Remember

Today marks the 7-year anniversary of the worst attack upon the United States on US soil. Today 7 years ago the two World Trade Center buildings had jet plains full of innocents and a few terrorists fly into them, eventually bringing them and some peripheral buildings to the ground. A wing of the Pentagon met a similar fate. On another jet a few brave souls gave their lives by crashing the jet the hijackers controlled to save the lives of others.

It was a beautiful day outside, mild tempratures, light breze, sun shining without a cloud in the sky. Craig and I had just moved into our home the day before. I remember hearing the stunned reports as the news media suddenly attempted to figure out what happened. I remember the quiet of the day, and the night, as most people went home to spend time with their loved ones and the skies were silenced. I remember TV and Radio focusing on the events for several days and all Americans listening with unease wondering if there was another attack coming and hoping against hope that those who had disappeared in the attacks would turn up as survivors.

I had been to World Trade Center 2 less than 2 years earlier. For three weeks I was there every day, on the 62nd floor, finishing my training with Morgan Stanley to become a stock broker. I knew people who still worked in that building, that building that was gone. I remember the rooms we studied in, awards on the walls, desks and computers, the cafeteria, the incredible views out of the tall but narrow windows. The concrete courtyard at the base, near the shops, with the large metal globe in the center. The hustle and bustle as employees waited in lines to take the express elevators to their designated floors, as they poured in and out of the subway cars, got coffee and newspaper from the small shop near the subway exit, and dashed off to their destinations. All of it gone in one day.

It is easy to criticize the war, the President, but today is the one day we need to all remember what caused the war, what could happen should we loose our diligence. I heard a reporter say last night that we have to be right every time to prevent another attack, while the terrorists only need to be right once. Be thankful today for all the days since 9/11/01 to today that you and your family innocently went about daily activities without having your lives snuffed out suddenly by religious zealots full of hate. Leave politics and bickering for tomorrow, today let's celebrate those that survived and mourn those lives that were taken from us far too soon.

Excluding the 19 hijackers, 2,974 people died in the attacks. Another 24 are missing and presumed dead. The overwhelming majority of casualties were civilians, including nationals of over 90 different countries.

There is a graphic novel adaptation of the event: The 9/11 Report by Sid Jacobson & Ernie Colon.

One of the most renoun comic creators, Art Spiegelman, expressed his feelings after the attacks in his graphic novel, In the Shadow of No Towers.

The comic book industry dealt with the events by incorporating them into stories and/or creating special issues memorializing what happened. Click here for a list.