Do you remember where you were on April 19, 1995? I do...
By Amber
@AmbiePam (94517)
United States
April 18, 2007 6:15pm CST
First, if someone has posted this, I'm sorry. I didn't see exact discussions over this. So what happened on April 19, 1995? That was the day that Timothy McVeigh blew up the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
I remember that day. Now, I have since moved cities, but 12 years ago, close to 9am, I was up in a church attic with another classmate, readying the spotlight for our school play. I was 13, and this was fun, because before, the older kids had had to be IN the play, but this time, hey, we got to operate the spotlight! So, I was sitting in the attic with my then best friend, when the building shook in this great explosion of movement. No one said anything for 30 seconds. All of a sudden, people were calling up, asking if we were OK, had we dropped the huge spotlight?
We hadn't, and 5 minutes later they told us to come down. We watched the breaking news. We saw where the children had been in the building's daycare, we saw people walking by missing a limb, we saw parents who worked nearby, who had placed their children in that very daycare an hour ago, now rushing, being held back from the still dangerous wreckage.
I'm not going to go into more detail. But with 9/11 and the Virginia Tech, it just makes me realize that maybe we aren't learning from our past. How can our society reach the souls of these people who do these things? And as I see the preparation for tomorrow's ceremony, how long should we mourn? When should we stop pulling out all the stops to remember what a lot of people want to forget? How do we pay respect to the living and the dead, without getting mired in the 'after'?
Think of this as a bi-partisan post. I seek no political views, no 'USA deserves whatever they get'. I'm asking for open people, and perhaps those who were affected. I lost a cousin, but I thank God my mother and father were not in there. They had visited that building just three days before the blast.
7 people like this
10 responses
@lilaclady (28207)
• Australia
19 Apr 07
it is so sad to hear things like this, I just don't know what is happening to people, how they can do this sort of thing I don't know, I think the it is nice how people pay tributes , it really shows how the people of today remember and like to show tribute to people who get caught up in these things but it does sort of worry me that sometimes this sort of thing being in the news all the time some times seems to give people ideas and almost makes it sort the thing for people to do...I have never been affected by this sort of thing so I can only imagine how awful it must be, I just wish people today would just live and let live and try to be happy in their own lives rather than upsetting so many in such a horrific way...
@AmbiePam (94517)
• United States
19 Apr 07
You're right. And this is so bad to say, but instead of someone killing dozens of people, why not just end their own misery and kill themself? I KNOW this is a controversial statement, but if a person refuses to get help (because help is what we want them to have) take your anger out on youself. So many of them kill and THEN take their own life. Now days almost all we can wish for is damage control
4 people like this
@lilaclady (28207)
• Australia
19 Apr 07
yeh but I guess some people want to make a statement, or even a name for themselves a bit like their five minutes of fame, people are very complex, and today more complex than ever, it is no wonder I love animals so much...
3 people like this
@gberlin (3836)
•
19 Apr 07
I think that incidences like Murrah and Virgina Tech will continue to increase until Jesus comes again.
@nowment (1757)
• United States
27 Apr 07
I don't know how long we should mourn, there is no should about it.
When you lose someone you love you never get over it, you just learn to live your life differently.
As for the getting mired in the after I don't know. But remember is something that should be done. How many people until you explained it even remembered that April 19th 1995 was the date of the Murrah Federal Building explosion?
How many remember the date of the 1993 bombing of the world trade center? It was the 26th.
I only remember because both times I was due to be in the building, and both times the trip for that day was cancelled. Both in 93, and in 2001.
I do think that we need to remember.
What is that quote....
Those who fail to remember the past are doomed to repeat it.
1 person likes this
@jessigirl116 (848)
• United States
19 Apr 07
First, my sympathies for your loss. Second, I was living in Reno at the time. I was working at a casino in Sparks. When I went on my lunch break I went upstairs to eat and the t.v. was on in the break room. When I glanced up, I was a bit unnerved because they were watching the news! I hate the news(this is a perfect example of why) so I was not paying attention to what they were saying. After about 20-30 seconds I glanced around and everyone was entranced by whatever they were watching so I looked at the t.v. again. My food almost came back to haunt me. it took about 3 seconds for me to lose my appetite and for my eyes to water. I saw the footage of the firefighter carrying the very small child. My ears were immidiately tuned in and my brain began to process. Then it showed the view of the building. Holy crap!! What was going on? Nobody knew. I might not have been directly affected, but I felt the impact just the same.
2 people like this
@jessigirl116 (848)
• United States
23 Apr 07
I get goosebumps when I see news footage. I am glad that the jackass didn't last long in prison. People in prison don't like certain offenses. Such as hurting children and attacks on our country, and McVeigh managed to do both in one sitting. I am a Christian for the most part, but I have no problem with his end.
@KarenO52 (2950)
• United States
19 Apr 07
I was visiting my brother, who lived in Florida back then. I think I remember some government offices shutting down for fear of further attacks. I'm still not convince that they've found all of those responsible for this bombing. It's terrible to think about, with all the innocent children and others hurt.
So sorry to hear you lost your cousin. You must have been terrified when it happened. I'm still uneasy after this attack, and others like it. You just never know when it will happen again.
1 person likes this
@Woodpigeon (3710)
• Ireland
19 Apr 07
I do indeed. I was at home on bed rest waiting for my son to be born. I remember it coming on the news and when things like that happened when I was pregnant I would get very emotional and start crying and wondering what sort of a horrible world I was bringing my child into.
@jessescottus (807)
• United States
19 Apr 07
"Stuff Happens"or"Humans do some odd stuff"
horrible,horrible,stuff
so are your flowers growing yet?mine are.
@AmberNormandin (883)
• United States
22 Apr 07
I cant believe its been 12 years already! I was 14, in the 8th grade at MDCS and our build shook as well. At first i thought someone behind me shook my desk, then when EVERYONE said 'what was that?' i realized it wasnt just me. I remember a couple of people (one of which you knew, she was weird--no names, but you know who im talking about) who were late to school and felt the explosion as they/parents were driving! The girl said she saw him and that truck and that he looked directly at her and the back door of the truck was moving up and down with each bump. Anyway, im thankful no one in my family was lost that day, but im so sorry to the ones who were and im happy they have a memorial downtown. They still need prayers and support....
1 person likes this
