Tell me something I haven't heard before...
OK, I actually saw and heard something tonight I had actually not heard or seen before. In another attempt to procrastinize from doing my take home test, I switched on the TV. Me and the husband were watching some Reality TV. They showed a documentary on 9/11. But, it was unlike any I had seen before. Usually, the ones I've seen have really concentrated on the event itself, with a lot of narrarration. This is was all a view from the people on the street. And, it went from the attacks through a weak after it. There was no narrarrator. All common-folks talking, with a lot of shots from amateur and semi-professional film makers. They showed a lot of things I hadn't seen before. Now, I was in NYC on September 11th. If any-one's interested in hearing my story, I'd be happy to tell it. Normally, I don't very much like watching these kinds of things since it brings back a lot of things that I don't like to think about. And, I will honestly say that I from that day, for about 3 months or so, I could not watch or read any news. Which, turned out to be very hard to do since during that semester, I was taking a Broadcast Journalism class. (Incidently enough from the very first newscaster that broke the 9/11 story, by interrupting the Today Show, after the first plane hit the World Trade Center) But, I just really couldn't watch it. I was living it. Anyways, on this documentary, I saw something I hadn't seen before and really didn't know before now. I also happen to think whoever made this documentary may have deliberately included it. A couple of the film-makers they interviewed filmed some stuff when they went to imprompty vigils at Washington Square Park and Union Square. There were two different occasions on two different days, after 9/11. The first took place at Washington Square Park. The first few moments of footage are of people holding hands and having a moment of silence. Then, it cuts to a middle-aged guy yelling about something. He looks like a normal business guy, wearing suit pants and a tie, and sunglasses hanging from a dorky chain. What's he yelling? Cut into him saying that, "International law #.... (I don't remember the number, and it's pointless since it doesn't really exist) states that forces must immediately evacuate from all occupied terrotories. It's that simple!! If the United States would make them comply with this, none of this would have happened!!" I had honestly never heard this before. My husband was also slightly shocked at what he was seeing. Not that it surprised us that Israel was being blamed for this. But, that it was publicly coming from some Joe Shmoe on the street. As he's yelling this, other people are yelling at him to shut the hell up, including a young emotional woman standing next to him. Another yelled at that there are people who had just died, perhaps thinking the same way, but now they're dead, and you can't think that way the day after. The business guy kept screaming the same thing over and over until the youg woman hit him in an attempt to shut him up.
Cut to a day or two later. A gigantic circle of people are gathered at Union Square. They're trying to sing some "Peace" songs when a verbal fight breaks out. People are yelling about whether to attack other places or not, that peace is the only way (Yeah, what the hell do they know?), blah, blah, blah. Then, you hear a guy yelling, "You can't expect a generation that has been starved of education for 2 generations and been starved, tortured... to not get pist off... The only reason there's any peace talks is because of the United States..." I can't remember the rest of the tirade. I do remember that a few minutes later another guy yelled at him that if he was in Palestine, he couldn't be talking so freely, and they'd kill him. Alright, not withstanding that there is no Palestine, let's talk about this.
OK, since I did admit that I did not really watch the news after the first few days of 9/11, the only news I remember about mentioning the Israeli/Palestinian "thing" the after-math was the one day that they showed Palestinians dancing in the streets and passing out candy. I also remember that they never showed it again after that day. I also remember that they knew who had perpetrated the attacks pretty quickly. Did the news or anything ever once mention that it was possible that Palestinians were behind the 9/11 attacks? On the street, I honestly never heard any-one mention that it was Israel's fault or America's involvement with Israel was the reason behind 9/11 until a little bit later. That's why it was a little surprising to hear this kind of talk only a day or two after the attacks. Admittingly, it was also a little funny and amusing. I mean, I shouldn't have been surprised. I mean, aren't we the easiest scape-goats around. OK, who's responsible for this? Um...well...it must have been the JEWS!!! It must have been that illegal and morally corrupt Nazi regime of ISRAEL!!! I mean, who else could it have been?!? OK, now we don't have to do anything. We can go about our day. Anyways, just wanted to share that. Now, I REALLY have to work. Got 6 pages to write, and it aint gonna be easy. Though, it is on a topic I'm sure every-one would be interested to put their 2 cents in to. I'm taking a political behavior in the Israeli media. Guess what my question's on? You have 3 choices, and the first 2 don't count. 'Night.
P.S. How did that little argument end? A guy who was working with one of the construction companies doing recovery and clean up at the Trade Center site told every-one to shut up b/c he had just come back from digging up body parts. Another person stading there told him she had also been there digging up party parts. He yelled back, "Then, what are we arguing about?" She said, "I don't know." Then, she said that they all just had so much rage and anger that they didn't know what to do with it. So, then, she got very emotional, and they ended up hugging. Then, a bunch of other people who were arguing started hugging also. See, if we all just gave eachother a hug, there would be so much more love in the world, and no more problem. What? No?
-OC
Cut to a day or two later. A gigantic circle of people are gathered at Union Square. They're trying to sing some "Peace" songs when a verbal fight breaks out. People are yelling about whether to attack other places or not, that peace is the only way (Yeah, what the hell do they know?), blah, blah, blah. Then, you hear a guy yelling, "You can't expect a generation that has been starved of education for 2 generations and been starved, tortured... to not get pist off... The only reason there's any peace talks is because of the United States..." I can't remember the rest of the tirade. I do remember that a few minutes later another guy yelled at him that if he was in Palestine, he couldn't be talking so freely, and they'd kill him. Alright, not withstanding that there is no Palestine, let's talk about this.
OK, since I did admit that I did not really watch the news after the first few days of 9/11, the only news I remember about mentioning the Israeli/Palestinian "thing" the after-math was the one day that they showed Palestinians dancing in the streets and passing out candy. I also remember that they never showed it again after that day. I also remember that they knew who had perpetrated the attacks pretty quickly. Did the news or anything ever once mention that it was possible that Palestinians were behind the 9/11 attacks? On the street, I honestly never heard any-one mention that it was Israel's fault or America's involvement with Israel was the reason behind 9/11 until a little bit later. That's why it was a little surprising to hear this kind of talk only a day or two after the attacks. Admittingly, it was also a little funny and amusing. I mean, I shouldn't have been surprised. I mean, aren't we the easiest scape-goats around. OK, who's responsible for this? Um...well...it must have been the JEWS!!! It must have been that illegal and morally corrupt Nazi regime of ISRAEL!!! I mean, who else could it have been?!? OK, now we don't have to do anything. We can go about our day. Anyways, just wanted to share that. Now, I REALLY have to work. Got 6 pages to write, and it aint gonna be easy. Though, it is on a topic I'm sure every-one would be interested to put their 2 cents in to. I'm taking a political behavior in the Israeli media. Guess what my question's on? You have 3 choices, and the first 2 don't count. 'Night.
P.S. How did that little argument end? A guy who was working with one of the construction companies doing recovery and clean up at the Trade Center site told every-one to shut up b/c he had just come back from digging up body parts. Another person stading there told him she had also been there digging up party parts. He yelled back, "Then, what are we arguing about?" She said, "I don't know." Then, she said that they all just had so much rage and anger that they didn't know what to do with it. So, then, she got very emotional, and they ended up hugging. Then, a bunch of other people who were arguing started hugging also. See, if we all just gave eachother a hug, there would be so much more love in the world, and no more problem. What? No?
-OC
posted by Olah Chadasha @ 7/17/2005 12:14:00 AM
Read Me By E-Mail
5 Comments:
I'd be interested to know the name of this film.
Thanks.
I will find out and get back to you.
-OC
OK, it's called 9/11: Stories from the Street. It was on a London based channel, called Reality TV, but it was definitely an American based documentary. If you can find it, let me know.
-OC
Here's the synopsis of it:
9/11 STORIES FROM THE CITY
It was a week the city of New York will never forget.
The film 911: Stories From the City is a raw, visceral look at the events of 9/11 and the ensuing week, as seen through the eyes of everyday New Yorkers who documented it with their video cameras.
It plunges you directly into the experience, as New Yorkers throughout the city witness the shocking attack and devastation. The film then documents the city's mood and spirit, day by day through the following week, as it comes to grips with the unthinkable. We witness the political clashes in public parks, spontaneous candlelight vigils, singing in the streets and the tireless volunteerism of the rescue efforts. And all the while the "pile" at Ground Zero continues to smolder and smudge the skyline.
The film features never-before-seen footage, from pedestrians trapped in nearby lobbies during the horrific twin collapses, to Bill Clinton's visit with grieving families two days after the attack, to the shaky return of businessmen to Wall Street the following Monday. It takes you back into the immediate experience of the sights and sounds of a week unlike any other.
The filmmakers themselves provide the narration, with first-person accounts of their poignant, and sometimes traumatic, experiences. And we meet several remarkable characters, caught on tape during New York's most terrifying, and challenging crisis.
Stories from the City is an unforgettable film that ultimately bears witness to how a city almost came apart at the seams, and how its people pulled it back together.
Thank you!
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