Edge-Mail

September 2001

Editor's Note: America was not the only country which lost countless citizens on September 11,2001. Reportedly, more than 80 countries lost some of their own citizens in the World Trade Center attack alone. More than a hundred of those missing (and presumed dead) are reportedly Filipino-Americans or Philippine citizens, with seven confirmed dead As news of the attack flashed on television screens around the world, and as telephone lines in Manhattan suddenly went dead, the Internet proved, once more, how indispensable an invention it is to humankind. More than the news from traditional media sources, the e-mail that went round and round, even to those who didn't know where they were coming from, captured the uncertainty, the fear, the horror of that day and days to come. On this spread are some of those messages compiled by the Philippine Post staff.

We are still standing, alive and well. My immediate family is out of harm's way and I am very thankful. My prayers to those who have lost their loved ones.

I am so thankful that my older sister, Lulu was able to get out of WTC Tower#7, her place of work before it imploded following the collapse of the 2 main towers.

She started her way home from Manhattan to Brooklyn first by feet and then by rented car from Brooklyn to Paramus, NJ and finally home. She got home close to midnight. That was about 14 hours after the attacked happen. We knew that she got out around 10:30a.m but her cellphone went dead and we had no contact with her since. She told that me the following day that she was in tears all throughout her ordeal and she thought is was her time. I told her that I am so proud of her and that my father, who passed away 2 months ago, would have been proud her too.

This is something that I will never forget. God help us all !!!! --Rey Ramirez

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We are all stunned to hear the news. We're hoping and praying that you and loved ones are all safe from the horrible disaster that has just occurred. I am thankful to hear that my own family (2 brothers and their families) from Woodside, NY, are fine. God Bless. -- Muchie Alamag-Mendes

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Some of you have called; some of you have written; but we thought we would like to write you and let you know that we are fine. We want to thank you for thinking of us during this tragic event. ÊFortunately, both of us were at home or near home that morning, and were not aware of what was happening a few miles south of us.

Since then we have been sitting in front of the TV, shocked and so sad. The collapse of the buildings, the efforts looking for bodies, the desperation -- are too familiar, a deja vu with Highland Towers, Kobe's earthquake. Of course this is all at a much larger scale and so horrifying. ÊBut the same fear, and the anticipation.

New Yorkers, Americans, all are angry -- and rightly so. And hatred, words of revenge, and battle cries are strife. I am frightened of future actions -- government's as well as individuals'.

I am including a note written by Gary Zukav, which expresses much of what I feel.

With best wishes -- Rita

COMPASSION AND REVENGE

The attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon are occasions of great significance. They are opportunities for you to feel inside, to find those parts of yourself that are in fear, and to make the decision to move forward in your life without fear. That is the challenge for each individual on this planet today. The pursuit of external power the ability to manipulate and control creates only violence and destruction. The painful events in New York and Washington are living examples of that reality.

The causal chain that created this violence is one in which compassion and wisdom are absent. Are wisdom and compassion present in you as you watch the television, and read the papers? It is important to realize that you do not know all that came to conclusion, or into karmic balance, as a result of these events. Because you are not able to know all that can be known about them, you are not in a position to judge them.

When you are able to look at the events of the Earth School from this perspective, you will see clearly the central importance of the role that you play in it. That role is this:

It is for you to decide what you will contribute to this world. Many will be asking your opinion of these events. Each question is an opportunity for you to contribute to the love that is in the world or to the fear that is in the world. This is the same opportunity that presents itself to you at each moment.

If you hate those who hate, you become like them. You add to the violence and the destructive energy that now fills our world. As you make the decision to see with clarity and compassion, you will see that those who committed these acts of violence were in extreme pain themselves, and that they were fueled by the violent parts of ourselves the parts that judge without mercy, strike in anger, and rejoice in the suffering of others. They were our proxy representatives. If you can look with compassion upon those who have suffered and those who have committed acts of cruelty alike, then you will see that all are suffering. The remedy for suffering is not to inflict more suffering.

This is an opportunity for a massive expression of compassion. It is also an opportunity for a massive expression of revenge. Which world do you intend to live in --- a world of revenge or a world of compassion? -- Rita Raj

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Eric!! I don't know what I've been thinking, but it just struck me that I haven't even asked how you're doing after that terrible attack on NYC on Tuesday! Blame it on CNN and the riveting images that kept us glued to the set and just barely able to function. I really hope that while things still look grim, that you are coping well and somehow found someone to share these mournful moments with. There are no words to describe how I feel when I see the devastation of the city I love most in the US (it's trueÑand not just because of the subway system that allows maximum mobility; it's the dynamic spirit that infects me everytime I'm over there). Buti na lang naka-tour na ako ng World Trade Center and even managed to stay one afternoon sa side garden sketching the round fountain and the surrounding buildings. You're right; things will never be the same again. But I hope that we will recover soon enough. The human spirit is something that even the most wily terrorist can't blast out of here. Take care now. -- Pennie

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My wife was shopping in our neighborhood and actually saw the second plane hit the World Trade Center. We live about 3/4 of a mile from the WTC site but were not affected by the fires, smoke, or debris. From an IT/communications perspective, one of the most amazing things about the aftermath of the attack is that I believe people half-way around the world were able to get just as much information on what was happening as we could practically on the spot. We saw the smoke and hundreds of people moving north from the WTC site, but people on every continent saw the same things at the same time.

In New York City, the phones were dead, the subways and all other public transportation were stopped, but my DSL line and email kept me connected real-time to three other continents. That's pretty impressive. I really do not have any more news to convey than you can read on the web or see on TV. And I doubt that anyone here in NYC knows any more, except possibly government officials who aren't talking now. When they do talk, you'll know it just as soon as I will. Regards -- Howard Latin

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My sympathies to all those directly affected by this atrocity. In the midst of the tragic events, it was almost impossible for me here in Ottawa to get information on the web, at least from the regular info channels (CNN, NY Times, etc.). I turned into alternative media hoping (for example Indymedia; indymedia.org) for some early accounts and reflections as events were unfolding. That wasn't the case, at least during the first few hours and I felt some frustration about accessing (and sharing) information through virtual spaces.

In any case, what is also very curious is that it seems that e-mail traffic has slowed down considerably (I'm getting only about 1/10th of what I normally get). I first imagined that some nodes may have collapsed by the amount of traffic on the Internet but now I wonder if it's exactly the opposite.

The tragedy left us wordless...Sincerely -- Luis Barnola

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Salamat sa mga dasal at pag-alala. Just to assure you, I am fine and in a safe place right now. I'm actually living temporarily in Alexandria, Virginia, which is very close to the Pentagon (about 6 subway stops or a 10-minute drive to be exact), but far enough from danger. I was actually hitching a ride to school with my professor when these atrocities took place. We already heard about the planes hitting the WTC and so we were tuned in to the news on the radio. As we approached the bridge crossing over to Washington, DC, we noticed this thick black smoke billowing out of the Pentagon. There was no news yet about the Pentagon incident at the time we passed right by it. But hearing the news about what was going on in NYC and then seeing the Pentagon on fire at the same time gave me an eerie feeling that something unusual was going on -- that somehow the country was under siege. Soon after, we heard the sirens from the police cars, fire trucks, and ambulances driving swiftly passed us towards the Pentagon. We finally got news on the radio that another plane hit the Pentagon just minutes before. At that point, my professor decided to turn back since she anticipated that classes may be called off and that the major freeways leading out of DC would be congested.

I decided to stay home yesterday since I thought that would be the safest thing to do. While tuning to the news (I was shifting between CNN and BBC), I thought of doing what any dutiful ate would do. I tried calling my 2 younger siblings who also live here in the States, to see if they were ok. It was difficult all morning since the phone lines (landline and cellphones) were clogged. Hapon na halos when I finally got through them. It was reassuring to know that they were ok.

Today's events just seemed so surreal, like it was straight out of a movie. Not in my wildest imagination did I ever think of something of this magnitude ever happening. A super power like the U.S. being vulnerable to a terrorist attack. The fear is not so much fear of being physically harmed but fear of possible contempt from Americans of foreigners in general. I was just talking to my brother who shared the same fear. The possibility of this happening might be a little far-fetched. But just today, my professor, whom I was sharing a ride with this morning, caught herself having antagonistic feelings towards Muslims and/or Middle Easterners. While we were driving near the Pentagon, we saw some Pakistani cab drivers (karamihan ng mga taxi driver dito taga Pakistan) parked along the shoulder gazing at the complex. At that instance, my professor admitted feeling some hostility towards them. And she happens to be a decent person who knows better than to make generalizations about all Muslims or all Middle EAsterners based on atrocities perpetrated by extremist groups. So if ordinary Americans can harbor these feelings, there's a chance that a lot of anger that may be unfairly channeled to certain groups of people.

There's a part of me that respects this nation's need to mourn, grieve, and vent anger. So medyo iniingatan ko rin yung tendency ko to warn my American friends not to make generalizations about all Muslims and Arabs. Maybe when things sort of settle down, that would be a more appropriate time to do that. -- forwarded by Alan Alegre

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FW: does anybody know Roy Santos ??

PLEASE HELP ! ! ! ....

Authorities are looking for information on how to contact his nearest relatives as he has been one of those reported and confirmed missing due to the WTC collapse. His full name is Rufino Conrado Santos. He's a Filipino computer consultant working for Accenture Consulting assigned to Guy Carpenter Corporation. His regular work hours is 8am - 4pm and he works in the 94th floor of the first tower. If you know him, please pass along any information that could lead to finding his relatives. Your help will be greatly appreciated and please keep him in your prayers. -- RGCustodio@sm

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We tried to keep the (2) tel. lines open so that our 2 daughters in Manhattan could call us. Our Angeli was downtown applying for a job and Sonya was working near 42nd Ave. Finally they called and said they were walking to their 72 Ave+53 St condo. Otherwise we are all safe but saddened by this attack.-- Bertflorentino@aol.com

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In Oregon, as in all states, all airports are closed. In Eugene, the shopping malls have also been closed down temporarily. After agonizing all morning, received email from family in DC: Mom, our building was evacuated in a slow orderly manner.Ê Ê Many roads were blocked off and bridges closed leading into DC.ÊÊ Was driven home by coworker. Tita Winkie is okay. Will call home. Love, -- Heather

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Thank you for your touching note... i am in china right now but my sister loida and my brother francis are there.but they are okay and so are the rest of the betricechina staff. Thank God!! -- Mely Nicolas

To all our friends around the world,

Thank you for your kind concern over our safety here in new york. ÒshockedÓ would be an inappropriate word for how we feel right now, after the apparent blitzkrieg that was brought upon this part of the country.

But it is times like this that the good in every man and woman comes outÑcivilians volunteering to help search for possible survivors in the world trade center rubble, doctors rushing to help, and people lining up to donate blood, which, by the way, is the most sought after commodity right now. As in all our past crises, with god's grace, we shall overcome. Thank you and god bless. -- Loida Nicolas Lewis and the tlc beatrice china ny family

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Personal news from New York and what it was like:

A friend received this from her family in New York today. Just want to let everyone know that I'm ok.Ê Can't seem to get long distance lines...they're all busy.

The building I work in is about 5 blocks away from the WTC.Ê We were able to see the planes hit the towers from our windows and then we were evacuated.Ê We were in the street during the collapse and heard and felt the impact.Ê It was like a war zone down town.Ê I've never seen anything like it in my entire life.Ê I met a few people who managed to get out of the towers and they said they saw people on fire jumping out of the windows. Others said that the whole plaza in front of the buildings was covered with bodies and limbs.Ê It was unbelievable!!!ÊÊ Everyone and everything was covered with smoke and dust.

After 5 long hours wandering in the streets with a few co-workers not knowing where to go or what to do to get home since everything was closed,ÊI managed to get on a tug boat to Staten Island (the ferry wasn't running and all the bridges and tunnels are closed).Ê What an eerie site looking back at the city and NOT seeing the towers!!

We can see the smoke from our house and since the bridge is closed and there's an army base close by, there's a lot of emergency vehicles and activity in our neighborhood.ÊÊ But after 6 longs hours of commuting (it took me almost an hour to get home from the ferry!), I'm so happy to be home. Speak to you all soon. Love, -- Lori