9:02 AM, April 19, 1995 OK City

[shooter6.5]

Our world changed a lot that day.

The real reality of domestic terror struck in a significant way. Many of you probably have no idea what I am talking about as you may have been too young.

Take time and research this date, as it should be important to you and your families, as it will happen again. I could tell you about it but you will do better on your own. A lot of good people and children died that day, just a short distance from here!!

[Chung Tran]

I remember like it was yesterday.. I was at a convenience store, Mansfield Highway, the TV was on in there when I heard the news. paid a visit to the site 10 days later.. the photos I took were poignant, to say the least.. didn't know then the Murrah building would be torn down soon.

in the first hours aftter the bombing, everybody KNEW it was a Muslim-led operation.. years before 911

[daty/o]

I was there the following day, on business; managed to drive right up to the site. The destruction was horrific. I can only imagine the scene immediately following 9/11. We lost our virginity in 1995; I wish I thought we were through.

[Guest092216]

The reflection pool at the Murrah site is breathtaking.

Although I enjoyed Easter very much today, I am reminded of where I grew up and the Columbine shootings on 4/20/1999. I will never forget driving south on Washington just about to cross Speer Blvd (Governor's Park area) when the radio interrupted with the news that the high school was on lockdown and reports of shots being fired inside. I had some close friends that graduated from there and one who had younger siblings still there. It was one of the most frightening experiences of my life. Their family was lucky that day though. Very lucky. That day changed so many lives and the way people thought about so many things. Probably why I hold some of the strong convictions that I do about the kinds of things that led up to that event.

I'm glad that the anniversary fell on Easter this year - a time for reflection and reinvesting in the things that matter. Hope everyone had a wonderful day, regardless of what your spiritual beliefs may be.

[Lauren Lane]

I remember very clearly, where I was. What I was doing and staying glued to the television watching the reports.

[LargeBreastFan]

I visited the site in 1997 before the reflecting pool. I cried while standing at the fence, thinking of the innocent life lost there.

[LazurusLong]

I was on vacation in another state where news was not as readily available as it is today but the shock among all of us from Dallas was very tangible and hung in the air from that moment on and well after we flew back.

Even though the World Trade Towers had already been attacked prior to that day, due to the nearly insignificant damage compared to the OKC bombing or the utter destruction later, if the media had given a fraction of importance to what had already happened on our shores and elsewhere and people had been more alert, this may never have succeeded.

For a very detailed list of attacks against the US from as far back as the assassination of Lincoln till now, check this out. Sadly, 99% of the people reading this thread will not have heard of more than maybe 1% of these because our mainstream media doesn't deem most of these worthy of a news cycle.

http://www.johnstonsarchive.net/terrorism/wrjp255a.html

Not sure why certain attacks like the two embassies and the attack on the USS Cole were not on that list.

A different breakdown and has more detail on each attack.
http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0001454.html

So much for a "religion of peace".

ANYONE who believes that bullshit needs to go find out why the Marine Corps hymm includes the words, "To the shores of Tripoli".

[dfwninja]

I was there. It sucked. Not alot of other ways to describe it. I still get flashbacks sometimes. I was on the street, and a piece of the building hit me in the head and left a scar I still carry around to this day. I see it in the mirror every time I comb my hair.

One thing it showed you about Oklahoma though, about 30 people ran away. About 300-400 ran TO the building to start digging people out.

Police spent about 30 minutes actually trying to get people to STOP helping once there were enough experts and firemen there. People were driving up from all over the city to come up lift off rubble and carry it out.

Dump trucks and heavy equipment just started showing up unsolicited to start carrying away debris. They had to start announcing it on the radio that they had enough help and for people to stop trying to come down and help.

[Alastair]

Re: OKC

Interestingly I just watched a documentary on the Waco "situation" made soon after the ending of it. Supposedly McVeigh watched it before OKC. Pretty bad stuff. It's too bad innocent people have to die so someone can make a point.

[pyramider]

At least we will never have to deal with McVeigh in the future.

[LazurusLong]

Originally Posted by dfwninja

I was there. It sucked. Not alot of other ways to describe it. I still get flashbacks sometimes. I was on the street, and a piece of the building hit me in the head and left a scar I still carry around to this day. I see it in the mirror every time I comb my hair.

One thing it showed you about Oklahoma though, about 30 people ran away. About 300-400 ran TO the building to start digging people out.

Police spent about 30 minutes actually trying to get people to STOP helping once there were enough experts and firemen there. People were driving up from all over the city to come up lift off rubble and carry it out.

Dump trucks and heavy equipment just started showing up unsolicited to start carrying away debris. They had to start announcing it on the radio that they had enough help and for people to stop trying to come down and help.

dfwninja,

Thanks so much for your first hand account.

Amazing how the true character of most all the people in this country comes out in times of strife and struggle.

[Lust4xxxLife]

Originally Posted by Chung Tran

...in the first hours aftter the bombing, everybody KNEW it was a Muslim-led operation.. years before 911

I know you're joking.

McVeigh was a Republican/NRA/Libertarian nut-job, just like most of Al Bundy's posse that showed up in Arizona a couple of weeks ago. McVeigh is an example why people like that, although pretty silly looking, aren't to be taken lightly.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timothy_McVeigh

[Alastair]

I know what you mean, but I don't know how one can be a Republican AND Libertarian, especially after Bush. NRA certainly does not make someone a gun nut - in fact, most true gun nuts wouldn't be in the NRA because it's a govt organization. But I'm splitting hairs - McVeigh was a troubled person with deep hatred for the govt. Back in the 90's there were plenty of people like that, but very few that would go to the lengths McVeigh did.

Much like Columbine - Marilyn Manson and trench coats don't mean you're going to shoot up a school.

My point is, labels aligned with really dangerous, destructive behavior without an undeniable link is kind of how some of these so-called nut jobs commit self-fulfilled prophesies.

[Don't Be Daft!]

We never have had as many terror attacks as you lot--thank G-d! My heart goes out to all whom lost loved ones.

*I do remember vividly where I was after the London tube bombings:-(

[eccienewbie]

That was a rough day.

Me and a friend just instinctively left work and drove to OKC shortly after the first report. No, it wasn't a train wreck kind of thing that we just had to see out of morbid curiosity. We just wanted to be there. Couldn't get anywhere close to the bomb site (obviously), but we wound up staying the entire evening. Many tears were observed, and a sense of unity came with it (all of this being observed mostly from various bar stools).

Yeah, I know -- weird reaction to drive all the way up there. Can't really explain it to this day. Definitely couldn't come up with a decent explanation to my then-wife over the phone early evening. Had to hand off the phone to my buddy for corroboration and, fortunately, I had my camera with me and was able to document my whereabouts.

Figured at the time that would be my generation's Pearl Harbor or Kennedy Assassination. Unfortunately, I'd find out 6 and a half years later that there would be more than one such moment for my generation. Probably would have hopped a plane to New York that day, too, but, well, there were no planes to hop on. I guess, in the end, me and my friend drove to OKC that day because we were just looking to share our own grief, horror, and outrage with the people who were most directly affected by the senseless act, in the same way that you want to be with and among loved ones when a family member passes (partly for yourself, but partly for the others, as well). Yeah, like I said, I really can't explain my response to the situation. Not well, anyway.