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"Sept 11th."

So tomorrow is the 1yr anniversary of the World Trade Center attacks.
And I see endless lists of tv shows about it, documentaries, retrospectives, net sites etc etc.
And I’m sick of it.
Now before you start screaming about being heartless and callous and a Taliban sympathiser etc, listen to what I am saying.
I am sick of the coverage afforded, a year later still. There was an acceptance at the time that showing the footage of the planes hitting and the people jumping etc was near pornographic and was a distress.
And I agree with that.

Nobody is likely to forget the images from Sept 11th 2001, they are burned into our minds and retinas like a brand.
I certainly do not want to see an hour long program that does nothing except show me the footage, again, in slow motion of the planes hitting.
It’s even in the serious papers – The Sunday Times had a double-page image of the exact moment the second plane struck, complete with fireball and dramatic still-frame of the explosion. If you look real close, you can almost make out limbs.

And that’s what I object to. For thousands of people, those events are like yesterday to them. Do they need to see, once more, the video footage of the moment their loved ones died?
Why not, if you must mark the occasion, just talk to the survivors and relatives without those images?
To me, it cheapens the matter to just keep playing over and over and over the gruesome events of that morning.

Show some respect and ask the families how they would like to mark this private anniversary of having relatives killed.
Imagine you lost your mum or sister or whole family that day, and you know for a fact tomorrow that you are going to be able to witness, in glorious modern colour complete with computer aided graphics, exactly what happened when they were torn limb from limb.
Personally I find that notion abhorrent.
And as someone that lost a relative, I will not be watching any programs tomorrow that may afford me the chance to witness the death of somebody close.

September 11th was an horrific, devastating, pointless exercise in destruction, death and tyranny.
Please, before you settle down with a cup of tea and your dinner, take a moment to think about those affected before sitting back and flicking between the channels to watch those planes hit.
Again.

Our minute silence I was in woods... I turned away from everyone else and just thought of what Grix said... whilst my Geography teacher was talking us through what happened last year... which annoyed me.

On Grix's earlier point, during the minute of silence that there was at my school today, I didn't remember what happened. You can remember what happened in an instant. I thought about what I loved and my favourite moments in my life, things important to me and memories I'd like to hold onto.

with *EMPHASIS* on private. I think the media have milked it enough without everyone on here creating a 9/11 topic. Sure I think it was terrible, but need no reminder of what happened. I remember it as though it was yesterday.

If you really think ANYONE on this planet will EVER forget that event, then you are sorely mistaken. You couldn't if you tried .......

Private rememberence is all that is required

I understand that is was a disaster. I understand that over 3000 people died. But I think it's ridiculous what they're doing about it. Can you imagine the amount of money the media will make from it? It's disrespectful to all the families and friends of those who died, who probably think about it every day, and don't need this reminding of it.

I agree with you Belldandy - what happened on Sept 11th last year was an attack on all of us who live in freedom. To use the nothing to do with me because it wasn't in my back yard argument is reprehensible.

Let's all hope and pray that nothing like this happens again and that the world can come together to move forward.

Good post Goatboy - it's a shame that the media cannot be more respectful to what happened but there are to many ghouls around who relish in watching these things over and over again. I for one have not watched any programmes on it and do not intend to. You can probably guess where I will be going tonight to do my contemplating - that's enough for me.

9/11 was an attack on us all. Today isn't the day to argue the rights and wrongs of it. I hope America gets through today ok.

~~Belldandy~~

I dislike this superior, apathetic 'nothing to do with me, mate' attitude. As long as you read newspapers, watch tv, talk to people, basically as long as you're a member of society, it concerns you. You cant ignore or get away from it, it affects everyone. That simple. You might choose not to discuss it, or let it affect your life, but it is still a matter worthy of your consideration.

Sept 11th isn't really anything to do with me.

Like last year, I shall be going on with my day as normal.

However, come November the 11th, I shall pay my respects. That day has much more meaning......

What you have to remember is that media over-exposure is symptomatic of the culture of instant gratification in which we now live. As disgusting as it is, selling newspapers is a commodity, a business, even on September 11th, and by giving away bumper 24-page anniversary extravaganza with pull-out books of condolence, newspapers are being sold. It's no different to the daily sport putting outlandish stories and naked women on its front page, because 9/11 coverage has become gentrified pornography, pornography in as much as it's tacky, insensitive, overexposed, desensitised and boring, not to mention crude and demeaning to its victims. This isn't one of those 'ten reasons why women are like beer' throwaway remarks, this is a genuine sociological development. Much as people such as those posting in this thread might not like it, the vast majority of people will continue to buy into 9/11 exposure, why else is Ground Zero NYC's #1 tourist attraction? The Puerto Rican T-shirt vendors aren't bored of selling merchandise, and as long as there's a demand, they will. There's become a whole 9/11 disaster industry, and to be honest, it leaves me sick to the stomach. There's no easy answer, but I would encourage you to boycott the tabloids on Wednesday, maybe for good. That is all.