I was a little embarrassed that I hadn't thought about it sooner. Or, on second thought, was I glad I hadn't been dreading its arrival?
In talking to other folks I think it's a common, positive perspective:
I'll certainly never forget. But I'm also not wallowing.
Today - 12 years after the terrorist attacks on our country - will be draped by somber, dominated by memories and sprinkled with tears.
I was in New York both the day before and six weeks after 9/11.
(continued from page 1)
12. As I did annually while a columnist for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, I was in New York for the U.S. Open tennis tournament in 2001. I flew my ex-wife and her son up on Labor Day Weekend for some sightseeing and tennis. We lunched in Central Park, went to the top of the Empire State Building and took the ferry ride around New York Harbor and the Statue of Liberty. The photo of us on 9/2/01 - Twin Towers standing proudly in the background - gives me chills to this day. After writing this story about Lleyton Hewitt's upset of Pete Sampras in the final, I flew out of LaGuardia Airport on Monday, Sept. 10.
11. Still remember the goose bumps I felt when - after taking a week off - the Cowboys were led out of the tunnel at Texas Stadium by safety George Teague. Carrying an American flag. The Rangers, languishing at 66-78, took a week off between games against the A's. Barry Bonds was on his way to 73 homers. The Cowboys, by the way, were quarterbacked by Quincy Carter.
10. Never a big fan of George Dubya Bush, but when the President strode confidently to the mound at Yankee Stadium during the World Series after 9/11, I've never felt more proud to be an American.
9. Silent skies. One of the most eerie byproducts of 9/11 was all air traffic being grounded. Living in the flight path to DFW Airport, the lights and sounds of airplanes is a way of life. But in the wake of the attacks, walking outside to totally empty, quiet skies screamed loudly that things were different. And not at all okay.
8. I try to remember all the warm 'n fuzzy "United We Stand!" feelings and bumper stickers and flags. But then you get dangerously cut off on the highway by someone who overvalues his time while belittling your safety, and you realize it was - for the most part - just temporary feelings of grandiose patriotism. Sad. These days, we're full-throttle back to "Every Man For Himself!"
7. Though born with a skeptical DNA, I'm not a big conspiracy theorist. That said, you watch documentaries such as Loose Change and they do raise some legit questions. Why did the second plane to hit the towers - United Airlines Flight 175 - not look like a commercial passenger plane at all? It had fewer, different-shaped windows and a huge, bulky something protruding from its belly. Why was there a distinctive burst of light on the face of the building just before impact? How did American Airlines Flight 77 - a Boeing 757 that was 125 feet wide and 155 feet long - leave only a 16-foot-wide hole in the wall of the Pentagon? And how were there windows - intact and unbroken - as close as 10 feet from the impact of a jet flying 350 mph into a nine-foot-thick wall of reinforced concrete? I don't believe 9/11 was an "inside job." But I'm also sure we don't know all the facts.
11. Still remember the goose bumps I felt when - after taking a week off - the Cowboys were led out of the tunnel at Texas Stadium by safety George Teague. Carrying an American flag. The Rangers, languishing at 66-78, took a week off between games against the A's. Barry Bonds was on his way to 73 homers. The Cowboys, by the way, were quarterbacked by Quincy Carter.
10. Never a big fan of George Dubya Bush, but when the President strode confidently to the mound at Yankee Stadium during the World Series after 9/11, I've never felt more proud to be an American.
9. Silent skies. One of the most eerie byproducts of 9/11 was all air traffic being grounded. Living in the flight path to DFW Airport, the lights and sounds of airplanes is a way of life. But in the wake of the attacks, walking outside to totally empty, quiet skies screamed loudly that things were different. And not at all okay.
8. I try to remember all the warm 'n fuzzy "United We Stand!" feelings and bumper stickers and flags. But then you get dangerously cut off on the highway by someone who overvalues his time while belittling your safety, and you realize it was - for the most part - just temporary feelings of grandiose patriotism. Sad. These days, we're full-throttle back to "Every Man For Himself!"
(continued from page 2)
6. Since 9/11 I've never looked at a uniformed officer, firefighter or soldier the same. I don't always agree with their missions, but I always covet their service. Thanks to all the first responders, then and now. They provide us the freedom to hate the Giants, and to love America's Team.
5. Honestly? No, I don't feel safer than I did before 9/11. Certainly more inconvenienced. And when we're taking off our shoes and having tubes of hair gel confiscated at the airport, I can't help but think we're still two steps behind the creative terrorists. But it's not those bad guys that I worry about. It's our bad guys. The armed psychopaths living down the street from you and me that inexplicably decide to shoot up movie theaters, and schools, and each other.
4. I returned to New York on Oct. 30, 2001 to cover Michael Jordan's return to the NBA as a member of the Washington Wizards. Watching him was sad. But walking around the makeshift memorial at Ground Zero was sadder. But sports helped us heal. The games we play and watch can be maddening, scintillating and, yes, therapeutic.
3. The attacks of 9/11 killed 2,977 people. In 2012 drunk drivers killed 10,136.
2. It took more than a decade, but we killed Osama bin Laden. And, yes, it's okay to annually celebrate a death (May 2).
1. Don't wallow. But Never Forget. And, yes, I can't wait to visit Manhattan's new One World Trade Center.
5. Honestly? No, I don't feel safer than I did before 9/11. Certainly more inconvenienced. And when we're taking off our shoes and having tubes of hair gel confiscated at the airport, I can't help but think we're still two steps behind the creative terrorists. But it's not those bad guys that I worry about. It's our bad guys. The armed psychopaths living down the street from you and me that inexplicably decide to shoot up movie theaters, and schools, and each other.
3. The attacks of 9/11 killed 2,977 people. In 2012 drunk drivers killed 10,136.
2. It took more than a decade, but we killed Osama bin Laden. And, yes, it's okay to annually celebrate a death (May 2).
I don't always agree with you, but I've agreed with you more as the years have gone by.
ReplyDeleteWe don't have to support someone's mission, they're bound by duty, to support them. I too, look at them all differently.
I'm with you on the conspiracy thing, there would have to be way too many things going on and things would have to go perfect AND there would have to be a lot of people involved, not to mention making a plane completely disappear and all of its passengers as well. At the same time, it's pretty shocking that a group of hijackers could completely takeover 4 passenger jets and do what they did. I know that whenever I fly now I'm looking all around me for who I might have to take out to protect my family. I'm sure there were fathers that would have done anything to protect their families on those flights if they would have known what was going to happen.
Yep, totally with ya. Thanks.
DeleteSTICK TO SPORTS PLEASE
ReplyDeleteNO THANKS
DeleteI'm surprised that you didn'nt blame 9/11/01 on Greggo!
ReplyDeleteSee, I blocked you on Twitter. But in here you and your tired ol' drivel are always welcome. Click-click-click away!
DeleteIt was a joke dude - lighten up.
DeleteI thought you never blocked people on twitter, whitt? I kinda liked that about you, but I guess that's out the window.
DeleteBlocked one guy in my life. Kept spewing the N-word and I can't tolerate that.
DeleteI emailed Greggo the other day about a reply on your blog that where you continued blame him for EVERYTHING to do with RAGE's demise. This was his response:
Delete"Now that's funny..but I'm just gonna leave him alone..he will get his in the future..he can be a rat...I choose not to..but I totally appreciate you having my back..."
Richie, I really don't care if you blame Greggo and as you can see, he doesn't either, but if you are going to give him all the "credit/blame" for the demise, then you should also give him all the credit for creating a show worth listening to....because without him frankly, RAGE was not very entertaining and definately not worth listening to....
Dave
You need to read the Hard Lie 2 again. Plenty of blame to go around.
DeleteI have read it...and it ends with...
Delete"Our firing was the climax of a downward spiral, one that commenced on Nov. 15, 2012 when Williams' manipulative mirage instantly ruined and forever doomed RAGE."
I think it is time to write another post and apologize to the Greggo fans out there. I think enough time has passed for you to realize that you probably wrote that post while still stinging from being fired.
Dude I think you are talented guy, especially when it comes to the literary aspects of the media. But I also think you are holding a grudge. I bet Sybil doesn't blame Greggo and feel as strongly as you do. Make peace with your trolls Richie...it is time to heal.
Dave
Surely you jest. I'll never apologize for the fact-based, fully-documented truth. And I have no interest in making peace with a trolls. Why would I? They're trolls.
DeleteWhy would you?? Because it is better to be liked, respected, and admired, than to be thought of as a whinney-ass, excuse-having, little bitch.... just food for thought... :)
DeleteWrong. I honestly don't care about the opinions of those who I have no respect for, i.e., Internet trolls. If they don't like me, I must be doing something right.
DeleteYou have no respect for your former listeners?? Many who have turned into trolls by your lop-sided placement of blame on Greggo... and your refusal to accept your part in the demise of RAGE. De-Nile is a tough river to cross, especially on a raft crafted of poorly woven excuses and misplaced contempt.
DeleteLove the reference in Whitty # 1 to the new tower as "One World Trade Center." Was there over the 4th of July Holiday and while talking with security at the tower one night, they emphasized that it wasn't the Freedom Tower to New Yorker's but, "Was, is and always will be One World Trade. "Gave me chills to be there and gives me chills typing this.
ReplyDeleteJohn D. Head
Yep. Very cool.
DeleteEvery 9/11 we have to hear/read Whitt talk/write about how he was in New York the day before 9/11/01. Such a tired story. Guess I will start to prepare myself to hear it again in 364 days.
ReplyDeleteHILARIOUS
DeleteIt's my 9/11 story. I'm sure you have one. Or, what, do you change yours every year out of a fear of it getting "tired"? Maybe you'll find the strength to fight through my 9/11 story once a year. What a great American you'll be.
DeleteRead #8............. Yet you blame greggo for everything? Hmm every man for himself huh
ReplyDeleteThat makes zero sense. Keep reaching brutha.
DeleteI'm sure Osama was satisfied with the results of 9/11. It cost us approximately $10 trillion dollars and two stupid wars to get him.
ReplyDeleteProbably right.
DeleteAfter reading this, it reads less like a remembrance of 9-11 and more like a whiny political statement.
ReplyDelete-JC
If that's really what you took out of those 12 points then I offer you went into those 12 points looking for exactly that. Otherwise, no friggin' way.
DeleteJust some things that could have been left unsaid in such a piece.....your disdain for a former president, references to outlandish conspiracy theories to which you halfheartedly subscribe, drawing some sort of equivalency between 9-11 and drunk driving deaths over a calendar year(really?). Although you did stop short of ranting about gun owners/gun control in a piece about 9-11....barely. Thanks for that anyway.
DeleteReally sad to hear about your hair gel though. Maybe you can do a write-up about that experience. The horror.....
-JC
Funny how all your posts usually wind up with some kind of Greggo thread. I have an idea for you Mr. Whitt. Obviously your blog consists of people that used to listen to RAGE. And a fair number of them are Greggo fans. So rather than continuously bad mouthing him and blaming him for losing your job, why don't you step up to the plate and be a man. Take some responsibility for God's sake. At least give Greggo some credit for the good times you did share and realize that what happened happened. Try and make some peace with your trolls man....I think by continuously blaming him, you are just feeding the fire so to speak. MAN-UP RW and stop your bitching...people will respect you more maybe...especially Greggo fan's, who like it or not, are here to stay.
ReplyDeleteDave
Nowhere in this 9/11 blog item did I mention my former radio partner. You did. Good try, Dave.
DeleteFrom this comment alone it's obvious you didn't read one word of the article.
DeleteNot the original post... I meant he gets brought up by one of the many Greggo trolls you have roaming around here... just think about what I have said man...peace is a good thing.
DeleteDave
Trust me, I'm at peace with it all. I've moved on to a blog and TV and pizza. As for trolls and liars, no thanks. Be just fine without 'em.
DeleteYou just can't see the forest for the trees can you Richie?? Well keep eating pizza, blogging, appearing on TV and the trolls will be constantly at your heels...just call me the "King of the Trolls"
DeleteAgain I welcome the "King of Trolls" to my web site on a daily basis. Heck, multiple times. Thanks for your patronage.
DeleteI lived by the Joint Reserve Base in Fort Worth, and I remember fighter planes taking off every five minutes for about four days after 9/11. I did not know where they were going, but I cheered for them to bomb the shit out of whoever did this to us.
ReplyDeleteAmen.
DeleteI like you're ability to dodge every legit question to you by ignoring it or pointing out spelling and grammer mistakes. No wonder you are so freaking awesome!
ReplyDeleteThe point about the airplanes is one I remember too. After years of having them as part of the daily noise of the world and then suddenly silenced was a reminder that things were going to be different.
ReplyDeleteA dozen years later and I wish Karl Pilkington had been around in his dream role as BS man.
Nope, I think of firemen in generally good terms, but I have seen too many cops treat the world like a nail. The good vibes we sent their way in those days following were soaked up in tear gas later. I have a few of them that I count as friends, but I do not trust random cop X any more than they trust me.