Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource "September 11: Bearing Witness to History" Stories Submitted Online Description An account of the resource Visitors to the Smithsonian National Museum of American History's, "Bearing Witness to History" online exhibition submitted these reflections beginning in 2002. NMAH Story NMAH Story: Story How did you witness history on September 11th? Share your experience. I learned of the 1st plane as I sat in my hot tub listening to NPR news on headphones, but then I took them off and got dressed and drove to the BART station. I read my book on the train, and as I came out of the station onto Market Street, I overheard a couple of people say something about a 2nd Plane. And there were lots of people on the street outside the Mills Building (Stock Exchange and Options Traders) almost all in animated conversation and/or on cell phones. A couple of minutes later my wife called my cell and asked where I was - I told her I was in the City on my way to the Main Office. She told me of the attack on the 2 towers, said she had seen the 2nd plane hit. She told me to stay away from the BofA Building! I was standing at the street light waiting to cross the intersection next to the tallest building in San Francisco, the 52-story Bank of America Building. She said to get away, as there were still several planes that had not landed as a result of the FAA immediate grounding order, and one of them was a San Francisco bound (Flight 92). NMAH Story: Life Changed Has your life changed because of September 11, 2001? If so, tell us how. Yes. I have not taken down our American Flag. I still don't know what the terrorists meant to prove. I understand that all extremism that involves hurting or killing other people is the greatest sin. I understand that Muslim societies in most of the Middle East are where the religion IS the state. I recognize that in the US, and most Western societies, where religion and the state are seperate, is correct. I clearly see that any religion can only, by its very nature, try to impose its dogma and doctrine when it has the power of the state as well. I do not blame Islam, I blame all extremists. And really only those who would use their religion as a reason for harming, hurting or killing others. Religion that does this is a pariah, as it violates the only and single true moral absolute - the Golden Rule. But we cannot war against a religion, as it isn't a thing, it is a belief. We can only seek and demand justice for the wrong acts done to others in the name of any religion. NMAH Story: Remembered What do you think should be remembered about September 11th? That the freedom our society and nation has, the very thing that makes us who we are, also makes us vulnerable to these attacks. We must remember that the guilty are still out there, and any deviation from finding them and bringing them to justice is wrong. Pre-emptive wars, to change one set of despotic leaders, are secondary. We must recognize that soverign nations that harbor terrorists are not our enemy, only those in that country who allow it. But we must find and punish Bin Laden and his cabal, nothing else is as important as that. NMAH Story: Flag Did you fly an American flag after the events of September 11th? Have your feelings about the American flag changed as a result of September 11th? Haven't stopped flying it. Nothing has changed. I understand the dynamics of our nation are such that there are those who have the mindset and the freedom to burn it. Just like the freedom the terrorists used to enable them to set fire to the WTC and the Pentagon. If my falg was burned, I would just put up another one. That's what we should do in lower Manhattan. Put up two (or more) even taller buildings (or towers that reach as high - that will act as a reminder of what was lost, what was gained, and what we stand for. Memorialize the site. It is the right thing, and a tall structure, even taller than WTC 1 and 2 is needed. We didn't leave the hole in the Pentagon, did we? Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource nmah1497.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. story Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2002-09-08 IP Address The IP address of the device used to submit the item. 12.65.168.247