I had an idea last night.

[gridlore]

As everyone knows, we are fast approaching the first anniversary of the September 11th attacks. Everyone is discussing how the best memorialize the event, and the people lost. Here's my two cents.

A day of silence on the Internet. For one calendar day, starting at 0001 11 SEP 02, your local time, stop posting, emailing, surfing whatever. A global day of silence moving around the world. I realize that this would be impossible for those in business who rely on the net, but I think it would be a powerful statement. I remember on that day the messages on the Traveller Mailing List to our NYC members asking "are you ok?" And I know the terrible silence when one person never replies to those calls.

So for one day, stay off the net. It will survive. talk on the phone, go for a walk, or just remember how much we all lost on the terrible day, one year ago.

Comments

[figmo.livejournal.com]

No can do. That's my livelihood.

[fimbrethil.livejournal.com]

My husband, who was my partner, lover, friend and breadwinner died that day. As I am surviving with that loss, couldn't you stand the loss of one day which could easily be made up with longer hours on other days? It's not that big a sacrifice in the scheme of things.

[feroluce.livejournal.com]

even as i agreed the first time that this is a great idea, i didnt even think of that logic. that's the best reason i've heard yet, thank you for sharing.

[figmo.livejournal.com]

I am very sorry you lost your husband that day. Words cannot describe the suckage of what happened.

However, I am already losing one day that week to go to Sacramento with my boyfriend to see a neurosurgeon (he needs brain surgery). I will therefore already be working extra hours the other days.

The nature of my work is such that I use the Internet for it. My day job is a technical writer at a startup, and I document software that uses the Internet. I not only cannot afford to work less than 40 hours/week, I have to work a second job (and take extra hours whenever they're thrown at me, no matter how sick I am) to make ends meet.

One or five minutes of Internet silence would be one thing; a day of it is a financial hit I cannot afford to take.

[fimbrethil.livejournal.com]

Fair enough. Thank you for explaining it. Perahps no surfing, only work related things to show respect might work for you? Just wondering.

[figmo.livejournal.com]

I'm going to suggest an alternative. What would happen if everybody flushed their toilets at the moments the first and second planes hit, the moment the plane hit the pentagon, and the moment the fourth one went down? It would symbolize all those lives going down the drain, and it'd have a quiet but noticeable effect on the water table those minutes.

[fimbrethil.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry but I I find that offensive and it feels like you are making light of a very serious situation. Also at those moments I will be attending the big memorial service at the site for Liam and all those that lost their lives that day and that is far more important than being home to flush a toilet.

[figmo.livejournal.com]

I wasn't trying to make light. It really does have an impact if everybody does it at once.

I will be trying to work that day, but my mind will be elsewhere. It won't be easy, but I have to keep money coming in so I don't wind up homeless like a non-trivial number of my friends.

I think back to when my father died. He didn't want me to take time off from work or school other than to go to his funeral. He insisted I go to my company's holiday party if it hit right after he died because they were going to charge me if I stayed away and mourned. It did, I did, and I was miserable.

This is the stoicism with which I was raised. I can't justify going to a memorial service when I didn't know anyone firsthand who died that day. Someone has to keep the country running while those who need to mourn do.

[gridlore.livejournal.com]

Well, along with the rather questionable symbolism imvolved, there is also the matter that such an act can be destructive.

Lynn, I was clear in the first message that I understand that people who need to use the net for their jobs would not be able to take part. I'm just saying that we should take a little time to reconnect with the real world.

I'm going to be at Starport that night, one way or another. Hope to see you there.

[figmo.livejournal.com]

I guess I see it as my job to keep things going to f*** the terrorists back.

I'm still numb from the whole thing. I didn't know anyone firsthand who died that day, but I'd been to the WTC many times when I lived in NYC. I'd been to the observation deck, eaten at the Marketplace many times, and even had a job interview there once. My first computer job was for a company based in that area, so I knew what was lost before the media out here realized it.

Those sonofabitches trashed my home, dammit. I am soooo not going to let them paralyze me or my country, no matter how much it hurts.

[opals.livejournal.com]

I think it's a good idea. But as figmo said, this is -my- livelihood. What I can do is eliminate the personal communications. But as another user said, it's a day when I'd like to be in touch with my loved ones and the way I do that is on the internet. The people I know that were most affected by 9-11 are thousands of miles away from me.

[figmo.livejournal.com]

I agree with you. In fact, I had just flown back from a combination Worldcon/parental maintenance trip on the east coast the day before. That could have been me on one of those planes.

Needless to say, the thought of isolating myself on that day totally freaks me out to begin with.

I'd like to do something, but not using the Internet seems to be the wrong way to go. It's not a fun-toy for me; it's work. I do LJ to warm up my writing, then do the real writing for work. I use AIM to communicate with my boss and with contractors in North Dakota. I use IRC to communicate with friends who help me with various aspects of my work and with folks I need to contact re: nonprofit activities.

If folks really want to do something noticeable, we should all flush toilets at the minutes the first and second plane hit to symbolize all those lives that went down the drain. Why? If everyone does it at once, the water table drops visibly at that time.