Remembering 9/11

It's been 8 years already since 9/11. It's hard to believe it has been so long. I remember I was in Washington DC for a conference. After one of the sessions, I heard some murmurs in the lobby about a plane crashing into one of the twin towers in New York City. Naturally, I assumed it was an accident. A minute or two later, I heard someone say the building collapsed. I remember thinking that was unlikely and probably just a rumor.

I went up to my hotel room to check the news, and the true horror of the situation began to sink in. I learned of the attack on the Pentagon not so far from where I was staying. My initial reaction to all of this was anger.



Of course, that was pretty much the end of the conference. Colleagues and I spent the rest of the day discussing what was happening and watching the news. I remember wondering if it could be a domestic terrorist act, not wanting to jump to conclusions. A friend said no way, that a suicide mission like this meant there was only one possibility. He was right. My friend also quotes me as saying "I don't want to understand them, I want to kill them." I don't remember saying that, but I don't doubt I did.

Only military aircraft were allowed to be flying, so the next day we rented a van to drive from Washington DC up to Boston. On the way home we passed near New York City. Crossing over a bridge, I could see plumes of smoke rising from ground zero in the far distance. It is a vision I will never forget.