Where were you ten years ago?

This shot is from a videotape that the former Audio Visual director, Jerry Zink, was smart enough to stick in the VCR on April 19, 1995. It records the initial reaction and response to the Oklahoma City bombing on that Wednesday morning. I was a student at the University of Oklahoma in Norman, just south of OKC. I was waiting to go into my Intro to Philosophy class. I remember a football player who was in the same class talking about how hard the new coach, Howard Schnellenberger, was working them in spring practice. It was a mild spring day, and class went as scheduled. We reviewed for finals. I didn’t hear anything about the bombing until my fiancée (now wife) and I drove back to her house in Del City after our morning classes. This was before the ubiquitous internet and cell phones, and we had to hear it on the car radio. The tape I watched this morning is much as I remember the news that day as we watched it. Lots of speculation. Someone called the TV station claiming to be Nation of Islam, and claimed responsibility. They did mention pretty early on that it was the second anniversary of Waco, and wondered if there was a connection. Initial reports were possible gas leak, no fatalities. Then it turned to a possible car bomb, with substantial causalities. People were told to stay off ALL phones in Oklahoma because they were jamming the lines. There was word of a second bomb (I forgot this part). The State Capitol was closed. Tinker Air Force Base was locked down. Experts were interviewed on the news. Islamic militants were mentioned, and this caused innocent families in Norman to be harassed I remember. Of course it turned out to be one of our own. A veteran and an American. It was and is still surreal to think about. One hundred and sixty eight people were killed in the blast. Where were you on April 19, 1995?