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If you are of a certain age, there is a good chance that the date of September 11, 2001 will be etched in your consciousness. Probably forever. Hope forever.
September 11, for many Americans, is THE date! Like December 7, 1941 – Pearl Harbor – for a previous generation. It has undoubtedly changed things forever, more than almost any other event. Other dates etched in your mind may include when President John F. Kennedy or Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. were shot and killed. Moments that define life and change life. September 11 being the newest game changer. But recent is a relative term. Even for those of us who lived it, a long time ago. And fades quickly for some people. It would be a shame.
Many of us can remember exactly where we were, what we were doing, what we thought was going on. Up close and personal, whether you’re in Pittsburgh or Seattle. One of my sons was walking outside the Pentagon when the plane crashed into the other side. His brother, my other son, was at a conference at Dulles airport, where the plane that hit the Pentagon took off before it was hijacked. I watched the Pentagon burn from our 5th floor office, which gave us a bird’s eye view of the Pentagon. We have received reports that the State Department, Pentagon, CIA, and Capitol Hill have been affected. We heard that an unidentified plane was heading for the White House.
A lot of people were working frantically that day. Most of the people in the DC area have been ordered to go home and wait. Churches and synagogues were filled with people saying prayers or looking for answers. Professionals – especially in government and the military – have gone pro mode. I then spoke to an FAA official in Atlanta. She dropped her children off at school, then headed to work just as the first plane hit. As she was briefed, she was told the New York Trade Towers had been affected. Then the Pentagon, as well as many false alarms. He was told that Air Force One had left Florida for an unknown destination. And that he was followed by 3 strangers.
After a long and terrifying day at the Pentagon, a friend returned home, retrieved his fishing gear, and descended to the Potomac. To think! It might sound crazy now, but it was that kind of event.
So what about you?
There were many of you. At work. Or watch. Or both. It’s the kind of memory your children, family, neighbors and fellow citizens should hear. Or at least know how to read. This is what we would like to do. Either in written form or your actual voice on the radio. A reminder for friends and family of where you have been, how you felt and how life changed for us.
We want to hear from you
Federal News Network wants to commemorate the anniversary of the attacks in New York, Pennsylvania and Washington DC with the help of our audience.
What do you remember the most about that day? And with the benefit of 20 years of reflection, what have been the most significant impacts on the mission and operations of your agency?
We believe the best way to tell this story is through the federal government’s own voices, both current and past. To do this, we would like to ask you to record your own voice, telling us, in your own words, what you think your fellow citizens should know or remember from September 11, 2001.
The recordings you leave with us will be used as part of our coverage of the 9/11 anniversary, both on air and online. You don’t need to give us your full name or more personal identifying details that you feel comfortable sharing, but context is valuable. At a minimum, we ask you to share your first name and where you worked that day.
There are three ways you can share your thoughts with us:
- Record an audio message on your smartphone via its built-in audio recording app. On iPhones, the application is called Voice Memos; Android devices have similar apps, but the names vary. Please save memories of 1 minute or less. Once registered, you can email it to us at [email protected].
- While we prefer the voice memo option due to the superior audio quality, you can also call us (toll free) and leave a voicemail message from any phone. Dial (844) -305-1500 and record your message after the tone.
- Please submit a written dissertation of no more than 150 words to [email protected] or send us a message on Facebook.
Almost useless factoid
Through Alazar Moges
Despite common misconceptions, there are no penguins at the North Pole or any other part of the Arctic. Penguins are only found in the southern hemisphere, especially the Antarctic Peninsula and the Ross Sea. So outside of the zoo or depicted in the media, you will never see penguins and polar bears together in real life.
Source: National Geographic
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