https://www.breitbart.com/local/2019/09/11/florida-students-climb-100-flights-stairs-honor-9-11-victims/

1) The terrorist enemy threat is not a serious threat.

2) There is no enemy.

3) The enemy is us.

BTW, food fights are idiotic. You know who you are.

Also, I considered it a small miracle that the towers stood as long as they did; allowing for most people (civilians anyway) below the floors of impact to get out and get away from the area.

It took about 4 hours to evacuate the towers when the bombing happened in 1993. I’m not sure how long it took on 9-11; but, I have no doubt that thousands more lived because the towers stood as long as they did. Estimates I’ve read say about 15,000 were in the towers at that time. Peak mid-day is about 40,000 or 50,000. It was early enough that many were not at work yet and most tourists weren’t there yet. Thank God that the attack didn’t happen later in the day or that the towers didn’t come down sooner.

Today, I pass through the new WTC’s Oculus every day. There are simple reminders in the WTC PATH station which is that a couple of the train platforms have inlaid markings showing where the footprint of the original towers were; as well as a portion of one of the platforms is glass showing part of the original structure underneath.

While I would personally prefer to not have the daily reminder (every weekday at 7:16 AM on platform 4), I am glad that something has been saved to remind future generations of what happened, and, that it didn’t happen in the abstract; but, it happened “right here, under your feet.”

I quoted you verbatim and in context.

Secondly, you reduce commitment and bravery to recklessness (a simple willingness throw the dice).

No, I’m using a metaphor to refer to decision-making under uncertainty.

You are correct, we are not “talking” past each other, your’s appears to be a reckless argument that seems to devolve to a simple schoolyard taunt; “Art’s ancestors had it harder than T’s ancestors.”

The person who drew the distinction was the one who uttered this remark,

“Remember that many of us are here because of ancestors coming to this country who could not even speak its language upon arrival. To emigrate like that, with only the clothes on your back takes a level of belief, commitment, and bravery in the extreme. ”

Which wasn’t, er, me.

I’ve pointed out to you that you rather overstated matters, as can be seen from comparing one migrant population to another. Which I gather I’m not permitted to do because reasons.

No, the source of Islamic terrorism is Islamic terrorists, whose numbers rise and decline according to cultural dynamics, political strategy, and defensive response.

I have no idea where I read about it or how reliable it was, but my recollection is that yes, Bin Laden et al hoped the towers would be tremendously damaged and might even be brought down, but they were surprised that it actually happened.