i dont think it would be appropriate to put commercial buildings there after what has happened. families and friends need a memorial. the dead deserve respect. its not like rebuilding england after WWII in my opinion. to rebuild would be highly disrespectful and lacking sensitivity

Had my moment of silence already this morning. Saying a prayer everyday for our troops and those in charge to ensure nothing like this ever happens again.

Thinking about the friends that I lost that day.

Laughing. Yes, laughing because when it was announced that the Pres was going to speak at the Pentagon this morning, it became apparent that no one was going to show up.

Orders were issued. Anybody that watched the 'Breaking News' on all of the fawning morning donut news saw how few people were there. Flag rank pretty much. People for who disobeying a direct order would have some retirement consequences.

It was a clear statement of the feelings of the Military and Intelligence communities of what has happened to this country in the last year. There was even a passing comment on ABC about how the prez was not invited to Ground Zero. That I would have liked to see.

I think it was this Wednesday was the 400th anniversary of New York. (Henry Hudson sponsored by the Dutch and all that rot..) Many changes in those years, change is the only constant..

There are few permanent memorials in this town. Got to feed the Monster, The Tammany Machine - schools and water, and pensions and healthcare and welfare and ESL and the other taxes.. They need to rebuild and get back to work.

Sorry, we are NOT Detroit.

What offends the average New Yorker - is lack of on-site memorial and slow progress of re-building. Commie politicians.

I was there that day in 2001, am young-middle aged and will be retired before the whole area is rebuilt.. :(

as a life long new yorker, the idea of rebuilding skyscrapers makes me mad. im not a religious person, but still feel that site is holy ground. i was there too

i wass too....i also think that they should leave the holes...as they are...but in our society, the quest for money trumps all else:rolleyes:

Working....LAFD had a dept wide moment of silence at the exact time the first tower was hit, it actually felt like we could do more. I have my flag out everyday, was not there but was on duty here in LA watching in unfold, we were told that an attack was expected here in downtown but luckly nothing.
It is amazing the amount so many people gave that day, my heart goes out to everyone that was lost.

The footprints and the area between them and around them will not be rebuilt. It will be a permanent on-site memorial.

The site over-all is just too big to turn into a morbid cemetery.

It is transit hub for subways and commuter trains. Did you know NYC, south of Canal Street is the most densely populated place on earth?

What bothers me - is the debris removed from the site is now in a landfill at a dump in Staten Island. Those materials (already sifted for what they could find) should be moved into a park and a larger memorial.

Plant a few trees, grow some grass.. But a dump? :(

wishing my Mother a happy birthday, 86, she has lived thru some interesting yrs.

I understand the intent to preserve and respect the memory of those who died 8 years ago. But to make the entire Ground Zero a big memorial park is somewhat of a shame. To rebuild (tastefully) a new World Trade Center complex on the site of the original would be a nice middle finger to those who celebrated at its destruction. That's something I'd imagine all the families involved would support.

Eight years ago I was covering the President at Booker Elementary School in Sarasota. I felt a tinge of guilt shooting during the moment of silence, but I did because the newspaper readers could not be there.

This afternoon I photographed a Congressman in an elementary school. Focusing on him and seeing the kids in the viewfinder was an eerie reminder.

But I will certainly never forget.

I am at disney for the weekend enjoying my freedom which was not taken away from me on that dreadfull day........yes there was a personal moment of silence and reflection, then I poured some out "for my homies".......

I had a coworker ask me what the date was and I asked him if he was serious...... (Rolleyes)

Wore my uniform today as I do most days. We did some reminiscing in the office this morning, but not so much as we are very busy with an upcoming exercise. We spent 9/11 lining up crews knowing a launch order was coming shortly. It did the very next day. We launched our first mission. By the end of the month our jets were all headed to points east.
We have crews out every day so we think about it every single day. 8 years, my god, some of my guys' entire careers have been spent involved with OEF/OIF.
And no end in sight.

I've wondered off and on today, and tonight as I was shooting two high school football games, just when it will happen again.... and where?

If you wonder and worry about that too much they win......

+1 Living well is the best revenge.

Agreed.....but don't get complacent about it/them they are waiting and will try something again....NEVER FORGET

It is with this mindset that I wonder about it......
I just hope and pray that it never comes.

When it does (hopefully not) we will continue to be a strong country with our freedom and unity being the core drive, it sucks that so many people don't live life like the year that followed 9/11....it was a noticable time of unity and comrodary, and it's unfortunate it took 9/11 to bring that out of people.....but that's life, things will move on, people will live their lives, with some being more concious of past events than others......