We Survived..Now What? Part 2

Had a hardy laugh when I rediscovered this post recently - an Echo parody post (unattributed) that had been re-posted on the Well a few days after 9/11.

quote:

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This unattributed parody lifted from Echo is the first thing that's made me
smile in a few days:

245:1003: My neighbor's dentist had a meeting in Tower 2, and if he didn't have an emergency tooth-scraping, he would have been there.

1004: Oh, I'm so sorry.

1005: I'm so sorry for you and your loved ones.

1006: All the dentists need healing now.

1007: Here's an email that explains that a temple in New Jersey is collecting kreplach to send to bereaved families.

1008: That's nothing, he's an email with the list of every phone number located in the World Trade Center.

1009: Oh, I'm so sorry.

1010: I've seen the World Trade Center while flying into New York. I'm so glad kreplach is being collected. We all need kreplach now.

1011: I was going to get my teeth scraped on Tuesday. I'm in shock.

1012: Thanks very much everybody for asking if I'm okay.

1013: Do you think this terrorist attack makes me look fat?

1014: Yes, and you need healing.

1015: I'm so sorry you look fat.

1016: We're all sorry you look fat.

1017: The U.S. government and GHWB want you to think you look fat.
That's just trilateral compensation weight gain.

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WHAT?
Jade don't you think I'm worth $1600.00 per hour?
LOL.
You know I am much to introverted to do a lap dance or the other dirty thing you mentioned.

BTW. The check cleared and I had a fist fight with a patron at a club owned by the brother of the woman who hired me this weekend. I wonder if I'll get hired again?

Imagine my embarassment, I only had two cosmos!

My first thoughts are always against the tide. The day after the towers went down I thought, oh no, people are REALLY going to start treating Arabs like shit. I started lunching at the Afghani restaurant on St. Marks. I figured it would be a show of support and I'd enjoy some good food. And it was VERY good! I'm glad they're still opened. They must be going through a difficult time. Ask Armen about living through the 80's as an immigrant from Iran.

Then, when all of the fundraising started I absolutely knew it was getting out of hand. I just hate mass American cultural movements. They are always reactionary and illogical. It reminded me of how stupid people acted over the Lady Di death or the Elian Gonzalas thing.

Now we have these surviving families complaining about only getting 6 million! Many of us have tragiclally lost loved ones to illness, accidents, whatever. No one handed us millions. The gross part is the way Americans expect more money for families of victims who made more money. It's all about protecting the status quo when it should be about disaster relief.

Meanwhile I'm sure all of those corporate donors are still donating the exact same amount of money to charities as they do every year. Instead of this or that disease/foundation/museum etc. they gave it to the cause that would get them a big pat on the back. My thoughts all along were that we should all be holding benefits... for anything BUT WTC. I just think that when something is so overdone in such a mainstream way, they don't need my help.



a

I saw the 6 proposals for the footprint. They all sucked. It looked like some guy from Tulsa was building a shopping mall there. In all of the world can't we find one archetect with some vision for the place. Oh, and why is the rest of the USA telling NYC what to build on the site? Tail wagging the dog? Seems so to me.

ps.

Crains Business News is reporting that Disney is planning a theme park/shopping mall in Coney Island? What the hell is happining to us?

T

From: Listening to the City
Subject: Join Our Online Discussion

"Listening to the City" is pleased to announce we will host a two-week online dialogue beginning Monday, July 29th. Online dialogue participants
will have the opportunity to review, discuss, and vote on the proposed redevelopment plans and other issues that affect our communities. The
online dialogues will give those who weren't able to join the live events on July 20th and 22nd a chance to join this historic conversation
conversation.
Last week's "Listening to the City" meetings have already influenced the local and national conversations about Lower Manhattan's rebuilding
process. The outcome of the online dialogues also will be documented and shared with decision-makers.

To learn more and sign up, please go visit:

http://dialogues.listeningtothecity.org/

In order to involve as many participants as possible, priority will go to those who were unable to attend "Listening to the City" on July 20th or July 22nd. Please forward this message along to any family members, friends, or colleagues who may be interested.

I hope you'll be able to join us online as we continue this historic discussion.

Sincerely,

Carolyn J. Lukensmeyer
Listening to the City

From: Not In Our Name NYC
Subject: Next Mtg August 15th
What: Not In Our Name Planning Meeting for October
6th Day of Resistance
When: August 15th at 6:30pm
Where: Judson Church Garden Room
241 Thompson (Between West 3rd and West 4th Sts.)

The Not In Our Name project calls on all people of
conscience to come to the next planning meeting to
mobilize for a Day of Resistance on October 6th. On the anniversary of US bombings of innocent people in Afghanistan and also as we sit on the verge of US led bombings of innocent people in Iraq, it is crucial for all of us to express our Resistance. We must let the rest of the world know that not all people stand behind President Bush as he wages wars around the world, that we will fight attacks on the civil liberties of Muslims, Arabs and South Asian people, that we will not stand by as the climate of repression continues to grow with measures such as the citizen spy program. We feel this message needs
to be heard especially loud from NYC, "ground zero" where the deaths of thousands of innocent people on Sept. 11 have been invoked as justification for the government's actions.

Imagine this: On Sunday, Oct. 6, the day before the bombing began one year ago, ten thousand people of different nationalities, backgrounds, communities, and political outlooks converge in Central Park to send a message to the people of the world that we stand with THEM and not the U.S. Government. People could hear the firsthand stories of those who have been targeted by the Government's actions. A huge wall could be created with children's artwork and messages from unions, community organizations and religious congregations that could be sent to people in Afghanistan, Iraq, Palestine and other countries
who are feeling the effects of U.S. actions. Angry, defiant and uplifting cries of youth for a different future could fill the air with poetry, chants and song. Ideas and plans for resistance could be shared and spread.

Imagine this: At a certain time that afternoon, the many thousands could physically stand together and create a gigantic image of the world with their bodies. Then, ten thousand strong, they would speak as one, take the Not in Our Name Pledge of Resistance, led by prominent artists, writers, religious figures and activists.

It may be a challenge to actually realize this
vision. But the times require nothing less. Every
willing hand and heart is needed to help develop this vision and make it happen.

Please join us on August 15th at:
Judson Church
Garden Room at 6:30pm

as we plan, strategize and work towards making October 6th, Day of Resistance a success. Please invite other people and organizations to the meeting.

For further information and to be part of the
outreach and organizing for the meeting and for
October 6th please visit www.notinourname.net or
call us at 212 969-8058.

Email us at nycnotinourname@yahoo.com.

In Resistance,

Reecha
NION

but this sounds like a good way to spend it if you're here. The teletwintowers project is brilliant - check out the website-

From Missy Galore

quote:

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hey friends,
come join us wednesday Sept 11 for a night of remembrance and unity at Walker stage -->56 Walker Street

U cAn'T FiGhT Pe@cE

this free party is possible because of the dedication and delicious talents of the following:::
love, Missy Galore
TeleTwinTowers.org

INSTALLATIONS:
*Antonio Garcia *DennyDaniel.com *HusH {sports}
* Feedbuck Galore* Kate Yareshenko* TeleTwinTowers.org*

PERFORMANCES:
*Amy Shapiro *Bitchcom *Malaika *Miko & Jake are SkyHunter *
* Militia Galore* Patrick Bucklew, aka the Mangina*
*Renegades of Punk featuring: Kid Lucky & Not 4 Prophet

SCREENING:
*GNN.tv in association with UnansweredQuestions.org
present
AfterMath--the Unanswered Questions of 911

LIVE VISION MIX:
* Brandon Emerik-Quantum Video Theory* Chiaki Watanabee*
*Feedbuck *Missy Galore *Pete23 *

DJs:
* Arrow Chrome* Drewdini & Rhythm Collective*
*Pow Pow *Ripley *Shane Digital *

INTERNET:
live webcast- TeleTwinTowers.org
NickNack.org* A*

Special Thanxxx
*Ana *Bitchcom *Lenny Charles *Miko *Paul Garrin
* PG2M* Rhythm Collective* Walker Stage*

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Under the Veil: The Revolutionary Association of the Women of Afghanistan (RAWA), an exhibition in association with WorldPictureNews, is a selection of photographs taken illegally-at the risk of death-by women's rights activists in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan. RAWA was founded in Kabul in 1977 (by Meena, who was assassinated in 1987) as an independent political and social organization of Afghan women fighting for human rights and social justice, and was directly involved in the war of resistance against the Soviet Union in the 1980s. Since the fall of the pro-Soviet regime in 1992, the focus of the political struggle has been against fundamentalism and the misogynist orientation of the Taliban regime. In response to the stifling of women's voices and role in public life, the members of RAWA resorted to photographing the atrocities of the Taliban regime from under their burqas, using both still and video camera! s. ICP will show a selection of these images that illustrate the everyday plight of women under the Taliban, violence against the Afghan citizens, and the political activism of RAWA. Almost all of the images date before September 11, 2001, allowing the audience to witness the political events leading to the subsequent US military involvement in Afghanistan.

REMEMBER:
September 13 through December 1

At:

International Center of Photography (ICP)
1133 Avenue of the Americas at 43rd Street
New York
212.857.0000
www.icp.org

Hours:

Tuesday through Thursday: 10 to 5
Friday: 10-8
Saturday and Sunday: 10-6
Closed on Monday

Sitting in Hollyweird, just reread all the 9/11 posts in "Best of the boards" and remembered how comforting it was that the boards stayed up and how much of A lifeline they were. as a sometimes new yorker, i will spend the aniversery with sadness of course, but also with pride in all of you.

Di's post from the hospitol was very moving even a year later. Like the mother website says, if you want to remember, read it. Not everyone does but I am so glad you left it up.

Saturday the 7th was a beautiful day clear blue sky, cloudless. Di and I commented to each other that this was Exactly the same sky as on the 11th nearly one year ago. It doesn't seem too far off. Last year at almost the exact same time we were in a club in London called Vertigo. We watched the sunset from one of the highest buildings in London and commented to our friends about how we would love to take them to windows on the world.

One year later.

Fighter jets still fly over NYC and each plane that banks gives me an inward chill. I watched skywriters over the skyline yesterday writing "I love NY" and thought of Bioterror.


The village singnpost is still here and so are we. We have returned to an almost normal existance. Yet we wait. And hope.

America needs closure. I am afraid that will never come. People hate us. Whoever it is that we are. Hate is easy. Understanding is impossible.

T

NYC still remains a high target for people who would harm us. The US govt has now raised the threat level for the first time in 1 year. Perhaps it is 9/11 jitters, there still remain many who would hurt us if they could.

T

I am more concerned with the trigger-happy US military and the adrenaline addicted NYPD. I hope they use their heads.

[Never mind getting shot. You can't even vote in this town. They left of the switches for T. Golisano in the voting booths at my polling station. The Board of Elections conveniently hangs up when I call to report it. What's that quote from Janis,"freeedom's just another word for nothing left to do" or Ben Franklin, "We hve a republic if we can hold on to it."

It is always heartening when you have to instruct the poll keepers yourself how it is done.
The machine was broken for the 13 E.D. which meant we had to fill out paper ballots. I gave the man the card I got in the mail with my name on it and he said, "Mr. Votante.. I cannot find that name." I said, "That is because it is not my name." For the life of me, I could not understand where he got that from, so I took the card back and read, halfway down, in Spanish, Estimado Votante: Queda avisado(a)....(Dear voter: Please be advised...) I was stunned. Thank God he didn't try to read the Chinese written on the next line!
When I was done coloring in the circles of the paper ballot (which by the way, still listed Cuomo, but I guess that doesn't matter,) folded it and put it in the very safe looking cardboard box, I said, "Don't I have to sign the book?" "Oh yes," he said, "I forgot."
I give up. Nobody cares. Not the voters. Not the people working the polls. And definitely not the candidates. No wonder George W. Bush was elected.

Hattie,

When the NYPD and the U.S. Military execute me for wearing nail polish, you can start comparing them to al Qaeda.

As for trigger-happy, ever hear of rules of engagement? We use them, they (al Qaeda) don't.

All My Love,

DD

Terms of Endearment

won an oscar didn't it?

lv

T

I vowed I would not watch any of the news/television coverage of the anniversary events. I just didn't want to face it again ...
but this afternoon I had to go to the bank for personal business, and of course there was a TV on in there. When I finished my transaction at the teller window I stopped for a minute and watched it. They were discussing communication problems that day with the firemen, and one of the fire commissioners was saying how hard it was for him at one point to give the evacuation order to the firemen in the North Tower because the building was unsavable, knowing full well there were still hundreds or thousands of civilians trapped inside. Many firemen on the upper floors either didn't hear that order, or refused to evacuate in order to help civilians get out. Of course they perished. And in watching all of this I got all teary-eyed and had to walk out, on the verge of balling. Several people looked at me with knowing glances.

I still can't believe it happened. It was so huge, so catastrophic and unprecedented. And I'm proud to be a New Yorker.

Darla, dear, I don't understand. I did not mention al-Qaeda. I was thinking more the testosterone-pumped 18 year old soldiers, cute as they are, I have been seeing everywhere.
And, these days, if you wear nail polish and a dress at night in the Meat Market, you very well may be executed by the NYPD. Or at least thrown in the hoose-gow!

Well, I survived yesterday. An ativan at the start of the day at work (so I could focus on not freak myself out with thoughts of last year on this day), and then several cocktails yesterday evening helped me make it through this anniversary. To me, it seemed that life had returned to some sense of normalcy after last fall, and now all the has been dredged up again. I make the analogy like ripping off the scar tissue to reexpose the wound, and now it has to start healing all over again. Not that it shouldn't be remembered, but in such an American way (I guess that is a good thing really), so all that media hoopla & onslaught and constant reminders.

As I walked home last night down Broadway with the wind whipping down the street, I thought of how different it was last year, when I couldn't even get to my home. I am grateful that I can do so, and hope not to take such things for granted. I don't want America to go to war...enough already, why can't everybody just get along.

Well, the anniversary has past, so back to the healing and sealing over of all this...