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Posted on 10/04/2001 9:22:31 PM PDT by appeal2

Well its been a little more than three weeks since the atrocity occurred. I knew that I was going to have to go downtown to court at some point and Thursday was the day. I took the train in from Westchester (north of NYC). It was much more crowded than usual. I got to Grand Central and hopped on the downtown Lexington Avenue line. This is really the only line that was unaffected. I got downtown with no problems and went to the State Supreme Court which is next to the Federal Courthouse.

Security was definitely stepped up significantly. A while ago they put up this moveable barrier on the street adjoining the courts. Its a twenty foot wide piece of two inch steel that can be hyrdraulically raised and lowered to prevent car bombings. In addition, there are huge dump trucks loaded with sand to absorb the impact of car bombers.

I got out of court and decided to see my friend Marty who's office is right around the corner from GZ. Lower Manhattan is a literal police state. Cops are all over. Streets are closed off and stores are still closed. The skyline is very disconcerting. For nearly 30 years the towers dominated the skyline. You really didn't notice any other buildings. Now when you look where the towers were, you only see 1 Liberty Plaza. This is a narrow 54 story glass and steel building that is pure black. This building was always insignificant and its only purpose was to show you how big the trade center towers really were.

I met Marty for coffee on Park Row around the corner from GZ. The Starbucks we usually frequent was open only to relief workers. We chatted and then went up to his office. He's on the 38th Floor and his window overlooks GZ with an unobstructed view. It was shocking. Pure devastation. The smaller buildings around the centers were like monopoly hotels that had been chewed up by a dog. Debris was all over the place.

Massive cranes were picking up the remains. Smoke was still wafting upward. At one point black smoke was rising. Watching this scene on tv is like looking at the moon with your naked eye and thinking you've seen the planet.

The World Financial Center was now clearly visible from the street. Much of it was also devastated but not destroyed. The Wintergarden, an indoor glass enclosed structure was virtually gone.

And then there was the smell. You've never encountered anything quite like it. It had a touch of burned kerosene, burned insulation and just plain death.

Seeing this scene made me realize all the more that this country must take action against any country that supports terrorism. I suggest that these pacifists be given a tour of the wreckage and let them experience the scene. Then see how they feel.

Finally it was time to leave. I wanted to catch the subway up the westside. However, virtually every subway station was closed till further notice. I walked five blocks and finally found an open station. I got on the train and thanked my lucky stars that my office was 30 miles outside the City. I said a prayer for the dead and the suffering and vowed to whatever I could to help my country and my fellow beings to overcome this unfathomable act terror and death.

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