September 11, 2006

Got up early this morning and went to the WTC site before work. I knew if I didn't, I'd kick myself in the ass for not going, as this might be the only time I'm actually living in the big apple.

It wasn't quiet, as I had expected. They had already started reading off the names of the 2000+ people that had died at the WTC site that day, tourists, businesspeople, activists, religous groups, and journalists all mingled in an endless sea of people that surrounded the dirt hole in the ground where the WTC once stood. Needless to say, it wasn't an environment for contemplation, something I was looking for. I found myself really turned off by it all...so I left.

But the trip was not a complete loss, not at all.

Taking the PATH train in, I was one of 3 white people in my train car. Everyone else looked of Indian, Middle Eastern, Hispanic, African or Asian decent. Some were carrying islamic prayer beads or rosaries, probably with the same intention as me...to go, see, and contemplate the events that have shaped a new way in which the way people in the world relate to each other. As we approached the WTC PATH station, (the train comes into what would have been directlly underneath the twin towers), everyone in the train car turned to look at the site and reflect on that fateful day. It was a pretty amazing experience. The tension in the train car, the emotion that you could feel silently pouring out of people, the tears welling up inside that no one dare let out. It was one of those moments I was truly grateful to have spent with complete strangers.

A forgotton post

I was supposed to post this in getting back from the city by the bay, but it slipped my mind. Anywho...enjoy!

Subject: Airport police states

With all of the new, heightened security at the airports, the experience of checking in for a flight can begin to feel like you’re in a police state. Waiting in line to get your boarding pass can take what seems like an eternity. Lines are a hundred or more people long, and there are never enough employees or e-check in machines to service everyone efficiently. With all of that ample time waiting, government takes advantage of having you there, with nothing better to do than to listen to their announcements. Yes, I know the threat level is at Orange. Yes, I know that there are new flight regulations. But my favorite is the special lounge for the military personnel. Don’t get me wrong, I think that the military personnel should be honored and respected…but come on…announcing that there is a special lounge, only for them…it just makes me wonder why that announcement has to be made. After getting your boarding pass, you head to the security checkpoint, where a man with a bullhorn announces that you need to have your boarding pass and ID out. (Don’t even get me started on how they’re nationalizing ID cards now). The sheer fact that he’s walking around, with a bullhorn, shouting this at all of the people (again in a line), is scary. It makes me think of people waiting in line to get food rations or something…like this guy with the bullhorn needs to keep these people “in line” or something. After that, you shed your shoes, coat, and jewelry, separate your computer from your bag, and walk through a metal detector. All of that is x-rayed, and sent through special detectors. Interesting. Not to mention the waiting again, to even be able to walk through that metal detector. From there on out, its like a race to see who can re-assemble themselves first, just to run to sit at the gate, waiting for their flight. Then you hear more announcements about how the coffee you bought to keep yourself awake through this 2-3 hour process, can’t be brought on the plane for security reasons…I mean, come on! Don’t they check that stuff before they bring it into the airport? Did I actually get something through all of your security that I can mix with my morning orange juice that will be a threat to the plane? Honestly…

Overall observation: Everything is so orderly, so planned out, so watched, so predictable. Each airport is its own little police state. From the physical airport layout to the nature of the announcements.

The scary thing in all of this is that, with all that is going on in the world today, this type of police state security is needed. I think that sheer fact scares me more. The police states they have set up at each airport don’t make me feel safer. It does, however, heighten my awareness of everything going on in the world today, everything bad. Every time I have to pass through airport security, it’s like a knee-jerk reaction to current events. I think of Israel & Lebanon. I think of India and Pakistan. I think of Bangalore, Egypt, Bali, NYC. I think of lots of scary things.

Then I think of AIESEC.