10 years ago, I saw the worst of Americans

14 years ago

10 years ago, I used AOL as my internet access, and visited many forums there. When the chance came to moderate forums for a free membership...I selected and was given two forums that I had a special interest in. Not real busy forums, but a great bunch of people.

Those forums were New York City and Airlines FFers and employees.

September 11 was the busiest, and worst, day of my life.

I was at my desk, watching the Today show when the planes hit. I used to stay frequently at the Marriot hotel which sat between those buildings, and immediately thought of the employees there.

I open

my" AOL forums, and saw an immediate huge jump in posters. New names. And what the posted was vile, hateful and disgusting...about New Yorkers, etc.

I opened the airlines forum, and saw the same expressions of hate.

These, were interspaced by post from regular posters who were frantic about friends and family.

They were verbally attacked.

Normally, monitors sent posts up to AOL for deletion, if we felt they were unsuitable.

No sooner did they start, I received an email saying that I was authorized to delete any and all post I deemed offensive.

I was swamped, and AOL sent others to help me clean up.

The decision had been made to keep the forums open as a means of communication...so many people were asking about co=-workers and friends who were on aircraft and in NYC.

I sat there all day....did nothing else....and it was close to midnight when Things had "calmed down".

I'm letting all this out because this is my recollection of 9-11. Not a patriotic one, but a realization about just how cruel people can be.

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Comments (20)

lynn_d
14 years ago
I'm so sorry that you carry that memory, Monica, hearts were breaking enough that day, to add that burden is sad. I wonder why people chose to behave that way, gang mentality I suppose? I had a person attack my faith shortly after 9/11, asking me where my God was when those planes went down. He was very ugly too.

At the memorial for the families in Shanksville Mrs. Bush stated that while we saw some of the worst of humanity that day we also the very best as our people banded together. I'm sorry that you didn't get to see that.
brightonborn
14 years ago
How were able to determine that all that hatred was being sent by Americans?
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monica_pa Grieves
Original Author
14 years ago
In simple words - originating location.
Remember this was 10 years ago, and thousands of messages.
houstonmom_gw
14 years ago
That is so sad. I'm sorry you had to witness all that vileness firsthand. And very saddened by how those cruel comments must have hurt the families and friends of the victims.
sleeperblues
14 years ago
I'm really surprised by what you post. My recollection of that day and time was of people pulling together, of being proud of their country and the brave men and women who are citizens. Especially the first responders. I am glad I have those recollections and pride in my country, and I wish you had the same experience. This is the first I've heard of this kind of reaction. I just wonder what could motivate people to do that at a time like that.
sjerin
14 years ago
I notice many news articles I read online (Yahoo, most likely others too,) have many disgusting comments following. I think there are too many sad, sad people, mostly men, who do this to get attention. How awful for you to have had to read through them.
maddielee
14 years ago
I think you saw the worst of SOME Americans....

ML
cardamom
14 years ago
Monica, you saw what seemed to be a small portion of people and not the best on that day.

I was on a conference call with another part of our department in NYC. We listened as they watched each plane hit and how their tone changed .the horror in their voices ..the crying ...the prayers.

People grouped together to pass messages along as they could, blood drives ..anything possible to help. Our company sent buses up to pick up our fellow employees stuck in cities all along the east coast.

Heard new stories this morning I had never heard before ...the boat evacuations. I swelled with pride ..and some tears to see how the waters were covered with boats of all kinds heading into the unknown to help. People helping strangers all over.
Some people let their anger overtake their other senses. Hard to know how one would react and not everyone does it in the same way .

Sorry you had that experience and hope some of what you've heard will balance it for you.
I saw just how big Americans' hearts are that day and afterward .
User
14 years ago
I'm sorry. You saw a side the rest of didn't see. I also saw a lot of the good of Americans that day and in days after. I also saw a nicer side of some people that I had never seen before.
cynic
14 years ago
It's hard to know the tone and message without the context but I'm sure you felt offense and I don't question your accuracy. But I also have to say that differing opinions, expressing comments, whether offensive or not (subject to other restrictions such as threats or otherwise) are really not something I can get too worked up over.

Saying something "nasty", even offensive, bigoted or whatever to me hardly compares with scamming elderly out of their Social Security checks, stealing a handicapped person's custom designed van, murdering, assaulting, going in and scamming victims of tornadoes, floods and the like claiming to be insurance adjusters, repair contractors, etc and other things like that to me show far worse than an unhappy comment on an opinion board. To me that's a much darker America showing. But then when another part shows up where they go together and buy a replacement for the person and other deeds, it shows that there is good around too.

It's ironic you mentioned AOL. I've always noticed that AOL seems to attract a, well, "unique" group. But people expressing differing opinions, you'll get that anywhere. I'm active in a broadcasting board and they don't want to censor posts. You wouldn't be able to read some of them. But sometimes it brings out a good discussion.

I don't know your experience but it should be pointed out that "originating location" isn't always accurate and I'm not sure what you mean by that anyway. It's not unlike looking at the sender's address on an email. Not always accurate. Unless you have access to the detail, even ip address can be spoofed and even in those days there were a number of anonymizers available. In those days, it was much easier than it is now.

It's too bad you have this as a memory. It's a part of our history and everyone will have a different recollection and perspective of it. Nice to hear all of them.
User
14 years ago
I'm sorry. You saw a side the rest of didn't see. I also saw a lot of the good of Americans that day and in days after. I also saw a nicer side of some people that I had never seen before.
glenda_al
14 years ago
The patriotism I saw was unbelievable.

FLags everywhere to honor our country.
daisyinga
14 years ago
I'm sure you saw that, and I'm so sorry you did. That must have been awful for you.

My impression that day and for many weeks afterward was very different. It felt to me that we were all New Yorkers for a time, bonded together in grief at our losses and pride in our first responders. A few weeks after 9/11 I saw many, many people wearing FDNY caps and shirts way down here in Georgia, and many people with tributes posted on their cars.

I'm so sorry you had that experience.
User
14 years ago
Your experience does not surprise me at all. I was shocked to read (in the News Story comments section on CNN and other online channels) absolutely vile and disgusting comments re. the fires in Texas. There are lots of despicable people out there.
Cherryfizz
14 years ago
I experienced hatred that day too when I went outside to tell the workers who were building the house next door. To my utter disgust and horror the new "neighbour" laughed and said she was happy that this happened and that the Americans deserved it. That was the first time in my life that I uttered the words "I wish you would go back to your own country" She was from Yugoslavia and said the Americans did nothing to help them in their time of need. I can still remember that laugh.

Anne
danihoney
14 years ago
What a hypocrite to say that while building her new home on American soil!
User
14 years ago
Does not surprise me in the least. I read despicable stuff all the time online on news forums. These people, mostly men, I'd guess, probably living in their mother's basement say the worst vile things about tragic events. There are a lot of thoroughly rotten to the core people.
sleeperblues
14 years ago
Cherryfizz is Canadian, so she wasn't building her home on American soil.
jannie
14 years ago
I remember the anti-New York feelings also. Like those people who died somehow "deserved" what they got. I've lived in New York all my life (well, New York State, not Manhattan) and I've never felt superior to anyone because I'm a "New Yawker". I'm just an average, late middle age woman trying to savor life as much as I can.
sheesh
14 years ago
"What a hypocrite to say that while building her home on American soil!" A perfect example of how people misunderstand, misinterpret, jump to conclusions, etc. Or just don't know what they're talking about.

10 years ago, I saw the worst of Americans

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10 years ago, I saw the worst of Americans

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