectly, and I am not a, a big, I was not up until that time a big uh Bush fan uh nor was I a Rumsfeld fan because on September 10th he got up and decided he was gonna cut all the civilian lawyers in the department of defense by 6 thousand so I could see my workload going up and my workforce going down. But no I think President Bush handled it exactly as he should’ve, and everything I’ve seen about what actually happened; you know, when they were documenting all of this that didn’t come out for a while I thought he did [video cut off :(]

    While this was not the first time I heard this story, I am still amazed by it everytime. My aunt speaks from a more governmental point of view, a POV that allowed me to perceive what happened from an entirely different perspective. I have another almost 30 minutes of recording that I didn’t add to this, but it was very interesting hearing her talk about the things that I did not share. Although fascinating, 9/11 was still a tragedy, something that she makes known throughout the entirety of our conversation. I find learning about the measures taken at her base fascinating, as well as the thoughts that spread throughout the government. I couldn’t begin to imagine how much strength it took for any military personnel to live through 9/11, especially while working nonstop as she did. She is an amazing person, and partially because of her strength, I love hearing about all of her stories. I am extremely grateful that she was willing to do this interview with me, so that I could share a bit of her perspective with whoever reads this.