In Memory

Do you remember where you were on September 11, 2001? Do you remember what you were doing? Do you remember how you felt when you heard the news? If you got up early enough, you might have heard that a plane exploded in New York City. And later that they thought it might have purposely flown into the World Trade Center. You might have actually heard or watched the second plane. You might have wondered when they announced the third plane, hitting the Pentagon, if it was the end of the world.

I did.

I was getting ready for work when I turned on the news to get the weather report. The second plane had just hit the World Trade Center and no one knew what was going on. Then, as I watched, they announced the plane that hit the Pentagon and we all knew this was no accident. This was a deliberate attack on our country! In my whole life, I had never heard of anyone attacking America. People who were alive for Pearl Harbor are the last people who can remember a direct attack on this country. It shocked me. I just stared at the TV wondering who could do this, and who/what place would be next.

I had planned on taking Trax (the light rail train) to work that day instead of driving. But suddenly I was worried that public transportation was a bad idea. Would trains get taken over by terrorists? Would they explode or derail? Was Salt Lake even a target? We just didn't know. I didn't think it was likely, but one hour before I didn't think the possibility of a plane blowing up the Pentagon was likely either.

I drove to work. Things were strange. Instead of teaching my regularly planned lessons, my students and I listened to live-streaming news on my laptop. We talked about what was going on. Some kids cried. We all got on our cell phones and called our loved ones to make sure they were OK.

It was a strange, surreal, awful day. And I can remember it exactly even now. I can remember where I was, how I felt, what went through my head...everything slowed down and was imprinted forever on my brain. I couldn't turn off the radio or the TV all day and for several days after. We all hoped and prayed that more people would be found alive in the World Trade Center wreckage. We waited. In vain.

I still think of that day a lot. I watch shows about 9/11 every time they come on, trying to make sense of it, trying to understand what it must have been like for the people in the buildings, for the people on the planes, for the families of the loved ones who died. But it still, 9 years later, seems totally unreal that this could have happened. HOW does something like that happen? To US?

Anyway, I just wanted to put my thoughts down on paper. I can't remember a day in my life--except maybe the day my father died--that has affected me so deeply. It still haunts me.

Do you remember what you were doing that day? Please share your thoughts.

Stranger Than Fiction

I read this blub on the KSL website today. After several minutes of careful consideration of the legal ramifications involved and meticulous study of the facts in this case, my first thought was, "Ummmm....huh?" And then I recovered with the more intelligent and academic comment, "For reals??"

See for yourself...

Prosecutors charge pregnant girl in beating case
May 28th, 2009 @ 11:12am
VERNAL, Utah (AP) -- Prosecutors have charged a 17-year-old girl who allegedly paid a man to beat her up so she would have a miscarriage.

The girl, whose fetus survived, is charged in 8th District Juvenile Court with first-degree felony criminal solicitation to commit murder. She appeared in Juvenile Court on Wednesday, and Judge Larry Steele has ordered her to remain in a juvenile detention facility.

Prosecutors say the girl paid 21-year-old Arron Harrison of Naples $150 to beat her up after her boyfriend threatened a break up if she didn't get rid of the child.

Harrison is charged with second-degree felony attempted homicide and made his first appearance in court Wednesday.

1) So, was it a viable fetus or not? Because last time I checked, Roe vs Wade was still in effect and it was legal to eliminate an unwanted fetus up to the point of viability (22 weeks). Opinions on that issue aside, shouldn't it be legal?

2) If the fetus was viable, then it wasn't a miscarriage she was intending, but a still birth. Miscarriage is only before 20 weeks. So was she trying to cause a miscarriage or a still birth?

2) That's a weird way to get an abortion. By beating? Hmmmm. Not too bright on the mother's part.

3) Is the charge of solicitation to commit murder against herself? Because then shouldn't it be "solicitation to commit suicide?"

4) If the victim PAID the assailant to beat her up, can he really be charged with assault or attempted homicide?

This is such a weird case, I don't know where to begin! Who's making this stuff up anyway?