another day, a heightened body count

“We don’t know the answer to the question, right now, are they going to be able to recover their loved one. It is very possible that we are not going to recover [all] of the bodies.” Mayor Rudy Giuliani

“The American cowboy is reaping the fruits of his crimes against humanity" Saddam Hussein

“Today was a heavy and difficult day, an indication of what we’re going to be experiencing in the future. These are casualties of war, heroes.” Mayor Rudy Giuliani

“In taking on the Taliban, America is not facing an enemy who can be defeated by force - the Taliban is as much an idea as a government, and it will draw more support from persecution. America is now on a war footing against an invisible enemy.” – David Loyn, BBC News

“This is a conflict with opponents who believe they are invisible. They are mistaken. Underneath our tears, is the determination to win this war.” President George Bush

“In today's Afghanistan, only the Taliban eat, only they have the means to move around. They'd slip away and hide. Maybe the bombs would get some of those disabled orphans, they don't move too fast, they don't even have wheelchairs. Flying over Kabul and dropping bombs wouldn't really be a strike against the criminals who did this horrific thing. Actually it would only be making common cause with the Taliban - by raping once again the people they've been raping all this time.” Tamim Ansary, (an Afghan-American).

“Many have no money to leave Kabul, but they are trying.” A reporter in Afghanistan

“There could still be voids – entire floors, tunnels, where people are still alive.” Police Commissioner Bernard Kerik

“Attractions, combined with the warmth and simplicity of our people make for an experience that is Pakistan – a destination full of magic and mystery, culture and adventure.” From Pakistan Tourism literature

“Look at all these people! They are here, and they won’t leave! Incredible.” A volunteer, watching the scene outside the Javits Center.

"Bodies will still be there, probably, come Christmas." Michael Baden, pathologist, NYPD

8:45pm, September 15, 2001

Some numbers.
22,000 tons of debris in 2,047 truckloads
1.25 million – weight of World Trade Center complex, in tons
4,500 National Guard members deployed in the city 160 promotions in the Fire Department today to compensate for losses
3,900 without power in Manhattan since Tuesday
3 funerals on Saturday
149 deaths at the Pentagon
159 dead on arrival, 84 identifiable, 60 unidentifiable
1,000 cars left at commuter rail terminals since Tuesday
5,000 involved in rescue effort
5,000 total still missing (approximate)
23 NYPD officers still missing
300 plus Fire Fighters still missing
40 Port Authority cops missing
1 FBI agent, missing
1 Secret Service agent, missing
400 body parts recovered at site
1 memorial concert today at Avery Fisher Hall

Harry Borrero is tearfully telling his story in front of the camera. Sister Elena worked at Marsh and McLennan, she was in a meeting on the 96th floor of Tower I last Tuesday.

"Tell us what your sister was - i'm sorry is, like", says the reporter.

Harry smiles. She is, yes, is, he says.

Harry talks about about his sister, and with out her, he says, there is no family, there is no one to take them camping.

"I know that time is running out," he says, "But there is still hope. I mean, how long can they survive under there?"

The troops that are diligently digging through the rubble are going to come home like war veterans – haunted, stressed and incapable sometimes of accepting the fact that life goes on around them.

If I can barely stroll down the street and see someone laughing without being sad, what must our Finest and Bravest think? They are now saying that many are reporting being so exhausted, they are unable to sleep, and when they do sleep, they wake up from nightmares.

The military is taking over Lower Manhattan.

Next Saturday, the city will gather in Central Park for a memorial service. One can only imagine what that will look like.

Some sick mothas floating around the Naked City – on Channel 2, the only station that still broadcasts via antenna in the pleasure dome that New York has become, a young man is crying in front of the Metropolitan Hospital, because someone saw his sister-in-law’s picture on TV and called to tell him that she was in critical condition inside.

Her name is Fanny. She was not there. It was a crank call.

Before we drop any bombs, we ought to comb the city for the scum calling in bomb threats and phony victim sightings – to me, i’d be a hell of a lot more satisfied to see them paraded naked through a Times Square gauntlet than I would seeing bombs drop on a Taliban compound.

In other news, the command center that fell with the 7 World Trade tower is back up on Pier 5, today they held their first press conference, hours after three tragic fire-fighter funerals.

Governor Pataki is grateful and proud strolling tall through the Javits Center command site, seeing the tens of thousands of people across the nation and world who have come to help out, however, control of the site is essential, and help is not needed at this time, they are urging people to go home and help out in their communities, which makes an overwhelming amount of sense.

But still, most people still come because they need to do something with their hands, they need to somehow cope with their grief, help out a little. But now the Federal Emergency Management people have stepped in, and no one is allowed to assist, so they sit and wait, frustrated.

Today, I read the website belonging to the Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation.

“Welcome to Pakistan, A Tourist’s Paradise.”

September 23-29 was supposed to be the big week – it was the week of the Lahore-Khunjrab Car Rally. Kashmir territory is described as “dotted with a vast chain of scenic and natural beauty spots amidst flowing streams, gushing springs and flowering plants. The mountain tops over the valley look like circular and rectangular caps. The panorama is really enchanting.”

In the ancient city of Lahore, there are numerous beautiful historic buildings, in tumultuous Karachi, the streets are energized by color and commerce, dirty beaches and crime. There is the Khyber Pass, one of the most beautiful spots in the nation, but that region has long been restricted – not on the list of things to see.

I can download Pakistani wallpapers and screensavers, full color photos and video clips, and all of a sudden, I’m thinking a lot about what Travel means.

Travel educates us in ways that books cannot. When you do not understand a place, the best thing you can do for yourself is go visit. To my uneducated mind, the world was what it was, but country by country, as I began to hop planes all over the globe, I learned that life was on the surface, often much more like home than one would ever imagine, but with more fear in the background.

Ask most foreigners – America is not the greatest country on earth. There are very few countries would ever say that, and you can start by quizzing our northern neighbors, who feel that last November’s election was a mockery, much of the world saw it as a damaging day that signaled the near-death of democracy.

Meanwhile, Our Prez has been behaving himself lately – the new speak-from-the-heart thing, the light jacket and the endless use of the cliché, ‘make no mistake.’ He seems to have grown up a lot in the past few days, as we all have here in New York.

But, America. We are looked upon with no small amount of amusement, a little mistrust, and a lot of interest. I’ve sat in cafes across the world and debated our politics with various and sundry foreigners – we must not confuse intense interest with love.

What happens here matters to the world, but the world is not always filled with the desire to help us. Once we enter a war, we may find out that our supposed place in the global pantheon is a sight over-inflated. Let us proceed with caution.

A sermon was given today, where a minister preached that in this time of anger, we must not let the candle of reason flicker and burn out.

Truer words were never spoken.

So let us fly the flag, but let us not become blind to everything but our rage. Rage is part of the process, but it is not the sort of emotion that one should go camping with – eventually, forgiveness has to enter the picture, else our rage cripples, and causes us to do things we regret.

Pataki and Giuliani are talking – Pataki’s son is 14 today, they stopped the press conference to wish him a happy birthday. Pataki is taking the evening off to celebrate with son Owen at an Italian restaurant on Arthur Avenue.

Sunny Mindel, the mayor’s nazi-in-charge is trying to kick everyone out of the room. Giuliani interrupts her, in one of those out the corner of his mouth moments for which he is so famous.

“I want to thank the Governor for going to a Bronx restaurant.” The room dissolves in laughter.

Another day has ended.

 

Email: davidr@lifeingotham.com

Next Update: 20 September

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