Debris Photos (GRAPHIC)

Yahoo News photos ^ | 2/2/03 | freepers

[Mark Felton]

[Your attention please. This thread has generated a ton of abuse reports. Some have been from long established freepers. Others have been from relative newbies. Some have been complaining about the thread. Others have been complaining about the complainers.

Throw on top of it the fact that some of the newbies who showed up on this thread happen to be returning bannees, who before being banned were friendly with some of the very people they are bickering with here, and something is striking us as just not right.

If you are interested in the debris photos, this is the thread for it. If not, don't join in this thread. It is not disrespectful to those who died to post pictures of the debris in our opinion. What they show and where they landed may help piece together what killed these brave people.

If you feel that is the wrong decision, we apologize and mean no harm. But please, no more arguing about it on the thread, and no more abuse reports on the matter.

Thanks, AM.]

Sun Feb 2, 1:14 AM ET

Fires, believed started by debris from the downed space shuttle Columbia, burn in an area near Dallas, Saturday, Feb. 1, 2003. Seven astronauts perished when the shuttle broke to pieces as it re-entered the atmosphere at the end of a 16-day mission. (AP Photo/Joe Cavaretta)

Sat Feb 1, 9:31 PM ET

A video image of a helmet that dropped into a yard in Norwood Community, Texas from the space shuttle Columbia is seen Feb. 1, 2002. Many parts of the shuttle, along with human remains, were found in the area. NASA (news - web sites) officials later removed the helmet. (Rick Wilking/Reuters)

Sat Feb 1,10:35 PM ET

A small brush fire started by a falling piece of debris from the space shuttle Columbia outside Athens, Texas after the shuttle broke apart during re-entry over Texas on its way to a scheduled landing in Fla., Feb. 1, 2003. Authorities have not speculated on the cause of the crash. (Jeff Mitchell/Reuters)

Sat Feb 1, 9:31 PM ET

A piece of debris believed to be from the space shuttle Columbia is photographed near Lufkin, Texas, Feb. 1, 2003. NASA (news - web sites) lost contact with the shuttle at around 9 a.m., about 16 minutes before its scheduled landing at Kennedy Space Center (news - web sites). (Reuters)

Sat Feb 1, 9:15 PM ET

Goldie Hamilton looks at a piece of debris that dropped into her yard in Alto, Texas from the space shuttle Columbia February 1, 2003. Many parts of the shuttle along with human remains were found in the area. Hamilton lives in the house in the background. REUTERS/Rick Wilking

Sat Feb 1, 9:18 PM ET

A piece of debris from the space shuttle Columbia dropped into this yard in Alto, Texas, February 1, 2003. Debris from space shuttle Columbia rained down onto fields, highways and a cemetery in Texas on Saturday, sending dozens of residents to hospitals after they handled the smoldering metal wreckage. All seven astronauts on board were killed in the break-up, which scattered potentially toxic debris across a 120-mile (190-km-long) swath of eastern Texas. REUTERS/Rick Wilking

Sat Feb 1, 7:43 PM ET

Stan Melasky, left, and his brother Steve Melasky look over a piece of debris, believed to be from the space shuttle Columbia, that fell on their farm near Douglass, Texas, Saturday, Feb. 1, 2003. (AP Photo/Donna McWilliam)

Sat Feb 1, 8:52 PM ET

An Anderson County sheriff's deputy walks past a piece of debris from the space shuttle Columbia outside Palestine, Texas after the shuttle broke apart during reentry over East Texas on its way to a scheduled landing in Florida, February 1, 2003. Shaken NASA (news - web sites) officials vowed to find out what caused the space shuttle Columbia to break up, saying they would look closely at the impact of a piece of foam insulation that struck the orbiter's left wing at takeoff. REUTERS/Jeff Mitchell

Sat Feb 1, 7:25 PM ET

A piece of space shuttle debris sits on the ground outside Bronson, Texas, Saturday, Feb. 1, 2003. Space shuttle Columbia broke apart in flames 200,000 feet over Texas on Saturday, killing all seven astronauts just minutes before they were to glide to a landing in Florida. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

Sat Feb 1, 7:29 PM ET

Searchers mark a small piece of debris while looking for remnants of the space shuttle outside Bronson, Texas, Saturday, Feb. 1, 2003. Space shuttle Columbia broke apart in flames 200,000 feet over Texas on Saturday, killing all seven astronauts just minutes before they were to glide to a landing in Florida. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

Sun Feb 2,10:11 AM ET

Resident Bugs Arriola looks at a piece of debris from the space shuttle Columbia, Sunday, Feb. 2, 2003 in Nacogdoches, Texas. People have been told not to touch any of the debris as there could be toxic chemicals on the material. (AP Photo/Donna McWilliam)

Sat Feb 1, 7:41 PM ET

Vollunteer firefigher John Berry looks out at small piece of debris believed to be from the space shuttle Columbia in a rural area north of Palestine, Texas, Saturday, Feb. 1, 2003. The shuttle broke apart in flames over Texas on Saturday, killing all seven astronauts just minutes before they were to glide to a landing in Florida. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

Sat Feb 1, 9:23 PM ET

A couple looks at a piece of debris from the space shuttle Columbia that dropped onto the highway in Alto, Texas February 1, 2003. Debris fromColumbia rained down onto fields, highways and a cemetery in Texas on Saturday, sending dozens of residents to hospitals after they handled the smoldering metal wreckage. All seven astronauts on board were killed in the break-up, which scattered potentially toxic debris across a 120-mile (190-km-long) swath of eastern Texas. REUTERS/Rick Wilking

[mommadooo3]

Just an insignificant observation....if you look at the first photo, in the upper right corner, is a lake that really resembles a dove carrying an 'olive branch'. Weird?

[McGavin999]

These are normal folks, farmers, families, all taking time out of their day to watch over and ponder these pieces of debris on their roads

That's what struck me too Will, it's almost as though they are guarding these pieces with pride and honor. They understand that it's not merely a piece of history, it's an important piece of the future as well.

[mikenola]

[nhoward14]

But Mooooooooooooooooooooooom... she started it!

And.. yes, the miracle has been considered.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/834027/
post 8

[Mark Felton]

I see the dove. beautiful.

[mikenola]

An unidentified FBI Evidence Response Team member examines a bagged piece of debris Saturday at the Hemphill Police Department. Two women who were fishing on Toledo Bend Lake saw the debris drop in front of them. (Star-Telegram / Paul Moseley)

[mikenola]

A federal investigator, at right, examines a piece from space shuttle Columbia on Texas 96, just north of Bronson in Galveston County. (Star-Telegram / Paul Moseley)

[Chad Fairbanks]

If you don't like it, you don't have to look... or are you one who prefers that if YOU dont like it NO ONE can see it? Do you burn books???

[Mark Felton]

Slow Motion Close-Up Video of Debris hitting left wing during launch

[Ronaldus Magnus]

I find comfort in seeing the attention and respect each piece of Columbia is receiving. There is a almost reverence in how this clean up is being conducted. This is a national tragedy, and we need to grieve together.

If you want to complain about something related to this tragedy, it should be about the hideous "Democrat Underground" remarks that the Admin Moderator allowed to be posted yesterday during the first moments of this tragedy. As a result, many of us found out about the deaths of these fine Americans in the most hurtful way possible.

[Thinkin' Gal]

Just an insignificant observation....if you look at the first photo, in the upper right corner, is a lake that really resembles a dove carrying an 'olive branch'. Weird?

CLICK

[mommadooo3]

FreeRepublic is one of the few sites that has members from ALL professions of life. Many are experts in their fields, many are near-geniuses.

While they discuss and 'talk over' various things about the pictures they see, they come up with some good theories. AND, it's well-known, that there are govt. lurkers here. Who knows if a freeper discussion leads them in a direction they overlooked?

If these photos upset you, don't 'look' here. Unless of course, you come here just to complain.

[Mark Felton]

Thanks. From one of your links is the following:

"In the 19th century, Columbia was recognized as the literary (inspired?) name of America, personified as a mighty, and yet peaceful, female figure. The word "Columbia", itself, is derived from the Irish word "Colum", meaning "Dove", and is traced back to the Irish Monk, St. Columba, who, in 563, brought the spirit of Christianity to Scotland via his famous monastery at Iona."

[The Wizard]

thank you, I now feel this did little damage

[Howlin]

You're new to FR, I see. There is a unique feature we have here that I suggest you become familiar with.

It's called CLICK ON BY

Nobody forced you to open this thread.

[xp38]

A lot of these pieces are unidentifiable to the layperson but the one in post # 12 obviously is part of the surface of the shuttle with the silhouettes of the tiles and a couple of them still attached in a shriveled state.

[Howlin]

Did you find a picture of the mission patch?

If you did, ping me. That is unbelieveably sorrowful, IMO.

[mommadooo3]

WHOA, Lady!!! What an awesome find!!! Am I too much of a 'screwball' to think that maybe the Lord has used His creation to send a message of 'peace, be still'? (btw, I ran out of asbestos undies and tin foil. Can ya tell? LOL!)

Here's a question, on the news yesterday I heard one of the reporters mention something about the Columbia flight being #16. Then the time of arrival was 9:16 and the time they were lost was 16 minutes before 'landing'. You're the Holy Number Lady, just co-incidence?

[Howlin]

I have been here a long time, since July 20, 1998, and I NEVER knew it was a requirement to click on EVERY SINGLE THREAD, how about you? :-)

[j_tull]

"y'all ain't from here, are ya?"