Anyone else keeping the TV off today?

[mamaduck]

I am feeling what a sad day today is, but am doing my best not to let it come up. Keeping the TV off. Going to steer my kids away from people disscussing the plane crashes. Today is ds's sixth birthday -- I want it to be special for him.

[gauge14iv]

No TV for me today either - and no newspaper and no yahoo. Enough was enough - I remember, I don't need help!

[tessamami]

I have turned off the TV permanently.

It's poison, pure and simple.

And don't kid me: BUSH KNEW.

[AmandasMom]

Mine is off today too. I'm sick of hearing about 9/11. I'm sick of seeing some tear-jerking, heartfelt "we remember" ... brought to you by some company or another. Big and Small business and politians has turned a horrible event into a chance to advertise their product or business. If I had a family member or friend a victim, I'd be pissed that this has turned into an advertising opportunity...

[lisamarie]

I do have the t.v. on, I just woke up and turned it on, but I'm going to have to turn it off. Tears are streaming down my face right now. I might go to our church because they are playing "Mozart's Rolling Requiem" (they are doing this around the world). Its such a heavy day.

Warmly~

Lisa

[3boysmom]

Ours is not on much during the day normally, but I warned dh last night that it would not be on at all today.

[texasmama]

I am keeping the t.v. off today. I remember last year I didn't turn the t.v. off and also listend to NPR when I was in the car. Where ever I went, if there was a t.v., it had the footage of the attacks. I was shell shocked for a long time after that.

I honor the people that died and survived. I can not endure the bombardment of the news media today.

[khrisday]

One of the reasons we don't have TV reception is so that we can control what we watch. We were on vacation last year, and the kids saw way more of the tape than I would have liked but it was mostly out of my control.

[AdinaL]

Mine is off. And if I turn it on it will be to watch movies on DVD.
I remember. And I think about what is important to me, not what the media tells me too.
Plus I can do without the "let's attack Iraq" rant to day.

[Arduinna]

Mine is OFF also. Last night was bad enough on the news. I almost turned that off also, at least they did talk about more than that.

Last night dd said, darn their won't be anything to watch on TV tomarrow. Boy was she right. Well at least I should be safe on cable?? Haven't turned it on yet to find out.

[hahamommy]

Cable is on now ~ Disney is thankfully conflict-free! This morning, before children however, I did watch the CBS coverage of the morning's ceremony ~ CBS because they had photos accompanying the names being read. Faces make everything so much more real ~ I got my crying done!
I left when dubya came out, I cannot bear to see the face of the one person benefiting the most from this situation.

[Els' 3 Ones]

Not only TV ---- radio as well. Last year was enough visual to last my entire life.

Happy Birthday to mamaduck's ds and Irishmommy's dd and Greaseball's dh ---- reasons to celebrate today.

I copied this from another site, some of you may feel the same.

I do.

ENOUGH
George W. Bush, acting upon a joint resolution of Congress, has declared September 11 to be Patriot Day. According to his proclamation, we're supposed to "...observe this day with
appropriate ceremonies and activities..." and to "...display the
flag at half-staff from their homes and observe a moment of silence
at 8:46 a.m. EDT," this in honor of the Americans who died in the
terrorist attack. You know, personally, I think this just stinks to
hell. I have a better idea, so I'm making a proclamation of my own,
which of course is completely unendorsed by any US politicians I'm
aware of.

I'm declaring September 11 "International Enough Day." Enough flag-
waving, enough violence, enough nationalism. Enough already.
September 11 was not an American tragedy, it was a human tragedy. It
was a tragedy not just for the people in the US who died, but for
every innocent person killed as a result of the US reaction to the
attacks as well. It was a tragedy for the human spirit, regardless
of nationality, religion, and anything else.

On September 11, let's say "Enough." No more killing. Let's remember
not only the victims of the hijacked airplanes in the US, but of the
embassy bombings in Kenya and Tanzania in 1998. Let's remember all
the Israelis killed by Palestinian bombers and all the Palestinians
killed by Israeli troops. Let's remember all the innocent people
slain by Union Carbide in Bhopal, India in 1984. Let's take the day
to contemplate the people who've been victims of genocidal warfare
in Africa, and the ones who've starved to death because of political
games as well. Let's remember the victims of the Holocaust and of
the firebombing of Dresden, too. Let's not forget those who were
slain in the Mai Lai Massacre.

Instead of waving the flag of one nation and thinking only about our
own dead, let's make September 11 a day to remember all the people
who've died at the hands of someone else's political agenda through
no fault of their own, and let's say enough. We should stand up and
disavow this, no matter what country we're in, no matter what
religion we are, no matter our political affiliation or status or
race or anything else. If we had a moment of silence marking the
time of every atrocity ever committed in the name of nationalism,
religion... every atrocity committed in the name of the artificial
borders that try to make us forget that we're all human, all in this
together, all fragile creatures whose lives can be snuffed out in an
instant through no fault of our own... then we would never speak
again. So we here in America should, I think, observe September 11
as the day when the nightmares that humans around the world have
been living with for decades came lumbering ashore on the East Coast
of the US. We should see it for what it is; the day the US truly
experienced the horror that rings like a bell around the globe, from
South America to the Middle East to Micronesia, the day we joined
the human race at a most profound and fundamental level.

There should be no "Patriot Day," no day to further emphasize that
we're different. Instead, let's say "Enough." Enough of putting the
interests of any one nation above the interests of the human race.
Enough dwelling on our small differences. Enough killing each other
over them. Enough hate, enough fear, enough hunger, enough violence,
enough bombing, enough enough enough ENOUGH.

We should each find our own way of expressing this. A moment of
silence... or perhaps a day of silence. Meditation, art, whatever it
is that you do... do it. Take the day to celebrate the lives of all
of us -- wherever we're from and whatever we believe -- who are
still here, and think on those -- wherever they were, whenever they
were and whatever they were -- who weren't so lucky. Take the day to
remember the fragility of human life and all the nightmares wrought
by those who wanted to impose their will upon the whole of humanity.
Commit no act of violence, however small.

Let go of any hatred and prejudice and thirst for revenge and, for
one day, see yourself in the other and the other in yourself. Do
whatever you do, and do it to say ENOUGH.

Peace.

[AmandasMom]

Els, I love it! I'm going to spam all my friends with that today! I'm glad someone remembered that it wasn't just americans who died today!

[Irishmommy]

El's 3 Ones, thank you so much for remembering my dd!!! I'm going to show her your post when she comes home from school. Of course, I will have to explain what dd means!

My t.v. will not be going on today. I did read the paper, but only because we subscribe. I wouldn't have bought it specially. Today is dd's day here, not anyone elses. Plus, I don't need help remembering.

[tara]

Els - that was perfect. I have already copied it to everyone I know! Thanks for posting that.

And, no tv here, either. We rarely watch anyway, but I really don't want to see those images again. They are still fresh in my memory from the first time around.

[rainsmom]

Thank you! I started a thread under books and media and no one supported my thoughts about the media saturating us with this and using it to get viewers. It sickens me that they use this event to make money. I thought I was alone in this......


ps..and my dh is in tv, too!

[blueholly]

I only turned on the tv about 4:30 - just after dd went down for a nap (late!) and watched half an hour. I've felt so sad all day anyway, but I spent the morning calling everybody in my address book and leaving them messages that I appreciated them being in my life. I called a church friend who lost her nephew in WTC and they only found his torso and right arm, never found his head. I just felt sick and it immediately changed my mind that the site should be a memorial instead of being rebuilt.

I must also write to you all that I appreciate this board and all the messages of support and hope and such that let me know I'm not alone in this Momfest of uncertainty at times.

May peace enter our hearts and that of the world -
Shannon

[mamaduck]

We've had a wonderful day. Ds is happy and content. New games to play with me for half the day. A visit to the craft store to stock up. Meeting Daddy for lunch, a visit to Grandma, and a bike ride. What could be better?

I did try to turn on Teletubbies for the little one at one point so I could spend 1:1 time with my birthday boy, but turned it off after 2 minutes because PBS had the Zoom kids reciting a special tribute. I didn't want my kids to listen to that today. Maybe if it weren't a birthday!

Thank you El's -- for the birthday wishes and for sharing the very moving sentiments. I was especially affected by this:

"We should see it for what it is; the day the US truly
experienced the horror that rings like a bell around the globe, from South America to the Middle East to Micronesia, the day we joined the human race at a most profound and fundamental level.
There should be no "Patriot Day," no day to further emphasize that we're different."

[MamaSoleil]

Thank you so much for that El, just exactly what I needed ,to know I am not alone in my feelings....

Peace,

Mamasoleil

Ps, I sent it to all my loved ones, did mention that I did not write it...but unable to quote properly..hopefully the author won't mind...