Ground Zero
 

I hope this doesn't sound disrespectful but I am coming to New York next week (for opera at the Met - a trip that was planned months ago) and felt I could not leave without paying my respects and bearing witness at Ground Zero. Can someone help me with the how to's: the subway station nearest the site, a place one can go for coffee (and to recover) etc. Also, if there is any etiquette I should be aware of for this, please let me know. Please forgive me if this rubs you the wrong way; it's something I feel I must do and am not at all looking forward to it.

C'mon Michael, do a search. We've discussed this topic many, many, many times in the past 2 months.

Take the 5 or 6 train to Wall Street and walk up Broadway. You may be asked not to take pictures, although alot of people do just that. Lots of coffee shops in the immediate vicinity.

Michael,I took the 4 or 5 Express Train out of Grand Central Station.<BR>It say's Downtown Brooklyn and you get off at the Fulton Street stop.<BR>

Michael, we took a cab from midtown all the way to the Staten Island Ferry landing...at the time, about 2 months ago, it was unclear just how far south the cabbie could take us. He thought he'd only get us as far as Canal, but the barricades were down that day. I don't know the situation now... as for etiquette, you sound like a sensitive guy who wouldn't do some of the moronic things others have seen at Ground Zero, like open laughter, etc. The spot we chose to stand was monitored by a couple of cops with a bullhorn who prohibited photos and videos; I've read here that not all spots are the same. Lastly, a suggestion: consider stopping by a firehouse (police stations discourage visitors) and leaving a coffee cake or the like (they're up to here with flowers, although they are still appreciated.) to show your sympathy.

Forgive me for what may be a stupid question, but when you say "train" is that the same as the subway?<BR><BR>Thanks...<BR>

Yes Cindy, a train is a subway train.

Thanks (mta) !!

I think there was already a post of this sort, and on it several people from NY said that they thought it more respectful of the dead and their families, if people didn't come to gawk and stand around at the attack site.Donating money or volunteering, bringing something to a firehouse is a much more appropriate way of showing respect.And absolutely no taking of photos.I would rather remember how the Towers looked before Sept 11 and donate money to the Twin Towers Fund for example.

From the east side: #4 or #5 subway train to Fulton Street station.<BR><BR>From the west side: #1 or #2 train to Park Place station. If you take the #1 or #2 get in the second or third car. When you get off the train at Park Place you will see an escalator. After getting off the escalator you will walk up one flight of stairs to Broadway. Walk on Broadway going southbound.

How about from Rockefeller Center - which train & get off where??<BR><BR>Thanks

kathy:<BR><BR>Tell me you're not coming to NYC just to see ground zero. While we need tourists, we don't need gawkers. <BR><BR>Enjoy the rest of your trip.<BR><BR>

Hey..I just wanted to say that I don't feel that anyone should be criticizing Michael's decision to go to ground zero, especially not people from NYC. What happened was one of the biggest events in the history of the United States, and although it may be easy for NYC residents to grasp the magnitude of what happened, it is a lot harder for those of us who are only seeing this on TV. Anyone is free to take a respectful walk to see what will certainly go down in American History as a huge atrocity. If anything, going to ground zero should make others more respectful of what is going on, right? Others need their time to make peace with the events of Sept 11 too.

Meg-I guess you can validate whatever you want to do, with reasons of paying respect,grasping the magnitude,whatever-the fact is, it is an on-going retrieval site for bodies and body parts, the air is foul, there are workers doing dangerous work every hour of the day and night, it is not a tourist attraction,it is a scene of mass death and destruction...do you really want to go stand there and look? can you really convince anyone that this is anything more than wanting to see this for yourself?And what is this "especially not from people in NY"? who better to tell someone outside of NY what a sad and horrible place this is and it is not made better by tourists gawking? If you want to go pay respect...go to a firehouse and bring food, work for a few hours at one of the food lines for the workers,donate money to the families, then you can say you were respectful.

People are having a hard time grasping what happened. I think some need to go there to accept the reality of the situation.<BR><BR>I would rather have people go and show their respects than not appreciate what happened.<BR><BR>This is a heartbreaking time for all Americans. Please try to understand that we are ALL struggling with this.<BR><BR>We all feel so horrible for the people so devastated by this....<BR>We need to come to terms with it somehow.

Why are you guys against visitors going to ground zero? People visit Pearl Harbor and the Arizona memorial and other sites of devastation don't they?

: First let me start by saying that I do not represent the Red Cross, Bouley Bakery or any other company I will mention. Recently I have heard a number of appeals for volunteers from different restaurants and organizations I thought I would pass on what I found. I did respond to an email request from the Red Cross. I went down registered this is what I learned. They have an orientation process that takes between 1-2 hours. They have tasks ranging from simple serving of food to assembling hard hats, washing boots ect..to more complex case writing, computer skills, data entry. They can tell you more if you are a tri-state resident and you decide to go down to the Bklyn chapter of red cross at 165 Cadman Plaza East. The "A" train to Brooklyn Bridge and High Street will let you off at door step. Volunteer Recruitment Center hours are 6:30a.m.-6p.m.<BR>Monday-Saturday and 1-6p.m. on Sundays. Volunteer<BR>opportunities are available Monday-Sunday on all shifts<BR><BR>What I was told is that they are getting a tremendous response in volunteers but some times a staff of 30 might be needed for one shift and only six people will show up. This happens for an eight hour shift that I inquired about. They also have a great need for data entry. I had signed to work for RC but have been waiting for the RC to get back to me since September, a time when they were inundated with volunteers. They told me that they did not have data entry people to process all of the applications. She also added that the sense of urgency is starting to leave volunteers so they are finding themselves in need of new people.<BR><BR>Food preparation/cooking is done by restaurants; Bouley Bakery is still in need of people, the hotline set up for this is 646-831-6895 or just go down to 120 W. Broadway (Tri-Beca) <BR>At Duane St. Subway Stops<BR>A, C, E to Canal St.; 1, 9 to Canal St.<BR>Last I was also instructed to call 1800-volunteers for more information.<BR><BR>If you are not from the NY area you might want to check with your local Red Cross chapter. People that have volunteered for other disasters through Red Cross and or done some course work (through Red Cross) are flying in from all over the country to assist in this effort. Again your local red cross can tell you better about the kind of course work needed and if you will be able to assist. <BR><BR><BR><BR>

Qui-it is not really a matter of not wanting visitors to ground zero as if it were a place people live/hang out and want to have visitors..seeing what it looks like on tv should be sufficient for anyone - who exactly do you think you will be visiting? you will be going into a damaged neighborhood,and standing around on the street somewhere, not allowed up to the site, and looking (gawking?) and perhaps trying to take pictures...is that really what you call a "visit"...all this talk about needing to come to terms with this--I appreciate the idea, but if the people that are living right there have not come to terms with it, what makes you think that visiting the neighborhood,standing around and looking,will make you come to terms with it? It will take years for anyone to come to any terms with this-and the best- most respectful way to treat the dead,the living,the grieving,and the workers there, is to be respectful and do not use this site as the latest tourist attraction.There is a wonderful idea for being useful in this case, the 'Better way to Remember"-donating time/money etc for the clean up and families..try that, all this talk about respect, do you think anyone will have any respect for you if you go stand around and watch?

sad,<BR>sorry but you better get used to idea of people coming to look at this tragic historical event. this is human nature, i've also read and heard that watching on tv is nothing like being there.

joan-in some cases-and this is one of them-I do not have to get used to anything.When people post questions re:visiting the WTC site -I can answer, and if you think this is human nature to want to stand around and look at this tragic place, maybe it is, an unpleasant aspect of human nature,like looking at a car accident.So-I gave my opinion, like everyone else does on these threads..and reading and hearing the news can sometimes be the best way to veiw these things-But come on to NY, stand as close as you can get, and see if it makes you a better person,see if it consoles the people who have lost loved ones,see how the workers feel about you..are you going to Afghanistan next,since it makes you feel better seeing it in person than just watching it on tv?

qiu-<BR><BR>You wrote "Why are you guys against visitors going to ground zero? People visit Pearl Harbor and the Arizona memorial and other sites of devastation don't they?"<BR><BR>Big difference. Those are memorials that were set up to be memorials, long after the fact. They are not active crime scenes. Do you think tourists went to gawk at Pearl Harbor while they were still pulling bodies out?<BR><BR>If 5 or 10 years from now a memorial is set up at the site of the WTC, by all means go see it and pay your respects. Now is not the time.

can everybody please find another way to get rid of whatever anger/depression you are feeling. You have an opportunity here to ignore what mourners are telling you or you can join the tacky crowd, you decide. That's it!!!… New Yorker above said it best, anyone else need more instructions we can't help you common sense is something you are born with.

Sad and Me--Thank you..I have been following this debate and it is heartening to see that I and my friends living here in NYC are not the only ones who feel this way about this being used as a tourist attraction.You are so right, this is not the time.These people need to think of the workers at the site and of the families who will be having these holidays without loved ones, instead of themselves and what they think their needs are.

NYC has ALWAYS thrived on being a tourist attraction. If You "native New Yorkers" didn't like it, I'm sure you would have BAILED a long time ago!<BR><BR>The WTC, the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building, Ellis Island: these are part of all AMERICAN'S history, NOT just New Yorker's.<BR><BR>BTW : The Arizona, Pearl Harbor, etc. are visted constantly by loving American's, and you don't see "the Natives" whining about it.<BR><BR>Give us all a break, Americans need to stick together. New Yorkers, last time I checked, where Americans!! <BR><BR>GOD BLESS THE USA!<BR><BR>

Oh Please, give me a break-now you are seeing this horror as an American monument like the Statue of Liberty? And as someone else has already mentioned-the Pearl Harbor Memorial is just that, a site created as a memorial-for visitors,this is still a scene of destruction and full of bodies and a dangerous area for the workers.Tell the truth, stop this crap about wanting to pay respect,blah blah, you just want to come ogle the site,see something awful, don't they have car wrecks where you people come from?

NoWhining: First let me start by saying that I do not represent the Red Cross, Bouley Bakery or any other company I will mention. Recently I have heard a number of appeals for volunteers from different restaurants and organizations I thought I would pass on what I found. I did respond to an email request from the Red Cross. I went down registered this is what I learned. They have an orientation process that takes between 1-2 hours. They have tasks ranging from simple serving of food to assembling hard hats, washing boots ect..to more complex case writing, computer skills, data entry. They can tell you more if you are a tri-state resident and you decide to go down to the Bklyn chapter of red cross at 165 Cadman Plaza East. The "A" train to Brooklyn Bridge and High Street will let you off at door step. Volunteer Recruitment Center hours are 6:30a.m.-6p.m.<BR>Monday-Saturday and 1-6p.m. on Sundays. Volunteer<BR>opportunities are available Monday-Sunday on all shifts<BR><BR>What I was told is that they are getting a tremendous response in volunteers but some times a staff of 30 might be needed for one shift and only six people will show up. This happens for an eight hour shift that I inquired about. They also have a great need for data entry. I had signed to work for RC but have been waiting for the RC to get back to me since September, a time when they were inundated with volunteers. They told me that they did not have data entry people to process all of the applications. She also added that the sense of urgency is starting to leave volunteers so they are finding themselves in need of new people.<BR><BR>Food preparation/cooking is done by restaurants; Bouley Bakery is still in need of people, the hotline set up for this is 646-831-6895 or just go down to 120 W. Broadway (Tri-Beca) <BR>At Duane St. Subway Stops<BR>A, C, E to Canal St.; 1, 9 to Canal St.<BR>Last I was also instructed to call 1800-volunteers for more information.<BR><BR>If you are not from the NY area you might want to check with your local Red Cross chapter. People that have volunteered for other disasters through Red Cross and or done some course work (through Red Cross) are flying in from all over the country to assist in this effort. Again your local red cross can tell you better about the kind of course work needed and if you will be able to assist. <BR><BR>

To all you who want to come look at Ground Zero, go ahead, just don't come under the guise of paying respects! That is an absolute crock. Some people want to see it because it is human nature to want to see an accident, and what bigger accident exists today than the scene at Ground Zero? I personally don't get the fascination. I've been to the city 3 times since Sept. 11th and haven't once wanted to go downtown. I know many people who work there who can't stand being there. Friends who are in the city every day haven't even gone there. The air is foul and some of them actually see bodies being pulled out from their windows. It's horrible. The fact that someone would deliberately want to witness this is beyond me. Hey it's a free country, if you want to go, go. Just say you think it would be cool to see and not that you need to pay your respects.

Speaking as an Englishman who has been to New York three times & visited the WTC each time I fully understand the need to 'pay one's respects'. We have many, many photos of ourselves & our children on top of the WTC & retain many happy memories of our visits. The destruction of the Twin Towers was an abomination & it is to George Bush's credit that he did not nuke those responsible ( they deserve it ! ).

XXXXX-Wouldn't you rather look at the photos of your happy family in NY when the Towers were still there than look at photos of what is there now? I just don't understand how people can want to go there and take photos, as if it were a momento of some fun family vacation..the person that likened it to gawking at or taking photos of a car wreck wasn't that far off!

Sadly, New Yorkers will have to get used to visitors wanting to see the site of the disaster, even after it has passed. Even now, you still see people "rubbernecking" as they drive past the former crash site at Lockerbie in Scotland, or people who have to visit Omagh in Northern Ireland. I don't think it's disrespectful to visit; just remember how many people died there and act accordingly.

Go to arrangeonline.com-they have a National Obituary Archive with a Memorial for the WTC-you can read all the names of the dead that have been listed so far. Then you can pay your respects accordingly.

Everyone has their own way of dealing with such situations. I can tell you for one, that it is an awful scene and what you have seen on television shows maybe 1% of what you will see. It smells horrible as well. But, I do believe if you are a relative/friend of a lost loved one you should be able to visit the site. I work at the Family Assistance Center and I have been answering phone calls into the hotline about how to get "closest" to Ground Zero- my best response, is take a cab and try to get as close as possible. Someone suggested the corners of West St. and Liberty St- the North Cove of Battery Park City. Good luck and God bless everyone.

My God! I never thought that my posting would launch such a flurry of nastiness. But let me try to explain things. When I went to Belfast, in 1981, it was to see Belfast and try to understand this city and its war. It was not as a tourist or a rubbernecker. I lived faraway and that city haunted the papers every day. It was by seeing the city and, in an unintrusive way, speaking and listening that things began to make sense. What Americans and New Yorkers have to understand is that armies from countries worldwide are participating in this war against terrorism (my own brother is training troups here). So, yes, we do have to see - grasp the reality. Understand why we should go to war. I resent that people think that I (or many others) are going to Ground Zero to see dead bodies or to be able to give colourful descriptions of the smell to our friends at Christmastime. As I said, my trip was originally booked to be about opera at the Met. The world has changed since I booked and I could turn away and keep my visit to New York (my tenth or so) to the streets above 50th and drive out of the city and tell all my friends - yeah! it's normal. New Yorkers are their old nasty, funny selves. But travel is about learning the truth and not swallowing the little packages doled out to you by the Disney and Virgin Megastores around Times Square. Forgive me for wanting to know more about what has happened in our world and I will forgive you for accusing me (or anyone else) of being mere thrill-seekers.

Michael, I understand exactly what you are saying and my advise is to ignore all the goofs jumping to the wrong conclusions. I hope your trip is a success. Good luck to you.

Ground Zero or the Opera..wow,that is a hard choice-which wuld you choose to remember your trip by? But Michael is lucky, he wants to do both! I for one have been to Ireland and never felt the need to see the bombed out nighborhoods,the tragedies in other countries were sufficient viewing on television, I don't need to be up close and personal...too bad there are so many people now including the WTC site on their vacations itineraries.

Michael-as to your original question---Yes,it does sound disrespectful.The only etiquette is to stay away-yes it does rub a lot of people the wrong way-but you obviously really don't care.

Michael&gt; your surprised your question stirred up so much??? go back and read it over..hmmmm lets see, your going to NY for the opera,,,but just HAVE to "bear witness" at ground zero..ohhh yes, THEN ask for a place to go for coffee???? cut the BS...your like the thousands who watch nascar just hoping to see a wreck, or those who go see Tyson beat the hell out of somebody...<BR> Don't rationalize your need to see the carnage up close.

I can't understand the visceral reaction of some posters on this topic. I think everyone has the right to visit Ground Zero if they want to -- Maybe it will make it more "real" for Americans who can't quite grasp the magnitude of what happened. Personally, watching the building crumble with my own eyes was sufficient, thank you very much, but I cannot condemn people wanting to visit and yes, take pictures. <BR><BR>Marlena

The truth is tragedy sells. When I was in NY the bus guide pointed to us where John Lennon was shot. In Paris they showed us where Diana's car crashed. Some people visit to pay respects,some out of curiousity or to imagine themselves there. The sep11 attacks has been the most widely covered news in many years. Of course tourists and locals,rightly or wrongly, would want to go see the site of destruction for themselves.

Today, driving down the West Side Highway to Canal Street(the route to Soho), the police have ALL streets closed off leading to the Lower end/Ground Zero site.I guess with all the holiday tourist crowds,they are trying to control the gawkers and oglers..keep some sort of semblance of normalcy for the residents in the area, some sort of respectful attitude for the families who have not had their loved ones brought out yet.