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Sept. 11, 2001 redux

This particular calendar day will likely be remembered for years to come as a day where we pause to reflect on the event we're remembering, the way we USED to celebrate holidays before the invention of the three day weekend.

In case any of you at all are unaware of what happened on this day(and I can't believe you are if you are on the internet, reading this), it is the seventh anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.

A friend asked me to relate what I was doing on that day, and so, by request, here's how I spent September 11, 2001.

I was getting ready to go to work at my radio station, as on any other day.

Well, not quite like any other day. At that time my shift was in the afternoons. At that time, I was still the afternoon sports anchor for our PM newsblock. I was going in early that day brecause the person who did the midday engineering was not able to work.

So I was up plenty early that morning.

But for some reason, I didn't have my radio tuned to my station that morning. I instead had a religiouis station on, listening to taped radio preacher shows. The only way that I had any idea of what happened was when I logged on to my computer to check my morning e-mail.

I noticed some links to a disaster in New York, but I had no time to check them out...surely I'd find out all about it at work.

Boy, would I...

When I got there, it didn't take long to find out what had happened...every TV in the newsroom was turned on to the news channels, and our entire news staff was running around at a feverish rate, grabbing copy and rushing copy into our news host to update our listeners.

Our general manager, program director, and sales manager were all in our control room, making decisions on what commercials to pre-empt and reschedule, and what we would do when our morning news block was over.

Normally, Rush Limbaugh's show followed our news, but with the story still unfolding, we opted to remain with CBS Network News as long as it took, to let all our radio listeners know what was going on with this incredible turn of events.

We were not the only station with this coverage. All six of our sister stations in the building were simulcasting our coverage(even our two Spanish-language stations).

This led to the bizarre spectacle of our host giving seven live station IDs every hour all morning long.

As the day went on, we gradually segued from long form news coverage into taking calls from listeners who wanted to talk about what was going on.

Since the reason I had come so early was already superfluous, I was dispatched to updating the news wires and taking the calls for our impromptu talk program. In between, our program director was hastily determining what direction our programming would take as the day went on.

When I was able to sneak a peek at the continuous TV coverage, I saw reporter Ashleigh Banfield(then with MSNBC)trying to interview people on the street amidst the rubble, and the horrified pregnant woman who was nearly hit by falling debris, if not for Banfield pulling her out of the way. No "reality" show could ever recreate that kind of gripping drama and sispense.

When I was finally done with screening calls, I conferred with our program director as to what to do with our sportscasts. Not surprisingly, I was told to keep my sportscasts to one minute, and to confine my content to those sports stories that tied into the "big" story. That wasn't hard, because most of the sports activity was centered on whether to play the scheduled football and baseball games as planned, or pre-empt or cancel them.

As things finally started to calm down, so did we...and the rest of my day went pretty much as normal.

I ended up being at the station 10 hours that day...but with all the activity, it seemed to just fly by.

Was I afraid? No, because I knew that my destiny was already determined...and no matter what happened, I and my neighbors and colleagues would be all right.

And I still feel that way seven years later, even though this world seems more out of control than ever.

What were YOU doing?

About This Article - Sept. 11, 2001 redux

Author: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Written: 09/12/2008 | Category: MiscPersonalSouthern Gospel Music Comments: 8
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Reader Comments

   Donna Strong/HEARTS OF FAITH ~ 09/22/2008

September 11 has always been special to me ... because September 11 is my birthday!

That day in 2001, I was to be celebrating my 40th while attending the National Quartet Convention in Louisville, KY. Of course, there wasn't too much celebrating that day.

I remember the feeling of horror as we watched the towers fall and knowing families would be torn apart that day. I remember the solemn look on faces throughout the exhibit hall. I remember seeing armed guards walking the aisles to make sure everything was okay. I remember wondering if NQC would continue. Of course, it did ... only because it was a municipally-controlled building. Had it been federally-controlled, the Board would have had no say in the matter.

I remember seeing folks who didn't know each other talking ~ as if sharing their views would somehow help heal what had just taken place. I remember Russ Taff's debut with THE GAITHER VOCAL BAND that Thursday night (13th) at NQC and their rendition of "We Shall Stand." I saw the entire arena of people crying and holding hands ... "You're my brother, you're my sister; so take me by the hand ... together we will work until He comes ... there's no foe that can defeat us when we're walking side by side; as long as their is love, we will stand." How appropriate for that time in history.

Even though seven years have passed, the memories of that day are still very real. What's even more real is that people have tended to go back to their "normal" life and many have forgotten their promises made to God during that tragic time. It's a shame that it takes tragedy to bring about needed change.

That's where I was on September 11, 2001.
Donna Strong
HEARTS OF FAITH
http://www.heartsoffaith.biz

   .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) ~ 09/23/2008

Coincidentally, I was in New York City on September 11, 2001 with family. I was able to view, first hand, the horror our nation endured as a result of hatred.

As a person who was brought up on Gospel Music, I was aware that the NQC was happening at the same time. To be honest, I've always wondered what the leaders of the NQC were thinking when they decided to "let the show go on" despite the pain that our country was enduring. It was, to me, one of the most disrespectful decisions ever made.

While thousands of Americans were dealing with the loss of life, the NQC seemed to be more concerned with loss of money if they chose to honor the fallen heros of our nation by suspending their self-centered celebration of themselves.

What kind of self-absorbed bubble can a group of people live in when they choose to continue PERFORMANCES during the most heart-wrenching moment in our nation's history since Pearl Harbor?
It's a question that no answer will ever satisfy in my heart.

   Donna Strong/HEARTS OF FAITH ~ 09/23/2008

Elaine,
We too wondered if money had anything to do with the NQC Board continuing the event. However, we were told that it would have been so chaotic to simply cancel the event because not everyone who was going to attend was there yet by Tuesday. Some were actually in flight when these events unfolded; some were traveling by car to Louisville. The NQC Board said there was simply no way for them to contact all those people to let them know the event was going to be cancelled. From an administrative standpoint, that does make a lot of sense. BTW, there were many events that were changed that week. For example, many of the showcases were cancelled at hotels so that those rooms could be used for donations of blood. And there were a ton of NQC attendees who gave blood to help out the cause while in Louisville.
BTW, on Tuesday evening, ALL EXHIBITORS were asked to leave their booths and come to the Hall for a concert prayer for our nation and those who were dealing with the loss of life. This year is our 20th year to exhibit at NQC and I've never seen anything like that. Quite honestly, part of me wanted to be home with my family; but there was another part of me that was exactly where I needed to be: with my brothers and sisters in Christ agreeing in prayer that this horrific event would bring our nation back to God.
Your last comment ... "It's a question that no answer will satisfy in my heart" bothers me because that "seems" to suggest that your heart is not open to learning what may have been going through the Board's own minds and hearts while trying to make that decision. I am sure that this decision was not an easy one for them. They were dealing with something they'd never faced before and, quite honestly, I don't think any one of us can say we would have known exactly what we would have done if we'd been in their shoes.
Please realize, I'm not trying to convince you to change your mind about NQC's decision on 9/11. I just tend to cringe when people don't look at things (not only this) from ALL perspective and are so black and white and unable to open up their heart to other possibilities that may exist.

Donna
HEARTS OF FAITH

   .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) ~ 09/23/2008

Donna,
Thank you for a warm and well-thought out answer. I appreciate it. My purpose is posting my comments was not for an explanation, because nobody who runs the NQC owes me - or anyone for that matter - an explanation for their decision.

My reason for posting it was simply to state my opinion and to give another perspective of how people might have chosen another course of action that would have been MORE honoring to our country.

And in my opinion they should have cancelled NQC that year. It's true that people would have been inconvenienced, but that's what happens when a nation pulls together in a time of national tragedy. Millions of us were inconvenienced. Those of us in New York City during those days were terrified and traumatized.

Thousands of families were inconvenienced by the untimely death of their family members in the World Trade Center, not to mention the "inconvenience" that was occurring in Washington, DC around the Pentagon. Nor could anyone talk about the inconvenience felt by those brave people who crashed a plane in to a field in Pennsylvania - giving up their lives to save the lives of our leaders in Washington.

All major sporting events were cancelled. All major TV events were cancelled. All music touring acts were cancelled. The Stock Market was closed for a week - causing millions of people to lose millions of dollars. TV Awards shows - cancelled. TV schedules cancelled for weeks. In my opinion, it just wasn't RIGHT to celebrate- in any way - when our nation had just been brutally attacked on it's own soil. It wasn't the right thing to do. Would it have been inconvenient to the people who wanted to have a good time at NQC? Yes.. of course.

As far as your opinion that my comment, "It's a question that no answer will ever satisfy in my heart" showing that I am unwilling to "learn what was going through the Board's own mind and hearts".. I must say that I cannot begin to IMAGINE what kind of thoughts they must have been thinking. That is EXACTLY what baffles my mind. What WERE they thinking??

We do not know each other and so you have no way of knowing that the LAST thing anyone would say about me is that I am not willing to open my heart to see other people's perspective. The problem is that I think I DO see their perspective clearly - and their perspective how more to do about money than anything else.

When you say, "on Tuesday evening, ALL EXHIBITORS were asked to leave their booths and come to the Hall for a concert prayer for our nation and those who were dealing with the loss of life" I am AMAZED that there even were people in their booths SELLING STUFF on the evening of September 11th. Larger institutions than the National Quartet Convention were willing to put aside their agenda and MOURN while the NQC had people in booths selling stuff. I'm embarrassed for them.

When I say that no answer will satisfy, it's not because I think someone owes me an explanation. Is there any answer that would satisfy you as to why 19 terrorists decided to do what they did? Is there anything anyone can say to you that would answer the question? I don't think so, and it's not because you're "not willing to open up your heart to the possibilities that might exist". There is no explanation that woulds satisfy your question to them: Why did you do this? It was wrong?
It's not my business HOW the NQC came to the decision to conduct business as usual. But if you'll look back to that week in our nation, you'll find that they are one of the few events who did. They should have cancelled the event,s sent the people home, taken their financial losses and done the right thing. That's my opinion.

   Donna Strong/HEARTS OF FAITH ~ 09/23/2008

Elaine,
Thank you for appreciating my thoughts. I do understand your position and opinions. It was a horrific week for all of us ~ even those of us who were AT NQC. Believe me ~ it was NOT a time of celebration. I really felt for the artists who sang Tuesday night because the minds of the people listening were not on the songs ~ it was on what was happening in our nation. In fact, all the video feeds in the exhibit area were on CNN and the news stations ~ not on the concert coming from the Hall. People were simply stopping in the aisles, motionless and speechless just watching. The looks on the faces said it all.
As for exhibitors "selling" their stuff, we were already there and you're not going to tear down your booth mid-week. And there were people who purchased our music because they found songs on our projects that would speak to people's hearts during such a difficult time. After all, that's one of the beauties of gospel music ~ it does speak to our hearts for times of celebration and times of distress. And I can GUARANTEE you that everyone at NQC was mourning ... it was the heaviest feeling I've ever experienced in my life! But we were able to come together to share; cry; pray; and just hold each other.
Yes, major events were cancelled that week all around our country due to the safety of those who were attending. Let's face it: No one knew where another attack might take place. NQC could have cancelled the event and sent the people home, as you have said. However, some people wouldn't have ben able to leave at that time due to the hault of airline flights. So those people would have been staying anyway until the airlines resumed on that Friday.
Interestingly, there were many comments made about how those attending NQC showed God's love to all those around them. Hotel clerks were making comments about that; the guards that roamed the exhibit hall the remainder of the week; the security at the hall entrances. I heard so many comments from people who were NOT attending NQC about the Christian spirit that was there. In fact, there were even artists who were able to pray with some of those folks. I believe God used those remaining at NQC to minister to those in the Louisville area who didn't have a relationship with the Lord during a time that was unexplainable to them. So God used those of us still at NQC for His glory.

Donna
HEARTS OF FAITH

   .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) ~ 09/23/2008

Elaine,

I am more embarrassed by your one-sided, poor-me comments than any actions by the NQC and those attending. During 9-11 there were many events around the nation that went on as usual. People attended work, Church events continued, schools continued, Banks were open, even the USPS continued to deliver meail. Tragic as this was, and it was one of the most tragic events this nation has ever suffered, life didn't stop.

The NQC provide spiritual nourishment, prayers and unity for everyone attending.

I pray more for your selfish attitude than for anyone who continued on that day. We all did what we could that day if we were not able to be there physically we - we prayed!

Tony Tipton
Tony The Real Tiger

   .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) ~ 09/24/2008

Tony,

What in the world are you talking about??? Having an opinion that differs from yours does not make me a selfish person. And I truly doubt you are in actual PRAYER about it.

POOR ME attitude? I question a person who would call my opinion -

that it was inappropriate for a group of people to continue in a celebration while the nation was in mourning over the GREATEST tragedy to hit us as a nation in recent times..

I question the heart and soul of a person who would call that opinion a "Poor me" attitude.

The fact that a group of people who sing Gospel songs didn't think that it was offensive to GO ON WITH THE SHOW (and a SHOW it is) mere HOURS (or perhaps minutes) after fellow citizens suffered a horrendous attack on U.S. soil was poor judgment in my opinion. I continue to strongly hold that opinion. And I truly wasn't trying to get anyone to agree with me. Especially someone with YOUR attitude.


Secondly, it's true that life didn't stop - and I cannot see anything in my comments that suggested life around the nation should have stopped.

I didn't say people shouldn't keep living life - but there were VERY FEW CELEBRATORY events that continued to go one - ESPECIALLY ON ACTUAL DAY of September 11th. There were very few ENTERTAINMENT events that were not cancelled. All across the nation, people seemed to "know" instinctively that it was not the day for PERFORMING or CELEBRATING.

You have got to be kidding! You cannot be serious!
Comparing the fact that people went to work, and that banks and churches were open and that the post office continued to deliver mail is hardly the same thing as a group of singers at record booths hawking their wares while the nation was in grief and shock. The things you listed are necessary to citizens continuing their every day lives. The NQC is certainly not necessary to anyone except perhaps the people who run it. "Necessary" and "essential to life" is the institutions you described.

It is my strongly held OPINION that the fact that the NQC continued in it's "the show must go on" attitude - ESPECIALLY ON THE ACTUAL DAY OF THE ATTACK was unfeeling and inappropriate. It's great that they stopped and prayed. Was there something else they should have been doing at that moment? Everyone stopped and prayed that day. Even non-believers.

Evidently you attended, and you took my words personally. To call my opinion ONE-SIDED simply because it is not the same as your opinion is SMALL MINDED. Of course it's ONE sided... that's the very nature of an OPINION.. MY SIDE.

I don't agree with you OR the people who made the decision. It isn't something I think about every day. I was simply stating my thoughts - on a Southerm Gospel Music blog that asked for people's memories about September 11th my memory. The events of at least Tuesday evening should have been cancelled completely. It was disrespectful not to.

I'm not going to get in to a sparring event here Tony. This is my last post on the subject.

I am allowed to state my opinion. And you are allowed to state yours. That's what makes this such a great country. We are allowed to disagree and live together. Our freedom of speech is what so threatens our enemies around the world.

Your cold hearted response seems to stem from a defensive attitude. I was not attacking people who attended NQC. I am just surprised it was not cancelled.

   .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) ~ 09/24/2008

I stand by my comments Elaine. Your comments are selfish and self centered because you think anyone who didn't react the way you think they should was wrong. That makes you self centered. I never said your reactions or actions were wrong on that day, but you insist on judging the actions and reactions of others who didn't react the way you think they should have as being wrong. That's self-centered. You continue to prove my point with every argument you make.

And FYI, I was at my own home the day of the attack. I have never been privileged to attend a NQC. Your assumption continues prove my point.

Tony Tipton
Tony The Real Tiger



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