I heard about the airplanes on the car radio on the way to work.  At the office everyone kept checking CNN.com for updates all day and then we went home.  The next day the newspaper was on the front step.

I looked at the headline.  In my 52 years, it was the largest headline font I had ever seen.  Until then the largest fonts I remembered were for the 60’s assassinations. This font was much larger than those.  It was larger than I imagined the Pearl Harbor or Spanish-American War headlines had been.  And it was only one word – UNTHINKABLE.

Various web dictionaries have this to say about the word unthinkable, whose first known use is supposedly in the 15th century: 

incapable of being conceived or considered; incapable of being believed; incredible; inconceivable or unimaginable; Not to be thought of or considered; out of the question; Not capable of being grasped by the mind; so extreme, foul, etc. as to be unfit to be imagined or considered

And yet, I must confess, at that moment I did think of two other terrorist attacks… of Beirut in ‘82 and ‘83, and Oklahoma City in ’95  (and later I thought of other ones as well).

The next day’s headline was only three words to tell me how the nation felt.  I was drawn to the word “rage.”  Its origins are: Middle English, from Old French, from Late Latin rabia, from Latin rabis, from rabere, to be mad. 

I thought of anger to the point of insanity and rabid dogs.  

Day three’s headline told me what we would not do – “relent.”  In my head it was an old word I could hear Winston Churchill saying on WWII radio recordings. Various web definitions for “relent” are:

yield: give in, as to influence or pressure

To become more lenient, compassionate, or forgiving; to soften in temper, resolution, etc.

to become more sympathetic or amenable and do something previously ruled out or allow something previously forbidden

The bullet point said “Response: Bush administration vows to crush terrorism networks.”  This issue also contained a color US flag poster for display.

Day four showed a woman crying and holding the American flag.  The headline's three words told me that we all were praying.  This element of faith is defined as:

The act of communicating with a deity (especially as a petition or in adoration or contrition or thanksgiving); reverent petition to a deity -

entreaty: earnest or urgent request

This issue also stated:

 “Bush inspected the smoking mountain of rubble that had been the proud World Trade center in NYC as he led a grieving, angry nation in an emotional day of mourning and remembrance ..”

“Congress voted to use “all necessary and appropriate force to respond to the terror attacks… only Barbara Lee, D-Calif. opposed the measure” and “Bush declares a national emergency and gives the pentagon authority to maintain aerial patrols over American cities”

Day five’s headline was 3 words of advice to “Get Ready.”  This issue also stated

“President Bush says US troops will hunt down terrorists in a long, unrelenting war and cites desire by American people not only for revenge, but to end ‘barbaric behavior’”

“Pakistan agrees to the full list of American demands for a possible attack on neighboring Afghanistan.”

 “White House advisors said that fighting terrorists will expose US troops to severe risk and American citizens to retaliatory strikes.. Congressional leaders are moving to change the rules of engagement for US spy agencies … including the hiring of unsavory foreign agents”

After day five the headline fonts returned to average sizes.  In 2003, when we invaded Iraq, the fonts weren’t near as big – not even for the famous Mission Accomplished issue. 

Nine years later I wondered, is it still “unthinkable”?