September 11, 2004
Ground Zero, to go or not?
Ground Zero has become one of the top places tourists want to see in new York, a fact that exists uncomfortably for some New Yorkers, especially those who live or work near the site and deal with the loss everyday in a personal way. The Associated press takes on the subject of Ground Zero: tourist attraction: Artist Andy Jurinko, who has lived near the Trade Center site for 27 years, is used to the tourists. But their presence irks him.
Before September 11, he said, they wanted to eat out and shop. Now, "they want to see the train wreck, they want to touch the horror.
"Standing right outside my office here, they come stand by the wall and have their picture taken. It's like Disneyland," he said.
He looks forward to the day when people have a proper memorial to visit. "They say they want to pay respect, but sometimes paying respect is staying the hell away," he said. Though I'm more in the mindset that it is something you should see in person, as the enormity of the empty space (which is already disappearing as the 52-story WTC 7 is nearing completion, ahead of schedule even) is a powerful and wrenching feeling the pictures on TV just can't convey. From the AP story:For those who saw the attacks on television, a visit puts things in perspective. Many people think only the twin towers were destroyed; in reality, seven buildings were.
"Once you see it in person you get a much better idea of how big this attack was," said Cristyne Nicholas, president of NYC & Company, the city's tourism bureau. If you go, please treat it like a cemetery. No tasteless photographs, don't buy inappropriate souvenirs, and support the businesses near the site.
September 11, 2004 08:54 AM in Downtown, Sightsology
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