I edited my initial response as it was harsh, but so was yours.
Her response was to your statement which was an assumption out of ignorance. You were/are in no position to make presumptions regarding what they were doing, which you were/are.
Perhaps consider that more likely than not, if someone is in a place doing something, chances are there's a reason, and a good one at that. Nobody (least of all me) would ever suggest that the search and rescue efforts, albeit mostly unsuccessful, were of monumental importance. However, how often do engineers get a real-world exhibition of a structural collapse of that magnitude? Documenting such things (and sometimes small, cheap digital cameras are all you have to document something) is of similar importance towards the future - unless you do not find a desire to further improve building structures, which could have potentially reduced the effects of what happened that day, to be of any significance or importance.
For the record, on September 12th, 2001, I wanted to go help. I was turned away, I can't figure out how you got down there. It's not like there was any shortage of volunteers. The volunteer list was so high that they were turning away countless people. I'm surprised that you were able to get in, but I suppose someone has to get admitted. Since I was turned away, I instead took my camera and documented what I could. On the 12th I could only get down to Houston St., but later I was able to get down actually to the area and get more pictures, seeing the area that looked like a war zone. Taking pictures for the purpose of posterity I believe is important, lest we forget the lessons we should have learned.
As far as "importance" and "saving lives," we found none alive.
That is most unfortunate, seeing as some of those you didn't find were some people who I would have hoped you had.
I stay out of these threads intentionally as a rule. We all feel the way we feel, but inevitably some self-righteous person comes in and talks down to others for whatever reason. This thread is no exception, and multiple people are guilty of this so far on various fronts. I make my points at the risk of sounding like one of them. There were tens of thousands of people working from all different fronts in the hours, days, and weeks that followed, really probably millions. None of us, especially me (as someone who was there), are in a position to question someone else's emotions or question the validity of what someone else was doing at that time. Anyone who was there knows just how much chaos there was, and the fact that decisions that couldn't be easily made with 100% of the information had to be made with 1% of the information, and in the blink of an eye. Human judgement being what it is, there were surely mistakes, but there was also great heroism on the part of many.
Honestly, if you don't think it was a big deal, then go away and leave the rest of us alone. You are entitled to your opinion, but not to tell us what ours should be.
If you do think it was a big deal but only want to promote your own self-righteous efforts, then go away and leave the rest of us alone. We have all done selfless things in the hope that we can help others. Yes, you deserve a thank you, but bear in mind some similar words from a book that's got some good advice (to the best that I can recall to quote it): "When you give alms, do not be like the hypocrites, who go the temple so that all may see. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But when you give alms, let not your left hand know what your right hand is doing and your father, who is in secret, will reward you."
This is why I remember the day by myself, I just don't want to deal with anybody else's crap. I'm outta here (again).
Thanks, Missa.
