9-11-01

[DangerousR6]

Never Forget...In rememberance of all those lost on this day 10 yrs ago...

 

[Nightclub Dwight]

I lost a friend in the Towers who was on my little league baseball teams growing up.  I hadn't seen him in our adult years, but for the past week or two I've been thinking about those memories from when we were kids.  Its not that we were close friends but I'd still rather have him with us.

I thought about posting a thread this morning but decided it was a private memory.  But in some sense its now part of our collective consciousness whether you knew anyone there or not.

I wish for a better world for our children.  I don't know entirely how to accomplish that, but I'm thankful that forums like this exist that help bring people closer together no matter what their background, nationality or beliefs.

Keep making music my friends, you never know how that may affect the world in a positive manner one person at a time.

 

[pabloman]

ccasion14:

 

[hannaugh]

Today I woke up to see people that I am facebook friends with not having anything to say other than negative comments, and frankly, I was tempted to cut them from my friends lists and never talk to them again.  It made me sick to my stomach to see that kind of behavior from so-called adults. 

I was 17 when it happened.  I remember watching the tv with my mom and sobbing.  It amazes me how many people seem to have already forgotten what it was like that day and the weeks that followed, when to me it is so fresh in my mind.  It was the defining moment for my generation, much the JFK assassination for the baby boomers.  I always think of the firefighters and how they went to work that day either to not come back, or to come back to find that everyone they worked with had died.  I can't even imagine.  I remember watching a news cast with Tony Snow, and he broke down in tears half way through.  I remember seeing the wall of the missing peoples' photos and their loved ones crying.  To me, that was when the war started.  That was the beginning of it all. 

I have seen some people today making bad jokes, using this day as an excuse to point the finger at someone, using it as an excuse to be anti-patriotic, or just not even noticing what day it was.  I don't know how they can live with themselves, honestly.  10 years ago a lot of innocent people died.  You have to be an unfeeling soul-less douche to not care about that.  I don't care who you think did it, you cannot deny that it was an event that caused unbelievable amounts of pain both that day and in the years that followed.  The respectful thing to do is to remember those people, and send your prayers and thanks to the first responders. 

 

[Nightclub Dwight]

Thats weird and disturbing Hannaugh (about the negative comments on facebook.)  I remember the incredible solidarity that everyone felt on the original 9/11 and in the days following.  I remember even when driving, people were more polite because of the prevailing feeling that we're in this together.  There was a tremendous amount of patriotism, but the good kind, not the hating kind.  I lived in Connecticut and worked a lot in NYC, so maybe this was just something that was going on locally

Its sad how quickly people can lose sight of the good lessons we learned that day.

If you have facebook friends that reveal themselves to be alien to your way of thought, I'd cut them right out.  Life is to short to deal with haters masquerading as friends.

 

[hannaugh]

It makes me sick.  Half of these people are the type that post all kinds of "awareness" status messages, acted like they cared about the earthquake victims in Haiti and Japan, and are always acting like they are humanitarians or something, but because this is thought of as an "American" issue (even though people of all nationalities were killed... it being the World Trade Center, not the American Trade Center), it's not trendy to care.  Freaking hypocrites. 

 

[AprioriMark]

Honestly, my first comment to my close friend as it was happening might be considered negative by some (so I won't share it here; not the point). 

I remember the aftermath, and I don't remember it being uncool to help.  My neighbor is a firefighter, and he went out there for months on his own dime.  Everyone helped babysit his little one, took out their trash, made them meals, and one neighbor even paid his mortgage while he was gone (anomalously).  The nation was one family for a bit.

What's different today?  Lately, our entire existence is saturated with hate, judgment, confrontational-ism and a total LACK of that family feeling that 9-11 gave us.  I am bitter about how people have chosen to act in the last 10 years, and I know I'm not the only one.  I'm also too classy to rant on Facebook, however. 

-Mark

 

[ORCRiST]

I see Fender is trying to cash in...

The FCS decided to build these 'tribute' guitars. I think they are tacky as hell - and personally feel ashamed that Fender is trying to profit from
9/11 (its not like they're giving them away, or selling them at cost which would have been a act of class.).

Really, Fender? Really?

 

[erogenousjones17]

Those Fenders don't seem like any way of commemorating an undeniably tragic event. That's just a lack of taste.

I turned 16 on 9/11. I was taking the written exam for my driver's license, and the TV in the exam room was on (strangely enough) and tuned to an all-news network. The towers fell as I was answering questions about emergency vehicles and right of way. Surreal.

I also think a lot of awful, unfortunate things have happened in the world since then--things that I don't think we should get into here--but there's no denying that that day changed the world, maybe forever.

 

[hannaugh]

Wow... yeah, that's really tacky. 

 

[Cagey]

I see Fender is trying to cash in...

The FCS decided to build these 'tribute' guitars. I think they are tacky as hell - and personally feel ashamed that Fender is trying to profit from
9/11 (its not like they're giving them away, or selling them at cost which would have been a act of class.).

Really, Fender? Really?

I agree. Pretty low. But, that's marketing weenies for you. They know there are some dingbats out there that can be parted from their money with little or no effort no matter how cheesy/tacky/thoughtless the offering, so they do their best to be first in line to vacuum it up regardless of how debasing it is.

 

[pabloman]

It would have been cool if this thread could have stayed along some positive path. Theres enough negativity out there. There's plenty of time for bashing big business, this isn't it. :dontknow:

 

[AprioriMark]

It's really not that tacky, internet warriors:

After going on brief display at a Fender event in California in mid-September, Eric Clapton will play the guitars during fall dates on his 2011 world tour, after which they will be donated to Sept 11, 2001, first-responder organizations.

The guitars are the brainchild of Minnesota firefighter Tommy Clarke, who, a decade ago, was on the scene of the World Trade Center within 24 hours after disaster struck. In the years afterward, he collected pins, badges, medals and other commendation related to the three New York agencies and to Sept. 11. The decorations that adorn the three guitars are from his collection.

Although not a guitarist, Clarke conceived of the guitars in the mid-2000s after receiving an invitation to a New York “Notes For Hope” fund-raising banquet for the city’s Sept. 11 memorial and museum.

“Even though I don’t play guitar, I thought it would a good way for me to honor those who perished on Sept. 11 and those who are still suffering,” he said. “And I always loved sitting back and listening to my son play guitar. That’s when I thought of a guitar. I’ve always felt as if music and art combined together is a good way for a person to express his feelings.”

Clarke also happens to be a longtime friend of Eric Clapton, and it was Clapton that put Clarke in touch with the Fender Custom Shop, where Master Builder Todd Krause was entrusted with bringing the idea to life. Krause had built several instruments for Clapton over the years, and he and Clarke exchanged ideas—one of which led to the custom finish graphics by New York artist Lee Quinones.

http://www.guitarworld.com/fender-unveils-911-tribute-guitars

So, yeah, really. 

-Mark

 

[pabloman]

Thanks for that post Mark.  ccasion14:

 

[ORCRiST]

It's really not that tacky, internet warriors:

After going on brief display at a Fender event in California in mid-September, Eric Clapton will play the guitars during fall dates on his 2011 world tour, after which they will be donated to Sept 11, 2001, first-responder organizations.

The guitars are the brainchild of Minnesota firefighter Tommy Clarke, who, a decade ago, was on the scene of the World Trade Center within 24 hours after disaster struck. In the years afterward, he collected pins, badges, medals and other commendation related to the three New York agencies and to Sept. 11. The decorations that adorn the three guitars are from his collection.

Although not a guitarist, Clarke conceived of the guitars in the mid-2000s after receiving an invitation to a New York “Notes For Hope” fund-raising banquet for the city’s Sept. 11 memorial and museum.

“Even though I don’t play guitar, I thought it would a good way for me to honor those who perished on Sept. 11 and those who are still suffering,” he said. “And I always loved sitting back and listening to my son play guitar. That’s when I thought of a guitar. I’ve always felt as if music and art combined together is a good way for a person to express his feelings.”

Clarke also happens to be a longtime friend of Eric Clapton, and it was Clapton that put Clarke in touch with the Fender Custom Shop, where Master Builder Todd Krause was entrusted with bringing the idea to life. Krause had built several instruments for Clapton over the years, and he and Clarke exchanged ideas—one of which led to the custom finish graphics by New York artist Lee Quinones.

http://www.guitarworld.com/fender-unveils-911-tribute-guitars

So, yeah, really. 

-Mark

That makes me feel a little better about the World - thanks for that Mark. That being said, they still (IMHO) look tacky as hell - I'm surprised the vaunted "Masterbuilders" at the Fender Custom Shop
couldn't come up with something better.  I know the art comes from the NY Artist per your post, but I'm still disappointed in the end results considering the theme/subject matter. Am I off-base here?

 

[AprioriMark]

That's sorta where I'm at.  I don't care for them either, but that's what the fireman wanted.

-Mark

 

[Cagey]

Am I off-base here?

No. It's just wrong to profit from the tragic misfortune of others, and in this case, it's not just the direct victims but the emotional well-being of the entire country. We're all victims. That's why you feel the way you do. It's sleazy. Makes you feel dirty and ashamed, in a collective sort of way. Like your pack has betrayed you.

 

[AprioriMark]

I'm done posting in this thread.  That's some of the most asinine garbage I've ever read.  Presuming to tell people why and how they feel while bashing someone's cathartic healing process through art.  I'm done being handcuffed by the illusion of civility here.  That's beyond pathetic.

-Mark

 

[Mor Paul]

I'm kinda confused why they chose this guy to do the art:
http://www.google.com/search?rlz=1C1ASUT_enUS446US446&q=lee+quinones&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&hl=en&tab=wi&biw=1920&bih=979

But, the fact that Fender's masterbuilders are doing it is great. They'll have valuable guitars being donated, and that's commendable.

 

[Torment Leaves Scars]

Well, here goes me, once again, opening my big, opinionated mouth, and once again, I'm sure my opinion is going to be the VERY UNPOPULAR one.  That's fine, I'll take the flack, but before spewing your venom upon me, think about this for a moment...

"Never forget."  Sure, that's all well and good, but how'bout if we move on?  Just because we move on does not mean we've forgotten.  There are a lot of horrid things that happen in this world, and how many "9/11s" has this country bestowed upon other countries?  Remember that "Weapons of Mass Destruction" excuse to invade Iraq?  Yeah, I sure do.  How many innocent Americans lost their lives in Iraq for no other reason than one man's power trip?  There were PLENTY of reasons and ways that Saddam Hussein should have been ejected from office, but look at the damage we caused, and for what?

19 men with box-cutters caused the 9/11 attacks.  It took 23 men to find and kill Osama Bin Laden.  Those 19 box-cutters lead to the deaths of THOUSANDS of people, American soldiers, and otherwise.

"NEVER FORGET."  It's nice that our country remembers this horrible tragedy, and even hold candlelight vigils, but has it ever occurred to anyone that the families of these victims want to forget?

I feel as somber as anyone about that day, but I'm not going to live in the past.  Should I "reflect" on every anniversary of every date that someone hurt my feelings really badly?  No, there are things I've never forgotten, but I don't "force" myself to fixate on them.  I really think this country needs to be aware of what happened and what can happen, but I also think we need to stop living in the past about it.