This photo was my one and only attempt at a double exposure. The daytime shot was taken in the morning on my way into the city, and the night shot as I returned to Staten Island. I dont recall the year or season.
Twenty two years after the fact and I still struggle to express myself on the disturbing events that transpired on that Tuesday morning, bright and clear. As I have been blessed to survive and graced with the time to review my prior thoughts and writing on this subject, I have found a piece I wrote a week and a day after the catastrophe. Composed during the overnight shift at the Emergency Command Center at Pier 92, it is rough and raw. Yet it marks the beginning of an outpouring of emotion which continues to this day.
WINDOWS ON THE WORLD 9/17/01
For almost a quarter century New York’s twin silent sentinels stood guard over its harbor keeping watch over everything from the Statue Of Liberty to the Staten Island Ferry, Yankee Stadium, LaGuardia Airport, Coney Island and City Hall.
At one time they were derided as the boxes the Empire State and Chrysler Buildings came in, but no one could deny their massive appeal as a landmark, a star all the tri-state area could steer their ships by. They stood tall into long winter nights and hot summer days of a generation growing up with the aftermath of a confusing far away conflict, a presidential assassination, and a tumultuous struggle for civil rights.
I remember daydreaming in sophomore science class. I’d gaze back over my shoulder out of a third floor window in Port Richmond High School and watch something magical appear in the sky. Like so many others in this city, this country, this world, after a while, I took them for granted.
Now they are gone.
Along with a modern wonder of steel and glass went the very best people this city could produce: The Bravest, The Finest collection of individuals our society could ever hope to know. Lifesavers. They took the hit for us. They didn’t ask questions. There was a fire to be fought and lives to save a thousand feet into the morning. They didn’t hesitate.
It is said that America lost it’s innocence in the 60’s, got selfish and narcissistic in the 70’s, got greedy in the 80’s and slacked off in the 90’s. The Millennium held hope and promise for a brave new adventure in this world of technological marvels, but a sucker punch by a deluded mob of fanatics has woken us up to a nightmare of epic proportions.
Yet America holds fast. What was true on Monday the 10th was still true on Wednesday the 12th: Love is right, and Hate is wrong. Unity is right, and Racism is wrong. Peace is right and Violence is wrong. A terrible swift sword of righteousness has been thrust into the fire and quenched in a river of tears. Each American, of all races and all nationalities, of all countries on earth have been tempered and sharpened to this task.
Oppressors bully the weak. Nobody brilliant did this. People abusing liberty should be given no credit. We will not be bullied. Thus the world shall not be overwhelmed by evil…despite two towering holes in the sky.
MDR338
Mark D Ransom
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