Oklahoma City National Memorial

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Oklahoma City National Memorial

Posted: 4/2/2006 8:12:52 PM EDT

Well, I took a weekend trip up to Stillwater from Austin, Texas this weekend for a concert at Eskimo Joe's (first time to go there, nice place) and on the way back today I wanted to stop by the Memorial for the Federal Building bombing. My wife and our friend thought it was a good idea so we stopped for about 1/2 an hour.

I must say, this is one of the nicest memorials I have seen and I think that it does a great job of focusing on the victims of the bombing. My wife was especially moved by it and I just wanted to say that it was a wonderful memorial.

To anyone here on this board that may have had family or friends affected in one way or another by that day I just want to say that they are not forgotten. The victims, the rescuers, everyone.

Posted: 4/3/2006 7:33:16 AM EDT

[#1]

Virtually everybody in the central part of the state was affected in some way, they had friends or relatives injured or killed. I know several people that were injured in the bombing, and my sister in law knew a lot of people in the Credit Union that were killed. My office at the time was a few blocks away from the Federal Building and suffered damage, the ceiling fell in on my office, I wasn't in it at the time but found it when I got to my office later, the building next to us suffered structural damage and had to be destroyed and rebuilt. It hit close to home for a large percentage of Oklahomans.

Posted: 4/4/2006 6:03:41 PM EDT

[#2]

Its Been A long Time Since I've Been There But I Will Never Forget That Day. Get Cold Chills Seeing All Those EMPTY Chairs And Knowing All Those Empty Holes Left In All Those familys Lives. And Mine But Yes A Very Moving And Beautiful Monument To Remembrance To All Those Family's, I Hope You Had A Chance To Visit The Museum next To It

Posted: 4/4/2006 11:14:42 PM EDT

[#3]

i worked disaster triage at St Anthonys..on loan from Mercy...
UUuugggghhhh

UUuuugggghhhh

the wierdest part was being in public..like at penn square mall or something and noticing the number of people who were physically fucked up weeks afterwards..
glass cuts..broken bones.. you name it.

its a wonder more people didnt die.

Posted: 4/4/2006 11:31:57 PM EDT

[#4]

I was in elementary at the time and remember coming home and hearing about it. They decided not to tell us at school. I also remember going to a friends house who had one of their friends staying with them. He had lost his mom.

My stepdad was on the scene for OGE he doesn't much like to talk about it.

Posted: 4/5/2006 4:54:14 AM EDT

[#5]

Thanks for the nice comments. A lot of us were affected.

Strange thing is, sometimes we'll talk about it, sometimes we won't. I've never even been to the memorial. To me it will always be that gaping raw wreckage. And the smell.

I've got a box full of old newspapers, chunks of granite, things like that from the time. I've never opened it since I put them away.

Twenty years from now... maybe.

Anyway, I am glad the visit was an uplifting experience for you.

Posted: 4/5/2006 8:15:10 AM EDT

[#6]

the smell..

all thru that area..

Posted: 4/5/2006 12:50:24 PM EDT

[#7]

Another pleasant thought about the bombing. Every chunk of the Federal Building was taken to the OKC Sheriffs Training area off of 36th. They had a shooter out there 24/7 to kill possums. Once a possum was shot, it was flagged and the State Medical Examiner took the dead possum, and opened it up looking for human remains.
Yeah, the smell! God willing, hopefully we will never the like again.

Posted: 4/5/2006 1:37:26 PM EDT

[#8]

On that morning, my mom had a appointment in one of the buildings next to the Federal building, if she had been 5 minutes ealier she would have been in the immediant area of the Federal building, no telling what would have happened.

She was running late that morning.....

Posted: 4/5/2006 2:16:59 PM EDT

[#9]

I was taking my daughter and wife to town that morning and happened to turn on the tv while waiting for them to get ready, called my pops work since he was working just to the west of there, friend of mine worked in the post office caddy corner of the Fed building, he got glass blown all over him but somehow wasn't hurt, several of my coworkers lost family and had others injured in the Fed building and surrounding buildings, a couple lost or had children severly injured in the day care, my brother was posted there just after the blast and during the clean up,

even with the size of the OKC metro and surrounding communities, it'd be hard to find someone within 150 miles that didn't know somebody who lost friends or family there, or worked the aftermath .

Posted: 4/5/2006 5:44:51 PM EDT

[#10]

I don't know what to say.

At first nobody was replying to this thread and I was afraid I had brought something up that I shouldn't have, but now that several people have commented I hope that it is obvious that I did not want to bring back negative thoughts or cause anyone grief. I merely wanted to express my sympathy and share my thoughts on the memorial.

Judging by the responses, I think everyone knows I had good intentions and I thank you for your comments. I was in Middle School at the time and living in Georgia so needless to say I was somewhat removed from the situation. By standing there at the sight, and being older, now I can truly sympathize even if it's still hard to comprehend what happened.

God Bless.

Posted: 4/5/2006 8:02:28 PM EDT

[#11]

You have ABSOLUTELY nothing to apologize for! It was nice to read your comments about the memorial.

Posted: 4/6/2006 4:49:59 AM EDT

[#12]

Quoted:
You have ABSOLUTELY nothing to apologize for! It was nice to read your comments about the memorial.

+1

Posted: 4/6/2006 1:55:37 PM EDT

[#13]

Virtually everyone here lost someone, or something that day... even if it was only our naivite, suddenly jolted that we as backwater Americans are indeed vulnerable.

I remember feeling the blast, turning on the TV and watching reporter Randy Renner fly that first helicopter pass over the site.

I called my dad. "Turn on channel nine. There's a building downtown. It's not there any more." was all I could think to say. Then I looked out the window as the black smoke rose over the horizon.

Something I wrote soon after got published in a book about that day. A letter to my aunt telling her not to try to call, that the phone lines were all tied up.

It is comforting to most of us to hear favorable things about how many here responded heroically. and they did indeed. A man I work with closely was in the thick of it. We talk sometimes, but in quiet voices, with long silences. That is the only way.

Posted: 4/6/2006 3:53:32 PM EDT

[#14]

Quoted:
I remember feeling the blast, turning on the TV and watching reporter Randy Renner fly that first helicopter pass over the site.

It was Jesse Gary, NOT Randy Renner and I think the majority of us are ready to move on and have been for some time.

If people only know Oklahoma City for the memorial, then I'd rather they not know it at all.

Posted: 4/6/2006 6:24:25 PM EDT

[#15]

We have moved on. 9/11 brought back strong memories - I saw the stress in many who worked the OKC bombing. It's not something you forget...it is something you overcome but can't help but remember.
And there is a comfort and a relief from the burden of those memories when you realize you are not the only one carrying the pain from that day. And that comes from the sharing of the memories. It is what it is.
Life goes on.

Posted: 4/6/2006 6:36:11 PM EDT

[#16]

Quoted:
We have moved on. 9/11 brought back strong memories - I saw the stress in many who worked the OKC bombing. It's not something you forget...it is something you overcome but can't help but remember.
And there is a comfort and a relief from the burden of those memories when you realize you are not the only one carrying the pain from that day. And that comes from the sharing of the memories. It is what it is.
Life goes on.

I'd rather not have Oklahoma City identified by one event or anyone's "recollections" of such.

Posted: 4/6/2006 7:09:41 PM EDT

[#17]

Quoted:
I'd rather not have Oklahoma City identified by one event or anyone's "recollections" of such.

I'll agree with you on that but it is not something we can control or even have say in.

Posted: 4/6/2006 7:24:08 PM EDT

[#18]

Quoted:
Quoted:
I'd rather not have Oklahoma City identified by one event or anyone's "recollections" of such.

I'll agree with you on that but it is not something we can control or even have say in.

Yeah, we can do something. LIKE MOVE ON.

A few people are absolutely consumed by this ONE event and beat it in the ground, day in and day out. Channel 9 is the worst. Too many tourists come here just to see the memorial and then act like this is the only damned thing we have on our minds and too many people have made their fame and won't MOVE ON.

How interested is the average Dallas resident about discussing the Kennedy assassination?

Do the people of Oahu spend their time visiting Pearl Harbor and discussing December 7th?

Do New Yorkers let themselves get consumed by September 11th?

There are numerous disastrous events in modern U.S. history and people grieved and MOVED ON.

Posted: 4/6/2006 8:24:13 PM EDT

[#19]

It seems to me that most Oklahomans have moved on. Do veterans sit around thinking constantly about Pearl Harbor, I'm not sure. Do New Yorkers obsess over 9-11, I hope not. I personally think that would be a horrible way to live. That being said, it doesn't hurt to remember those lost on that terrible day, and honor their memory once in a while by taking some time to reflect and not callous our hearts to those who were touched by evil that day. For those of us with no empathy, it might be easy to tell others to "get over it." Some people do, and some people don't. It is not our place to raise the cry to move on. Just because some people were "strong enough” to do so, doesn't mean there is something wrong with those who weren’t.

Posted: 4/7/2006 2:26:42 AM EDT

[#20]

Quoted:
It seems to me that most Oklahomans have moved on. Do veterans sit around thinking constantly about Pearl Harbor, I'm not sure. Do New Yorkers obsess over 9-11, I hope not. I personally think that would be a horrible way to live. That being said, it doesn't hurt to remember those lost on that terrible day, and honor their memory once in a while by taking some time to reflect and not callous our hearts to those who were touched by evil that day. For those of us with no empathy, it might be easy to tell others to "get over it." Some people do, and some people don't. It is not our place to raise the cry to move on. Just because some people were "strong enough” to do so, doesn't mean there is something wrong with those who weren’t.

There is a small cadre of people who refuse to MOVE ON with this. They want it in the news, EVERY DAY if possible, and it's always the same people.

Having respect for people who died or were victims is completely different from beating this to death and that's EXACTLY what's being done.

Posted: 4/7/2006 2:54:18 AM EDT

[#21]

Wow, this thread has definately gone in a whole other direction.

I apologize that my first time to visit your city was to stop by the memorial. I was en route to Austin and I decided that I wanted to visit the memorial because I don't know if/when I'll ever be back in OKC again.

I was merely showing my respects for the victims and survivors.

Also, based on the responses to this thread I don't see where you are getting the notion that people havn't "moved on". That is something in which no measurable value or quantification can be placed on, so in actuality it is a very hard thing to determine if others have done.

Obviously you have some strong feelings on the matter. For whatever reasons that is I am not stepping on them. However, from an outsider looking in, I just wanted to let you know it just looks like you are putting down people that are merely showing respect.

Also, there are other cities in the country that are unfortunately known for negative events......I don't thnk that is the average persons fault. One example is Waco.

I apologize to all for the can of worms that has been opened with this thread.

Posted: 4/7/2006 3:41:39 AM EDT

[#22]

Quoted:
Wow, this thread has definately gone in a whole other direction.

Only because our resident

took it in that direction and some of the folks who should know better, gave the

some food.

Once again kids, don't feed the

and guess what he'll do. That's right, he will MOVE ON.

Posted: 4/7/2006 4:48:04 AM EDT

[#23]

Quoted:
Quoted:
Wow, this thread has definately gone in a whole other direction.

Only because our resident took it in that direction and some of the folks who should know better, gave the some food.

Once again kids, don't feed the and guess what he'll do. That's right, he will MOVE ON.

Good call.

Posted: 4/7/2006 5:44:50 AM EDT

[#24]

There's always hope people will change. In this case, TwoBravo, you are right, the troll won't.

Posted: 4/7/2006 6:57:47 AM EDT

[#25]

No reason to feel bad, Longhorn.

I've talked to people from all over about what happened here, and no one has had anything to say except to commend the heroic rescue response and how well we showed out cohesive ability to recover.

There is no victim mentality here, only pride.

Posted: 4/7/2006 4:08:03 PM EDT

[#26]

Quoted:
No reason to feel bad, Longhorn.

I've talked to people from all over about what happened here, and no one has had anything to say except to commend the heroic rescue response and how well we showed out cohesive ability to recover.

There is no victim mentality here, only pride.

That's good to hear.......and thank you.

Posted: 4/7/2006 5:51:40 PM EDT

[#27]

Quoted:
I apologize that my first time to visit your city was to stop by the memorial. I was en route to Austin and I decided that I wanted to visit the memorial because I don't know if/when I'll ever be back in OKC again.

It's so good to know that the main thing you associate with Oklahoma City is a single event.

Posted: 4/7/2006 6:12:05 PM EDT

[#28]

Quoted:
It's so good to know that the main thing you associate with Oklahoma City is a single event.

Just like he'll associate this Oklahoma forum with a faggot troll!

Posted: 4/7/2006 6:31:26 PM EDT

[#29]

Quoted:
Quoted:
I apologize that my first time to visit your city was to stop by the memorial. I was en route to Austin and I decided that I wanted to visit the memorial because I don't know if/when I'll ever be back in OKC again.
It's so good to know that the main thing you associate with Oklahoma City is a single event.

I understand your point......so here's your chance. What do YOU want me to know about Oklahoma City?

People always associate the tower here on the University of Texas with the Charles Whitman murders.....heck, even Full Metal Jacket makes a reference to it.......but I don't get mad about it. It's history and there were a lot of brave people that day as well.

Ok, sorry to the rest of you. I'll put away the

food. I never intended to start this in the hometown forum of my neighbors to the north.

Posted: 4/7/2006 6:43:00 PM EDT

[#30]

Quoted:

I understand your point......so here's your chance. What do YOU want me to know about Oklahoma City?

This - it was a tragedy that brought the whole community together in a way we've never seen before. Firemen, LEOs, paramedics, construction workers, regular citizens from all over the area came together to SAVE lifes and attempted to save lifes. Even the crime rate came to a near stand still during that short period that everyone was there digging to save lifes.
I'm proud of my community and the people in the area that worked so hard in such a tragedy to save just a few lifes.
The people of OKC have problems no doubt. But you will find never find a community of such good people working so hard together to save the lifes of their fellow citizens.

Posted: 4/7/2006 6:43:03 PM EDT

[#31]

Quoted:
What do YOU want me to know about Oklahoma City?

You had no interest in visiting one of the best militaria museums in this region of the country? (The 45th ID museum.) You had no interest in visiting Bricktown? You had no interest in visiting the Omniplex? Your answer would be a big NO. You just want to keep picking at scabs.

Quoted:
People always associate the tower here on the University of Texas with the Charles Whitman murders.....heck, even Full Metal Jacket makes a reference to it.......but I don't get mad about it. It's history and there were a lot of brave people that day as well.

Always? Bullshit. How many threads are in the Texas forum fawning over the UT tower shootings? How many people make the pilgrimage there? How much is it pounded to death every damned day? Austin moved on. Just like we'd move on if the damned tourists would. Or the people who like to cite their "remembrances" in an unrealistic fashion or whose connection to the event seems tenuous at best.

Quoted:
I never intended to start this in the hometown forum of my neighbors to the north.

Then you shouldn't have posted it, smart guy, if you weren't prepared to get the responses you didn't want.

Posted: 4/7/2006 6:45:44 PM EDT

[#32]

Quoted:
This - it was a tragedy that brought the whole community together in a way we've never seen before. Firemen, LEOs, paramedics, construction workers, regular citizens from all over the area came together to SAVE lifes and attempted to save lifes. Even the crime rate came to a near stand still during that short period that everyone was there digging to save lifes.
I'm proud of my community and the people in the area that worked so hard in such a tragedy to save just a few lifes.
The people of OKC have problems no doubt. But you will find never find a community of such good people working so hard together to save the lifes of their fellow citizens.

Another falsehood. Oklahoma City has always been a fairly friendly, tightknit city. It didn't take a disaster to bring anyone "together."

Posted: 4/7/2006 6:54:59 PM EDT

[#33]

Longhorn, if you get back up this way, IM me and I'll show you some things around the city!

Posted: 4/7/2006 6:58:02 PM EDT

[#34]

personal attacks

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Oklahoma City National Memorial

Hometown » Oklahoma

Warning

Confirm Action

About AR15.COM

Stay Connected

Newsletter

Contact Us