RIDGET O’BRIEN/Daily Bruin Senior Staff A prayer circle formed
in Royce Quad during the noon hour Friday in remembrance of the
victims of Tuesday’s attacks.
By Kelly Rayburn and Linh
Tat
Daily Bruin Senior Staff
Members of the UCLA community gathered quietly at Royce Quad to
observe a day that was to be one of remembrance and healing.
Bells began to chime promptly at noon. What started as a small
crowd began to grow as the minutes passed, until about 100 people
collected near the steps of the College Library while small groups
formed elsewhere on campus.
Gatherings like this occurred across the country Friday; a day
President George W. Bush proclaimed as National Remembrance Day for
the victims of Tuesday’s terrorist attack.
Gone was the familiar sight of students puffing away at
cigarettes or talking on their cell phones on the steps of the
College Library. Instead, the crowd that formed stood or sat
silently, many with blank expressions on their faces.
As a group of young school children walked by, nothing more than
whispers escaped their lips.
After a series of bell chimes, by 12:10 p.m., the crowd began to
wonder what was to happen next, when a rendition of "Amazing
Grace"; began playing.
Edward Anthony, associate executive director of the Jonsson
Cancer Center Foundation, said this afternoon’s gathering was a
time for quiet reflection and to think about those who lost their
lives in this collective tragedy.
"It’s not so much a question of feeling more patriotic, but of
suddenly realizing our common humanity," said Anthony, who lived in
New York for several years.
BRIDGET O’BRIEN/Daily Bruin Senior Staff Students and other
members of the community gather on the steps in front of the
College Library at noon Friday. Anthony said he found it
interesting how Tuesday’s tragedy has affected college-aged people,
providing them with "a sense of being American and part of the
larger world."
Many in Westwood Village displayed their sense of being American
as well.
Police cars and taxi cabs donned American flags as they were
driven through the streets. Businesses from Oakley’s Barber Shop to
Enzo’s Pizzeria to the 76 gas station flew flags as well. A string
of red and blue balloons arched over Weyburn Avenue, connecting
Flower Fields with a tree in front of the Westwood Arcade.
The Christian Science Reading Room posted signs in its windows:
"You can come in and pray if you want."
At the Westwood Federal Building, Los Angeles fire fighters from
the 37th Task Force observed a moment of silence, bowing their
heads with their fire helmets held to their chests.
After raising their heads and putting their helmets back on,
many of the fire fighters embraced and shook hands with members of
the public who had joined them.
The entirety of the LAFD was dispersed to different parts of the
city, observing moments of silence at noon, Captain Rick Gregory
said.
Gregory had some words for fire fighters and police officers who
had lost their lives in the line of duty on the country’s other
coast: "We’re all one. We have suffered a great loss."
Captain Armando Jaimes uttered similar grievances.
"It’s all a big brotherhood. It feels like we’ve lost a
brother."
Three employees from the Adler Weiner Research Company, whose
office is across the street from the Federal Building, saw the fire
fighters and came out to join them.
"It’s pretty intense, it’s pretty emotional," said Eddie Cohn, a
recruiter with Adler Weiner. "These firemen, whether in New York or
L.A., their job is to risk their lives to serve us."
A co-worker of Cohn’s, Suzanne Wary, a project director for
Adler Weiner, said she felt almost helpless since the attacks
occurred so far from Los Angeles.
"This is probably the very least we can do," she said.
Another co-worker, office manager Emmy Villacorte, said, "I
don’t know what to say. I have chills."
With reports from Michaele Turnage, Daily Bruin Senior
Staff.