Has anyone attempted to visit the 9/11 Memorial?

[Atman]

I did, over the weekend. And I say "attempted," because it is damned near impossible to get to. I find this the ultimate irony; we are fenced off from even LOOKING AT the construction site or the memorial to the thousands who died in the event and the subsequent "retaliations." High, barbed-wire lined walls and steel crowd control barricades surround every inch of the site. It has essentially been turned into a commercial enterprise, and no one can lay eyes upon it without joining a group tour or signing up online and registering your name for a viewing "pass" at a time that is not your choice.

I realize it is not complete, I understand the necessity for crowd control, but there had got to be a better way. A pedestrian walkway past the site for those who'd like to pay respects or take a look without registering with the government in order to wait in a Disney World style snake line for a group tour. As it is now, Americans (and everyone else) are largely prevented from simply looking at the site of the largest assault on American soil without government permission and an official guide.

Just seems kind of odd to me.

[revolution breeze]

1. I will be in New York in September

My host had already applied for passes and we are planning our day around the time of on the passes. To me, that takes aways from the true meaning of the memorial in a small way.

[n2doc]

2. Maybe it is appropriate

All they need is to have a drone buzzing around to complete the police state meme. And have someone checking ID at the gate (which probably already is the case).

[Atman]

5. No checking ID, but close.

I thought the barbed wire atop the fences was particularly funny. I mean, what's it for? Are they expecting it to stop some sort of attack? Beyond that, though, there are serious banks of cameras EVERYWHERE in NYC. And several of those NYPD Control Towers. For those unfamiliar, think of one of the portable lift trucks...it's a trailer with a mini police station atop it, which can be towed to a location, elevated to a couple stories in the air, and used as a central command station for a small area. Several of those around the city, not just at ground zero. Police presence is very heavy. Any NYC icon or landmark you can imagine has at least one police car parked at it, and is gated off and guarded, even the Wall Street bull statue.

It was a fascinating, educational weekend, that's for sure. Imagine all the armed officers in camo instead of blues, and I guess NYC is what a full-on military state would like.

[jeff47]

11. So you're complaining about having to give your name, but you knew they weren't checking ID

Why not put down "Anonymous" for your name?

[Atman]

13. Doesn't even matter...

Because I misspoke. You actually don't have to give a name to get tickets. The online system is anonymous (unless, I assume, that you're donating money, because they'd have to have a way to process your payment)...it is just to manage inventory and timing. You just have to print them out at home, or pick them up at the visitors center a few blocks away. When we were there it was so busy that no tickets were available until 5:30 pm, and we already had dinner reservations and theater tickets. As I said, this was one of the busiest weekends I've ever seen in NYC.

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[Posteritatis]

18. The barbed wire thing at least happens quite a bit at construction sites

I'll see it in entirely mundane environments around here, mainly as a theft deterrent - theft from building sites can add up astonishingly quickly.

The cameras are a whole other matter, of course; those are what I'd be upset about.

[Atman]

21. Yes, totally mundane. Most likely an insurance thing.

But we still had a laugh about it. This place was turned into a massive pile of rubble by people using airplanes...but we're now protecting it with barbed wire fences. There is just something comical about that.

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[99Forever]

3. Went there a couple of months ago.

Took two minutes to sign up on-line and zero wait time in the "Disney World style snake line for a group tour." We were free to walk the grounds where the Memorial Pools are, at our own leisure.

You can't get into the construction sites? No freakin' kiddin'? Shouldn't you be free to wander aimlessly anywhere ya please, regardless of the danger? The nerve of 'em, eh?

[Atman]

6. That's not what I said and you know it.

I didn't expect to "wander around the construction site." Why be an ass? So you went on a rainy day (hey, I can make stuff up if you can) when no one was in town. On Saturday, in nice weather, NYC was as crowded as I have ever seen it. Our experience was obviously much different from yours, but that doesn't mean it wasn't our experience.

As for "walking around the construction site," (again, not what I said at all), the last time a visited ground zero there was a large construction fence on all sides. You could stand on the sidewalk, behind crowd control barriers, and at least look at the site through the fence. Now there is what amounts to an eight-foot wall surround the entire site. You can't see ANYTHING without signing up and doing the tour.

I'm happy for you that you had a nice time on your rainy Tuesday afternoon in October. Believe it or not, on a warm, sunny mid-June Fathers Day weekend, things were slightly different.

[99Forever]

9. I guess some people gotta bitch.

No rain that day, and we signed up the evening before, in our hotel's business center. Caught the subway to the site and walked in, with MUCH less hassle than we had getting to the Statue of Liberty or the Empire State Building, at BOTH of which we were searched and vetted before entering. Sorry it upsets you so that those of us that have actually visited the site don't share your ass-hurt feelings of dismay that such a huge project requires measures of security and safety in regards to public access. We found the measures almost unnoticeable and the site reserved and a beautiful, dignified tribute to what happened there and to the people who lost so much.

But feel free to keep griping about how putout you are that you have to follow a few minor procedures to visit.

[Atman]

14. And some people have to be an ass.

Again, if you think I'm just bitching, fine. You had a different experience that we did, fine. I said in the very beginning of my op that I understood the need for security and crowd control. So what's your point? You just need to say "nanny-nanny boo-boo, I got in and you didn't?"

Gotta love DU...there's one of you in every thread.

[99Forever]

16. As you say..

... some people have to be an ass.

Had you spent 10% of the time on line getting a reservation as you did here whining, you would have been able to go to the site and paid your respects. As it is, enjoy your bitter.

[Atman]

20. No, I get the last word...YOU CAN'T HAVE IT!

Jesus, dude...what is your fucking problem? We spent plenty of time in lines and trying to reserve tickets. Did you READ anything here before you climbed up on you pedestal?

.

[99Forever]

22. My "problem?"

I don't much care for people that ask a question then get all huffy when they don't get the raging answer they were fishing for. I read everything you said and I answered. We had a wonderful experience at the Memorial, sorry that didn't fit into your hissy fit.

[Atman]

23. "We had a wonderful experience at the Memorial..."

And WE didn't. Oh, but that's right...my op was about MY experience, not yours.

I guess you're just awesomer.

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[99Forever]

24. If your OP wasn't about other peoples experiences..

.. then why did you title it with this question?:

"Has anyone attempted to visit the 9/11 Memorial?"

[JHB]

4. Keep in mind that it's in the middle of a construction site

There are at least two skyscrapers and a transit center under construction in close proximity.

Yes, access stinks right now. But there really isn't another way to un-stink it until at least one of the major projects is done and better access to the memorial site opens up.

[Atman]

7. Yes, I understand that part.

I totally understand that part. My question is the "need" for a tall opaque wall surrounding the site. Is it really hazardous just to be able to look at it? Even maybe just one section of open fence? I mean, they did it that way in the past.

[SaB2012]

8. Patience

I have little doubt that this is only temporary. Once everything in that area of the city is completed, I'm sure it will be opened for people to come and go freely.

[Beacool]

10. I can't be bothered.

I'm still angry at my company. They offered the tickets to employees, but we had to go get them in person. Well, since 2011 many of us were transferred across the river to NJ and couldn't pick up the tickets in person. Considering that some of us had been at the towers on that fateful day (I was in the North Tower), they should have sent them to us via inter-office mail.

A friend was visiting last week from CA and she too couldn't get in because she hadn't made an appointment online.

The heck with it!!!

[pansypoo53219]

12. my danish e-pal did this april. he just was pissed at the long lines.

i have his pics, now i don't ever have to.

[Cronkite]

15. A lady from my area went and they arrested her!

OK, there was the little issue about the handgun she was carrying while going through security screening but GEEZ Louise..... LOL

Yes, this idiot had no clue she needed a New York carry permit to have a gun on her.

[Romulox]

17. I wouldn't care to; American Politicians are the ones who used 9/11 to attack the American people.

Where is the memorial to all that we have lost since that day?

[quinnox]

19. No, but the high security doesn't surprise me, and I wouldn't want to visit it anyway

Others made this argument before, that a memorial is a bad idea. Because when you memorialize something like a terrorist attack, it gives the wrong idea, it should not be given a marker, that will encourage future terrorist attacks. Its almost like giving a monument to evil, that is my opinion. There should be a small discrete stone marker, if there is to be any marker at all, not some extravagant monument site, and maybe it would be better if the entire event was ignored and no marker was put there at all.