I remember where I was that morning of 9/11/2001. I was in my office at the County Chemical Health center. I received a phone call that let me know that an airplane had hit the World Trade Center in New York City. Then another hit the other tower. Then the towers collapsed.The staff at the County Chemical Health Division was often hard to distinguish from the clients. There was a group that liked to eat in front of the (hungry) clients, and they also liked to engage in levying allegations and lawsuits of racism. All these allegations that I saw were bogus and most of the racism was perpetrated by these same people. What really impacted me in regard to these coworkers was when the county administration announced that anyone who felt the need, could leave work without losing pay. At that moment, these aforementioned staff, let out a cheer and filed out of the building, laughing and shouting. How sad to feel so disenfranchised from your own country.
I stayed at work. I didn’t know what else to do. Later, at home, I noticed an eerie silence. My house back then, was near Minneapolis/St. Paul International airport. I think it was three days that all air traffic was halted. Normal airplane noise would not wake me up in those days, since I had lived near the airport all of my life. Still, that single F-16 that was patrolling the airspace would keep me awake at night. It was extremely high and made little noticeable sound, but it was enough.
The first anniversary of 9/11, I went to Camp Coldwater in Minneapolis. Near the sacred spring that is continuously endangered by road construction, I smoked the prayer pipe with a group of American Indians and others. Camp Coldwater has been a peace site for thousands of years.
Now, five years later there are still terrorist groups that want to do us harm. How sad to feel that disenfranchised from humanity. There are also leaders who are an embarrassment as they accuse and make war on the wrong people.
I remember. I will never forget. Our world is forever changed.
Peace.
KJC
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