STANDING AT THE WORLD TRADE CENTER

JULY 22, 2004

Last Saturday morning, I visited ground zero for the first time. The magnitude of the space and the restoration effort is overwhelming. The solemnity and the reverence displayed by the hundreds of bystanders is sobering.
Regardless of what the future may bring to the space, like Hiroshima, it will forever remain a memorial to the victims.
BILL D. - CHARLOTTE,N.C.
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I FOUND AN INTERESTING THING WAS TO SEE, HOW CLOSE YOU GET BEFORE YOU BECOME OVERWHELMED WITH EMOTION --
THERE IS NOISE AND HUSTLE AND BUSTLE ( WHAT IS BUSTLE ? ) ALL AROUND YOU IN LOWER MANHATTAN - BUT AT SOME POINT, AT A CERTAIN PROXIMITY, IT HITS YOU -
THE HIROSHIMA LIKE QUALITY AND THE FRAGILITY OF LIFE -- IT TRIGGERS MORE INTROSPECTION THEN MOST OF US WANT TO EXPERIENCE IN CHURCH, MUCH LESS , ON A PUBLIC SIDEWALK -- BUT THE IMPACT IS UNDENIABLE.
I HAVE TO ASSUME THOSE NEW YORKERS WHO MUST BE IN THE AREA ON A REGULAR BASIS, MAKE SOME SORT OF ADJUSTMENT -- THEY COULD NOT FUNCTION, IF THEY FELT AS DEEPLY EACH TIME THEY NEAR THE SITE, AS THOSE OF US WHO ONLY SEE IT ONCE OR TWICE - THEY DON'T FORGET, BUT THEY WOULD HAVE TO TONE IT DOWN OR THEY COULDN'T HANDLE IT.
THE TERRORIST PICKED THE WRONG CITY, IF THEIR GOAL WAS TO SCARE PEOPLE - NEW YORKERS CAN BE KILLED, BUT THEY WON'T DIE OF FRIGHT - NEW YORK FOLKS ARE HARDCORE AND LOVE A GOOD FIGHT -
HELL, THEY STRIKE FEAR IN TERRORISTS.
BIGGAFF
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Indeed they did pick the wrong city and the wrong people. I experienced very much the same thing as you described. There is constant movement; people, cars and buses. Only once did I hear a person being loud and laughing, and it was briefly done.
As I walked towards the fence, I too became quiet. I felt that I alone was standing and looking across the space.
It was for a few moments like I was the only person in New York City.
BILL D.