9/11: The Five Year Itch

While near the reflecting pools - in sight of the cameras - the widow of a 9/11 victim tearfully remembers her husband, wishing their grandchildren won't have to see a similar event, a less peaceful scene is formed at street level. Near the exit of the World Trade Center Path station, protesters wearing "investigate 9/11' t-shirts" and carrying "Ask questions, demand answers" banners clash with passers by.

"Some people are trying to provoke us", claims a young man standing near the pedestrian bridge overlooking the World Trade Center," that is why I chose to be at this quiet spot." The man, a heavily tattooed construction worker in his late twenties, claims to be a real conservative and doesn't take kindly to people who call him a liberal.

"For years I believed the story about the hijackers" he says, gazing at the steady stream of mourners in the pit, "but then I started to wonder who really benefited from all this." Only yesterday, at an event near Union Square, did he get his own investigate-9/11-t-shirt.

A forty something man wearing a blue cap with 'NAVY" printed on it, walks towards him and thanks him for doing what he is doing. "The fear is gone," he adds, "It's the government who should be fearful now."

Back at the World Trade Center PATH station, near where the newly hung pictures depict what happened here five years go, a fresh group of bystanders is loudly arguing with the learn-the- truth-about-9/11 protesters. This time their pamphlets have gotten company: a few Bush sympathizers, holding signs with "9-11 is the result of the Clinton administration" and "Support the war and our troops", have joined the crowd.




A few feet from the tumult, a young man sitting on the floor is playing his drums. Right next to him, Buddhist monks sit silently behind a piece sign. One of the 9/11 investigation t-shirt bearers has joined them. Across from them, two man are holding a gigantic board with on one side Ghandi's picture and on the other side the text "9/11/2006: 100 years of peace movement." In a corner, a Japanese man invites people to write a message on a large white cloth, laying on the ground.


Further down, near Cortland street, a lone flute player is crouched on the floor against the steel fens, a few bundles of roses adorning his head. Across, a chauffeur shows of his high wheeled patriot colored truck.

"You should all do like this man," yells a young woman in beige combat trousers while pointing at a slender built young man holding up a small sign saying "Forget about politics, remember the heroes."