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If you don't like it, don't come back. How dare you make casual observations of New Yorkers and accuse us of not grieving properly. How DARE you?! We are picking up the pieces and moving on. Going to work, going to school, and doing those things that make us free, living Americans. 3000 of our friends can't do that anymore. Haven't you ever heard of honoring the dead by living? We, not you, WE are the ones who have to keep going, every day looking at a the jack-o-lantern smile of a skyline missing two teeth. We are the ones who have to worry every time we get on a subway, a bus, a train. We are the ones who sometimes just have to call our brothers and hear their voices, because we remember all too clearly the day we thought we might never hear them again. So you can take your incorrect, arrogant and unfeeling observations, put them in your suitcase, and get out of our city.
As for the driving, and all the other useless crap you complained about ... Why don't you take a look at LA traffic? NYC has a 100-year-old, fully functioning and ever improving subway system. It is safe and efficient. It's easier on the environment, and frees the roads for those who really do need to drive. NYC boasts the lowest cab fares in the country, too. I'm glad you had fun being a swerving tourist driver in a giant rental car. That's another reason why we New Yorkers love you tourists so much. As long as you are making generalizations, why don't I make a few of my own? Many of you tourists don't rent cars, and instead walk everywhere. In theory, I support this. However, you insist on walking 4-abreast, very slowly, maps in hand, eyes skyward. The rest of us are NOT on vacation, and are hurriedly trying to get to where we need to be. You and your family are taking up the entire sidewalk, and it's impossible to get around you. When we do finally mange to squeeze by, we are accused of being rude and huffy. Now, despite the ginormous maps you all carry, you are ALWAYS lost. Manhattan, for the most part, is a perfect grid system. You can't go more than a block in the wrong direction without knowing it. Yet somehow, you manage to stand in front of giant landmarks, such as vast Central Park, and fail to pick out which way is North. Why don't you spend 10 minutes in your hotel room looking at your map and getting the lay of the land? Below 14th street, you are welcome to get lost. We all do. But in midtown, please, get a clue.
Now, on to your comment about our drive to amass and display wealth. It's called consumerism, it's good for the economy, and it's one of the reasons New York's economy didn't totally implode after the WTC did. So what if we choose to spend our hard-earned money on trendy clothes? Are we hurting anyone? If nothing else, I'm sure we look a thousand times better than all of you overall-clad tourists. When people visit foreign cities abroad, they don't have a problem obeying local customs. Shorts, for example, are not acceptable in many countries. Well, here in NYC, looking like you just rolled in from the fields isn't acceptable either. Go ahead and call me a snob, but you are wrong. It's about looking sophisticated and put-together. We have fabulous discount stores, like H&M, that sell very stylish pieces at lower prices. Maybe we'll be nicer to you if you don't look like a bunch of country bumpkins.
You know, when I first noticed tourism picking up after it dropped off following 9/11, I was happy for New York and happy for the economy. I was proud of my fellow Americans for coming to support us. But if you are just going to show up here, make fun of all of us and think that going to Ground Zero makes up for all that, well then you can just take your sanctimonious attitude, climb up on your high horse, and go home.

Well now, I have been properly chastised.....
Let me apologize to you personally if I offended you in making an observation that I still think bears weight. One thing though, I travel to Manhattan monthly and have been doing so for a couple of years, I normally take the bus from LaGuardia to the Port Authority terminal and walk to my hotel. Then I cab to my appointments and other destinations. Because of this I do know Manhattan and can even find my way to Long Island if I need to.
I have never stood on a sidewalk in my overalls gawking at the BIG buildings like lil abner. Next time I might...
However, If you had read my post, you might have found that I truly enjoy driving in Manhattan. It is the most fun I have ever had. I will do so again.(By the way, what are you talking about when referring to being lost and giant maps?)
Also, I am treated just fine in the city. We love the stores, the food, the museums and a million other things. When my son and I took a walk to toys r us at Times Square, He walked behind me holding onto my shoulder.
As amazing as it sounds, have you ever considered the thought that there might be some truth to what I said?
I watch protests all the time in the city against our president, against our country. So how are those New Yorkers helping America?
As far as your crass commercialism and the way you grieve. I have two things to say: 1. Regarding your grief over 9/11, I really do apologize for passing on a remark my 'Hick' wife made to me. It is obviously incorrect.
I do have one question though, why aren't you screaming in the same shrill manner about the hypocrite you have for a senator, Ms.Clinton and all she has done to undermine the security we (us Americans) need?
I live in Northern California. If there is one thing I can say, it is that you can make fun of my city (San Francisco) all you want and I won't mind. Get a sense of humor BABE. Also, since 20 BILLION dollars was given by the federal government to help rebuild what was taken from America on that day, I think it is not at all inappropriate for me to take my family to see the place where some of my tax dollars are going. It means a lot to all Americans and even we still grieve despite going on with our lives.
Lastly, As amazing as it sounds, explaining to my 11 year old son why there are so many 40 foot tall banners of women in underwear is not what I think Manhattan should be about. Oh yeah, that's consumerism...
I wonder, do you think it's good for young kids to constantly be exposed to soft core porn? I'm sure some of you sophisticated and well put together people have children. Do you just tell them "it's ok honey, it's just consumerism"?
Get real, New York is arrogant and you prove it.
fuhgedaboudit.....