"On the Count of Three, say CHEESE & I LOVE NY!!"

Dear Tourists that feel the need to take happy pictures in front of my beloved World Trade Center site:

Please leave my city. I find it highly offensive that you think Ground Zero is a happy attraction for you. Your making a scene & taking pictures as if you are in Disneyworld. I have news for you- YOUR NOT. You are standing on sacred ground my friends. If you plan on visiting the WTC site, have some respect and bow your heads in silence. Of all the places in NYC to take your "happy pictures" Ground Zero shouldn't be one of them.

Im sorry if anyone here took this post the wrong way, but I am a bit annoyed about the behavior I witness from tourists that visit Ground Zero.

Thank you
Annoyed & PROUD NATIVE NEW YAWKA!

Message edited 7/5/2007 2:18:13 PM.

Re: "On the Count of Three, say CHEESE & I LOVE NY!!"

I couldn't agree more. It's on par with taking funny photos at the Arizona.

Re: "On the Count of Three, say CHEESE & I LOVE NY!!"

yeah, there is really a lack of both reverance and respect.

it's amazing really, the human condition and the lack of empathy or thought we can give for the effects our actions have on others.

sadly, if it didn't touch you, you don't feel it.

I have to say though, I have visited the Arizona, Dachau concentration camp, and Hiroshima.

the Arizona was by far, the noisiest of all.

while at Hiroshima, there were groups of Japanese school children. running around. playing. being children....just continuing with life. but outside the site. in the Peace Park. I didn't have a problem with that. it feels different.

Re: "On the Count of Three, say CHEESE & I LOVE NY!!"

I agree 100% I cannot imagine standing in front of that site for a christmas card or whathaveyou. It's not the White House, its the site of one of the worst attacks on American sol. show some respect.

Re: "On the Count of Three, say CHEESE & I LOVE NY!!"

i completely agree!

Re: "On the Count of Three, say CHEESE & I LOVE NY!!"

ITA!!

I was at the site of the OK bombing about 2 years after it happened... I would NEVER have dreamed of taking touristy pictures out of respect for the memorial and the people that suffered there.

Re: "On the Count of Three, say CHEESE & I LOVE NY!!"

I don't get people sometimes.

My DH and I took a coworker of his down to ground zero a couple of months ago. He lives in Colorado and wanted to see it and pay his respects.

Just being down there gave me the chills. Tears came to my eyes so many times. We all were speechless. It was not an event to be taken lightly.

We could barely speak to one another, much less laugh and smile. And we sure as heck weren't taking pictures of each other.

Message edited 7/5/2007 2:36:35 PM.

Re: "On the Count of Three, say CHEESE & I LOVE NY!!"

It really does amaze me. I drove by months ago and there was a school trip there, and the kids (teenagers actually) were playing around, taking pictures smiling and just generally being disrespectful. I really wanted to get out and say something, but traffic was moving and we were in the car.

Not to mention those people with the photo albums selling pics of the actual attack. I wanted to beat the crap out of them!! Not sure if they are there anymore, but they were there not long after 9-11. Made me sick!

Re: "On the Count of Three, say CHEESE & I LOVE NY!!"

I have to disagree here. Don't get me wrong I would NEVER ever take a picture.

However, when my family comes from Italy they DO want to take a picture - but they are not loud nor disrespectful. They are reverent and I know when my cousins went a few years ago they broke into tears and could not even get the questions out that they wanted to ask.

My aunt and uncle are coming in July and I am sure they will want to take pictures too - but it is just a reminder that they were there. A small remembrance of something that they experienced.

I totally understand being offended by it - but I kind of "get" their side too. It is almost like they don't want to forget that this happened, or that they were there. It is very important to them.

I have not been to the WTC since 9/11 since I cannot bring myself to go - so I can't imagine how hard it must be to see other people being disrespectful there.

ETA: they are not smiling in these pictures - just standing and looking into the camera . . .

Message edited 7/5/2007 2:49:59 PM.

Re: "On the Count of Three, say CHEESE & I LOVE NY!!"

Posted by Tilde

I have to disagree here. Don't get me wrong I would NEVER ever take a picture.

However, when my family comes from Italy they DO want to take a picture - but they are not loud nor disrespectful. They are reverent and I know when my cousins went a few years ago they broke into tears and could not even get the questions out that they wanted to ask.

My aunt and uncle are coming in July and I am sure they will want to take pictures too - but it is just a reminder that they were there. A small remembrance of something that they experienced.

I totally understand being offended by it - but I kind of "get" their side too. It is almost like they don't want to forget that this happened, or that they were there. It is very important to them.

I have not been to the WTC since 9/11 since I cannot bring myself to go - but - so I can't imagine how hard it must be to see other people being disrespectful there.

ETA: they are not smiling in these pictures - just standing and looking into the camera . . .

Re: "On the Count of Three, say CHEESE & I LOVE NY!!"

Re: "On the Count of Three, say CHEESE & I LOVE NY!!"

Re: "On the Count of Three, say CHEESE & I LOVE NY!!"

Posted by SIBride06

Posted by Tilde

I have to disagree here. Don't get me wrong I would NEVER ever take a picture.

However, when my family comes from Italy they DO want to take a picture - but they are not loud nor disrespectful. They are reverent and I know when my cousins went a few years ago they broke into tears and could not even get the questions out that they wanted to ask.

My aunt and uncle are coming in July and I am sure they will want to take pictures too - but it is just a reminder that they were there. A small remembrance of something that they experienced.

I totally understand being offended by it - but I kind of "get" their side too. It is almost like they don't want to forget that this happened, or that they were there. It is very important to them.

I have not been to the WTC since 9/11 since I cannot bring myself to go - but - so I can't imagine how hard it must be to see other people being disrespectful there.

ETA: they are not smiling in these pictures - just standing and looking into the camera . . .

Taking pictures is one thing. Being disrespectful & totally losing the meaning of what your taking a picture of is another.

Re: "On the Count of Three, say CHEESE & I LOVE NY!!"

Re: "On the Count of Three, say CHEESE & I LOVE NY!!"

On the very first day of my honeymoon, DH and I went to the Arizona in Hawaii. I felt an obligation to honor the soldiers in a war in which my father served. He had been there himself 25 years earlier with my mother on their 25th anniversary. When I got there, it had been very peaceful and quiet. We did take pictures, but not to be disrespectful, it was to learn and to never forget. Neither DH nor I were in any of the pictures. When the soldier was raising the flags, you could be darn sure I was quiet with my hand on my heart and the hats came off.

The words "NEVER FORGET" will ALWAYS ring in my mind as part of the educational process. If there is one thing I have learned about atrocities in war and/or terror (in recent cases), there is always something to be learned. Respect comes first, but there is something to be learned.

Re: "On the Count of Three, say CHEESE & I LOVE NY!!"

Ugh...I work at the World Financial Center and walk by there everyday and it never amazes me how many field trips with unruly children, or people that try and pull back the protective mesh (there so things dont fly in people's eyes) just so they can get better pictures, it is ridiculous.

Re: "On the Count of Three, say CHEESE & I LOVE NY!!"

I also see this all the time in DC. I live in VA and we go to the memorials A LOT when relatives and friends come. And there are people smiling in front of JFK's grave, the Vietnam memorial and the other war memorials. It almost makes us laugh that people can stand there smiling when they should be solemn and reflect on what the memorial means. Thats why you can't even take pictures in the Holocaust Museum.

I have no problems with the taking of pictures, but mostly the kids that treat these places as their playgrounds.

Re: "On the Count of Three, say CHEESE & I LOVE NY!!"

Re: "On the Count of Three, say CHEESE & I LOVE NY!!"

You go girl!

This is part of the reason why I never went down to the site. I lost a co-worker on Sept. 11th (I was an EMT then) and I still didn't feel that it is my place to be there.

Re: "On the Count of Three, say CHEESE & I LOVE NY!!"

I really don't know where I stand on this issue.

My friend lost her dad that day b/c he went back. He was a firefighter and his shift was over but he heard about it on the radio driving home and turned around. If he had arrived about five minutes later, he'd most likely be alive today.

So yeah, to me that place is hallowed, sacred ground. In no way would I take it lightly or ever expect anyone else to take it lightly.

I would like to believe these people taking pictures had no conscious intention of being rude or disrespectful. I think they're taking pictures to record this stop on their trip. Like it or not, WTC is a landmark and people take pictures at landmarks.

I remember being a kid and going to the Vietnam memorial. My dad had friends who died there; to me it was like being at a cemetary. My mom took my picture b/c I was presenting a wreath, I was 12 and I did not smile in that picture. Was it awkward? Yes, but I felt this was a sacred place and that was how I should act in a place that honored these thousands of men and women paid the ultimate price.

I'm not saying there's a right or wrong. I think it's a personal choice.

Re: "On the Count of Three, say CHEESE & I LOVE NY!!"

Posted by melijane

Posted by SIBride06

Posted by Tilde

I have to disagree here. Don't get me wrong I would NEVER ever take a picture.

However, when my family comes from Italy they DO want to take a picture - but they are not loud nor disrespectful. They are reverent and I know when my cousins went a few years ago they broke into tears and could not even get the questions out that they wanted to ask.

My aunt and uncle are coming in July and I am sure they will want to take pictures too - but it is just a reminder that they were there. A small remembrance of something that they experienced.

I totally understand being offended by it - but I kind of "get" their side too. It is almost like they don't want to forget that this happened, or that they were there. It is very important to them.

I have not been to the WTC since 9/11 since I cannot bring myself to go - but - so I can't imagine how hard it must be to see other people being disrespectful there.

ETA: they are not smiling in these pictures - just standing and looking into the camera . . .

Taking pictures is one thing. Being disrespectful & totally losing the meaning of what your taking a picture of is another.

I think the OP was referring to people laughing, taking goofy pics, etc. If you are from another country and want to see it, take a silent shot or two with no people as subjects I think that would be OK. It still shouldn't be treated like a tourist attraction. Also, literally it is a construction site now---there is nothing to see.

Re: "On the Count of Three, say CHEESE & I LOVE NY!!"

People do this all the time. It's so weird.

Re: "On the Count of Three, say CHEESE & I LOVE NY!!"

I HATE when people do that!

Re: "On the Count of Three, say CHEESE & I LOVE NY!!"

I have no problems with people taking pictures. For those who were not there, they may need a picture to never forget. For me (and many of us) those images are burned in my memory forever. I used to work right over there and found that it was one of the quietest places in all of NYC. I guess it's not that way anymore and that's a real shame.

My little cousin was just visiting me from California last week and when she bought some I love NY keychains as souveniers for her friends, one of them still had the WTC in the skyline. I told her she should keep that one for herself, forever and ever and she was like "yeah I like that one bc it's an apple shape." And I turned to her and said "NO, you keep it because of the skyline. You'll NEVER see this again. This one is special! It may be no big deal to those who weren't there, but to those of us who walked out of the city covered in dust that day it matters." I may have been a little rough on her, but I feel that she needs to understand what a huge deal it is.

Re: "On the Count of Three, say CHEESE & I LOVE NY!!"