General Chat

While I wouldn't post on a thread like that to criticise it, I don't usually post on them because I personally feel they're a bit meaningless. I can understand why people *do* want to post on them but I sort of feel it's claiming I am a part of the events and I wasn't. I was just one of millions of people who viewed things that affected the world on telly.

With the 9/11 attacks or the London bombings or Princess Diana's death, I didn't know anyone deeply affected by it, however horrified, stunned or saddened I was by any of them so I feel it's a bit trivialising to sign myself on something that's remembering them.

None of us will ever forget where we were, what we were doing or how we felt when these national or international events happened - same with those old enough to remember the war - I still vividly recall heartbreaking stories my grandmother told me. And what I personally feel about these things is real to me whereas adding to threads like the 9/11 thread feel a bit artificial.

Just a personal point of view.

Understood and agree sometimes.

I agree Uggers,,in a 50/50 way.

Its like the horrffic loss of lives in India as saddened I feel about it,emotionally can stay detached.

I get your point luv, but I think it does us good to remember events like this one. To feel empathy towards all those affected today, and to be thankful many of us were not caught up in the destruction of it all, even though we got swept along with the horror of it all

I know a thread wont make any jot of differance to whats happened, and there are many other things which have also been devastating happen in the world.

I dont feel I'm claiming that I was part of the events as I recalled that day. I wasnt, but for me its one of the rememberances of that day in my life.
Doesnt take it away from those who genuinely suffered. It doesn't feel as if its been 9 years, its as vivid as yesterday those days & hours frozen in time..

Just what I said Uggers , but you will be allowed to I am not .

Hello all:)

Kay, I suppose it is about detachment - however much you empathise and sympathise with victims of whatever sort of disaster, we're apart from it.

Mildred:) I agree it's good to remember and empathise - personally I don't think we ever forget certain terrible events or ever stop feeling moved by them just as we did at the time. It's just for me - and I don't intend any disrespect to those who post them - threads commemorating them on somewhere like here are a pointless. But as I said, I can appreciate that some people do want them.

Amy, the reason I posted this was because I more or less agreed with you - but you made your point aggressively and on the thread itself. That's going to put peoples backs up isn't it. Not a case of being allowed - I don't care - and I'm sure you don't - if people like it or not although I might, on this occasion delete it if it offended.

Yes Uggers you have said it better .

I was thinking along these lines last night Uggers whilst watching a programme about the Marriott Hotel , situated beneath the twin towers when they fell...

I don't know anyone who was there at the time
( except by distant mutual acquaintance). i think there is a natural reticence with some to 'sign on' as you put it to a tragedy ( be that small or large) that has not directly affected oneself, even though one has been touched by it..

It's a terribly fine dividing line isn't it? between a feeling of unjustified 'intrusion' and wanting to make a contribution to remembering the people who were affected, or whose courage one still pays tribute to.

I post sometimes about the Holocaust ( esp on Holocaust memorial day ) not because I remember it first hand, I remember my mother's acoounts of the stories which began to be told here, I 'know' the history from my own 'research' ,but I FEEL it in my heart that it is important that people not involved in it also commemorate it publicly and express thier feelings publicly ,,,to honour the momory of those who died but also to take courage from it and work towards the tolerance and acceptance of other 'races' (creeds, colours etc) that was denied to the victims.

I don't think it is 'wrong' to post on 9/11 if one feels one wants to...but equally I don't think it is 'right' that one feels one should post or look uncaring. We all remember people and events close and distant in our own way...publicly or privately :)

Yep Uggers,

Its that old adage.....

Its not what you say its the way you say it,,!

I like your way of putting it over though,,,,,,mark that up as a first:}}}}}}}

I'm obviously having an 'on' day, Amy ;)

Rose, that's pretty much it - I also feel very strongly about the Holocaust and certain aspects of the world wars, because - having lost two great grandfathers and a great uncle - I know of the effects on those who I've loved. I suppose it's a bit of the anti public grief thing in me that sprung up after Princess Diana's death too

Add : A lot was added while I was typing...I haven't seen any posts referred to by others ... my opinion is that those who want to remember publicly should be allowed to do so without 'let or hindrance'... but if you don't want to DON'T.

I suggest you read my posts again, Rita because I haven't said anything that you seem to think I have.

Rita who is the SHE in your rant .?

Rita I don't think Uggers said that at all... ( edit :this reply is to next to last posting...lol my typing is slow today )

it is not a case of those who don't make it 'public'
NOT remembering, it is that they choose to do so privately. Much like the old soldiers who never talk about the war.

I can share in the general horror at 9/11 and grieve for its victims...but I do not KNOW how it 'felt' to be there .... there is a distance between me and those who actually lost relatives / friends/ work colleagues.

Remembering is something we all do , acknowledging the courage and recognising the horror and fear is something we all do ... how one chooses to do so is and should be , down to the individual always. ( Edit...just as our reactions at the time might also have been 'individual'...some would have wept, some sat in stunned silence, some who talked to others some who could say nothing.)

Rita, that is what I said - that for me personally I wouldn't use normally threads on places like this because of how I feel and I also said I can understand why people do. In your first thread, you were talking about the war and that it seemed I was saying it shouldn't be remembered so perhaps we are just misunderstanding each other a little - for example I rarely miss going to a Remembrance service and my great grandfather is actually on the Firefighters Memorial you mention on the other board.

Rose has actually said all this better than me:)

No problem - we more or less agree:)

I understand what Uggers was putting over ;;its the over the top pouring of public grief that people seem to get swept away with,they seem to take on a personal amount to things that they have no emotional attachment to..ie the whole Diana thing,tragic as it was as with any family in these circumstances,it went beyond being saddened for a familys loss.

9/11 will always be a poigant time as will poppy day or any other rememberence day of tragic events when lives were lost needlessly.

That's it Kay - agree completely with all of that:)

I tend to agree with you, Uggers. It's impossible to explain why or how one responds to tragedy.

I was bewildered by the fuss after Diana died. I still am. There seemed to be a mass hysteria gripping the country but not touching me or anyone I knew, other than a feeling of sadness for her family.

9/11 did touch me. Perhaps because I saw it happen, I got home and turned on the TV for the lunchtime news and was watching it live. I did feel involved. In addition some of the young people I worked with were deeply affected so there was more involvement in dealing with them.

I certainly wouldn't want to cause upset by commenting negatively on a thread where others were expressing sadness.

Gwynne