September 12, 2001: Open Lines - Callers Respond & React to 911, Day 2
A caller from near ground zero in Tribeca describes the zombie-like atmosphere below Canal Street, the smell of burning debris, and a piece of human skin that fell on him from the sky. Art discusses the fraudulent Nostradamus prediction circulating on the Internet, then brings on John Hogue, the world authority on Nostradamus, who confirms the viral quote is an absolute fabrication stitched together from unrelated quatrains. A photograph showing what appears to be an evil face in the impact fireball draws intense interest on his website.
Throughout the night, callers debate whether America should formally declare war, wrestle with rising anger toward Arab Americans, and share the unsettling experience of looking up at skies completely devoid of aircraft for the first time in their lives. Art warns repeatedly that the attack is not over and that more danger lies ahead.
Key Moments
6,000 body bags: Bell opens the second night by reading the day-after numbers - New York City has requested 6,000 body bags and more than 300 firefighters are dead.
Flight 93 - they deserve the Medal of Honor: Bell delivers an extended monologue on Flight 93, reconstructing how passengers learned of the World Trade Center attacks via cell phone, voted to rush the hijackers, and crashed in Pennsylvania short of Washington.
Bell on how America must retaliate: Bell argues that whatever retaliation comes, the U.S. must remain different - going after military capability and infrastructure, not deliberately targeting civilians.
Steve from Tribeca: It's not America here: Bell takes a call from Steve, a photographer at the last checkpoint near Ground Zero, who describes carrying a passport to move through his own neighborhood and watching the second tower fall with his neighbors.
A piece of skin fell on me today: Steve continues, describing dust drifting through Tribeca, picking up what he realized was a piece of human skin, and a messenger telling him about a friend whose brother was on the 101st floor moments before the collapse.