From error to terror

I remember clearly the day seven years ago when error turned to terror in just a few short minutes. I was in my gym on the exercycle when the first plane hit the north tower of the World Trade Center at 8:45. There was consternation and concern over the apparent pilot error. A few minutes later, at 9:03, the world changed forever when the second plane hit the south tower. For many New Yorkers, memories of that day have mellowed. But I distinctly remember feeling that despite the so-called national mourning, Americans didn't really care about New York. The city was too weird, too pushy, too ethnic. There was a feeling of abandonment, which has only intensified as it has become clear that the city's residents were lied to about the danger of the pollutants released into the air in the aftermath of the attacks and as localities unlikely ever to be targeted by terrorists have gotten disproportionate allotments of Homeland Security money.